The Reformers: A Matt Blake Novel (The Matt Blake legal thriller series Book 2) Read Online Free

own conclusions. I started this case thinking it was just a matter of trying to convince the prosecution not to seek the death penalty, but now I’m thinking he may be innocent—yeah innocent, not just ‘not guilty,’ despite a truckload of evidence against him. But you’re the maven in the truth department and I can’t wait to hear your evaluation. I made the motion and got the court order, so you’re scheduled to see him at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Tonight you’ll have dinner with Diana and me.”
    “I accept, especially because you just told me that’s what I’m going to do. Always the Marine captain.”
    ***
    The routine motion to have Ali Yamani interviewed by a psychiatrist was granted without a question. In death penalty cases especially, the court and prosecutors know the defense wants a psychiatrist to hopefully uncover some evidence of insanity.
    “Doctor Weinberg, you may see the prisoner now,” the guard said.
    ***
    Although my name is Ben Weinberg, people call me Bennie-the-Bullshit Detector, and I’ve noticed that the older I get the more bullshit I see. The guards led Mr.Yamani into the interrogation room. He was shackled like King Kong in the movies, the scene where he’s on stage and all the light bulbs are flashing, freaking him out. But King Kong was a 50-foot-tall fucking ape. Mr. Yamani was maybe 5’10” with a somewhat slight build. Nevertheless, he had so much high tensile steel wrapped around his wrists and legs, that he couldn’t move more than a foot in a half a minute.
    I sat in front of the bulletproof glass. After a lot of clanging and rustling, Mr. Yamani managed to sit down in his chair.
    “Hi, you must be the Doctor Weinberg who Matt told me so much about. Matt likes you a lot. He says you’re a good guy.”
    I shifted immediately into shrink mode, and started to ask questions. I don’t mind an interviewee asking me questions, but it’s important that I control the conversation.
    “And what would make you think that I’m a good guy?”
    “Well, if you gave me a pack of cigarettes, I would kneel down and worship you as the One True God. But I guess that ain’t happening, so I’ll be happy to just answer your questions.”
    Holy shit, I thought, Matt’s right. This guy is kind of charming. He’s either for real or he’s a skilled con-man, meaning a possible psychopath.
    “Mr. Yamani, over the years I’ve worked with countless people who have been attracted to the outer fringes of one of the world’s great religions. Can you give me any idea how you may have found that appealing?”
    “Ben, if you don’t mind me calling you by your first name, please call me Al. I’m not a fucking jihadi. I like nothing more than a ham sandwich, and a cigarette, both washed down with a beer. I also like to play around with an occasional babe, since my wife passed away a few years ago. I am not what you’d call, ‘observant.’ I wouldn’t even know what to observe. I look like I rode in on a camel, but the only camel I’ve ever met came out of a pack. My late wife, by the way, was Jewish. I know you’re a detective as well as a shrink, so let me ask you a question, Ben. If you were profiling me, do I look like a fucking nut-case who would bomb a lot of innocent people at a shopping mall?”
    If this guy’s lying, he’s excellent. Something about this man rings true to me. He sure as hell talks straight.
    “Ali, Al, please let me review some evidence with you. Your thumbprint and DNA were found on the bomb detonator a few hundred feet away from the blast scene. And the killer piece of evidence, if you’ll pardon my choice of language, is a video of you standing next to the satchel that contained the bomb. I have the video with me on my iPad. Would you like to see it?”
    “That won’t be necessary, Ben. Matt Blake already showed it to me.”
    “So here’s an easy question, Al. Why should I believe you? You won’t be the first or last westernized Muslim to turn and adopt the