03_Cornered Coyote

by Dianne Harman

  “Tell you what. We don’t need to decide right now. Let’s wait until your trial is over. You concentrate on taking care of yourself and letting Brian do what he needs to do for the trial. It will all be over soon. We can hold off making any decisions until then. Forgive me for not turning cartwheels or telling everyone around me, but I’m in shock and there are so many other things to think about. Just know one thing. No matter what, I love you.”

  “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry. I’m as shocked as you are. I never considered having a baby. I’ve told you how I practically raised my brothers and sisters and I promised myself because of that, I would never have a child. But now that my fertility clock is ticking, I’m thinking maybe I’m supposed to have this baby.”

  “I’ll be back in a couple of days. I just wish we could be together. Remember I’m here for you. You’re not facing this alone.” He blew her a kiss, stood up, and walked out. No matter how many times he heard the clang of the steel door closing, either letting him in or out, he still felt icy prickles of fear along his spine.

  Sleep was a long time coming. He tossed and turned most of the night, thinking of Maria and their unborn baby. He thought about his one-night stand, what would happen to their baby if Maria was convicted, if he could he raise a child by himself, and Noor, the child who was in his thoughts almost all the time. It was a long and fitful night for Jordan Kramer, but eventually sleep overcame him and he fell into a dreamless and empty void.

  CHAPTER 32

  It seemed like he’d just gotten to sleep when the ring of his cell phone woke Jordan. “What the…” It was still dark out. He looked at the clock on his nightstand as he reached for his phone. Good grief. It’s only 4:30 a.m. I hope nothing’s happened to Maria.

  The monitor on his phone showed it was Captain Randolph. Jordan couldn’t figure out why he’d be calling so early. There weren’t many emergencies in the Art Theft Division of the Los Angeles Police Department.

  “Yes, Captain.”

  “Sorry to bother you so early, Jordan, but I wanted to alert you that the scumbag reporter for the Celebrity Spotlight has done another hit piece on you.”

  “Captain, it’s only 4:30. You’re not at the department, are you?”

  “No. My home computer is hooked up to the department’s computer. Someone sent me a copy of the article a few hours ago and I saw it when I got up to go to the bathroom. Looks like there was a security leak at the Police Commission. I’ve already called the head of the commission and told him I wasn’t happy about this and if he didn’t fix it, I would. He told me they’d suspected one of their clerks for some time. They’ve noticed she’s been wearing expensive clothing and jewelry that she couldn’t afford on her salary. He’s going to look into it. The person who sent me a copy of the article also indicated that another one of the reporter’s sources might have been the Riverside DA’s secretary. We certainly know there have been some leaks there.

  “I called the chief of police and told him everything. He’s furious. He called the Riverside DA and between the two of us we’ve made a few other early morning calls. Bottom line is that the reporter has been fired. Interestingly enough, his tabloid has been under surveillance for quite some time. Looks like there’s been some drug activity at their building. The person who sent me the article also said that the reporter had drugs in his apartment, in his nightstand. The chief spoke with the owner of the tabloid and strongly suggested firing the reporter and if he did, the owner’s potential surveillance problem might disappear.”

  “Captain, please don’t do that on my behalf. If there’s drug activity going on, I don’t want some deal to be made because of me. That doesn’t make me feel good.”

  “I don’t think it has anything to do with you. The chief is furious about the leak at the Police Commission and also angry about the negative publicity that’s going to come from the reporter’s article. What the reporter did was not only immoral, but unethical, and illegal. That was a closed hearing as required by law. He told the owner to let other papers and magazines know that if they hired him they could be looking at a future lawsuit.”

  “That’s about it. I really just wanted to give you a head’s up before you come in this morning. You’ll probably get some bad looks from a couple of the guys, but don’t let it bother you. See you in a couple of hours.”

  That’s good news, but now I’m wide awake and I sure as hell didn’t get much sleep. I need to take a run on the beach and release some of this adrenalin.

  CHAPTER 33

  “Hello, this is the Ortega residence,” the voice said in a language that sounded like Spanish to Brian, but he was sure it wasn’t.

  “This is Brian Meeks. May I speak to Luisa Ortega?”

  “Just a moment,” the voice said in perfect English. “I will get her for you.”

  Thank God, Brian thought, I don’t know anyone who speaks Portuguese. I imagine Luisa speaks English if she’s part of Sean’s group.

  “This is Luisa Ortega. Who is calling, please?”

  “Senora Ortega, my name is Brian Meeks. I’m an attorney in California and have been retained by Maria Brooks. She’s charged with murdering her husband, Jeffrey Brooks. I’ve been told that you and your husband were guests at the Blue Coyote Motel, and that you possibly have some information that might be helpful to me in defending Maria. I understand you’ve chosen not to testify at Maria’s upcoming trial and if you’ll give me a chance, I’m hoping I can change your mind.”

  “Yes, that’s true. I told Sean I would not testify on her behalf. I can’t believe she didn’t know about the drug Freedom. We became addicts, and it changed our lives, mine more than anyone else’s. You see, my husband died because of it.”

  “I heard about your husband’s death in the Amazon and I’m so sorry for your loss. I’ve spoken with Sean and he told me about your feelings and how you blame Maria. He also mentioned that you didn’t think Jeffrey appeared to be insane. Did you think he was he acting like a normal person?”

  She paused. “Normal, no, but I don’t consider myself qualified to judge a person’s sanity. Certainly his grooming was non-existent, and his eyes had a funny look to them, but the man did seem to be a genius.”

  “Senora Ortega, I don’t think anyone would dispute his brilliance. If you’ll give me a few minutes, I’d like to tell you some things about Maria that you may not be aware of.”

  He spent several minutes telling her about the results of the autopsy, Jeffrey’s descent into madness, Maria’s new life in Provence, how she had given a large sum of money to some people who were helping orphans from Afghanistan, and how she was being tried for the murder of her husband as a result of a tabloid’s article about her.

  “Senora Ortega, no one else was in the room when she shot him. Her defense will be justifiable homicide. If she had not acted as she did, he would have killed her with his knife. I think that’s indisputable. If you’re not willing to speak on her behalf, I ask you not to speak against her. The prosecuting attorney might ask you to testify that Jeffrey appeared to be sane. On Maria’s behalf, I’m asking you not to do that.”

  After a few moments of silence, Brian said, “Senora Ortega, are you still on the line?”

  “Yes, yes, I am. Mr. Meeks, thank you for calling, but I hope Maria goes to prison for the rest of her life. I have been contacted by the prosecuting attorney and I will be testifying against Maria. I imagine I’ll see you at the trial. Goodbye.”

  He called Slade next. “Hey Brian, what’s up?”

  “Well, I’m a little frustrated. I just talked to Luisa Ortega and Marsha got to her before I could. She’s going to testify against Maria and say that she didn’t think Jeffrey appeared to be insane. Just thought you’d want to know.”

  “Damn. That’s too bad. Jes’ hope that fat ass prosecutin’ attorney bitch screws the case up somehow. Got a whole file on her. Checkin’ it out now. I’ll let you know more later.”

  CHAPTER 34

  Damn, Jordan th
ought, I hate this place. I get depressed just knowing I have to make the trip. And I get to go home afterwards. Poor Maria. Being here is enough to break anyone’s spirit.

  He sat down on the chair, waiting for Maria to be brought into the room and be seated on the other side of the glass. In a few minutes a guard escorted her in.

  “Well, sweetheart, it’s almost here. I talked to Brian today and he’s very optimistic. He told me he’s spent a lot of time with the witnesses, getting them ready. Two of the Blue Coyote guests flew in today and are staying at a nearby hotel. The other two will drive to the courthouse tomorrow. How are you doing?”

  “I just want it to be over. I’m not as nauseated as I was. I had visions of throwing up in the courtroom. That might prejudice the jury against me. Brian doesn’t want to bring up the fact that I’m pregnant. He told me that half of the success of a trial is picking the right jurors and there’s bound to be some who are conservative. He’s sure Marsha will try and get them seated, hoping they’re conservative, xenophobic, and prejudiced against Mexicans. He also has some other witnesses, like Jeffrey’s psychiatrist, who will testify on my behalf.”

  “Remember that Brian’s a very good lawyer. I don’t think you could have gotten one who would do a better job for you. I’ll be in the first row right behind you. You probably know that Brian’s not planning on putting you on the stand. Marsha would have the right to cross-examine you and it might muddy the waters. I agree with him.”

  “Yes, he told me. Jordan, I’m trying to eat well, although that’s pretty hard to do with the food they serve here. The doctor gave me some prenatal vitamins. I’m doing some light exercises in my cell. Other than that and sleeping a lot, there’s not much I can do.”

  “Maria, right now, I want you to be positive. The rest can wait. Deal?”

  “Okay, that’s a deal. Go home. We’ve got a few tough days ahead of us and you need your sleep as well. Don’t worry about me. I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow!”

  * * * * *

  The bailiff escorted Maria into the courtroom. She sat down at the defense table, next to Brian, trembling. The first thing she realized was how stark the room was. Everywhere she looked there was brown wood - the desks, the jury box, the judge’s large desk, and the courtroom walls. She found it depressing. After growing up in the ghetto and spending time in Provence, she was used to vivid colors. There was no color in this room. Even the people in the audience looked drab, dressed in somber colors.

  Maria began to wonder if she was a guest at her own funeral. She turned around and smiled at Jordan who was sitting in the front row of the public seating area. Darya and Slade sat next to him. The prosecuting attorney, Marsha Sinclair, sat with her assistant. All of them stood as the bailiff said in a loud voice, “Please rise. Court is in session."

  Judge Adams took his seat behind the judge’s bench and looked at the attorneys seated at the two tables reserved for counsel and said, “We are here today in the case of the People of the State of California vs. Maria Brooks. Counsel will please state their names for the record.”

  “Marsha Sinclair representing the People.”

  “Brian Meeks for the defendant, Maria Brooks.”

  “We will begin with the jury selection. Bailiff, please bring in the first panel of prospective jurors.”

  The jurors had been given questionnaires prepared in advance with questions submitted by Brian and Marsha. Several of them had already been excused after filling it out. Some of their attitudes and experiences showed that they would be biased in this case. Others had been excused due to hardship.

  Brian and Marsha spent the next two hours questioning the prospective jurors about their backgrounds and any potential biases. Experienced attorneys know that a trial is often won or lost during the jury selection. Both Marsha and Brian had twenty peremptory challenges they could use to dismiss a potential juror without cause. The judge called a lunch recess and told everyone to return to the courtroom at 1:00. By 3:00, both Marsha and Brian each had only two challenges left.

  Marsha used hers to dismiss a Hispanic mailman and a beautiful nail technician. Brian used his to excuse a retired minister and a woman who worked for a drug company. After they had used all of their peremptory challenges, they each said they would accept the jury as now constituted. The jury consisted of twelve men and women plus two alternates that had been selected. As juries went, it was fairly balanced with five men and seven women, six over the age of fifty, and six under the age of fifty. Three were retired. There were six blue collar workers and six with higher educations. Both Marsha and Brian were pleased with the final panel.

  Judge Adams told Marsha to make her opening statement. As she gathered her papers, Brian leaned over and whispered to Maria, “Remember, no matter what Marsha or anyone else says about you, do not show any emotion. They’re going to say things that will be hard for you to accept, and they would like nothing more than to have you break down in court. Do you understand?”

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  Marsha began. “Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for giving up your time to serve on the jury in this very important case. Simply stated, this is a case of a woman who murdered her husband, Jeffrey Brooks, in cold blood, so that she could get his money. He was a brilliant scientist who had invented an anti-aging hormone. Maria Brooks was fearful of getting old and aging and she demanded that her husband give her hormone shots to keep her looking young. Because of that he was fired from a prestigious drug company. He was fired in spite of the fact that everyone thought he would get the Nobel Prize for his anti-aging discovery. It is undisputed that Maria Brooks was the cause.

  “And after she murdered him, what did she do? She fled to Provence and disappeared. Yes, I’m talking about Provence, France, a beautiful part of France famous for its food and wine. While she was hiding in Provence, she changed her name to Elena. In the months that followed in Provence, she met a Los Angeles police detective who became infatuated by her beauty and fell in love with her. She left Provence and returned to California in order to live a luxurious life with him in his expensive beachfront home.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, Maria Brooks murdered Jeffrey Brooks for his money, four million dollars as you will hear later, fled the country, assumed a false identity in Provence, and found a wealthy man who conveniently fell in love with her.

  “I’m sure that the defense will say she acted in self-defense. They will probably also say no one was in the room in the Blue Coyote Motel on that fateful afternoon when Maria Brooks murdered her husband Jeffrey. But I ask you, would an innocent person leave the country and assume another name? And if she had four million dollars? During the next few days I will present several witnesses who will tell you Jeffrey Brooks was a man who was shot and killed in cold blood by his wife, Maria, a conniving gold digger, who had two overriding ambitions, to keep her looks and get rich.”

  Marsha walked back to the prosecution table and sat down. She looked over at Brian, who was gathering his notes as he prepared to offer the jury an alternative explanation of the facts Marsha had just laid out.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I, too, want to thank you for serving on this jury. The prosecuting attorney and I have a little different perspective on the sequence of events that led to this terrible tragedy. Maria Brooks did not want Jeffrey to give her the anti-aging hormone and asked him not to. She was afraid his position at Moore Labs might be affected if anyone found out what he was doing. She finally agreed to it when Jeffrey assured her that a lot of the scientists used their discoveries to help family members. She was shocked when she found out it was the reason he was fired and no longer a contender for the Nobel Prize. After Jeffrey was fired, he slowly went mad.

  “I will present witnesses who will testify as to his madness. Yes, Maria left the country, but out of fear she would be prosecuted for his murder. Ladies and gentlemen, Maria Brooks acted in self-defense that afternoon. I don’t recall hearing the prosecuting attorney tell you that Jeffre
y was wielding a butcher knife over his head, intent on killing Maria with it, when the gun in Maria’s hand went off. It is undisputed that the gunshot was responsible for Jeffrey’s death, but it was clearly a case of justifiable homicide and in the next few days I will prove that. Again, thank you for assuming this important civic duty.”

  He walked back to the defense table and sat down, putting his hand on Maria’s shoulder.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, it is now four-thirty. Court will stand in recess until tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m., at which time the prosecution will begin their case-in-chief,” Judge Adams said. He banged his gavel, stood up, and walked through the door that led to his chambers.

  The bailiff escorted Maria from the courtroom and those who had been watching the proceedings left the courtroom. Jordan walked over to Brian. “Well,” he said, “what do you think of the jury?”

  “I’m happy. There were several I didn’t want and I used my peremptory challenges to get rid of them. Marsha did the same. It’s balanced, probably as good as we could get.”

  “Good luck tomorrow.”

  “Thanks. I expect Marsha will spend a day and a half or so on testimony from her witnesses and I’ll do the same.”

  When Jordan walked out the front door of the courthouse, he was taken aback by the swarm of reporters in front of him holding microphones and cameras. “Mr. Kramer. How did you like the prosecuting attorney’s opening statement? Think there’s any chance Maria will get off?”

  He hadn’t expected this. Several people had told him that the trial had attracted the media’s attention, but he had never considered that the press would be here in such large numbers.