Family Law

by Mackey Chandler

  It was like a cafeteria, but the girls didn't push a tray along and make choices. A line of servers filled a tray they got at the end and went back to eat in the day room.

  The girl Rachel had pronounced crazy was still in the same seat as when they lined up. One of the guards was talking to her, apparently trying to get her to eat. She was looking away and the woman touched her shoulder. She didn't really hit the guard but she threw her hands up, knocked the woman's hand away and made a screeching noise. The woman stepped back alarmed and said something touching her collar.

  "That's trouble now. See what I told you 'bout her?" Rachel said.

  A male guard came in with a pistol like device, but it wasn't any weapon Lee knew.

  "Spray injector," Rachel informed her, "safer than having needles around, ya know?"

  The girl was looking away again and didn't notice the new guard, until he'd put the injector almost touching her neck and triggered it. She jerked around and tried to stand up. He let her get her knees almost straight and shoved her back. She sat down hard. The second time she tried to get up, he didn't have to touch her. She got about half way up and looked confused and sat back down abruptly. Pretty soon her head flopped over loose, with her mouth hanging open.

  The female guard came back in another door Lee had not seen used, with an old fashioned wheelchair. One guard put an arm around her shoulders and the other took her knees. They lifted her across into the chair and she was gone as slick as could be.

  Supper was a sandwich with peanut butter and something sweet. The bread was sliced thick and it was brown and coarse. There was a paper carton labeled soy milk and a couple pieces of raw vegetables and an apple. Rachel had the same thing but an orange. Lee made a mess of her carton trying to open it. It ended up all ragged and she had a hard time drinking it. Rachel was highly amused and showed her how to open it correctly.

  "You care whether you got the apple or the orange?" Rachel asked.

  "No, I'm happy unless you want to trade. I'm just used to cutting an apple in quarters and coring it when I eat it," Lee admitted.

  "Yeah, you go tell them you need a knife to cut your apple up and see what they say." Rachel encouraged her, snickering. "Yesterday those three over by the computers came around at lunch and dinner and took my fruit both meals. Having a partner saved us both that much already."

  "You gave it to them?"

  "Three to one? You better believe it. I know my limits. An orange is not worth being beat up. Two to three now and I have Little Miss Hell on Wheels and their third girl is mighty small – I'd argue now. Hell, they lose one of the big girls, we'll go take their fruit," Rachel said, with a grin.

  Lee started to object and then she thought about it. "They owe you," she agreed. The hours to bed time went fast with Rachel asking about Luna and Derfhome. Somehow Lee didn't get to ask Rachel much about Earth. When the ceiling issued a mumbled call to bed, Lee quickly asked Rachel, "What is your last name? In case I am called away to my hearing early and don't see you again?"

  "McClure. But my com and address be in my mom's name, Queena," she said.

  * * *

  The bunk was fine, firm, but Lee was used to sleeping on a floor mat with Gordon. There was a faint night light behind the air grill it the ceiling, so it was never pitch black. It was a little warm when she went to bed but she woke up in the night and had to use the thin blanket.

  The sound of the door unlocking and the call to breakfast was welcome as she'd been laying awake a long time. She managed to get her the toes of her bad foot under the sandal strap and went to the day room. The kitchen door was already open and Rachel standing in line. She gave up her spot to the two behind her to come back to Lee. "You can go back at breakfast for seconds if you eat fast. They shut the door pretty fast when nobody comes for a little while. So don't wait too long."

  "You go ahead," Lee insisted, pushing Rachel ahead. "You hung back to tell me."

  Breakfast was some grain Lee had never eaten, steamed like rice but darker and more flavorful. Maybe wheat berries, she thought, but didn't ask. She ate quickly like Rachel pouring her milk on it and wolfing it down. They made the second serving before the door closed and took their time with the second bowl. The first bowl had diced canned fruit on it, but the second bowl had raisins.

  "I bet you're used to fancier stuff," Rachel told her.

  "Yeah, but I honestly didn't think about it until you said something. I was starved when we had supper last night. I hadn't had breakfast or lunch and it seemed light. But this is plenty to fill me up. I ate a lot of self-heating ration packs on ship with my folks. When we were really busy nobody cooked. If I never look at a pack of wienies and beans or cheese crackers again that will be fine. We called them 'The Five Fingers of Death'. They'd stop you up so tight you'd think you were never going to go again."

  Rachel snorted milk out her nose and had to wipe it and get herself in control. "I thought only folks on negative tax had to eat crap like that. You OK girl."

  They hadn't seen her enter, but the lady in civilian dress from yesterday was standing in front of them. "You have a hearing at ten with Judge Morse," she informed Lee.

  "Oh wow. I have no idea what time it is. I haven't had a shower yet. Do we do that after breakfast?" She asked.

  Rachel spoke up. "Shower is every other day," she informed Lee. "You missed shower and uniform change yesterday morning."

  "It's Eight – Forty – Eight," the woman informed her looking at her com. We need to leave anyway," but she looked at Lee. "I'll call ahead and have the police matron at the court have a comb and toothbrush and a washcloth for you. You may clean up briefly in the restroom there. It won't do to have you all wild looking, like we didn't take care of you," she allowed.

  When she got the cuffs out Lee offered her hands again. "No, if we're going into Judge Morse's court I have to put them on the back," she explained. "He's a stickler and his people will tell him the smallest irregularity." Somehow that didn't sound good to Lee.

  Chapter 31

  Lee had to wait in a small room, with a few chairs and no table or window, but it had a washroom and the things the lady had promised. At least they took the cuffs off. The lady in the civilian clothing informed her she'd see her in the courtroom and told her to just follow the police matron's instructions. She cleaned up quickly, not sure how long she had.

  It was horrible, but she been holding it and used the toilet to recover her earring. She never thought she'd have clean hands again, though she washed them five times. She used the toothbrush on the earring and her nails with soap, then threw it away. She'd never be able to clean it to her satisfaction. She sighed and popped the earring in her cheek. She was sure she just imagined it tasted funny.

  She kept the comb hoping they wouldn't take it. The washcloth she wrung out as dry as possible and folded it in quarters before pocketing it. Then she reconsidered and unfolded it, to put a smear of the liquid soap from the dispenser on it and folded that to the inside.

  When she came back for Lee the woman just said, "Come with me." They walked down a hallway, turned in a door and when they emerged into the courtroom there was a table in front of her with Stanley her attorney, another man in a suit she'd never met and Gordon. Gordon was sitting on the floor since a human chair was useless to him. It worked since it put his head at about the same level.

  "You should sit by your attorney," the police woman told her and released the elbow she'd been holding. Stanley looked up and patted the seat beside him. Lee was tickled to sit between Stanley and Gordon. "Who's your friend?" she asked Stanley, while Gordon gave her a little pat with a true hand.

  "A local attorney, Mr. Cook. I have to work through him because of rules. I'll explain that later. Right now I just want to emphasize - do not agree to tell what happened in the hotel. No matter how you are threatened, or how they try to trick you. You do not have to testify against yourself in this country. Say you invoke your Fifth Amendment rights. If they threaten or offer a d
eal ask to come speak to me. The only way I'll agree for you to tell the story, is if they give you a blanket pass on any charges against you. Got that?"

  "I invoke my Fifth Amendment rights," she repeated. "What are those?"

  "It’s part of their Constitution. It says you can't be compelled to testify against yourself."

  "But don't they know what happened anyway? The hotel must have cameras in the lobby pointed every which way."

  Stanley leaned down and spoke to her ear. "It would seem the hotel found their interest was in the public not hearing about a mugging right inside their lobby. That outweighed good citizenship, or an abstract desire for justice. When the police requested the security video it seems the system had just performed a scheduled memory purge. From a public relations view it was most fortunate timing."

  "I don't believe it." Lee said, with her mouth hanging open.

  "Neither does anyone else. But it's your good fortune too."

  Lee thought about it a minute. "What about the guy who got, you know, hurt?"

  "Where did you pick up that awful habit?" Stanley asked.

  "What?"

  "Inserting 'you know' into a perfectly good sentence."

  "I'm afraid I picked that up from my jail-mate Rachel," Lee admitted. "However we formed a defense pact which kept larger gangs from stealing our food. So her company had some benefit, even if she is a source of bad grammar."

  "I'd like to hear that story in detail, when time permits," Stanley allowed. Gordon was hanging over her other shoulder and seemed interested too.

  "As for the young man who so unfortunately stumbled and fell in the lobby, it seems he doesn't remember anything after hitting his head and vehemently denied as ridiculous any possibility a twelve-year-old girl could have contributed to his injuries."

  * * *

  The bailiff spoke up in a loud voice and told them, "All rise."

  Judge Morse was old. He was the oldest looking human Lee had ever seen. At seventy-eight he still had a full head of hair, but it was white. He was also proud of the fact he had all his own teeth and vain enough he refused to have his vision corrected, or wear the glasses he insisted were 'just for reading'. That's why he didn't see Gordon seated all the way on the floor behind the defense table. However when everybody stood, Gordon stood up and up and up...Until he stood three foot above most of the others in the court.

  The judge stopped two steps short of taking his seat and stared alarmed with his mouth hanging full open. Then it clamped shut and his face flushed purple as he considered this outrage.

  "Get – That – Animal out of my courtroom," he bellowed, pointing an index finger at the offending Gordon. "Now!" he shouted again looking at his bewildered bailiff.

  "If the court pleases," began the local attorney.

  "Court is not in session," the judge said cutting him off. "Court will not be in session until it is cleared of this offense to its dignity!"

  "Sir, will you follow me please?" the bailiff asked Gordon.

  "I said remove it, bailiff. Not invite it for a stroll." Gordon however was already headed for the door behind the bailiff, who was moving along quite briskly. Once judge Morse saw Gordon was leaving, he gave the entire courtroom a sweeping glare and retreated to his chambers.

  Stanley and the local had their heads together consulting. It lasted a long time, but when Stanley finally leaned back Lee asked him, "This isn't good is it?"

  "It's either very, very bad, or very, very good. We have no idea yet. It doesn't change anything about my instructions to you though."

  When the judge finally returned, Lee heard counselor Cook breath out a low moan of despair. He quickly scribbled a note and slid it down to Stanley. Stanley read it at a glance and quickly passed it to where Lee could read it.

  "Judge Morse is noted for retreating to his chambers on recess during long or aggravating cases and fortifying himself with a shot or three of good Scotch. He appears to have expanded this custom to the opening. Best to avoid his close attention any way possible. Use notes and avoid putting our heads together, or speaking no matter how softly."

  The bailiff announced the court was in session, the honorable Gerald V. Morse presiding. He didn't make them all rise again and looked worried. One lady at the prosecutor's table did stand. Perhaps the bailiff wasn't sure if he should start from scratch, but the judge sat down without a glance his way and started studying the papers before him. Occasionally they would see a page or two over the edge of the bench as he flipped through them and set one aside here and there.

  The bailiff looked relieved as some time passed and it appeared no reprimand was going to be directed toward him. Lee looked at the people at the prosecution's table however and the lady standing didn't look worried like the bailiff, she looked terrified and uncomfortable.

  "Why did she stand and what's going on?" Lee wrote on a note and left positioned it beside a tablet and water glass in front of her, but towards Stanley. Stanley picked some other documents up ignoring her note. After leafing through the other papers he replaced them and picked up her note. He scribbled something on it and left it at his elbow, within her reach.

  Lee took a clue and drank some water and pulled the note paper and pencil close to her and generally wasted time and hid the note passing among other actions.

  "She stood expecting to be recognized," Stanley had written. "He's reminding her who is in charge and that just because she is ready to speak doesn't mean he is ready to listen. She has no idea what he is going to do. He may embarrass the state in ways her bosses won't like and they may blame her if she can't fend off bad publicity. He's a loose cannon sober. Who knows what he'll do with a snoot-full?" he worried.

  "Can anybody challenge him for drinking?" she asked the same roundabout way.

  "If they want to spend time in jail for contempt and never try a case in this court again," Stanley wrote. "Don't you bring it up!" He wrote and circled the entire sentence.

  "Assistant Prosecutor Fenucci, do you wish to petition the court in the matter of," he stopped and squinted at his papers, "Lee Anderson?

  "Your Honor," the standing woman spoke a little too loudly, "My department has interviewed the persons involved in the incident at the hotel. There is very little evidence that a criminal act occurred. After some consultation, I was instructed not to pursue charges against any of the parties involved."

  "Did you ask the hotel for their surveillance records?"

  "We did, but the memory had just undergone a purge and the desk clerk in the lobby was looking elsewhere and didn't witness anything."

  Judge Morse snorted through his large red nose. "How convenient." The scotch was slowing his thinking, so he pretended to look at the paperwork again while he pondered the matter. He had his glasses laying on the bench, so all the regulars knew he wasn't really reading them. The prosecutor just stood, very still and hoped he'd drop the matter.

  "What did the girl say?" he finally asked.

  "She indicated that she was not looking towards her body guard and though she heard an odd noise it would be pure conjecture on her part to say the local assaulted her. I know it is not admissible, but biometric monitoring indicated she was truthful with her statements."

  "Yes, but after," the judge said irritated. "How did the local man, Mr. Julio, come to injury?"

  "He claimed not to remember," Your Honor. "And his biometric data showed that truthful as well. Also the attending doctors assured us a concussion such as he suffered often impairs short term memory."

  "I think you are evading me Ms. Fenucci. I'm still inquiring what the girl said about the incident. I have not switched my line of inquiry to Mr. Julio. With regard to Mr. Julio, or any other part of this incident, what was her testimony?"

  "Your Honor, she invoked her fifth amendment rights and informed us her family had counsel retained and asked any questions be directed to him. He is now present," she said inclining her head toward the defense table." she decisively took the opportunity to sit with
out leave, hoping the court would direct his attention away from her. It worked.

  "Miss Anderson," the judge looked at her and painted on a kindly smile. He was looking a little spacey though. "You are not under arrest. The purpose of the Juvenile Court is not primarily to prosecute criminal conduct, but to see to the welfare of minor citizens. We are more interested in seeing to your welfare than exacting strict justice. Would you describe for me what you saw happen in the lobby of your hotel?"

  "May I consult my attorney?" Lee asked.

  "Yes, dear. Go ahead." He allowed, but the kindly smile went away.

  Lee put her head down with Stanley and told him, "I don't trust this guy. They keep saying I'm not arrested but I'm locked up just as tight as if I were. What's the difference? Even if he says I won't be charged with any crime, I'm afraid he may decide it is in the interests of my welfare to keep me locked up. They'll just call it something else. I don't want to tell him anything!"

  "Normally I'd say if they don't charge you they would release you. Jesus and Diana were released this morning. But they do have an awfully big handle on you as a juvenile. That's why you aren't getting on a shuttle with them right now. If your instinct is to stay with your fifth amendment rights I won't urge you to throw them aside. He has not given you a release of criminal liability. Rather than ask for one, how about if I stand and speak for you?"

  "That sounds good to me," Lee agreed. "I'm afraid I'm going to screw up and say something stupid. Most of this doesn't make any sense to me."

  "Very well. I'll tell him that is your decision."

  Stanley stood. "Your Honor, without any urging Miss Anderson assured me she feels more comfortable retaining her fifth amendment rights. I have to concur that there is no advantage to her not to do so. She is not familiar with Earth culture or law and finds this experience confusing and wisely is cautious about ceding anything. Indeed she is a foreign national just passing through. Nobody seems to have suffered any permanent harm from this minor altercation. If there are no charges to be laid against her, she just wishes to finish what is just a temporary tourist visit. She and her parent will shortly withdraw from this jurisdiction, so they should not be any continuing problem or burden for the State of California. Would you entertain a motion to dismiss this matter and release her from temporary custody?"