Stone Cold

Chapter Fifty-Four

“Now, let me get this straight,” Judge West said.

Alex watched from the defense counsel table alongside Lou Mason. Claire and Ortiz were standing center stage. The bailiff had yet to bring the jury into the courtroom.

“Mr. Ortiz, you are asking for a continuance because your last witness, this Gloria Temple, was killed by Detective Rossi last night.”

“That’s correct, Your Honor.”

“And, you, Ms. Mason, are asking for a directed verdict on the grounds that the prosecution has failed to carry its burden of proof in its case in chief.”

“Yes, Your Honor. Gloria Temple isn’t going to testify no matter how long a continuance you might grant. Mr. Ortiz said on the record yesterday that she was his last witness. Since she’s no longer available, he has no choice but to rest his case, and that means you can rule on my motion to direct a verdict in favor of the defendant.”

“Mr. Ortiz,” Judge West said, “do you have another witness?”

“Not at the moment. But if you’ll give us sixty days-”

“To do what, Counsel? Start over? Do a better job preparing your case the second time around? Hold on to your star witness instead of letting her escape, attempt to murder the defendant, and shoot it out with a homicide detective?”

“If the court please-,” Ortiz began.

“I’ll make this simple, Counsel. Do you have any other witnesses or evidence to offer at this time?”

Ortiz shook his head. “No, Your Honor, I don’t.”

“Request for continuance denied. Does the state rest?”

“We do.”

“If I may speak to my motion for directed verdict,” Claire said.

Judge West held up his hand. “Not necessary. This one’s easy, even for me. I find that the state has failed to meet its burden of proof on the charge of murder in the first degree or any other criminal count. I hereby enter a verdict of not guilty. The defendant is discharged. We are adjourned.”

Lou put his arm around Alex, squeezing her shoulders. Alex stood, and Claire embraced her and then held her by the arms, looking square into her eyes.

“You realize you did everything wrong from start to finish.”

Alex’s heart sank. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that lawyers make the worst clients. They never take advice. They always think they’re smarter than the lawyer they hired. You could have just as easily been convicted or killed. You do understand that, don’t you?”

Alex’s eyes watered as she nodded. “I do, and I’m very grateful for everything you and Lou and Blues and Kate did for me.”

Claire stroked her cheek. “You’ve been given a second chance. Make the most of it.”

Alex took her hand. “I will. I promise.”

Grace Canfield had watched the proceedings from the gallery. She made her way to Alex and gave her a long hug.

“Good for you, girl. Good for you,” Grace said.

“I guess I’ll see you at the office in the morning,” Alex said.

“Not tomorrow, but soon, I hope.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m supposed to tell you that the bosses are talking about if and when you can come back. For now, take it easy. You’ve earned some time off.”

Alex nodded, swallowing hard. It was too much to hope that her life would suddenly go back to normal, that things would be as they always had been. She had won, but she still didn’t know at what cost. If she lost her job, she’d find another. If she lost Bonnie, she’d just be lost. They had a lot of ground to cover.

She didn’t notice Rossi until the courtroom was almost empty. He was standing against the back wall, hands in his pockets. He’d been suspended with pay pending a review of the Gloria Temple shooting, though Alex had no doubt Tommy Bradshaw would declare that it was justified. As the last few people passed through the doors he walked toward her, stopping at the rail.

“So,” he said.

Alex dipped her head and then met his gaze, smiling. “Yeah. So.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m pretty sure I thanked you last night, but everything was so crazy, I’m may not have. So, thanks — again. You saved my life.”

Rossi chewed his lip. “What you did was pretty stupid, going into that house. You do know that, don’t you?”

“Would you believe me if I told you it seemed like a good idea at the time?”

“Does it matter?”

“No, I guess not.”

“You’re lucky I found the picture on Gloria’s phone of her in Donaire’s backyard and figured that’s where she was hiding.”

“I know,” Alex said. “Lucky and stupid, some combination, huh?”

Rossi tilted his head and stroked his chin. “What I don’t get is why you went looking for Gloria in the first place.”

Alex stiffened. It was the same question Rossi had asked her last night. Judge West had found her not guilty. Double jeopardy prevented her from being charged with murdering Dwayne even if she admitted it. So why was Rossi asking her again?

“Like I told you, when I heard what she was going to say, I couldn’t believe it. I had to find out why she’d do that. Lou Mason had given me a flash drive with everything on Gloria’s cellphone. After I heard she’d skipped out, I found the picture of her in Donaire’s backyard and I thought I might find her at his house. Same as you.” She shook her head. “I went a little crazy. I should have let Claire handle it but I guess I proved why lawyers are such lousy clients.”

“Yeah, well just don’t make a habit of it.”

“Don’t worry. That’s the last basement window I’ll ever climb through. Believe me.”

“That’s not what I was talking about,” Rossi said.

“What, then?”

“Killing your clients.”

Alex didn’t know what to say. She just looked at him, her mouth half-open, searching his face for any hidden meaning. His expression was flat but his eyes were alive, boring in on her as if to say he wasn’t letting her off as easily as Judge West had. In that moment, she realized they both had their own system of justice and she wondered how far he would go with his. Last night he’d told her it was over. She wasn’t sure he meant it.

“Right. Bad for business,” she said, forcing a laugh.

“See you around, Counselor.”

She lingered in the courtroom after he left doing what she always did when a case was over: gaze at the judge’s bench, the jury box, the counsel tables, and the gallery, soaking in the somber majesty of her surroundings. Only this time, it was different. This time she saw it as a stage on which there was more than one way to make certain justice was done.

Claire was right in one sense. She had done everything wrong. But she was right to have done it and she would use her second chance to do it again if she had to, even with Rossi watching and waiting for her to slip up. Only next time she’d do it Judge West’s way, in the courtroom, not with a gun.

Judge West opened the door from his chambers. They stood for a moment, reaching their own verdicts about each other.

“You’re welcome in my courtroom anytime, Counselor.”

“I look forward to it,” Alex said.

Bonnie had left as soon as the hearing concluded to bring her car around to the courthouse. She was standing outside her car waiting for Alex, who took her time going down the steps, enjoying how Bonnie’s grin grew longer and wider with every step she took. When they were within arm’s reach, Bonnie grabbed her and snatched her close, avoiding Alex’s broken nose, kissing her until Alex pulled back, breathless, her bruised and swollen lips throbbing. It was a good start.

“Save a little something for later,” she told Bonnie, smiling.

“Hey, it’s not every day that your girlfriend kills someone to protect you.”

“True love, babe. Let’s go home.”