by Nina Bruhns
Dameon took the first question Eric threw at him and ran with it.
“I take full responsibility for Major O’Donnell’s ignominious arrest. I hadn’t met her. I didn’t know that she was a licensed security specialist. When armed gunmen entered a crowded ballroom, she did what a good private security officer would do. She got the man she was protecting out of the line of fire. Unfortunately that put her in my line of fire. When I discovered my mistake, we erased the arrest record--which Counselor Lawson would know, if he is as good a lawyer as he presumes to be. Or, perhaps he wanted to mislead the Court.”
At the flood of crimson marking Lawson’s cheeks, the crowd tittered.
Dameon quickly went to Trey’s arrest. “Trey Chambers’ arrest may have saved his life. Trey was a lonely kid torn apart by the discord between his parents. He met up with some bad kids. When one of them shot the Circle K clerk, Trey called 911 and stayed behind while the other three boys ran. He stayed with the injured man, attempting to stop his bleeding. Trey likely saved the clerk’s life. As Officer Vargas indicated, Trey is one of a kind. He is a fine boy who will be an even finer man if he is surrounded by strong supportive adults.” Dameon’s smile widened. “Plus, he is a hell of a basketball player.”
Glancing over at Garrett, Dameon narrowed his eyes. “Something his father tried to prevent. Doctor Chambers considers basketball a ‘ghetto sport.’ He threatened to have me removed from office because I put Trey on a team with what the doc called, and I quote, ‘niggers’ and ‘beaners.’ ”
Dameon raised his voice above the loud protests from the Lawson team. “That was but one impetus of the ‘bad blood’ between the doc and me. Another was when I had him restrained when he lashed out at Major O’Donnell in front of their son, calling her a variety of ugly names. The anger management counselor I called in allowed the doc to go home with a strict warning. I was disappointed.” He added blandly, “I’d hoped to put his sorry ass in jail.”
Gaveling down the laughter in the courtroom, Judge Thompson frowned at him in warning but not before a twinkle gleamed in her eyes.
“Your Honor, like all kids--especially those who are riding a thin rail between good and bad--Trey needs positive adult role models. Along with Officer Vargas, Principal Rodríguez and others, including his mother, I’ve tried to provide that model. The animosity between Trey’s parents is one of the most significant factors threatening his success.”
“In your professional opinion, Chief Macarios, is Trey Chambers in physical danger in his mother’s home?” Eric stood back to give Dameon the full stage.
“Frankly Mr. Grant, I’ve never seen a gun safe like the Major’s in a private home. I have a nine-year-old daughter and after seeing the Major’s safe, I’ve ordered one just like it. More to your point, if having guns in the house means that you can’t have children there, Judge Thompson’s docket will be overrun with child endangerment suits. Every cop I know, including me, has weapons in their homes. Would that they all took as many precautions as the Major has to ensure their children’s safety.”
“Chief Macarios, you also were in the United States Army, a member of a Ranger unit, is that correct?”
At Dameon’s confirming nod, Eric pressed.
“What kind of missions were you part of?”
Dameon gave a detached shrug. “Most of them were off the books. The Army would deny them as would I.”
Eric asked the bailiff to bring up the pictures that Garrett’s team had put before the court.
“Can you tell me, Chief, where these pictures were taken?”
“I can. In fact, I know the locations well.”
Dameon unwound his lanky frame from the chair and strode over to the wall-sized screen. He pointed to a temple outside of the window where Jesse and her colleagues were sitting. Dameon then proceeded to rattle off several locations in Iraq and Afghanistan, pairing photos and locales.
“In other words, Chief, if the woman in these photographs is Major O’Donnell, she was in some very dangerous places.”
Dameon nodded as he returned to the witness chair. “Among the most dangerous in the world.”
Eric opened a folder on his table and distributed a document to the Judge, to Garrett’s team and to Dameon.
“Your Honor, this is a list of some of the commendations Major O’Donnell received in her illustrious career. You will note that the dates for the ones that I underlined coincide with the dates on the photographs Doctor Chambers put before the court.”
Jesse snagged one of the documents from the folder. Looking at the list of commendations she was stunned at the brilliance of Eric’s—and, she was sure, Dameon’s--strategy. Eric allowed Dameon to make the connection.
Dameon perused the list then looked to the image of a nearly naked Jesse on the screen.
“You haven’t asked me, Counselor, but in my humble opinion, one can conclude that whatever Major O’Donnell was doing in those pictures, the United States Army considered them worthy of a meritorious service award.”
Sputtering in outrage, Martin Lawson and his partner Craig Schemer were on their feet.
Schemer spoke first. “That, sir, requires an outrageous leap of faith!”
Dameon straightened in his chair and turned the full force of his simmering anger on the two attorneys.
“No more of a leap of faith than what you and your client are implying. Knowing that an officer in the Major’s position could neither confirm nor deny her role on her missions, you created a crassly false impression. And an ugly one. I will tell you from personal experience that the women who serve in Ranger units are placed in dangerous, challenging positions. They are heroes, not tramps. Like Doctor Chambers, Major O’Donnell has multiple advanced degrees. While her income is nowhere near the Doctor’s, the only difference that I can see in the doc’s educational background and Major O’Donnell’s is that the doc has put his education to work doing tummy tucks. The Major has put her life on the line protecting the likes of Doctor Chambers--and you, his attorneys.”
Dameon took a deep breath then looked directly at Jesse.
“Major O’Donnell is an extremely impressive woman. She is a highly decorated soldier and a national hero. Any son would be honored to have her as a mother; and I can assure you that her son Trey is among them.”
As the courtroom came to order after Dameon left the stand, Eric approached the bench.
“Your Honor, Dr. Chambers’ attorneys had alluded to the kind of home he can provide for his son. As that is a pertinent issue in this hearing, I would like to call Sapphire Somers to the stand.”
At the surprised gasp from Garrett, his legal team formed a quick huddle.
Schemer stepped forward.
“How is Ms. Somers relevant to this hearing?”
Eric raised a bemused eyebrow. “Given that she resides in Dr. Chambers home, I would assume that her testimony is highly relevant.”
Judge Thompson interrupted. “I agree. Ms. Somers?”
Dameon sent Raoul silent thanks as the young girl dressed in a skin tight mini skirt, revealing sweater and high heels tottered to the front. When he’d heard about Jesse’s hearing, Raoul had approached Eric and suggested that Sapphire Somers might provide interesting testimony if asked the right questions. Apparently, she was a frequenter of Raoul’s clubs and a special friend of his bodyguard Tomas. If the issues weren’t so serious, Dameon would have felt sorry for the young woman, knowing that her syrupy smile and excitement about being a witness in the proceeding would be short-lived.
“I understand, Ms. Somers, that you are Dr. Chambers’ fiancé.”
Sapphire’s glossy pouty lips curved in a big smile.
“Yes, I am. The doctor and I are getting married.”
“I see. How old are you, Ma’am?” At her surprised gasp, Eric added with a slight smile, “I remind you that you are under oath.”
“I… I’m nineteen.”
“Hmm, four years older than Trey?”
Before the a
ttorneys could protest, Sapphire gushed, “Yes. Trey and I are great friends.”
“Uh um. I understand, Ms. Somers that you ran into some issues with cocaine and were arrested several times for possession.”
Sapphire looked nervously at Garrett who was studiously examining his fingernails, a visible tic vibrating in the corner of his eye.
“Yes, but--”
“Miss Somers, you were arrested last year for cocaine possession, correct?”
“Yes, but… I went through treatment as part of my probation. I don’t use any more.”
“That’s good. Cocaine addiction is hard to beat, especially if you are in situations where it is present.”
Martin Lawson was on his feet.
“Your Honor, may I interrupt?”
When Eric stepped back, Lawson turned a hard gaze on the young woman.
“Just to be very clear, Miss. Have you and Dr. Chambers set a date for your wedding?”
“Not yet, but he promised me we would be getting married.”
“But you haven’t set a date? So you are not sure that you will be in that household with the Doctor and Trey?”
“Uh…um…No.”
Eric stepped forward. “But you are currently living with the doctor, yes? And you are not married, correct?”
When the young woman looked down and didn’t meet his gaze, Eric asked softly, “Are you aware that in the last year, Dr. Chambers has had two other young women living in his home, both of whom also assumed that she and the doctor were engaged?”
Sapphire’s expression crumbled. “Yes, But I’m different. Dr. Chambers said… he promised me--”
Eric gave her a consoling nod. “Thank you, Ms. Somers. No more questions, your Honor.”
Sapphire stepped down, and in the silence that followed, Judge Thompson focused on the attorneys.
“Do either of you have additional witnesses?”
At the negative responses from both benches, the judge nodded to the bailiff.
“Officer Hernández, will you please go to my office and bring Trey Chambers in.” While they were waiting, the Judge cautioned. “As I indicated in the start of this hearing, I will ask Trey several questions. Neither parent nor their attorneys will be permitted to intercede. Is that understood?”
Jesse thought her heart might break when Trey walked in. His tall gangly frame was that of a young man, but his rosy cheeks and full lips were like the child she remembered cradling in her arms. Trey looked as shaky as she felt. He raised his head long enough to give Jesse a brave smile. Unchecked tears streamed down her face but she managed a smile in return. She noted that Trey avoided looking at his father, instead sought out and found Dameon. When she saw the encouraging look Dameon bestowed on him and Trey’s nod, she knew for sure her heart would break.
“Trey, I’ve told your parents that you and I have talked privately. I want you to tell them some of the things you told me. Even though that is hard, it is important. Do you understand?”
When Trey nodded, the judge continued.
“You indicated that you were nervous about being in your father’s house. Tell me about that.”
Trey visibly swallowed then pinned his gaze on the judge.
“It’s just that there are lots of people and parties and stuff. My dad has this big house with a pool and tennis court and people like to come. And sometimes I don’t like the parties.”
At the judge’s encouraging nod, he continued.
“Right now, my dad is angry. At my mom, and me too. I don’t like the way he talks about my mom. She doesn’t talk that way about him. Coach taught me you are supposed to be respectful to your mother and father, and especially to women. Coach never talks that way about Zoey’s mother. And they’re divorced.”
“Do you see a lot of the Coach?”
“Yes, he practices with us three times a week. And then at games. I see more of him than my Dad because when I’m at my dad’s house, he’s never there.”
“Trey, what would you like to do? Where would you like to live?”
Trey hesitated then gazed imploringly at the judge.
“I… I don’t want to make my dad angry, but I would like to be with my mother. Her house is more peaceful. She works with me. She’s teaching me martial arts and she loves my basketball. I didn’t get a chance to see her as much when she was active duty but we talked on Skype and stuff. When she came here I thought we were going to be able to see each other a lot. That’s… that’s what I want.”
“Thank you, Trey. I’m going to ask you to go back to the conference room with Officer Hernández while I talk to your parents.”
After Trey left, Judge Thompson addressed the room.
“At this time I’d like to clear the courtroom except for the parents and their counsel. Chief Macarios and Officer Vargas, you may stay as my ruling will have a direct impact on the way you work with Trey during his probation.”
When the room had cleared, the judge turned to Jesse and then to Garrett.
“I spent time with Trey in private this afternoon and asked him what he wanted. How he would like to live. He was forthcoming in a way I don’t usually hear from young men. You heard some of his answers. I felt it was important that you hear him rather than assuming that the decision I’m about to render comes only from me. I made my decisions based on what I heard from Trey as well as from the testimony I heard today. The evidence you both presented confirms it. Chief Macarios summed it up. He said that Trey needs strong supportive adults around him who believe that he can succeed. I am concerned with the case that Doctor Chambers brought against Trey’s mother. It is filled with innuendo and half-truths. It does not speak well to the character of the man who brought it. Trey is correct. In healthy households of divorced parents, the parents speak respectfully of their former spouse, at least in front of their children. They do not try to undermine them.
“I am awarding primary custody to Ms. O’Donnell, Trey’s mother, with regularly scheduled visits with his father as agreed to by Dr. Chambers, Ms. O’Donnell and Trey.”
She rapped her gavel.
“Thank you. This case is closed.”
Red Rock Rises: Chapter Thirty-One
Jesse struggled to breathe. She couldn’t believe it. Had she truly won custody of Trey? She looked behind herself, searching for Dameon. She had to see him. Thank him. He walked toward her and held out his hand to shake hers. She frowned, not understanding his formal response.
“Congratulations, Jesse.”
His tone was curt. His hard gaze sent shivers of dread up her spine. She fought for her breath and tried to speak. Her words were convoluted, and caught in her throat.
“Dameon, thank you. I can’t--”
“You’re welcome. But thank your attorney. Eric did a splendid job with a very difficult client.”
His simmering anger caught her off guard. Oh God, how could she make him understand?
“Dameon, please, let me talk… I--”
His harsh words cut through her stammers.
“Don’t, Jesse. Don’t make it worse. I could have handled just about anything but the fact that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me about what that asshole, your superior officer, did to you. Did you truly believe that I would think less of you?” His frown hardened. “Apparently you did. You had me pegged, right, Jesse? You lumped me in with all those other sons of bitches who took advantage of you.”
She held up her hand clutching at his sleeve, she needed to make him understand.
“No, Dameon, no. That’s not true. Maybe at first… in the beginning…”
Dameon’s voice was brusque, as cold as his expression.
“There was no beginning, Jesse. In order to have a beginning you need to have a middle and an end. We have nothing. It’s over. I’m glad that you got custody of your son. You deserve him. And Trey deserves to have a mother like you.” As he turned to go he said over his shoulder, “I only wish that you'd had as much faith in me as I had in you.”
> Trey came running around the corner. His eyes lit up when he saw Dameon and his mother.
Dameon clamped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him close.
“Good job up there, Hotshot. You were impressive. That wasn’t an easy thing for you to do. I was proud of you, Trey. I saw a young man on the stand, not a boy.”
He hugged him then turned to leave. “See you at practice tomorrow night.”
Trey jumped back in surprise and looked to Jesse.
“Aren’t you coming with us, Coach?”
Dameon shook his head. “No, son. You and your mom need time together.”
Led by Shaunda, the basketball mothers and many of the players came rushing in.
Shaunda grabbed Jesse and gave her a huge bear hug.
“Oh, girl. I’m so happy for you and Trey. I’m not going to stop crying for a week. Happy tears, honey!”
Jesse didn’t try to brush away her tears. Instead, she tried to say what she was feeling. “Thank you. I didn’t know you were coming. I can’t thank you--”
“Girl! Us not come? You’ve got to be kidding! When Wolf told us what was happening every one of us signed on. I’m just glad I got to talk. You’re family, Jesse. Part of our family. Wolf’s family. You’re Wolf’s woman.”
