Delayed Justice

by Cara C. Putman

  “You think that’s enough to get him out here?” The woman’s sarcasm was thicker than Nutella on a slice of bread. “Unless you have a court order, you can get in line.”

  “Just pick up the phone and tell him Dane Nichols is here.”

  CHAPTER 18

  TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9

  It was early afternoon when Jaime reached the Alexandria Public Defender’s office. When she walked in, she was surprised to see a stranger at the receptionist’s desk. A temp? But the woman was busy on the phone, so Jaime went on back without introducing herself and knocked on Evan Reagan’s door.

  He glanced up. “Hey, Jaime. What are you doing here?”

  “I was in the area. Stopped to see if you needed any help with the Alex Parron defense. Have you had time to go over it?”

  He sat back, then gestured to a chair. “It’s not your problem anymore. I can handle it.”

  “I’m sure you can. Still, if there’s a way I can help, I’d like to. Alex needs all the friends he can get.”

  “I’ve got it, Jaime. It’s a straightforward case.”

  She frowned. While Evan was only a couple years younger, he didn’t seem to have the fire in his belly necessary for a case as tricky as Alex’s. “Is this job a calling for you?”

  He frowned at her, his dark hair flopping in his face. “What do you mean?”

  “Do you believe people need a defense when charged, or is this job just a paycheck?”

  “Can’t it be both?” He spread his hands wide as if placating her. “I promise I’ll give him a good defense. He could be guilty, you know.”

  “Maybe, but the Constitution doesn’t say only the innocent deserve its protections.”

  Evan shrugged. “It’s better when I know they’re innocent.”

  “When you figure out how to ‘know,’ fill me in.” Jaime studied him and then took a breath. “Sorry, but I just need to know you’re taking care of Parron.” She sighed. “He doesn’t believe in himself, so you have to.”

  “Sure. Don’t worry about him.”

  She glanced at his desk and saw the Parron file on top. “Here’s what you have to remember about this case. Alex is a man in immense pain. He can’t manage that pain without help. You must find a way the jury can relate to him. We all know someone who struggles with chronic pain. That’s what the OxyContin was for.”

  “So he says.”

  “Yes.” She bit back a rebuke. “Right now that’s what you focus on. Not whether you believe him. What matters is what the jury believes.”

  “This isn’t my first trial, Jaime.”

  “Then act like it.” The words were strong, but she didn’t care.

  “If you were so good at this, you would be defending him. Instead, you’re defending yourself. At least I’m not under bar scrutiny about my job.” He sneered at her, then seemed to catch himself. “I’ve got this. Focus on your problems, and I’ll run his trial.”

  Jaime stepped back. “Just remember, a stint in prison would kill him.” She left the room without another glance.

  As she walked past Grant’s closed door, she heard heated voices within.

  “Jaime is a key employee.” Grant’s words halted her forward movement. Why would he be talking about her? She glanced both directions in the hallway but saw no one, so she stepped closer to the door.

  “Find a way.” The deep voice froze Jaime in place. Who was talking to Grant about her?

  “If we give it time, this will go away.” The placating tone was not the one she was used to from her boss, who represented the worst sort of criminals with firmness. “Don’t make this more than it is.”

  “I’ll make sure those photos reach the right audience. I’ve given you a vehicle to fire her. Do it.”

  Why would this man pressure her boss to get rid of her? She was excellent at her job and Grant knew it, ethics charges notwithstanding.

  Jaime leaned closer.

  “But you appreciate your position. People always regret when their younger selves’ mistakes resurface.” The voice, male, was low and intense.

  “This is wrong,” Grant said.

  “You’ll do it.”

  There was a scraping noise of a chair moving. “I don’t like threats.”

  “This isn’t a threat. Do it or the photos will be emailed Thursday.” There was another noise. “Don’t worry, I’ll see myself out.”

  Jaime scrambled around the corner and then into the lobby. She lingered for a moment, holding the door to the hallway open so she could see who might come out of Grant’s office, but the receptionist gave her an irritated glare.

  Jaime let the door close, her heart in her throat, and headed out to her car.

  Who had the clout to insist she be fired? And would her boss actually do it?

  Jaime drove toward the law offices of Daniels, McCarthy & Associates and purposefully parked a few blocks away. Maybe the walk and fresh air would clear her head and change her perspective.

  Savannah had somehow purchased the brick storefront in the prime real estate market of the historic neighborhood as a solo practitioner. The space had been much too large, but she was filling it with her law student protégés. So far Jaime had dodged suggestions that she join the firm too, but maybe she should consider it.

  As she opened the door, she was grateful to see Bella Stoller’s welcoming face. The middle-aged receptionist wore her trademark dark suit, a uniform that had always struck Jaime as though the woman were prepared at a moment’s notice for a funeral. Guess it was the twisted way Jaime looked at the world. For all she knew, Bella just liked a simple wardrobe with a slimming color.

  “Hi Bella. Is Savannah available?”

  “She just ran out. Some kind of emergency.”

  “Any idea when she’ll get back?”

  “None, but you should grab one of the girls for a coffee break. They could all use it.”

  “I’m sure they’re busy.”

  “Who’s busy?” Hayden entered the reception area with a file, which she set on Bella’s desk. She stepped around the desk and hugged Jaime. “What brings you here?”

  “Needed to ask Savannah for advice, and I was in the neighborhood.”

  “That is not what her face was saying a minute ago, when I told her Savannah had hightailed it out of here a bit ago.” Bella gave Jaime a look.

  “It’s nothing terribly pressing.” Just the collision of her past and future in an unsettled now.

  “Want to grab a cup of coffee?” Hayden turned as if to head back to her office.

  Bouncing everything off Hayden would work as well as talking with Savannah. “I could use a mug of tea.”

  “Come on back. Leigh brought in some homemade muffins. They’re super-healthy, and somehow still yummy.”

  Jaime had to laugh at the way Hayden’s nose crinkled. “You say that like muffins can’t be healthy.”

  “Have you seen the calorie counts on those things at coffee shops? But Leigh assures me these can taste good and be nutritious.”

  Hayden led Jaime down the hallway to the small kitchen at the very end. A table and four chairs filled one wall, and a small refrigerator, stove, and sink the other.

  Hayden reached into a cabinet above the dishwasher and pulled out two mugs. She filled one with hot water and pointed to a container. “Help yourself to a tea bag.” After filling her own mug with coffee, she took a seat. “What did you want to ask Savannah about?”

  Jaime repeatedly dunked her tea bag until it became an obvious stalling tactic. Hayden waited.

  Now that she was here, Jaime was almost desperate to avoid the topic that had brought her. But that was the coward’s way out, and Jaime was not a coward. “I’ve pressed charges against my uncle.”

  CHAPTER 19

  TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9

  Hayden stared at her like she couldn’t have heard correctly. “I’m sorry, but you did what?”

  “I went to the Commonwealth’s Attorney last week.”

  “Your birthday p
resent to yourself?”

  “Yes. She agreed to press charges against Dane. He’s been served. And now someone is pressuring the PD to fire me, though I don’t know that there’s any connection between the two.” She blew on the steaming tea, and her hands trembled as she thought of Dane. “He showed up at court this morning. Somehow he knew about the hearing before me and that it had been canceled, and he tried to intimidate me.”

  “Did it work?”

  “I don’t want it to. I’ve been building to this my whole life, and the Commonwealth is taking the case seriously.”

  “Oh, Jaime. Why now?” Hayden’s hands clutched the coffee mug so tightly Jaime hoped it didn’t crack.

  “I want Dane to admit what happened. He’s an overconfident man who believes he can get away with anything.”

  “Well, he has.”

  “What if he’s hurt others? The thought haunts me at night.” She felt the wash of goose bumps. “If he continued and I didn’t say or do anything . . .”

  “You were eight years old.”

  “When it started.” Jaime sighed, feeling the stretch of the words against old scars. “I could have spoken up since, and I haven’t.”

  “You had to get healthy.”

  “I’m not sure that’s possible anymore. When he was in that courtroom, I froze. Me, Jaime Nichols, the woman who always knows what to say in every situation. I was a little girl again, fighting to prove I’m bigger than he is.” She shuddered. “I’ll always be that little girl. He did this to me.” She blinked rapidly against the moisture that wanted to overflow, then startled as she felt an arm slip around her shoulders.

  Emilie leaned into her. “I am so sorry, Jaime.”

  “Where did you come from?” Jaime cleared her voice and tried to act like she hadn’t just alluded to terribly intimate parts of her life.

  “I thought I heard your voice and came to investigate. Everything okay?”

  “No.” Hayden’s word punctuated the small room. “Jaime has decided to right the wrongs of the world, and it’s coincided with her uncle’s possible promotion.”

  Jaime heard the words from a distance. “That’s not why.”

  “I just saw the headline.” Hayden pulled out her cell phone and punched a few buttons. Then she turned the screen toward Jaime. “Your uncle has been nominated for one-star general.”

  Jaime scanned the article, glad she’d already heard the nomination was viable as she stared at the black words on the small screen. “I need more time for my case to progress.”

  Emilie sat next to Jaime and rubbed her arm. “What can we do to help?”

  “Get a brown bag before I hyperventilate?” She couldn’t breathe deeply and felt her old companion panic rising inside her.

  Emilie kept rubbing her arm and leaned closer. “Look at me. In the eyes. You’re with us and safe.”

  Jaime tried to nod but could only rock as the tightness squeezed her chest. “I. Can’t. Breathe.” How could she have been so foolish as to poke the bear that was her uncle?

  “We’ll get you through this. I promise you won’t be alone.” Hayden’s voice reached her as if through a cave.

  “I’m sure Savannah can help.”

  Jaime wanted to latch on to Emilie’s words for dear life.

  “You’re sure I can help with what?” Savannah stepped into the room, a tailored squall jacket belted over her suit. “What’s the convention for?”

  Jaime looked up at the woman who’d had such a calming presence on her throughout law school. “I’m an idiot.” She forced the words through the narrow opening in her throat.

  “I know that’s not true.” She sank onto the chair opposite Jaime. “All right, ladies, I know you have work to do. Leave me with Jaime.” She loosened her belt. “Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived.”

  Hayden crossed her arms and looked ready to argue, but a look from Emilie stopped her. “We’re here for you, Jaime. Maybe I can talk to Senator Wesley.”

  “Why?” What would that accomplish?

  “He’s on the Armed Services Committee.”

  “Oh.” The word eased from her. “I’m not sure I can talk to someone like him.”

  “You might not have a choice.”

  That’s what Jaime was afraid of. That by filing this case, something she needed to do, she had lost control of her choices. Even surrounded by her friends, she felt so alone, like she’d been marooned on an island since childhood.

  The moment the two left, Savannah stood and closed the door. “I have about ten minutes before a prospective client arrives.”

  “I thought I was ready.” Jaime sucked in a breath and then blew it out, then sucked in another. The terror was easing, only to be replaced by a boulder-sized knot of worry.

  “Thought you were ready for what?”

  “To hold my uncle accountable.”

  Savannah nodded thoughtfully. “That’s good. You are ready.”

  “I thought I was, too, but I didn’t realize he was up for promotion when I went to the Commonwealth’s Attorney.”

  “Does that really change anything?” Savannah’s calm words penetrated the lifting fog.

  Jaime closed her eyes tightly, then eased them open. “No. I need to pursue this for me.”

  “All right.” Savannah sank back and kept a close eye on her. “What’s your plan?”

  That’s right. Time to turn on her left brain and logic this problem out as she would any client’s lawsuit. “Hope the Commonwealth’s Attorney will keep moving forward with the case.”

  “Interesting strategy.”

  “It seems to work.” She rubbed her temples because she knew she needed to do something other than wait. “I’ll dig through my journals for every line that documents what he did and the subsequent harm.”

  “Good. Hayden’s right that we may need to call the senator for assistance.” Savannah leaned forward, and her gaze intensified. “You shouldn’t have launched this without calling in your support team.”

  Jaime nodded, and Savannah’s presence touched her with a sweet concern that helped ease the heaviness filling her.

  “Now, the Commonwealth’s Attorney team is good. If there’s a way to get him, they will. And you won’t be alone in this fight. I can promise that.”

  Jaime cleared her throat. “Thank you.”

  “So what did you want to see me about?”

  Jaime blew out a breath. “I overheard someone pressuring the public defender to fire me.”

  Savannah straightened and reached for her phone, which she used like a tablet to take notes. “What do you mean?”

  Jaime related what she had overheard of the conversation.

  “And you don’t know who it was?”

  “No. It was too muffled through the door.” Should she mention it might be Dane? “I really couldn’t hear, but what if it was Dane?”

  Savannah made a notation. “Let’s be careful to avoid jumping to conclusions, since you’re not sure. And you didn’t know Dane was up for promotion?”

  “Not when I approached the Commonwealth.”

  “Okay. But this isn’t why you came by. What did you need?”

  “I don’t remember.” Jaime rubbed her forehead, fear and anger warring against her desire to run away. Savannah gave her the space of silence, and she covered her eyes and tried to focus her thoughts. Why had she called? She glanced up.

  “I wanted to see if you knew anything about the ethics complaint. Any progress or movement? I want to get back to work.”

  Even if it forced the PD’s hand. Would he choose her or whoever had threatened him?

  “I’ve got a call in and will follow up. These can take months, especially when logged by a criminal defendant proceeding on his own, but I’ll move it along as quickly as possible. I’m calling in a couple favors. Next time let us know before you’re over your head.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Do more than try.” She softened her words by leaning forward and brushing Jaime’s arm
. “You need to let us in. This burden is too much to carry alone.”

  Ouch. She hated to admit Savannah’s point. “Maybe I didn’t tell you all because I didn’t want to be talked out of it.”

  “Maybe you should have been.”

  Sometimes Jaime didn’t like her mentor much. “As I said. This is why I didn’t tell you.”

  “It’s done now. I can ask some questions about who lodged the ethics charge, since you have a right to know your accuser. I can’t promise how quickly I’ll have an answer.”

  “Thank you.” If only it didn’t feel like she was already on the defensive. Could Dane be behind it? The timeline didn’t work, even though she knew her uncle was well placed with friends across government. If he was, what else would he attempt to stop cooperating with the criminal charges? The stakes were so high. She didn’t want to consider what he’d risk to silence her.

  Her phone beeped, and she glanced at the screen. Mitch? She swiped the screen and scanned the message, and felt the blood drain from her face.

  “What’s wrong?” Savannah asked.

  “The probable cause hearing for the criminal charges against Dane is scheduled for tomorrow morning at eight.”

  Ready or not, she’d get to confront her uncle again. She didn’t feel strong enough. She typed a quick message to her mom.

  Probable cause hearing tomorrow. Can you come?

  A moment later a reply popped up. Tell me when and where. You are not alone.

  If only words could make it true.

  CHAPTER 20

  TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9

  The news played from the small television as Jaime worked in the kitchen. The space felt empty, since Caroline hadn’t returned from work. The silence made the background noise of two journalists arguing over the latest celebrity sighting a necessity.

  Jaime was determined to try to cook, since Caroline, in spite of claiming she had no ability in the kitchen, had made several meals since moving in. Simba prowled beneath Jaime’s feet, looking for one of the little bowls of scrambled eggs Caroline slipped him when she thought Jaime wasn’t looking.