by V S Kemanis
She gathered her book and papers, all the carefully thought-out notes, and left the courtroom ahead of everyone else, then paused and lingered in the hallway. She had no reason to flee and didn’t want the others to think she was running.
Two jurors pushed out opposite sides of the swinging door and held it open for the remaining four. They were chatting and smiling, all of them now fast friends, these women and men who had met for the first time only hours ago. ADA Hargrove considered whether she should approach them to ask their impressions of the case and of her performance during the trial, but thought better of it and opened her face into a smile meant to convey her gratitude and her availability for comment. Each one in turn glanced in her direction, their relaxed and smiling faces one by one hardening into polite smiles for her benefit, their eyes darting away as soon as they’d lit, not wishing to linger with implicit invitation.
All six had turned away from her, continuing on their merry course toward the elevator, when one of them—the forewoman—paused and turned back, taking a step in Hargrove’s direction. The others, sensing the absence of their leader, also turned and hovered uncertainly, wanting to overhear.
“There’s just one thing I want to ask you,” said the forewoman.
The prosecuting attorney brightened. “Anything at all, Mrs. Butler.”
The older woman’s polite smile had vanished, replaced with a haughty scowl. “Just where do you and your office get off prosecuting a boy like that?”
Hargrove felt numb and stared blankly.
“Just what gives you the right to charge someone with a crime for going on a walk at night? Can you tell me that?” Mrs. Butler’s mouth twisted into a righteous smile accented by glowing eyes. The other five smiled or snickered in agreement.
Hargrove felt the urge to tell all, to divulge the evidence that had been kept from them, and to gain the upper hand once again, turning those sneers into remorse-filled apologies. But then she recalled a few things, important things. Little good would come of revealing that they’d been lied to, instilling a sense of betrayal in these conscientious citizens, the ones who hadn’t dodged jury duty and had made a considered judgment based on the evidence they’d been given. Besides—she wasn’t sure—but she probably had an ethical or legal obligation not to tell. After the acquittal, the court “sealed” the case, a fictional act of obliteration that prevented public viewing of the case file and any other record of the proceedings. The law existed to protect those who had been falsely accused, but its protections extended to all acquitted defendants, whether they were innocent or just lucky.
She mustered an even smile, intended to be steady and reassuring. “This case was prosecuted because I looked at all the facts and applied them to the law and made the judgment that there was enough evidence.”
Mrs. Butler shook her head. “Facts? Where are the facts? Maybe you need a reality check. You know. Just get out in the streets and see what’s going on instead of writing your theories down on a yellow pad.”
“Maybe you’re right, Mrs. Butler.” Hargrove’s eyes sparkled with levity, and a wry laugh escaped her lips. “Maybe I need a reality check.”
The forewoman, with a self-satisfied air, hiked up her shoulder bag strap and turned to go.
“There’s just one problem,” said Hargrove.
Butler twisted her head back and raised her eyebrows.
“Reality. There’s always more than one version to choose from.”
The woman shook her head and walked away, her shoulders jerking in near-silent laughter. She joined her friends near the elevator bank.
Cortina and the defendant—no longer the defendant—pushed out the swinging doors. Handler had reverted to his leaning limp of the underworld and was talking fast and cool to his attorney. Cortina, with head lowered, muttered some final words to his client and shrugged him off by way of farewell, quick to put distance between them.
The lawyer approached Hargrove, coming up close enough for her to smell the stale smoke on his nervous breath. “You win some and lose some,” he said, lighting up a cigarette. “Listen, the guy wasn’t all bad. He’s got a mother who loves him.” He chuckled and took a long drag.
The red light flashed on over the elevator with an institutional-sounding bell. One at a time, the six jurors shuffled inside, as Handler ran to catch it. He squeezed in beside Mrs. Butler, then held the door and craned his neck out toward Cortina.
“No, man, go ahead,” said the lawyer with a wave of his hand. “Gotta watch my wallet,” he said to Hargrove out the side of his mouth, patting his back pocket.
Stressed by the manual interruption, the elevator door remained frozen open for several seconds. Handler moved backward and sideways, closer to Mrs. Butler, flashing her a toothy smile. She responded with a pleasant smile of her own and faced forward, elevator fashion. Handler eyed her obliquely, starting at the face, moving down to her earrings, necklace, strap of her shoulder bag, jacket—Mrs. Butler pulled the two sides together—down to her dangling pocketbook and diamond ring on the hand that clutched it.
With a grin, Handler turned to face forward as the elevator door closed slowly and shut hard with a final, metallic slam.
________
Dear Reader,
Follow Dana Hargrove as she confronts personal and professional challenges at different stages of her legal career. In Thursday’s List, set in 1988, rookie Dana is the junior member of a team investigating money laundering by a Colombian narcotics cartel. In Homicide Chart, set in 1994, Dana returns as an experienced prosecutor, investigating a murder that hits dangerously close to home. I’m now at work on the third Dana Hargrove legal mystery, which takes place in 2001.
For more information on the Dana Hargrove legal mystery series, visit my Amazon page, website, or facebook page:
www.amazon.com/author/vskemanis
www.vskemanis.com
www.facebook.com/V.S.Kemanis.Author
Hope you enjoyed “Simple Case.” Post a review on Smashwords to let me know what you think!
V.S.
ALSO BY V. S. KEMANIS
Homicide Chart, Dana Hargrove legal mystery #2
Thursday’s List, Dana Hargrove legal mystery #1
Malocclusion, tales of misdemeanor
Everyone But Us, tales of women
Dust of the Universe, tales of family
The Crooked Road, Vol. 3 (anthology contributor)
Available in e-book through online booksellers
Visit V. S. Kemanis at www.vskemanis.com
