It was a different note this time, pure hysteria: "I couldn't stop. Oh, God."
Chandler caught his lawyer by the arm and jerked him away from staring at the scene. All of a sudden he was alive again. "You, damn it. Listen! The jury acquitted me, right?"
The lawyer was startled. "Don't be ridiculous. It's a clear case of—"
"Be a lawyer, man! You live on technicalities, don't you? Make this one work for me!"
The attorney gave him a queer, thoughtful look, hesitated, shrugged and got to his feet. He had to shout to be heard. "Your honor! I take it my client is free to go."
He made almost as much of a stir as the sobbing woman, but he outshouted the storm. "The jury's verdict is on record. Granted there was an apparent case of possession. Nevertheless—"
Judge Ellithorp yelled back: "No nonsense, you! Listen to me, young man—"
The lawyer snapped, "Permission to approach the bench."
"Granted."