Blood Evidence by Robin James

Author:Robin James [James, Robin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Robin James Books
Published: 2019-11-06T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

“It’s as good a deal as your father will get, Cass,” Jack LaForge said. We stood outside courtroom number two. In ten minutes, the court would let the fifty-odd members of the jury pool in for the start of voir dire.

“Second-degree murder,” I repeated Jack’s offer. Manslaughter was off the table now that he’d defeated my motion to suppress the hotel room evidence. I was shocked we were even having this conversation in light of that. It meant someone in the prosecutor’s office was nervous. They should be.

“Why now?” I asked. Jack was smart. Plus, he seemed uneasy, not really meeting my eyes.

“Sheila Brewer’s family wants her back,” he said.

I shook my head. “I don’t get it. Why now?”

“Does it matter?” he asked.

I also already knew what my dad would say. No deal. It would be my advice to him as well. He didn’t kill this woman. I had the strong sense that Jack LaForge and the prosecutor’s office felt very much on their heels leading into this.

“I’ll meet you in there,” I said.

Jack grumbled. “You’re making a mistake,” he said. “You both are. You really willing to kill your career for that man?”

I wouldn’t stand here and let him bait me. The door opened to the stairwell. The sheriffs led my father in. He was wearing a suit I brought for him. The deputy removed his cuffs just outside the door.

“Private conversation or can anyone join?” he said, smiling at Jack. I grabbed my father’s elbow and ushered him into the courtroom with the deputies right behind.

We sat at the defense table and I gave him the highlights of my conversation and the plea deal he’d just been offered.

Dad laughed. “They’re scared,” he said. “They should be.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re in a good mood, at least,” I said through gritted teeth. If he didn’t wipe that smirk off his face before the jury pool came in, we could be sunk before this thing started.

Jack walked in and caught my eye. I clenched my jaw and shook my head no. No deal. Game on.

To his credit, my father sat quietly and mostly docile as we waded through voir dire. It went smoothly. Within an hour, we had a panel of twelve jurors and four alternates. They ranged in age from twenty-five to sixty-three. Six men, six women. I had my eye on a female chemistry teacher from Delphi High School. With the highest education of the bunch, I’d bet my dinner they’d make her foreman. She was also newer to the district and admitted to hearing about me from the Larry Drazdowski trial. They all had. I hoped that made them see me as a winner.

Judge Castor ran an efficient courtroom. He wanted to get through opening statements and maybe even Jack’s first witness before lunch.

Jack rose, cleared his throat, and addressed the jury. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “I wish you could have met Sheila Brewer. By all accounts, she was a kind soul. A hard worker. She wasn’t rich.

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