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    [Stone Barrington 03] • Dead in the Water

    by Stuart, Woods,
    In “Dead in the Water,” part of Stuart Woods’ Stone Barrington series, the suave attorney and former NYPD detective finds himself embroiled in a high-stakes legal thriller. While vacationing in the Caribbean, Barrington is drawn into a case involving a wealthy woman accused of murdering her husband at sea. As he investigates, he uncovers layers of deception, maritime law complexities, and dangerous adversaries. The novel blends legal intrigue with action, showcasing Barrington’s wit and resourcefulness. Themes of justice, trust, and survival underpin this fast-paced entry in the popular series, appealing to fans of courtroom dramas and adventure alike.
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    [Stone Barrington 03] • Dead in the Water

    Chapter 42

    by Stuart, Woods,

    Stone Bar­ring­ton grap­ples with con­flict­ing emo­tions as he rep­re­sents Alli­son Man­ning, a client he knows is guilty but with whom he shares a per­son­al con­nec­tion. Despite his pro­fes­sion­al duty to defend her, his cop instincts trou­ble him, espe­cial­ly since she faces a cap­i­tal charge. Their con­ver­sa­tion reveals Allison’s rea­sons for not using a satel­lite phone after her husband’s death—technical dif­fi­cul­ties and pride in her self-reliance—which Stone advis­es her to frame care­ful­ly for the jury. He empha­sizes the need to rehearse her tes­ti­mo­ny to present her inno­cence con­vinc­ing­ly, though he insists he won’t alter her sto­ry, only refine its deliv­ery.

    Stone leaves to con­sult Leslie Hewitt, the bar­ris­ter han­dling the tri­al, but finds him uncon­scious in his gar­den. After reviv­ing him, Stone real­izes Hewitt’s frailty and strug­gles to ensure he reviews the tri­al mate­ri­als. Hewitt dis­miss­es him, pre­fer­ring to return to gar­den­ing, leav­ing Stone con­cerned about his pre­pared­ness for the case. This encounter high­lights the chal­lenges Stone faces in rely­ing on an aging and seem­ing­ly unre­li­able col­league, adding pres­sure to an already high-stakes defense.

    Deter­mined to gath­er more evi­dence, Stone vis­its the air­port to ques­tion Har­vey Simp­son, the mechan­ic who tes­ti­fied at the inquest. He probes whether the hangar door was left open the night before Chester’s fatal crash, sug­gest­ing unau­tho­rized access to the plane. Simp­son con­firms the door is rarely closed, leav­ing the air­craft vul­ner­a­ble. Stone’s line of ques­tion­ing hints at his strat­e­gy to cast doubt on the cir­cum­stances of the crash, pos­si­bly impli­cat­ing sab­o­tage or neg­li­gence as part of Allison’s defense.

    The chap­ter under­scores Stone’s mul­ti­fac­eted strug­gle: bal­anc­ing per­son­al feel­ings with pro­fes­sion­al ethics, man­ag­ing an unre­li­able co-coun­sel, and piec­ing togeth­er evi­dence to build a cred­i­ble defense. His inter­ac­tions with Alli­son, Hewitt, and Simp­son reveal his metic­u­lous approach to the case, even as exter­nal com­pli­ca­tions threat­en to under­mine his efforts. The ten­sion between his emo­tion­al involve­ment and legal oblig­a­tions sets the stage for fur­ther twists in the tri­al.

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    FAQs

    • Answer:
      Stone is grappling with the ethical and emotional challenge of representing a client he knows is guilty while also having a personal romantic relationship with her. The chapter reveals this is not his first time defending a guilty client, but it is the first time he’s been intimately involved with one—particularly one facing a capital crime. He struggles to reconcile his professional duty with his personal feelings and cop instincts, actively trying to “keep her innocent in his mind.” This complex dynamic adds layers to his usual legal challenges, making this case uniquely difficult for him.

      2. Analyze Allison’s two explanations for not using the satellite phone after Paul’s death. How might her second reason (“sense of self-reliance”) impact a jury’s perception if revealed in court?

      Answer:
      Allison’s first explanation—technical inability to operate the satellite phone—is a factual, neutral reason that wouldn’t necessarily prejudice a jury. However, her second reason about pride and self-reliance could be damaging. As Stone warns her, jurors might interpret this as callous indifference to seeking help after a death, potentially painting her as cold or calculating. The chapter highlights how attorneys must strategically shape testimony, as Allison’s authentic but legally risky explanation demonstrates the tension between truth and effective courtroom presentation in high-stakes cases.

      3. What concerning behaviors does Leslie Hewitt exhibit during Stone’s visit, and how do they relate to the upcoming trial’s challenges?

      Answer:
      Hewitt displays significant cognitive lapses: falling asleep in the garden, initial disorientation upon waking, forgetting Stone’s purpose, and abruptly ending their meeting to return to gardening. These behaviors suggest possible age-related decline or health issues that could impair his trial performance. Stone’s visible concern—checking Hewitt’s pupil response and testing his recognition—underscores the professional risk of relying on an unreliable co-counsel for a capital case. This subplot introduces tension about whether Hewitt can effectively lead Allison’s defense.

      Answer:
      Stone shifts from witness preparation to investigative mode by visiting the airport hangar—showing how thorough attorneys build cases. His questioning of mechanic Simpson about the hangar door and tools suggests he’s exploring alternate theories (like sabotage of Chester’s plane) to create reasonable doubt. This demonstrates the multidimensional nature of defense work: while managing client relations and co-counsel issues, Stone simultaneously gathers evidence to challenge the prosecution’s narrative, displaying the hands-on investigative work that complements courtroom strategy.

      Answer:
      This exchange illuminates the ethical line between legitimate witness preparation and improper coaching. Stone explicitly states he won’t “tamper with [her] story” but aims to present it more effectively—a standard practice. However, his specific instruction to omit the self-reliance explanation shows how attorneys must balance zealous advocacy with truthfulness. The scene reveals that while witness “fine-tuning” is expected, it requires careful judgment to avoid crossing into manipulation, especially when the client’s life is at stake in a capital case.

    Quotes

    • 1. “It was the first time, however, that he had represented a guilty client with whom he had been enthusiastically making love—one he had grown very fond of—was nearly in love with.”

      This quote reveals Stone’s internal conflict as he struggles with his professional ethics versus personal feelings for Allison, highlighting the complex moral dilemma at the heart of the chapter.

      2. “I would have been ashamed if somebody had come to my rescue… my sense of self-reliance would have been punctured if I’d had to ask somebody else to do it for me.”

      Allison’s explanation of her refusal to call for help demonstrates her strong independent streak, which becomes a key character trait that may influence both the legal case and her relationship with Stone.

      3. “Oh, I’m not going to tamper with your story; I just want to shape it in a way that will tell the jury, in a simple and straightforward way, that you’re innocent.”

      This quote shows Stone’s approach to legal strategy - walking the ethical line between witness preparation and manipulation, which foreshadows potential courtroom tensions to come.

      4. “Young man, when you are my age, you will take the occasional nap, too, believe me.”

      Leslie Hewitt’s dismissive response to Stone’s concern humorously contrasts with the serious situation, while also subtly raising questions about the aging barrister’s fitness to handle the upcoming trial.

      5. “That door is a pain in the ass; sticks all the time. I keep meaning to do something about it, but I never seem to get around to it.”

      The mechanic’s casual remark about the hangar door’s poor maintenance provides crucial information about the crime scene’s vulnerability, potentially significant for the defense case Stone is building.

    Quotes

    1. “It was the first time, however, that he had represented a guilty client with whom he had been enthusiastically making love—one he had grown very fond of—was nearly in love with.”

    This quote reveals Stone’s internal conflict as he struggles with his professional ethics versus personal feelings for Allison, highlighting the complex moral dilemma at the heart of the chapter.

    2. “I would have been ashamed if somebody had come to my rescue… my sense of self-reliance would have been punctured if I’d had to ask somebody else to do it for me.”

    Allison’s explanation of her refusal to call for help demonstrates her strong independent streak, which becomes a key character trait that may influence both the legal case and her relationship with Stone.

    3. “Oh, I’m not going to tamper with your story; I just want to shape it in a way that will tell the jury, in a simple and straightforward way, that you’re innocent.”

    This quote shows Stone’s approach to legal strategy - walking the ethical line between witness preparation and manipulation, which foreshadows potential courtroom tensions to come.

    4. “Young man, when you are my age, you will take the occasional nap, too, believe me.”

    Leslie Hewitt’s dismissive response to Stone’s concern humorously contrasts with the serious situation, while also subtly raising questions about the aging barrister’s fitness to handle the upcoming trial.

    5. “That door is a pain in the ass; sticks all the time. I keep meaning to do something about it, but I never seem to get around to it.”

    The mechanic’s casual remark about the hangar door’s poor maintenance provides crucial information about the crime scene’s vulnerability, potentially significant for the defense case Stone is building.

    FAQs

    Answer:
    Stone is grappling with the ethical and emotional challenge of representing a client he knows is guilty while also having a personal romantic relationship with her. The chapter reveals this is not his first time defending a guilty client, but it is the first time he’s been intimately involved with one—particularly one facing a capital crime. He struggles to reconcile his professional duty with his personal feelings and cop instincts, actively trying to “keep her innocent in his mind.” This complex dynamic adds layers to his usual legal challenges, making this case uniquely difficult for him.

    2. Analyze Allison’s two explanations for not using the satellite phone after Paul’s death. How might her second reason (“sense of self-reliance”) impact a jury’s perception if revealed in court?

    Answer:
    Allison’s first explanation—technical inability to operate the satellite phone—is a factual, neutral reason that wouldn’t necessarily prejudice a jury. However, her second reason about pride and self-reliance could be damaging. As Stone warns her, jurors might interpret this as callous indifference to seeking help after a death, potentially painting her as cold or calculating. The chapter highlights how attorneys must strategically shape testimony, as Allison’s authentic but legally risky explanation demonstrates the tension between truth and effective courtroom presentation in high-stakes cases.

    3. What concerning behaviors does Leslie Hewitt exhibit during Stone’s visit, and how do they relate to the upcoming trial’s challenges?

    Answer:
    Hewitt displays significant cognitive lapses: falling asleep in the garden, initial disorientation upon waking, forgetting Stone’s purpose, and abruptly ending their meeting to return to gardening. These behaviors suggest possible age-related decline or health issues that could impair his trial performance. Stone’s visible concern—checking Hewitt’s pupil response and testing his recognition—underscores the professional risk of relying on an unreliable co-counsel for a capital case. This subplot introduces tension about whether Hewitt can effectively lead Allison’s defense.

    Answer:
    Stone shifts from witness preparation to investigative mode by visiting the airport hangar—showing how thorough attorneys build cases. His questioning of mechanic Simpson about the hangar door and tools suggests he’s exploring alternate theories (like sabotage of Chester’s plane) to create reasonable doubt. This demonstrates the multidimensional nature of defense work: while managing client relations and co-counsel issues, Stone simultaneously gathers evidence to challenge the prosecution’s narrative, displaying the hands-on investigative work that complements courtroom strategy.

    Answer:
    This exchange illuminates the ethical line between legitimate witness preparation and improper coaching. Stone explicitly states he won’t “tamper with [her] story” but aims to present it more effectively—a standard practice. However, his specific instruction to omit the self-reliance explanation shows how attorneys must balance zealous advocacy with truthfulness. The scene reveals that while witness “fine-tuning” is expected, it requires careful judgment to avoid crossing into manipulation, especially when the client’s life is at stake in a capital case.

    Note