“I beg your pardon?”
“I mean your direct participation in the case. I’m referring to the fact you and your secretary found the body.”
“Oh, that,” Steve said.
“Yes, that. It may not be a first for you, but it’s a first for me. Defense attorneys do not find the body of the victim. It just isn’t done outside of story books.”
“I’m sorry to disillusion you.”
“It’s not just that,” Vaulding said. “It’s a problem in terms of procedure. I guarantee you there isn’t a judge in this county who’s going to look kindly on me calling the defense attorney as a witness for the prosecution.”
“Guess you have a problem,” Steve said.
“It’s your problem too, if the judge should rule you had to step down as counsel.”
“I would resist such a ruling.”
“Yeah, but would you win? Maybe on appeal, but even if you eventually do, the case drags on. And it isn’t going to please your client any if he’s not on bail.”
Steve’s eyes narrowed. “So the bail issue is tied up in this.”
“Not at all,” Vaulding said. “I just mentioned the effect on your client. But, no, they’re not related in the least.”
“So what’s your point?”
“If I call you as a witness, it’s going to make trouble. It could even get you removed from the case. I don’t want to do that. If you’re agreeable, I’d like to expedite matters so neither you nor your secretary would have to testify.”
“How would you do that?”
“As I understand it, after you found the body your secretary informed the butler-” Vaulding picked up a paper from his desk, glanced at it, “-that would be Martin Kessington-and he was the one who called the cops. Is that right?”
“Yeah. So?”
“I can use him instead. Him and Lieutenant Sanders. Between them I may not have to call you at all.”
“My recollection may not coincide with theirs.”
“Which you can bring out on cross-examination.”
“If I couldn’t, I might have to put myself on the stand.”
“If you have to, you have to. I don’t think you will. It’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
Steve looked at him. “Why, Vaulding? What’s the catch? Is this tied up in the bail issue after all?”
“Absolutely not,” Vaulding said. “I’m telling you straight out I know the judges here, and if you go on the stand there’s a good chance you get disqualified as counsel. I don’t want that to happen.”
“Why not?”
Vaulding smiled. “You have to ask me that? You’re good. In fact, you’re very good. You got a reputation. Top gun. Young sensation.” He jerked his thumb. “Dirkson hears you’re on the case, he calls me to warn me.”
“So?”
Vaulding cocked his head and grinned. “Well, guess what? I’m good too.”
Vaulding looked Steve right in the eye. He smiled, but his eyes were hard.
“I’m gonna beat you.”
21
Back at the motel things were really popping.
“Search warrant?” Steve said.
“Right,” Tracy said. “Timberlaine’s daughter called, all upset. The cops were there with a search warrant, what should she do?”
“What did you tell her?”
“What could I tell her? You were off talking to her father, and even if you weren’t, what could you do anyway? If it’s a search warrant, you gotta honor it.”
“Yeah,” Steve said. “But still.”
“Hey, it’s not like the cops were standing around waiting for you to give permission. She’s on the phone, they’re searching the place, she’s practically hysterical wanting to know what she should do about it and frankly not making much sense. The bottom line is, whatever the cops were looking for, they found it and took off while she was on the phone. At which point she slammed down the receiver, was not there when I called back, and is probably on her way here.”
“Shit. When was this?”
“When she left? Maybe ten minutes ago.”
“Great,” Steve said. He raised his head, bellowed, “Mark!”
Taylor yelled back from the other room, “I’m on the phone.”
Steve strode to the door. “What you got on the warrant?”
Taylor was sitting on the bed with the phone tucked under his chin and a pad and pen in his hands. “Just a minute,” he said irritably, then into the phone, “Hang on, willya?” He raised his chin, dropping the receiver into his lap, and looked up at Steve. “I got nothin’ on the warrant except they served a warrant. That’s what I’m doin’ now, but with one stinkin’ phone it ain’t easy.” Taylor snatched up the receiver again, then looked back up at Steve. “Now hold your horses and let me get on with it. I’ll tell you as soon as I know.”
“Just so you’re happy,” Steve said. He shook his head, went back into the other room.
Tracy, noting his expression, said, “Mark take your head off?”
“Oh? He been snappin’ at you too?”
“Mark hasn’t been quite himself since he heard the gun he bought was the murder weapon.”
“That didn’t really make my day, either. And now this damn warrant.”
“You’re really pissed off.”
“Yeah. And it’s not just what they may have found.”
Tracy frowned. “Oh? Then what is it?”
“The timing.”
“What?”
Steve pointed to the door. “I just got called into the D. A.’s office. Young guy named Vaulding. Slick son of a bitch.”
“So? What did he want?”
“That’s just it. On the surface he wanted to talk me out of pressing for bail in return for keeping us off the witness stand. Or so I thought. Now I just don’t know.”
“You mean?”
“Exactly. I show up to talk to Timberlaine, Vaulding says, ‘Great, he’s out of the way, serve the warrant.’ Then, to make sure I stay out of the way, he calls me into his office.”
“Isn’t that being a little paranoid?”
“Maybe. But just between you and me, that gun turning out to be the murder weapon’s got me spooked too. I feel like I’m walkin’ through a mine field, just waiting to see what blows up next.”
“Steve!” Taylor called from the other room.
Steve Winslow barreled through the door with Tracy right behind.
“You got it?” Steve said.
“On the warrant, no, but something’s up. The reporter just checked in. He says Vaulding-that’s the D.A. out here-”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, he just called a press conference for this afternoon, so something must be up.”
“Any idea what?”
“No, but odds are the warrant must have something to do with it.”
“Yeah, but what? I mean, they already have the gun. What else is there?”
“You got me.” Taylor shrugged. “Hell, maybe that’s not it. Maybe the guy just wants to puff up his chest and say just ’cause Timberlaine’s got money it cuts no ice with him, and he will prosecute him fearlessly to the full extent of the law.”
“Could be. He already gave me the same spiel.”
“Oh?”
“Trying to discourage me from pressing for bail. Timberlaine out on bail would be a political black eye for him. Vaulding intimates if I don’t push for bail, he’ll expedite everything and generally make life easy, including keeping me off the stand.”
“Then what the hell’s this press conference?”
“Well, I didn’t say yes.”
“Will you?”
“I don’t know. It’s in Timberlaine’s best interests and it’s probably the way I’d play it anyway.” Steve chuckled mirthlessly, shook his head. “I just hate to do anything Vaulding wants.”
There came a knock on the door in the other unit. Tracy disappeared through the connecting door, came back ushering in a rather harried-looking Carrie Timberlaine.
“So, what did they get?” Steve demanded.
That was too abrupt for Carrie. “What?”
“The cops. The search warrant. What did they get?”
“I don’t know.”
“Shit,” Steve said, irritably. “It’s like waiting for Christmas and you don’t get a present. What do you know?”