Let Me Call You Sweetheart

63

Bob Kinellen did not hear the news about Barney Haskell and Mark Young until he entered the courthouse at ten of nine and the media pounced on him. As soon as he heard what had happened, he realized that he had been expecting it.

How could Haskell have been so stupid as to think Jimmy would let him live to testify against him?

He managed to appear appropriately shocked, and to sound convincing when, in answer to a question, he said that Haskell’s death would in no way change Mr. Weeks’ defense strategy. “James Forrest Weeks is innocent of all charges,” he said. “Whatever deal Mr. Haskell was trying to make with the U.S. attorney would have been exposed in court as self-serving and dishonest. I deeply regret the death of Mr. Haskell and my fellow attorney and friend Mark Young.”

He managed to escape into an elevator and brush past other media representatives on the second floor. Jimmy was already in the courtroom. “Heard about Haskell?”

“Yes, I did, Jimmy.”

“Nobody’s safe. These muggers are everywhere.”

“I guess they are, Jimmy.”

“It does kind of level the playing field though, doesn’t it, Bobby?”

“Yes, I would say so.”

“But I don’t like a level playing field.”

“I know that, Jimmy.”

“Just so you know.”

Bob spoke carefully. “Jimmy, someone sent my ex-wife a picture of our little girl, Robin. It was taken as she was leaving for school on Tuesday by the same person who was in a car that made a last-minute U-turn right in front of her. Robin thought he was going to come up on the sidewalk and run her over.”

“They always joke about New Jersey drivers, Bobby.”

“Jimmy, nothing had better happen to my daughter.”

“Bobby, I don’t know what you’re talking about. When are they going to make your ex-wife a judge and get her out of the prosecutor’s office? She shouldn’t be.poking around in other people’s business.”

Bob knew that his question had been asked and answered. One of Jimmy’s people had taken the picture of Robin. He, Bob, would have to get Kerry to back off investigating the Reardon case. And he had better see to it that Jimmy was acquitted in this one.

“Good morning, Jimmy. Morning, Bob.”

Bob looked up to see his father-in-law, Anthony Bartlett, slip into the chair next to Jimmy.

“Very sad about Haskell and Young,” Bartlett murmured.

“Tragic,” Jimmy said.

At that moment the sheriff’s officer motioned to the prosecutor and Bob and Bartlett to step inside the judge’s chambers. A somber Judge Benton looked up from his desk. “I assume you have all been made aware of the tragedy involving Mr. Haskell and Mr. Young.” The attorneys nodded quietly.

“As difficult as it will be, I believe that, given the two months already invested in this trial, it should continue. Fortunately, the jury is sequestered and won’t be exposed to this news, including the speculation that Mr. Weeks may be involved. I will simply tell them that the absence of Mr. Haskell and Mr. Young means that Mr. Haskell’s case is no longer before them.

“I will instruct them not to speculate on what happened and not to let it affect their consideration of Mr. Weeks’ case in any way.

“Okay-let’s continue.”

The jury filed in and settled in their seats. Bob could see the quizzical looks on their faces as they looked over to Haskell’s and Young’s empty chairs. As the judge instructed them not to speculate on what had happened, Bob knew damn well that that was exactly what they were doing. They think he pled guilty, Bob thought. That’s not going to help us.

As Bob pondered how badly this would hurt Weeks, his eyes rested on juror number 10, Lillian Wagner. He knew that Wagner, prominent in the community, so proud of her Ivy League husband and sons, so aware of her position and social status, was a problem. There had to be a reason Jimmy demanded he accept her.

What Bob did not know was that an “associate” of Jimmy Weeks had quietly approached Alfred Wight, juror number 2, just before the jury had been sequestered. Weeks had learned that Wight had a terminally ill wife and was nearly bankrupt from the medical expenses. The desperate Mr. Wight had agreed to accept $100,000 in exchange for a guarantee that his vote would be Not Guilty.