“So, you remember seeing them last Tuesday?”
Father Maher nodded. “Yes, they were here.”
“What time did they arrive?”
“About five. I fed them before we started. They always seem to be hungry, but as I said before, they are very grateful for whatever I give them.”
“And they stayed here the whole evening?”
“Yes.” He thought for a moment. “They set up the tables and chairs before we started. They helped throughout the evening with markers and bingo sheets, and they cleaned up after we were done. They left here about ten o’clock.”
“And they remained here the whole time. Neither of them could have left and come back for, say, an hour?”
“No, they took their cigarette breaks, but never for more than ten minutes,” Father Maher said. “It sounds like I may be their alibi.”
“Yes, you are. Something pretty awful went down and although I didn’t think they were involved, we had to make sure.”
“Well, if it happened during that time frame, it couldn’t have been one of them. Of that, I’m certain.”
Chapter 24
The bell Bob had installed on Sabre’s office door jingled as it opened. Sabre wasn’t expecting anyone so she assumed it was someone looking for David or Jack, the other attorneys who had office space in the old Victorian house. Elaine, the receptionist, would take care of it.
Sabre continued to prepare her cases for the morning calendar, filling out the appropriate colored form for each hearing. She reached for a pink form just as Elaine walked into her office.
“There’s a gentleman here to see you. A very charming man with a Texas accent,” Elaine said.
Sabre glanced up and then continued putting the form in the file, her eyes back on what she was doing. “Is it JP? Just send him in.”
“No, it’s not JP. He says his name is Clint Buchanon.”
Sabre looked up again. “Hmm….” This time her face showed surprise.
“Would you like me to send him in?”
“Sure,” Sabre said. She stood up. “No. Tell him I’ll be with him shortly.”
Sabre took about five minutes to finish preparing her files, set them aside, and left her desk. She walked out to the reception area where Clint sat in a comfortable, dark brown, leather chair. He stood up immediately when she walked in.
“Howdy, ma’am,” he said, tipping his expensive-looking, dark, olive-colored cowboy hat.
“Hi, Clint. Nice to see you again. Are you here about your sister?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Sabre wondered if any woman in Texas was ever called anything but ma’am. “Let’s go to my office.” Sabre stepped into the hallway but not before she saw Elaine shake her hand back and forth in a gesture indicating she was captivated and mouth the word, “Wow.”
Sabre smiled at Elaine. She was impressed with his looks as well. She hadn’t noticed just how attractive he was in the dim light of the bar where they met. Her state of mind after the bullets had blown past her that day had likely added to her lack of attention to his good looks.
Once inside her office, Sabre seated herself behind her desk. “Please, have a seat,” she said, pointing to the chair across from her.
“Thank you, ma’am,” Clint said.
“So, what can I do for you?” Sabre asked.
He removed his hat, revealing a full head of dark, wavy hair. He was even more handsome without the hat, Sabre thought. He set the hat on the chair next to him.
“Couldn’t get my sister to call you or any other attorney. I don’t think she wants anyone telling her not to see that loser boyfriend of hers.”
Sabre waited a few seconds. When she had met Clint in the bar, he had told her that his sister was being abused by her boyfriend, but she still didn’t know exactly what he wanted from her. When he didn’t speak, she said, “It’s difficult for a woman, or a man, in an abusive relationship to break loose. Even when they are no longer physically connected, a psychological connection remains. They begin to second-guess their actions, constantly wondering if they’re doing the right thing. It’s a process. It’ll take time for her to disentangle herself and establish boundaries. Hopefully, she’ll get the help she needs from social services.”
“You sure know a lot about it. I hope it’s not from personal experience?”
Sabre shook her head. “No,” she said rather bluntly. Then added, “But I’ve dealt with a lot of women who have been in an abusive relationship.” She thought of the Martinez case. “And even a few men.”
“Sorry, ma’am. I guess that wasn’t an appropriate question. Guess I need to learn the boundaries myself.”
“It’s okay. Just support her and keep an eye out for her safety. And you needn’t worry for the children. Now that DSS is involved, they’ll see to it that the children are protected.” Sabre paused. “If she went to court for the hearing, she should have a court-appointed attorney. Does she have one?”
“She doesn’t like him very much.”
“So, what is it exactly that I can do for you?”
“The truth is ma’am….”
“Sabre,” she corrected him.
“Sabre, that’s a beautiful name. Sabre, I came here because I just don’t know what to do for my sister.” He paused. “But also to see you again.” He raised his hands up and out to each side, palms facing out. “Hope you won’t be offended, but I’m going to be here a while and I just don’t know another soul in this town.” He smiled and his eyes twinkled.
Sabre hesitated and then shook her head slightly. She was caught off guard. When a man came into her office for legal help, she automatically shut down any personal interest in him. She seldom even noticed his looks or his charm once they were engaged in a legal matter. On occasion she caught them flirting with her, but she just failed to acknowledge it and dealt with them professionally.
“Before you say no, please hear me out. I’d like to take you out to a nice dinner and dance the night away with you, but I could understand that you might be reluctant to do that. So, all I’m askin’ is that you join me for a cup of coffee and some conversation.”
“I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“In all fairness ma’am…Sabre,” he corrected himself, “we haven’t really done any business. And since you aren’t wearing a ring and you didn’t respond that you are otherwise involved, I’m assuming you’re single. Am I correct?”
Sabre looked at Clint. He was quite attractive and charming. She had mixed emotions about whether or not she wanted to get to know him a little better. She didn’t know if she wanted to be involved with anyone again. “Yes, you’re correct. I’m single,” she said, “but I really don’t need any distractions in my life right now.”
“I’m flattered that you see me as a distraction.”
Sabre smiled. “I…I just don’t want to start something.” She said the words but she wasn’t emphatic enough. She could hear the reservation in her own voice and she knew he did too.
“Come on. I’m not askin’ you to marry me. Just want to break a few breadsticks.” Sabre laughed and Clint continued, “Come on, what do ya’ say? I’m sure you need a break. Let’s go.”
Sabre looked at the time on her phone. “Okay, a cup of coffee, but not today. I have an appointment in about fifteen minutes. How about tomorrow afternoon, four o’clock?”
“That’ll work.”
“There’s a place in Seaport Village called Upstart Crow. It’s a coffee shop and small bookstore, only a few miles from here and easy to find. Do you know where Seaport Village is?”
“No, but I’ll find it.” He picked up his hat, stood up, and ran his fingers through his hair front to back before he placed the hat on his head. He winked at her and nodded his head just slightly. It reminded Sabre of JP. She wondered if it was a Texas thing.
“See you tomorrow,” Clint said and walked out of her office.
Chapter 25
JP arrived at Sabre’s offic
e right on time, report in hand. Sabre had just hung up the phone when he walked in.
“Thanks,” she said, as he handed her the report. “Have a seat.” Sabre hated that her stomach giggled whenever she saw him. “Do you think any one of my clients killed Judge Mitchell?”
“I’ve eliminated Wheeler. Both of the parents have an alibi—a Catholic priest, no less. They were helping the good padre with his Bingo Night. Besides, as crazy as those two are, I really don’t think they’re capable of murder.”
“So, who does that leave?”
“Durham, Martinez, King, and Tran. If Durham wasn’t locked up, he’d be my first pick. That kid is scary.”
“What about his friend, Ralph?”
“Maybe. I’m still working on that. Ralph’s not too bright. In fact, he’s proof you don’t have to have a long neck to be a goose. But that doesn’t mean Durham wasn’t pulling his strings. Ralph likes to brag and act like he’s doing Durham a favor by hanging out with him. But, to tell you the truth, I think he gets more from the relationship than Durham does. Durham is a user and I think Ralph enjoys being his friend and more importantly, the alibi for an alleged killer.”
“Do you believe Ralph was really with Durham when Hannah was killed?”
“It’s hard to say, but I think his mouth writes a lot of checks that his butt can’t cash.”
Sabre smiled at his comment. “But even if Ralph is providing Matt with an alibi, it doesn’t necessarily follow that Matt killed Hannah and Mason.”
JP looked at her with an expression of complete incredulity. “Really? You still think he may be innocent?”
“I’m just saying that we really don’t know. It all hinges on the bat. If he really didn’t have the bat, then maybe he didn’t do it. And according to the form Matt filed with the coach, his bat went missing the night of the Poway game.”
“And you think Darren Flynn did it?”
“You said that Darren appears to have a real temper. If I can show that Matt didn’t have the bat in his possession and point the finger at Darren Flynn, it may be enough for reasonable doubt.”
“It’s not like you to point at an innocent person.”
“I’m not convinced he’s innocent. If I were, I wouldn’t do it. But juries need someone to pin it on and I think he’s a real suspect.”
“A jury? So you think he’ll be tried as an adult, and you’ll be there to represent him. Is that what I’m hearing?”
“I guess I’m getting ahead of myself, but it’s not looking real good for keeping him in juvenile court. We haven’t come up with much that supports that argument. And as for whether or not I’ll follow him downtown, I haven’t made that decision yet.”
JP shook his head. “I don’t like this.”
“I don’t either, but it’s what we have to work with.” Sabre glanced at JP’s report. “What about the other cases? Anything that connects them to the judge’s hit-and-run?”
“Juanita Martinez has some time unaccounted for. I had Bob ask her where she was that evening and she told him she went from her house back to her program.”
Sabre saw the concern on JP’s face. “But you weren’t able to verify it?”
“She went back there alright, but she still could’ve had time for a hit-and-run. I can determine what time she returned to the house because that’s logged in, but I’m not sure it’s accurate since it appears she had been drinking, and Bob said she might not have signed in when she first arrived. I also can’t pinpoint the exact time she left her house.”
“Did she have a car?”
“She rode with someone. I haven’t been able to track who she was with yet.”
“And what about King and Tran?”
“The father on the King case, Isaiah Banks, is a bad dude. I’m going to Donovan tomorrow morning to talk to some of his cellmates. I’m not convinced it wasn’t his doing when you were shot at the other day.” He paused and looked at her, his expression somewhere between concern and frustration. “I wish you’d buy yourself a gun. I’m sure you’d qualify to carry a concealed weapon. I’ve offered before to teach you how to use it. That still stands.”
Sabre drew a deep breath. “I know. A couple of the sheriff deputies at court have made the same offer.”
“If you’d be more comfortable with one of them….”
“No, I didn’t mean that. I’m just not comfortable with the idea of carrying a gun at all. I’d probably shoot some innocent person, or even a kid. I’m around kids too much. I could never live with myself if I did that.”
“You could at least get one for your home.”
Sabre shook her head. Guns scared her. She had never been around them. For a second she considered that maybe if she were more familiar with them she wouldn’t be so hesitant, but she didn’t want to talk about it. “What about Tran?” Sabre asked.
JP cocked his head, lowered his chin, and looked at Sabre with his eyes rolled up. Then he said, “I don’t think she murdered anyone, but I need to do further investigation on her case for the custody issues. There’s something strange going on there and I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“Her behavior has been a bit odd. She seems to really love her daughter, Emma, yet she’s been questioning the foster mother about adoption. It might be she’s just afraid that her rights may be terminated, but the foster mother thought it was more than that. Ask around and see if she has talked to anyone else about giving up the baby.”
“Will do. Anything else?”
“Not that I can think of. I left a message for the CASA worker, Mae Chu, but I haven’t heard back from her. I’ll let you know if I come up with something.”
JP stood up, and on his way out the door without looking back said, “A nice little Sig Sauer would be good. I bet you can even find one with a pink pearl handle.”
Chapter 26
The King Case
Children: Devon King, age 2 (M), Kordell King, age 12 (M)
Parents: Father of Devon—Isaiah Banks, Father of Kordell—Clay Walker, Mother—Brenda King
Issues: Physical Abuse
Facts: Isaiah Banks beat his stepson, Kordell, with a belt and his fist.
“Thanks for seeing me,” JP said to the inmate who sat across from him, a huge African-American man with a large scar on his chin. The man’s size alone would frighten a bear.
“I like visitors. Breaks up the day. But that don’t mean I’m gonna tell you nothin’,” he said gruffly.
“Fair enough. Tell me what you will. But let me tell you why I’m here.”
“Why’s that?”
“I’m working with an attorney who represents Isaiah Banks’ son. She’s trying to keep him and his older brother safe.”
“From Isaiah?” the man’s voice seemed to soften just a little.
“Not necessarily. We’re trying to find the best placement for him. And we need to know if he is safe with Isaiah.”
“How would I know that?” he snarled.
“You spent the last year in here with him. During that time, did he ever talk about his son?”
“Bragged about him all the time.”
“Did his son ever come to visit?”
“Only once. Isaiah’s old lady brought him, but I guess the boy’s grandma was pretty upset. Said he had ‘no bizness bringing that boy to see his selfish self.’ I heard her givin’ it to him one day after the boy had been here. The mother never brought the kid back after that. I don’t know what the big deal was. He was just a baby. It’s not like he’d remember it.”
“Did the grandmother continue to come see him?”
“Every week.”
“What about the boy’s mother, Isaiah’s girlfriend?”
“She came about once a month. That’s pretty good. Most the time, the bitches don’t keep coming. They find some other fool to keep them happy.”
“Do you know who Isaiah hangs out with on the outside?”
“Nope. I met him in here.” The big man’s lip turned up just a
little on the corner. “You know I wouldn’t tell you even if I did, right?”
JP knew he wasn’t going to obtain any real information from this man. He thanked him, spoke with a couple of guards he knew, and then went for his second scheduled interview with another inmate, Brandon Bennett, who knew Isaiah before he went to prison. Brandon and Isaiah had grown up on the same block. JP took a long look at Brandon as he walked into the interview room. He stood about five-foot-eight, was solidly built, and sported an angry woodpecker on his forearm. He apparently spent a lot of time in the gym, as he was buff and walked like he was proud of it.
After Brandon sat down, JP introduced himself. “I understand you know Isaiah Banks.” The man didn’t answer. “Is that correct?” JP asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“How well do you know him?”
“We were friends when we were kids. We lived on the same block, only one house between us. We went to the same school, played on the same baseball and football teams. We were like brothers.”
“And now?”
“Now it’s different.”
“How’s that?”
“We grew up, man. Lives went on different paths. It’s hard for two brothers of different color to stay friends in the hood.”
“Because of the gangs?” JP asked, but it was more of a statement than a question. He knew both Isaiah and Brandon were affiliated with one.
“Yeah. We were only fourteen when Isaiah became a Skyline Piru. We foolishly thought I could be one, too. It nearly got me and Isaiah both killed.”
“So when did you become a Peckerwood?”
Brandon glanced at the tattoo on his arm and then back at JP. “A few years after Isaiah hooked up with the Skyline Pirus, I joined a local group that called themselves Peckerwoods. They weren’t affiliated with the motorcycle club out of Santee. I realize now they were mostly young ‘wanabees.’ The street gangs suck you in, but the prisons make it real. It’s hard to survive either of them without a family. They become your family. The first time I went to the joint, the tattoo helped me fit in. The Skinheads seemed happy to increase their numbers.” He lowered his voice. “You have to belong somewhere if you’re going to survive in here.”
The Advocate's Ex Parte (The Advocate Series Book 5) Page 13
