“Great idea,” she said. “Let’s get busy.”
Woody was placed in the same cell he and Tony had once shared with their old pal Jock, and the memories were cold and harsh. He was in a state of disbelief and mumbled to himself as he stretched out on the bottom bunk and tried to make sense of it all. Alone again, he turned to face the wall and fought back tears. For a solid week, he had not only gone to school every day but had done so with all homework completed. He had stayed after school for tutoring. The thought of a beer had never crossed his mind. He had gone camping with his Scout troop. What else could he have done to behave himself? Yet here he was again, in a dingy jail cell all alone.
An hour later, a jailer walked to his cell and informed him that he would be taken before the judge for a one p.m. hearing. He thanked the man, though he had no idea what was about to happen. He managed to convince himself that his mother and Tony and Theo were doing everything possible to get him out again. He was worried sick, though. If the judge imposed bail again, there was no way they could raise any more money. He would probably get stuck in jail for months.
Lunch was a turkey sandwich and a dill pickle, and he ate every bit because he was starving. The same deputy unlocked his cell, handcuffed him, and led him to the front, past the desk, and to a waiting patrol car. A few minutes later, he entered the basement of the courthouse and rode up the service elevator.
Judge Pendergrast was on the bench when Woody was brought in. In the front row were his mother, Theo, and Mr. Mount. His lawyer, Rodney Wall, was waiting by the bench with Bob Hawley, a man he now despised.
For Theo, it was the first time he’d seen the judge since he cross-examined him in Animal Court. He, Theo, assumed there were no hard feelings. He thought he’d done a good job on cross. He thought the judge had handled himself well as a witness. His Honor was certainly a veteran of courtroom warfare and knew that each lawyer had a job to do. When he assumed the bench he had nodded to Theo but didn’t smile. Theo did note that he looked more rested lately. There had been no reports of Rufus rampaging through the neighborhood, no complaints to Animal Control. Theo had bumped into Roger at school and everything was fine with their rabbit.
A fair outcome for all. Who could complain? Theo decided not to worry about any grudge that the judge might carry.
His Honor was reading some paperwork, and when he finished he said, “I’ve looked over the bond written by Action. Did you, Mr. Lambert, leave the county over the weekend?”
Woody stiffened his back, glared at the judge, and said, “Yes, sir. I went camping at Lake Marlo with my Scout troop.”
“And were you aware that you are forbidden from leaving Stratten County?”
“No, sir. I did not know that.”
“Mr. Wall, did you warn your client about leaving the county?”
“No, sir. I assumed he and his mother knew that he was expected to stay home.”
“Well, it looks as though you assumed too much.” Judge Pendergrast seemed irritated at the situation.
The door opened and Major Ludwig walked in. He leaned against the rear wall and nodded at the judge, who noticed him but continued. “Well, I have no choice but to revoke your bond and discuss setting bail.”
The Major stepped forward and said, “Your Honor, may it please the court, I have something to say.”
“Go ahead, Major Ludwig.”
“Woody is one of my Scouts and I’m volunteering as his Youth Court counselor. I take full responsibility for the camping trip and for his leaving the county. It never crossed my mind that he was violating the terms of his bail. It’s my fault, Judge, and I can promise you that he will be right here any time you want.”
The Major moved and spoke like a seasoned lawyer, and it was obvious he had the judge’s respect. He continued.“There is absolutely nothing to be gained by setting bail again. It’s my understanding that the family sacrificed everything to get him out the first time. Release him to my supervision and there will be no more problems. I’ve discussed these charges with Woody, did so last weekend during the campout, and I firmly believe that he is innocent of any serious crime. He has promised me that he will tighten up his study habits, attend school every day, and stay away from the wrong crowd. I’m asking the court to trust me with this matter.”
His words were solemn, and when he said “trust” everyone in the courtroom believed him.
Judge Pendergrast scribbled some notes as he pondered the situation. He looked at Woody and said, “Okay, young man, I believe in second chances. I believe this was an honest oversight on your part. I want you and Major Ludwig to report to me at four o’clock every Monday afternoon and we’ll discuss your class attendance and your grades. In the meantime, your attorney will get to work on the charges filed against you. You are released on personal identification, no bail.”
Woody looked him squarely in the eye and said, “Thank you, Your Honor.”
Chapter 20
For the next two weeks, Woody managed to avoid another arrest. He didn’t miss a day of school, often arrived early and stayed late for extra study hall and tutoring. Tony, too, was back in school and putting more effort into his classwork.
Jail was a place they preferred to avoid.
Clifford Nance had the finest law office in Strattenburg. It occupied the top floors of an old building that was once the only bank in town, and from his large windows he looked down on the courthouse directly across the street. The Yancey River could be seen in the distance. Mr. Nance had bought the building years earlier and spent a lot of money renovating it. His firm had seven lawyers, it was the biggest in town. An elevator ran from the lobby straight to Mr. Nance’s suite.
Rodney Wall had never been near the office, though, like most lawyers in town, he had heard descriptions of it. As a young, lowly paid assistant public defender, he dreamed of one day achieving the success of a big-time lawyer like Clifford Nance. He wanted a fancy office, big firm, fine home, foreign cars, the works. And he secretly dreamed of working for the Nance firm. His plan was to gut it out in the trenches of public defender warfare, gain some experience, perhaps start building a reputation, and then apply for an associate’s position with the firm. But then a lot of young lawyers in Strattenburg had the same dream.
At the appointed hour, the hour suggested by Mr. Nance, Rodney rode the elevator to the top floor and was greeted by a pretty secretary who offered him coffee. Mr. Nance was on the phone and would be tied up for a moment. Rodney eased into a thick leather chair and admired the Persian rugs and modern art on the walls. He sipped his coffee and stared at his phone, as if he had matters that were far more important than the Lambert case. The secretary typed away. The phones rang occasionally. Finally, a large door opened and Mr. Nance himself stepped out. He waved Rodney into his massive office and pointed to a plush sofa. “Let’s sit over here,” he said, “and keep things casual.”
“Sure,” Rodney said as he glanced around. Nance’s monument of a work desk was long and wide and appeared to be mahogany, though Rodney wasn’t sure. A few files were stacked neatly but for the most part the desk was bare, as if the great man lived an uncluttered life and was concentrating only on the case before him. A conference table with chairs occupied one corner. The walls were covered with paintings and portraits. Everything was neat and perfectly organized, which came as no surprise. Mr. Nance’s reputation was that of a trial lawyer who was always thoroughly prepared and organized.
“Nice place you got here,” Rodney said as he sank into the sofa.
“Oh, it’ll do,” Mr. Nance said. He wore a navy suit, crisp white shirt, perfectly knotted tie, expensive shoes, gold watch. Rodney thought to himself: He probably spends more on clothes in one year than I earn in salary.