“I’m afraid what they have is good enough.”
“Oh, you never know, with a jury.”
“What came into my head was that the best possible line of defence, if it can be arranged, would be to throw suspicion on some one else. Not enough to do the other person any real damage, but just enough to create a reasonable doubt.”
Woodman made no reply for a moment. Then he said, “That’s all very well; but where do you propose to find the person and the evidence?”
“First of all, it is surely very probable that George Brooklyn was actually killed by Prinsep. There is good evidence for that, you’ll agree.”
“Good enough to make a case, and it may even be true, though I don’t think it is.”
“Well, I propose to argue strongly that it is true, and I think we can create enough doubt to make it impossible to convict Mr. Brooklyn on that head. That leaves the murder of Prinsep.”
“Unfortunately, that is just where the evidence against Walter Brooklyn is strongest.”
“I know it is; and I want you to help me to find some one else who could reasonably be suspected of killing Prinsep. Never mind the evidence. I’ll find that if you’ll help me to the person. It won’t need to be enough to do the suspected person any real damage. It isn’t as if we wanted to get any one convicted: I only want to throw dust in the jury’s eyes.”
“I’m sorry; but I can’t help you there,” said Woodman shortly.