Lassiter

68 Suitable for Framing

“We stand in recess.” Judge Duckworth banged her gavel. “Counsel, my chambers, now! Bailiff, please summon two sheriff’s deputies.”

The judge stood and disappeared through the door behind the bench.

I had failed to get to my feet when the judge rose. I was still reeling.

Alex Castiel killed his surrogate father.

There was a certain logic to it. Perlow was about to be indicted on the slot-machine case. All his life, Castiel listened to his uncle Max telling him to be ruthless, to save himself first. So Castiel figured the teacher would do what he taught. Perlow’s get-out-of-jail-free card was his ability to bring down the State Attorney. Tell the feds about Alex being a bagman for a porn producer, then beating a girl to death, and who knows what else over the years? Maybe Castiel was wrong; maybe Perlow never would have talked. Now we’ll never know.

Amy squeezed my arm and breathed, “Thank you,” into my ear.

Krista stepped through the gate and joined us at the defense table. The sisters hugged, and Krista said, “Is the case over, Jake?” Hope rippling her voice like a stream over rocks.

“Not quite yet. Let’s see what the judge has to say.”

“Whatever happens, you were wonderful, Jake.”

That gave me the chance for a long overdue apology. “Krista, I’m sorry I didn’t step up when I had the chance. Sorry I didn’t keep you safe.”

Krista gave me a soft, rueful smile. “Don’t sweat it, Jake. In the shit storm of my life, you weren’t even a drizzle.”

I wasn’t willing to be let off the hook so easily. “If I knew then what I know now, I would have been a better man.”

She laughed and gave me a knowing smile. “Amy’s told me all about you. You’re a better man now.”

“You sure about that?”

“You’ve proved it by helping Amy.”

I started for the judge’s chambers, but Amy grabbed my sleeve. “Do you think the jurors believe Charlie?”

“I do.”

“About everything? Not just that it wasn’t me. But that Castiel shot Perlow with my gun.”

I recited the evidence of what I figured would become the second trial: State v. Castiel. “Once Castiel had the bullets you fired into my tires, all he needed was to get the gun from your motel. He had evidence of your stalking, your threats against Ziegler, and now the forensic evidence. By making it look like a botched attempt to kill Ziegler, you were just like Castiel’s law school diploma.”

Her look shot me a question.

“Suitable for framing.” I stuffed my briefcase and headed for the door behind the bench. Her Honor was waiting.