“Yeah,” she said, her voice thick, her answer catching in her throat. “Or at least hurt someone very badly.”
The judge peered into his shot glass before draining it. “Newspaper said Dwayne tore up his leg climbing over a fence trying to run away from Detective Rossi. I don’t suppose the paramedics took him to the ER at Truman.”
“They did.”
“Uh-huh,” he grunted. “And I don’t suppose Bonnie took care of him.”
Alex rose from her chair, arms crossed, angry now. “The son of a bitch threatened to come back and rape her as soon he got out of jail. She believes him and so do I,” she said, then telling the judge what had happened in the ER.
“Then tell Detective Rossi or, better yet, tell Tommy Bradshaw, and they’ll yank his ass back to jail and Judge Upton will have to revoke his bail.”
“Tommy already knows. Bonnie told him. Tommy offered to let Dwayne plea to a Class C felony for possession and do three years if he agreed to stay in jail, enter his plea tomorrow, and start serving his sentence. He also offered to let him plead to the murders in exchange for consecutive life terms.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Dwayne turned both offers down. He thinks I’ll get him off and he says he has a promise to keep for someone when she gets home. That has to be Bonnie. I told Bradshaw and he’ll tell Rossi. But there’s no way to know if or when he’ll try something or whether Rossi will be able to stop him.”
“And in the meantime, you’re still Dwayne’s lawyer. You’ll have to tell your boss about Bonnie.”
“If I do, Robin will pull me off the case. And if by some miracle she doesn’t and Bradshaw tells Judge Upton that Dwayne threatened Bonnie. .”
“Dwayne will be able to use your relationship with Bonnie to make you do God knows what.”
“Exactly.”
“And you want to hold on to Dwayne’s case without him making you jump for the sport of it.”
She heaved a sigh. “Yes.”
Judge West squinted at her, drawing out his one-word question. “Why?”
Alex threw her hands into the air, pacing around his chambers before planting her palms on his desk.
“Because I want him off the streets forever.”
Judge West nodded, reached for his bottle of whiskey, and filled both of their shot glasses. “Can’t argue. Now, how about that drink?”
Alex snatched her glass and gulped it down, the amber liquid warming her throat and soothing her jangled nerves. She folded her arms across her chest again, clutching her sides.
“I can’t believe I just said that.”
“Why not? It’s what you believe. It’s what you want and it’s what Bonnie needs.”
“You know that’s not the point!”
The judge raised his hand. “Now, settle down. Settle down. You know that it is a big part of the point. Why not let things take their natural course? Let the system work. Let Rossi keep his eye on Bonnie. If he can make a case against Dwayne for the murders, they’ll arrest him. I’ll make sure his case ends up in my court. You can stay on it without ever having to mention Bonnie’s name. He’ll be convicted and sentenced to death. And ten years down the road, after the ACLU has cost the taxpayers a few million dollars on appeals that will go nowhere, he’ll get the needle.”
Alex’s eyes popped; she was amazed at what she’d just heard. “You can do that? You can make sure that Dwayne’s case is assigned to you?” West nodded. “How? Case assignments are supposed to be random.”
“It’s enough for you to know that I can.”
“And I’m supposed to believe that you can somehow magically guarantee that he’ll be convicted?”
“There are no guarantees in life, including in my courtroom. But some things are more certain than others, and if we both do our parts, maybe that can be one of them.”
Alex shook her head. “Why are you telling me this? If anyone else finds out, you’ll be thrown off the bench, maybe even indicted.”
“Alex, why did you come to me for advice?”
She shook her head again. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.” Judge West tapped his finger on his desk. “In here, in my chambers, on this case and every other one like it, you and I will tell each other the truth. I’ve shown you that respect. I expect no less from you. Now, why do you think I told you?”
She hesitated, gripping the back of her chair again to keep her balance as she fought off a split second of vertigo, her world spinning off its axis. Grounded, she said what she knew to be true.
“Because we’ll both do whatever it takes to stop Dwayne Reed.”
Judge West raised his glass to her. “And now we understand each other. Everyone knows the system isn’t perfect, but you and I can get it a little closer.” He scribbled something on a piece of paper. “That’s my cell phone number. You need anything, call me.”
Alex folded the slip of paper in her hand. “But what happens if Rossi can’t make the case against Dwayne? Or Tommy Bradshaw can’t convince the jury? Or if you can’t do your part or when it comes down to it, I can’t do mine? What then? What happens to Bonnie? Rossi will try to protect her, but how much can he do, really? I mean, he’s only one man and he can’t be on her or Dwayne twenty-four/seven.”
“You’re right about that. There are rules they have to follow, and knowing them both, that’s what they will do. Even Rossi, despite his trigger-happy reputation.”
“There are rules I have to follow too.”
“Then you’ve only got one choice,” Judge West said.
She looked at him, her face pinched with pain and worry. “What’s that?”
“Break the rules.”
Chapter Twenty
Alex left judge West’s chambers, her head still spinning. She’d just entered into a conspiracy with him to deprive Dwayne Reed of his right to due process, a fair trial, and faithful representation by counsel. And that was just for starters. Their conversation, even without more, violated a host of ethical canons and, if discovered, would cost them their careers.
She emerged from the courthouse, stopping at the top of the lengthy flight of stairs leading down to the street. The day had dawned warm and clear, staying that way as the sun climbed higher in the sky. She walked partway down the stairs, pausing to let the sun chase the chill in her bones.
She half expected to see a roiling, rumbling mass of black clouds steaming across the horizon, an ominous portent of things to come, but there was none of that. It was just a day. People going about their business, lawyers she recognized nodding and smiling as they passed her on their way into the courthouse. Their ritual greetings reminded her of the fellowship and sanctity of her profession, triggering a flash of doubt about what she’d agreed to do.
She’d defended many people who’d committed terrible crimes, some of whom had threatened her. There was nothing new in that. This should have been no different, but it was because of Bonnie, though Alex knew that Bonnie would insist she play by the rules rather than risk her career. She had to go back to Judge West’s chambers, tell him that it had all been a terrible mistake, and beg him to forget their conversation had ever happened.
She turned around but couldn’t take the first step. Dwayne Reed stood in her path.
“Oh!” was all she could manage, so startled that she began to fall backward and would have fallen to the ground if Dwayne hadn’t grabbed her by the arms.
“Hold on, now. I ain’t in the market for another lawyer just yet.”
He was wearing baggy jeans and a gray jersey. She pulled away, but he held on to her.
“Let me go, Dwayne.”
He released her, holding his hands up. “All right, then. Jus’ makin’ sure you ain’t gonna fall.”
Deputy Paulson would have taken Dwayne from the courthouse annex back to the jail and processed his release. Yet here he was standing behind her, meaning he had to have come from inside the main courthouse.
“What are you doing here?” Alex asked. “You should be on your way home by now.”