Brad Gordonwas silent. He had to admit the little guy knew how to make a case. He'd never thought of his life that way before. Like when he was screwing the boss's wife, his uncle just gave him hell about it. Why, his uncle had said, did you make that kind of fucked-up decision? Keep it in your pants, jerkoff! Brad had had no answer at the time. Under his uncle's glare, his actions did seem pretty stupid. The broad wasn't even that good-looking. But now it seemed Brad had an answer to his uncle's question: He couldn't help it. It was his genetic inheritance that was controlling his behavior.
Johnson explained further, giving a lot of detail. According to him, Brad was at the mercy of thisD 4DRgene, which controlled the chemical levels in the brain. Something called dopamine was driving Brad to take risks, and to enjoy the experience, to crave it. Brain scans and other tests proved that people like Brad could not control the desire to take risks.
"It's the novelty gene," Johnson said, "and it has been named by the most important geneticist in America, Dr. Robert Bellarmino. Dr. Bellarmino is the biggest genetics researcher at the National Institutes of Health. He has a huge lab. He publishes fifty papers a year. No jury can ignore his research."
"Okay, so I have the gene. You really think this will work?"
"Yes, but I want to see some frosting on the cake, before we go to trial."
"Meaning what?"
"Before your trial, you're naturally worried, stressed."
"Yeah..."
"So I want you to take a trip, to take your mind off things. I want you to travel around the country, and I want you to take risks wherever you go."
Johnson laid it out: Speeding tickets, amusement parks, getting into fights, roller coasters, climbing expeditions in national parks - always making sure to get into an argument, a dispute about safety, a claim that equipment was faulty. Anything that would get his name recorded in a document that could later be used in trial.
"That's it," Johnson said. "Get going. I'll see you in a few weeks." He gave him a sheet of paper.
"What's this?"
"A list of the biggest roller coasters in the U.S. Make sure you visit the top three."
"Christ. Ohio...Indiana...Texas..."
"I don't want to hear it," Johnson said. "You're facing twenty years in prison, my friend, with some big guy with tattoos who's going to be giving you lots worse than anal warts. So do as I tell you. And leave town today."
Back in hisapartment, in Sherman Oaks, he packed a bag. The thought of a big guy with tattoos preoccupied him for a moment. He wondered if he should take his pistol. Going cross-country, to crazy places like Ohio - who knew what he might come across. He put a box of ammo in his bag, and his pistol with the leg holster.
Heading for his car, Brad found that he felt better about everything. It was a sunny day, his Porsche was sparkling clean, and he had a plan.
Road trip!
CHapter 055
Lynn Kendallran into the La Jolla school, arriving out of breath at the principal's office. "I got here as soon as I could," she said. "What's the problem?"
"It's David," the principal said. She was a woman of forty. "The child you are home-schooling. Your son Jamie brought him to school for the day."
"Yes, to see how he did..."
"And I am afraid he did not do well. On the playground, he bit another child."
"Oh dear."
"He very nearly drew blood."
"That's terrible."
"We see this in home-schooled children, Mrs. Kendall. They severely lack socialization skills and inner controls. There is no substitute for daily school environment with peers."
"I'm sorry this has happened..."
"You need to speak to him," the principal said. "He is in detention, in the next room."
Lynn went into a small room. It was filled with green metal filing cabinets, stacked high. Dave was on a wooden chair, looking very small and brown curled up in the seat.
"Dave. What happened?"
"He hurted Jamie," Dave said.
"Who did?"
"I don't know his name. He bees in six grade."
Lynn thought, sixth grade? Then it would have been a much bigger child.
"And what happened, Dave?"
"He push-ed Jamie on the ground. Hurted him."
"And what did you do?"
"I jump-ed on his back."
"Because you wanted to protect Jamie?"
Dave nodded.
"But you shouldn't bite, Dave."
"He bited me first."
"Did he? Where did he bite you?"
"Here." Dave held up a stubby, muscular finger. The skin was pale and thick. There might be bite marks, but she couldn't be sure.
"Did you tell the principal?"
"She's not with my mother." That, Lynn knew, was Dave's way of saying the principal didn't like him. Young chimps inhabited a matriarchal society where the allegiances of females were very important and constantly tracked.
"Did you show her the finger?"
Dave shook his head. No.
"I'll speak to her," Lynn said.
"That's his story,is it?" the principal said. "Well, I'm not surprised. He jumped on the child's back. What did he expect would happen?"
"Then the other child did bite first?"
"Biting is not allowed, Mrs. Kendall."
"Did the other child bite him?"
"He says no."
"Is the child in sixth grade?"
"Yes. In Miss Fromkin's class."
"I'd like to speak to him," Lynn said.
"We can't permit that," the principal said. "He's not your child."