“But we have to move fast,” Gloria replied.
“I know, Perry made that very clear. The change of venue has already been approved and it’s going to the grand jury next week.”
“A jury already?” Gloria exclaimed.
“No, it’s not like that. A grand jury. They’re a group of people who gather to decide if charges should be filed.”
“So, there’s a chance that this could not even go to trial?” Elton asked.
“Could they really decide to do that?” Gloria added, feeling a sliver of hope.
Riley shook his head, shattering her momentary elation. “Nah, I’m pretty sure they’ll indict. They’re going to want this case to run its course because of all the attention it is already getting, and of course, the dynamics involved.”
“You mean the fact that my son is black and the cop is white? I bet if it was the other way around, he’d get off,” Gloria snapped.
“Well, we can’t live in a world of what-ifs,” Riley said. “But let me work some things and I’ll get back to you in the next couple of days.”
“That’s all we can ask for,” Elton said, standing. “Thank you.”
Riley stood as well and shook Elton’s hand. “Don’t thank me yet. Whether I take on this case or not, there’s a lot of work to be done.”
“And we’re committed to doing it,” Gloria said, her voice trembling.
Riley smiled, trying to comfort her. “I believe you are. The love of your son is evident in your eyes. He’s lucky to have a mother like you.”
Those words reignited her firestorm of tears. Elton ushered her out of the office and back to the parking garage. He didn’t say anything as he pulled out.
Gloria watched the downtown skyline fade from view. Elton grumbled as they slowed because of backed-up traffic. She knew what he was thinking—the same thing as her. They needed to get used to this Houston traffic because it looked like they’d be caught up in it a whole lot more.
19
* * *
* * *
Riley Manning patted his stomach as he leaned back in his chair. He, his fiancée, Michelle, Kay, and Phillip had just finished dinner and Kay was bringing out key lime pie for desert.
“Kay, you really put your foot in that jambalaya,” Riley said.
“Why, thank you. I try,” Kay said as she set a piece of pie in front of him.
“Yeah, she put her foot in the checkbook that she wrote to the caterer,” Phillip joked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I can cook.” She removed his dessert plate. “Just for that, no pie for you.”
Phillip took his plate back. “I know you can cook. That’s how you got me. But you don’t.”
“That’s because she’s too busy throwing criminals behind bars and getting ready to be the next mayor of Houston. Do you think you’re ready to be the First Gentleman?” Riley took a bite of his pie as he winked at his friend. Phillip and Riley had met while undergraduates at the University of Texas at Austin and remained the best of friends.
“Yeah, maybe I’ll retire and just sit at home and take care of the kids,” Phillip replied.
They laughed some more, talked about the latest news and world affairs, and as the men turned their conversation to sports, Kay turned to Riley’s fiancée. “So, Michelle. Did you enjoy your dinner? You barely ate anything,” Kay said. “And I can’t believe that you aren’t getting any pie.”
Kay had only met Michelle Moore a few times, but Riley was clearly in love with her. And if he liked her, Kay loved her.
“I did enjoy it,” Michelle replied. “Just watching what I eat because I have the most to-die-for wedding dress and I can’t afford to gain a pound.”
“I can’t believe you two are going to elope,” Kay said.
“It’s the second marriage for both of us, so we don’t need all the fanfare,” Michelle said.
Riley, who had jumped back into their conversation, pulled her close. “Yeah, the money we would’ve spent on a wedding will be spent touring the Riviera for four weeks.”
“Honey, do you see how he took four weeks off from work? It is possible,” Kay joked as she stood and began removing plates.
“Look who’s talking,” Riley replied. “Both of you guys are workaholics. That’s how you ended up together.”
“Yeah, I know.” Phillip pulled his wife down on his lap. “But we really are trying to get better because we both know that as much as we love our work, family really is what matters most.”
Her husband was right about that. They’d found that as busy as they got, they always made time for family. So one of them was always at a game, dance recital, open house, whatever.
She kissed Phillip, stood back up, and went into the kitchen, where she dropped their plates in the sink, then took her seat back at the table. Phillip filled all of their glasses with dessert wine, and as they sipped Riley said, “Have you guys heard about the kid who shot the cop out of Jasper?”
“Yeah, saw it on the news when it first happened,” Phillip replied. “Kay is actually prosecuting that case.”
Normally, Kay wouldn’t have liked her husband sharing that information with anyone, but they were having a press conference tomorrow anyway. Besides, Riley was one of the few people in the world whom she trusted.
Riley sat up in his seat, shocked. “Really? I didn’t even know that the change of venue was public knowledge.”
“What rock have you been under?” Kay said. “Everyone is talking about it. It was inevitable.”
“I’ve been under this rock called getting ready to wrap up my cases so I can get married in peace,” Riley said, blowing a kiss at Michelle.
They laughed.
“But seriously, how do you know about the change of venue?” Kay asked.
Riley exchanged glances with Michelle and she sat back as if to let him do his job. “The parents of the boy came to me to represent them,” Riley answered. “You remember that lawyer I worked for when I first got out of law school?” he asked Phillip.
Phillip thought for a moment. “Oh, yeah. Perry something. He was a nice old man. We all wondered why you would go work for him in that country town.”
“Because that nice old man was good at what he did. I heard him speak at an event and was mesmerized. I learned a lot under that old man,” Riley replied.
“What does that have to do with the Jasper kid, though?” Kay asked.
“Well, like I said, Perry knows the kid’s family. He referred them to me since it looks like they’re moving the trial to Houston. But I’m not going to be able to do it because of the wedding.” He turned to Phillip. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I was going to see if it was a case you’d be interested in.”
Kay raised an eyebrow as she glanced at her husband. “Wow, he’s been fascinated with this case since he first heard about it,” she said.
“I have,” Phillip said, the eagerness evident in his voice. “It raises so many issues, the right to record, police harassment.”
“The dangers of a police officer’s job,” Kay added.
“Okay, okay,” Riley replied. “Why don’t y’all save this for the courtroom?”
“It’s an open-and-shut case, though,” Kay added with a smirk.
Phillip smiled at his wife. “Hmmm. Might be nice to go up against my wife again.”
They hadn’t faced off in a courtroom in two years, but it was an exhilarating experience. They both were so driven and passionate, it made for an interesting case. They were tied in terms of their records against one another. She’d won two and he’d won two. This case would be a tiebreaker. Of course, that wouldn’t trivialize things if Phillip took the case on, but it would add another layer of dynamics.
“You know you want to take the case,” Riley said. “I see the way your eyes are already danc
ing.”
“I just might have to consider that if my wife says okay,” Phillip said. “I mean, I actually did some digging already, just trying to get information on this kid.”
Kay hadn’t known her husband had gone to that extreme, but it didn’t surprise her. “Fine by me. Bring it,” she joked.
“I just might,” he replied.
Kay wasn’t sure if her husband would really take the case since he had his hands full with his mentoring group and his current cases, but it would be fun to be back in the courtroom against him. Fun and challenging—and a great way to wrap up her tenure in the DA’s office before moving on to become mayor.
20
* * *
* * *
Yet another analyst was dissecting her son’s case. Gloria sat watching the news as the newscaster stalled for time. They were waiting on the press conference, announcing the trial was officially being moved to Houston. She assumed a change of venue would give them a fighting chance. But from the tone of the anchor, to the reporter in the field, to the commentators discussing and analyzing this case, her son had already been convicted in the court of public opinion.
It didn’t help that there were protests last weekend. She hadn’t organized a single one, but somehow ten, then twenty, then thirty people had gathered in front of the Jasper Police Department demanding a fair trial.
Gloria didn’t understand it. No one had asked her how she felt about this. No one had asked her opinion on any protests. Dix and Brian were out on bail and milking their fifteen minutes of fame. She’d seen them interviewed many times. In fact, a reporter had just finished speaking with Dix, who reminded viewers that they “weren’t bothering anyone when the cop racially profiled them and got into a fight with Jamal and made Jamal shoot him.” Of course, that sent the crowd into a frenzy, but Gloria wanted to scream. That idiot didn’t even realize he was further convicting her son!
She just wanted it all to go away.
The meeting with Riley had gone well and she prayed that he would take on their case. Gloria wished that he had already signed on so they could have a press conference of their own. The picture of Jamal as some careless thug was already being painted and she wanted the world to know the truth.
The sound of the telephone snapped her out of her thoughts. Her phone had been ringing incessantly and were it not for Jamal, she would’ve cut the ringer off altogether.
Gloria picked up the phone. “Hello?”
“You have a collect call from the Jasper County Jail. Press one to accept,” the automated system announced.
Gloria’s heart fluttered and she almost dropped the phone as she pressed one. “Jamal?”
“Hey, Mama.” His voice sounded weak, childlike.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
“Daddy’s not there, is he? I tried to call when I knew he wouldn’t be there.”
Gloria struggled to stay strong. He had to be having a hard time. Hearing her fall apart would only make it worse right now.
“He’s at the church,” she managed to say. “Jamal, I know you’re angry with your father but—”
“Ma, no disrespect, but please don’t talk to me about him.”
She inhaled, knowing it would be useless to push the issue right now. Jamal was just as stubborn as his father and it was hard to ask Jamal to forgive Elton when she was still mad herself.
“Well, son, just know I’m working as hard as I can for you.”
“Thanks, Ma.”
A beat passed, then she asked, “You okay?”
“Not really. They couldn’t put me in a juvenile facility? I’m in here with some hard-core criminals, Mom. And I’m scared.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “I know, baby. We’re working as hard as we can.”
Someone in the background yelled, then there was a loud scuffle and it sounded like Jamal dropped the phone.
“Jamal?” Gloria called out, her heart going into panic mode.
It took a minute, but he finally said, “I’m here.”
“What happened?” Gloria asked.
“A fight broke out. I thought they were gonna make me hang up.”
Gloria didn’t think she’d ever heard her son sound so scared. She had never so much as set foot in a jail so she could only imagine what was going on. “Oh, it just sounds horrible in there.”
“It is. It’s only about twelve guys here, but three are in for murder. A couple for gang banging and the rest drugs. These dudes are hardcore, Ma. But they say Houston is worse. They’re moving me there tomorrow.”
“Perry got you moved. The criminal element may be worse, but I’d rather that than some racist gun-toting cops hell-bent on revenge. None of us can rest with you there.”
“Yeah, because these cops are looking at me like they want to take me out back and hang me from a tree.”
“But no one has done anything to you, right?”
“No.” He released a long sigh. “But it’s just a matter of time. So Mr. Perry said y’all gotta find another attorney. Have you found anybody yet?” Jamal said.
“We’re working on it. We met with this man in Houston and we’re just prayerful that he’ll take the case,” Gloria replied.
“What if he doesn’t?”
“We’re just going to think positive thoughts, Jamal.”
He was quiet again. “Mama, I didn’t mean to bring you shame.”
“You know I’m not the least bit worried about shame.”
He sounded like he was crying. “I know I have to do some time, but I’m not a cold-blooded killer.”
Gloria swallowed the lump in her throat. “I know it’s hard and we’ll find just the right person to prove that you aren’t.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
She hung up the phone just before a river of tears began flowing.
21
* * *
* * *
It was showtime!
Kay took one last glance in the floor-length mirror in her office’s conference room. She gave herself a thumbs-up. Her navy Christian Dior suit complemented her size eight frame and her shoulder-length haircut added just the touch of femininity without messing with her authoritative look. She was ready to show the world that she was ready.
Of course, she’d handled many cases in her ten years as a prosecutor, but this would be the most high-profile case she’d ever had, and she knew that with the election looming, extra attention would be paid to how she handled this situation.
“Are you ready?” Loni asked, giving her the once-over.
“I stay ready,” she replied.
Loni nodded her approval. “That you do.”
Kay’s assistant appeared on the side of her and handed her a tip sheet. “I wrote down some of the highlights of the case,” Valerie said. “Not that you need it, since you’re so good, but better to be prepared.”
Valerie was right. Kay had studied this case backward and forward over the past week. Cramming wasn’t her nature, but between the campaign and trying to wrap up her other cases, she’d had to take a crash course in Jamal Jones. At least the case itself. She’d been so swamped that she hadn’t gotten around to his personal life. She did learn that he didn’t have a record, but she wanted to know everything about him—he probably was from a broken home and would try to use that as an excuse for ending up in a life of crime.
“Thanks, Valerie. Make sure you pull the personal info on Jamal. I want to know what his grades were like, his mama, his daddy or lack thereof, everything you can find. I want to be prepared for whatever they throw at me.” She wasn’t worried about today’s press conference because it was just about the case moving to Houston. Technically, she didn’t “officially” know that until two days ago.
“You got it,” Valerie replied. “But what if it doesn�
�t go to trial? I’m hearing the tape is pretty cut-and-dry so he might just plead out to avoid the death penalty.”
“Hoping he will,” Kay said. “But I want to make sure we get out front and be ready in case they try to throw a curveball.”
“Well, we’re ready to do this,” Loni said. “They have you set up at the podium. They’ve blown up the pictures of the suspect. And get this, the officer’s family is here.”
“Oh, great, so they drove up from Jasper?” Kay asked.
“Yes, it’s television gold, complete with his elderly parents, the teary-eyed wife, the cooing baby boy, the adorable little girl with perfect pigtails. Oh, my goodness, the family is so going to up the sympathy factor. I’ve already instructed the photographers to make sure they get good shots of the family. We’ve positioned them at the front, at just the right angle to include your photo in all of their shots.”
Kay felt slightly uneasy about using these people’s time of grief to further her campaign, but she knew it was pretty much standard procedure in such a case, so she would let Loni and her team do what they did so well.
“Hopefully, like Valerie said, this won’t even go to trial.” That would be perfect for Kay. She’d get the publicity, make her boss happy, and shut the case down without a tedious trial. “Where’s the boy now?”
“He’s being transferred as we speak,” Valerie chimed in.
“Wow, that was fast,” Kay said.
“The family requested that he be moved because they were worried about his safety in the Jasper jail,” Valerie said.
“As well they should be.” Kay wanted justice in a court of law, but she was no fool. Some of those vigilantes in Jasper wouldn’t hesitate to dispense their own brand of justice. “Valerie, can you gather up all that information by the end of the day?”
“I’m on it.” Valerie scurried out of the room.
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