All of Us by A. F. Carter

Author:A. F. Carter [Carter, A. F.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780802149459
Publisher: Grove Atlantic
Published: 2020-04-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

MARTHA

Victoria’s been after me to call our lawyer and I finally dial the number right after I finish lunch. Two offbrand hotdogs courtesy of a food pantry. I don’t expect to reach Malaya Castro on the first try, but for once I get lucky.

I’ve been half expecting your call,” she says once I identify myself.

“You heard?”

“Late yesterday afternoon, I received a call from, let’s see….” After a moment of silence, she comes back on. Her tone, as usual, is a bit too cheery. “A call from Dr. Plink at the medical review board. He told me your father had been murdered and the board was concerned with your status.”

“What’d you tell him?”

“I told him that until you were arrested and charged, Legal Aid would fight recommitment.”

“Does that mean you think we’ll be charged? That you’ve spoken to the cops?”

Malaya laughs out loud. “Carolyn, the last thing any cop wants to do is talk to a suspect’s lawyer. And besides, I only represent you on the medical issue.”

“C’mon, Malaya, are we suspects or not?”

“Have they read your rights to you?”

I’m suddenly weary. Weary and afraid. I feel like the last domino in a long line. I can hear the clatter of falling dominoes, but I can’t move. I can’t get out of the way.

“No, they haven’t.”

“Okay, bad habit, I sometimes speak off the top of my head. You’re not formally a suspect until your rights are read to you. And maybe the cops have someone else they’re looking at. Maybe you’re barely on their radar.”

I draw a breath. Moment of truth, ally or not. Let’s find out where we stand. “If necessary, can we say that you represent us?”

“You can ask for a lawyer at any time,” Malaya responds. “You never have to talk to the cops. As for me representing you, if the cops should read your rights to you, stop them when they get to the part about you having a right to an attorney. Tell them you want to exercise that right. That should bring the questioning to a stop without you having to call anyone. On the other hand, if you decide to talk to them, and I sincerely hope you won’t, you should know that they’ll probably lie to you. They’ll claim to have evidence they don’t have, eyewitnesses they don’t have, video they don’t have. And it’s legal, Carolyn. They’re allowed to lie to you until you don’t know up from down.”

I take a second to process the message. “And if we don’t talk to them? If we tell them to go fuck themselves? What then?”

“In that case, if they have enough evidence to show probable cause, they’ll arrest you. If not, they’ll let you go.” She hesitates for just a moment. “Look, if worse comes to worse and the cops don’t let up after you ask for a lawyer, call me. I can’t represent you at trial or arraignment, but the cops won’t know that. If I tell them to stop questioning you, they’ll stop.

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