Cash Call, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 5

by William Manchee

  Chapter 33

  Cool Reaction

  Jodie was still cool to me about Paula Waters becoming my new partner. I hadn't even thought about talking to her about the idea of bringing Paula in the firm because it had been just talk. Paula's sudden friendship with Rebekah had changed everything. Now it was a most fortuitous event with a big murder trial lurking in the near future and my bank account so low. Jodie sat down slowly in a side chair across the desk from me.

   "It was just so sudden. I didn't know you two were even talking about a partnership."

   "Frankly I didn't think it would ever happen, but Paula really wanted to do it, and Rebekah seems comfortable with the idea now."

   Jodie gave me a concerned look and said,"Will I have to do work for her?"

   "Just for a little while. She'll get her own secretary soon. . . . Nothing will change between you and I."

   "I hope not. I love my job, and I'd hate for someone to come in and spoil it."

   "Don't worry. Everything will work out fine. Just try to be helpful to Paula until she gets settled."

   "Of course," Jodie said, and then got up and left.

   Just after lunch Paula arrived, and I showed her to her new office. She didn't have much in the way of furnishings as her office with the DA was small. Jodie was civil with her, but I could see she wasn't at all thrilled with another woman invading her territory--particularly one who was her superior.

   After Paula was settled in I briefed her on Cochran’s case, and we began to develop a strategy for getting an acquittal.

   "You know we are taking a big risk here just assuming none of the Blaylocks killed Luther," Paula said.

   "I know and I explained that to Jim when he hired me. He is confident that none of them did it and doesn't want us to turn the investigation in their direction even if it might help him win at trial."

   "Okay, so our strategy will be--?"

   "My theory is that Margie killed Luther. Her alibi is weak and I think we can poke holes through it at trial."

   "But she has no motive," Paula reminded me.

   "Maybe. Maybe not. . . . Don't you think it is strange that she's still living in Luther's condo?"

   "Why is that strange?"

   "Because it now belongs to Laura Bell."

   "It does?"

   "Yes, the divorce wasn't final and Laura Bell gets everything. . . . I keep asking myself why hasn't Laura Bell kicked Margie out?"

   "Good point."

   "She's also still driving Luther's Cadillac even though she owns her own car."

   "Is there a probate yet?"

   "I don't know. Probably not. But Laura Bell is the executrix under Luther's will, so if she wanted the condo and the car, she could file the will for probate and be in control of everything within two weeks. The fact that she hasn't done that leads me to believe Margie and she may have a deal."

   "What kind of deal?"

   "In exchange for Margie killing Luther, she gets the condo, Cadillac and a cut of the insurance money."

   "But you said you thought Margie loved Luther. Why would she kill him?"

   "Margie's ex-husband told me she has a very violent temper. When she gets mad, she'll do just about anything. Remember the stripper, Julie?"

   "Yes."

   "On the Monday night before Luther was murdered he took her to a motel where they drank and had sex. That night Margie was sitting at home stewing because Luther hadn't come home. She knew about Luther's history with Julie so she may have gone to the club where Julie worked to see if Luther was there. When she found his Cadillac in the parking lot she waited for Luther to come out. When he finally did come out, Julie was with him, so she followed them to the motel. That's when I think she concocted the idea to kill Luther."

   "Go on."

   "She was in a rage. She wanted to kill Luther for betraying her, but if she did she'd be left with nothing. So I would guess that night or the next day she went straight to Laura Bell's place. I can almost picture the scene. Laura Bell opening the door and shocked to see Margie there. Curious as the purpose of the visit she lets her in. Margie then tells her of Luther's treachery and what a perfect opportunity it was for them both to get revenge and come out with seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars in their pockets."

   "Wow. That's great. Too bad you can't prove it," Paula said.

   "Well, I don't have to prove it. All I have to do is create reasonable doubt. Don't you think a jury will buy it?"

   "Only if you come up with some evidence of the conspiracy. It doesn't have to be much. Maybe someone saw Margie visit Laura Bell that night or we can prove they called each other," Paula said.

   "Good idea. Subpoena Margie and Paula's phone records. Why don't you check with the neighbors and see if anyone saw Margie's car there that night," I said.

   "Okay. I think I'll go see Will and find out exactly what evidence they have against Jim Cochran. We've got to be able to poke some serious holes in his case if our strategy is to work."

   "Be my guest. He hasn't given me the time of day."

   "Don't worry. I know how to handle Will Thornton."

   It was great working with Paula. She was so confident and obviously loved what she was doing. As a sole practitioner I often felt lonely, isolated, and overwhelmed by the tasks that confronted me. But now with Paula at my side I felt a surge of confidence that I had never experienced before. I thanked God for sending her to me.

   The next afternoon Paula and I discussed what we had both found out since we had last spoken. Paula had checked the neighbors and nobody could confirm seeing Margie or her car there the night of the murder. I advised her the subpoenas were out to the phone companies, but it would be at least thirty days before they came back. Then she told me about her conference with Will.

   "Okay, here's what they've got. Jim's verbal threats to kill Luther were heard by numerous persons. Margie's testimony that Jim visited the condo a few days before the murder and threatened Luther again. Then they have Jim's fingerprints on the window of the garage as well as hair fibers on the ground. Finally they have an eyewitness who saw Jim driving by the condo a few hours before the murder," Paula noted.

   "So, a lot will be resting on Julie's testimony that Jim was with her," I said. "Nothing they have right now puts Jim at the scene of the crime between nine-thirty and ten.

   "Right. I asked Will about that and he laughed. He said by the time he gets through with Julie on cross exam, we'll wish we had never called her."

   "What does he mean by that?" I said.

   "I don't know, but he's almost daring us to put her on the stand. He obviously knows something that we don't."

   "Or he wants us to think he does, so we won't call her," I said. "I think he's bluffing."

   "I don't think so. He's got something up his sleeve. I could feel it."

   "Well, we don't have a choice in the matter. Julie is our only hope."

   "We've got an awful lot riding on her," Paula argued. "For Jim's sake, I hope she comes through."

   After Paula and I were done, I noticed a call slip from Melanie. Shit! That's all I need now. The diamonds in the vault scared me. Every time I thought of selling them I imagined dire consequences. Maybe I'm just paranoid.

   I picked up the phone and called Melanie.

   "Hi, I'm sorry I haven't called you. It's just been so hectic with the trial and everything."

   "I can imagine. I wouldn't have bothered you except that the buyers are getting anxious. I'm afraid we might lose them if we don't act soon."

   "Okay, contact them and we'll do it."

   "Great. I'll be in touch."

   A chill darted down my spine as I hung up the phone. Adrenalin began flooding my system. I couldn't imagine getting a quarter million dollars.Won't Rebekah be shocked. I was glad my dealings with Melanie would soon be over. She was a dangerous woman for me to be around. If I wasn't careful she could ruin my life in a flash. It oc
curred to me the time might be right to tell Rebekah about the diamonds. But what if something happened and I didn't get the money. She'd be devastated again. I didn't want to chance more disappointment, so I decided to keep my mouth shut until I had the money in the bank. I wondered how long that would be.