Body of Evidence

by Roy Glenn

  Marcus laughed. “Good work, Olivia. And on the first day too,” he added.

  “I just got lucky, but I get the feeling if I was following him today the result would have been the same.”

  “What makes you say that?” Garrett asked.

  “The way they were together. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other, and they were very open about it.”

  “Like I said, Olivia, good work—very thorough,” Marcus said as he looked over her report.

  “Where do you want me to go with this now?” Olivia asked.

  “Stay on them. See what you can find out about how long it’s been going on and what you can find out about her,” Marcus said, pointing to the picture of the woman.

  “Yeah, like confirming that her name is actually Abril Arrington for openers,” Garrett commented and shook his head.

  “I’m on it, Mr. Douglas.”

  “And it’s, Marcus. We’re all pretty informal around here,” Marcus said and stood up. “Why don’t we talk about this tomorrow, see where we are once I talk to the client.”

  “Sounds good,” Olivia said.

  After leaving Garrett and Olivia in the conference room, Marcus returned to his office. He stopped and told Janise to call Mrs. Daniels to see when she could come in. Ten minutes later, Janise informed Marcus that Mrs. Daniels would be in to see him at four o'clock.

  Marcus sat back in his chair and thought about Mrs. Panthea Daniels. He wasn’t about to deny that he was very attracted to her. Marcus had never been involved with a married woman before. He always thought it was bad business. He sat; holding the information Panthea wanted in his hands and was now curious, for selfish reasons, what she would do with the information. Panthea wouldn’t be the first person who, after getting the evidence of a cheating spouse, stayed with them. Only time would answer that question, but that didn’t change the fact that he wanted her. The only real question then was what he intended to do about it.

  At exactly four o'clock that afternoon, Panthea stepped off the elevator wearing a Maggy London matte jersey, charmeuse-trim, halter, silk dress with a dazzling silk pleated waistband and sash tie. It’s flattering halter style showed off her shoulders and back.

  “Good afternoon,” she said to the receptionist. “Panthea Daniels. I have a four o’clock appointment with Mr. Douglas.”

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Daniels. If you’ll have a seat, I’ll let Mr. Douglas know your here.”

  Panthea thanked Angela and sat in the waiting area. She was excited about seeing Marcus again after having had dinner with him the night before. Panthea could tell that Marcus wanted to kiss her while they were standing by the car. If he hadn’t said goodnight when he did, she might have done much more than just kiss him.

  It wasn’t long before Panthea was told she could go to Marcus’s office. After exchanging pleasantries with Janise, Panthea went in the office. She found Marcus sitting behind his desk.

  “Come in, Mrs. Daniels, and have a seat,” Marcus said as he watched Panthea walk toward him. “You look very nice in that dress.”

  “Thank you. I’m glad you’re pleased.” Once Panthea was seated she said, “I just want to say I had a very nice time last night.”

  “I enjoyed your company as well. I hope it won’t be the last time.”

  “I can assure you it won’t be,” Panthea said confidently.

  “Before we get any further off track, let me talk to you about why I asked you to come here today.”

  “You mean it’s not because you couldn’t spend another minute away from me,” Panthea flirted.

  “Well, it’s that too.” Marcus smiled. “But actually it’s a bit more serious,” he said and picked up the envelope. “My investigator has come up with some information that I have to share with you.”

  Panthea looked at the envelope. “You know, when Janise called and asked me to come here today, I never thought that it was because you already had something. I mean, I really thought you just wanted to see me. But those are pictures, aren’t they?”

  “Yes, Panthea, they are.”

  “How graphic are they?”

  “Not at all.”

  “Why don’t you just tell me about it first, and then I’ll look at the pictures, okay?”

  “We can do this any way you want to, Panthea,” Marcus assured her. It was obvious to him that she was shaken, more so than he thought she would be.

  “I like the way you say my name, Marcus.”

  Panthea was definitely giving him the impression that she had resigned herself of her husband’s actions and was ready to move on. Move on with him.

  Panthea sat still and quiet in her chair as Marcus told her that her husband Scott met a woman on the previous afternoon for lunch. “After lunch, they went to the Ritz Carlton hotel and checked into a room.”

  “May I see those pictures now, please?” Panthea asked.

  While Marcus explained the rest of the details, Panthea looked at the pictures slowly. When she got to the picture of the woman, she stopped and stared at it for a long time. Panthea placed the picture on top of the pile and studied the rest of them.

  “Panthea,” Marcus said after a long silence.

  “I wasn’t listening, Marcus, what did you say?”

  “Are you all right?”

  “I’m all right, I was prepared for this. I just wasn’t expecting it today that’s all,” she said while staring at the woman’s picture.

  “Can I get you something?”

  “No, Marcus. I’m fine. Really,” Panthea said finally looking up from the woman's picture.

  “If you need to talk about it, maybe we could have dinner?”

  “Not tonight, Marcus. I don’t think I’ll be good company for you.” Panthea stood up. “It’s not every day that you see your husband’s mistress.”

  7

  It had been three days since Marcus showed Panthea the pictures of Scott and his mistress—three days since she walked out of his office. He had Janise call and leave a message to call the office at her earliest convenience. Marcus had called a couple of times, but he chose not to leave a message. To this point, Panthea had not returned his calls.

  After they had dinner together and enjoyed being with one another so much, Marcus had allowed himself to become comfortable with the idea that Panthea would eventually become a great love for him. One that would fill the void left by Carmen’s absence, but now it seemed that he was wrong.

  Marcus could understand how Panthea was feeling. When it was his turn to find out about his cheating spouse, the results weren’t good. Once the dust settled and his life got back to normal, Marcus found himself in a deep depression that dragged on for weeks.

  With hopes of seeing Panthea quickly fading, Marcus did what he always did when his personal life went south, he buried himself in work.

  Marcus looked around the conference room and then to Tiffanie Powers, one of the lawyers at his firm. He had always been impressed with Tiffanie and the work that she’d done for the firm. At a time when the firm was starting to experience some growth, Marcus looked for somebody who was willing to step up and assume a greater role. When that time came, Tiffanie stepped up.

  “Some people might think that is the definition of a partner,” she said.

  “Damn your ambitious, Tiffanie. But let's see how this works out before we start talking partner,” Marcus said at the time.

  Since then, Tiffanie had assumed several supervisory responsibilities. Ones which prior to that point had been performed by Marcus, and he was starting to think that maybe the time had come to make Tiffanie a partner.

  That morning, he and Tiffanie had been reviewing a murder case she was preparing to try.

  “The unlawful killing of another person without premeditation or so-called malice aforethought, is distinguished from murder by lack of any prior intention to kill anyone or create a deadly situation,” Tiffanie said.

  “Which levels of manslaughter, voluntary or involuntary?”
<
br />   “Let’s look at the difference. Voluntary manslaughter includes killing in heat of passion or while committing a felony. Involuntary manslaughter occurs when a death is caused by a violation of a non-felony, like vehicular manslaughter.”

  “I know the law, Tiffanie,” Marcus informed her. “Let’s get to the facts.”

  “Right. Our client, Eddy Trotter, gets into a drunken argument in a bar with Robert Boone, who he met that night at the bar. Trotter hits Boone over the head with a beer bottle, causing internal bleeding and death. After which he tries to get out of the bar and is surprised by a security man, whom Trotter knocks down a flight of stairs, killing him.”

  “Both are voluntary manslaughter. But it’s different from the immediate rage in finding a loved one in bed with another and killing them before the passion cools. Usually that limits the charge to voluntary manslaughter and not murder, but prior violent acts could convince a jury that the killing was not totally spontaneous.”

  “I plan to go for second degree murder or maybe even malice in the second degree as the killing was done without premeditation, as in the heat of passion or in a sudden quarrel or fight,” Tiffanie offered.

  “No, malice in second degree murder may only be implied from a death due to the reckless lack of concern for the life of others,” Marcus concluded.

  “Sounds good,” Tiffanie said and was about to gather her things when Janise came into the room.

  “Marcus, I have Panthea Daniels on line two. She says she’s been arrested.”

  Marcus jumped up and grabbed for the phone. “Panthea, what’s going on?”

  “I’ve been arrested,” Panthea cried. “They say I killed Scott's mistress,” Panthea said through her tears.

  “Where are you being held?”

  “I don’t know. Somewhere downtown.”

  “Don’t worry, Panthea, I’ll find you,” Marcus said and dashed out of the conference room.

  As Marcus passed, Janise said to Tiffanie, “He sure can pick them.”

  When Marcus arrived at the police station where Panthea was being held, he went straight to the desk sergeant. “Can I help you?” the man asked.

  “My name is Marcus Douglas. I’m the attorney for Panthea Daniels. I believe she is being held here on a murder charge?”

  While the sergeant checked his records, a man walked up behind Marcus. “Excuse me. Did I just hear you say that you were Panthea Daniels’ attorney?”

  “That’s correct.”

  “Well, I’m her husband, and I didn’t hire you. I already have an attorney, and he is on his way.”

  “With all due respect, sir, Mrs. Daniels called me at the time of her arrest and asked me to represent her in this matter. So until such time as Mrs. Daniels informs me that she has engaged other council, I have no choice but to operate under the assumption that I am her lawyer.”

  Scott Daniels looked angrily at Marcus, and then at the desk sergeant in kind of a silent appeal. “He’s right, sir. If your wife hired him, she’s gotta fire him,” the sergeant said.

  “Well, we’ll just see about that,” Scott said and started to walk away.

  Once Scott went and sat down, Marcus was escorted to an interrogation room to wait for Panthea. As he sat waiting for the deputy to bring Panthea in, he was curious as to how the crime was committed. Marcus couldn’t help but wonder if Panthea had done it or not. Could a woman he wanted as much as he wanted her kill somebody? He thought that maybe because of the way he was starting to feel for her, that he should tell her she should get another lawyer. Marcus wouldn’t want those feelings to interfere with his objectivity with the case.

  When the door opened, the officer brought Panthea in wearing handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit. Marcus stood up, but didn’t say anything as the officer removed the handcuffs from Panthea’s wrists.

  Once the officer left the room, Panthea rubbed her wrists and sat down. “Hello, Marcus.”

  “How are you doing?”

  “Look at me.” Panthea held out her arms. “I think this says it all.”

  “Yes, you do look nice in orange. I think it highlights your beautiful brown skin.”

  Panthea smiled. “You say the sweetest things to me.”

  “So tell me; why are we here?”

  “The police say I killed Scott’s mistress.”

  “Tell me what happened.”

  Marcus opened his briefcase and took out his pad, but he never took his eyes off Panthea. Even dressed in that orange prison issue jumpsuit she still looked beautiful.

  “When I got home this afternoon, the police were at my house.”

  “Do you know what they were doing there?” Marcus asked.

  “I don’t. They were talking to Scott when I came in. After a while, they got up to leave and walked outside. I heard them ask Scott if that was his black Mercedes in the driveway. When he told them it was my car, they came back inside. They asked me if I would mind answering a few questions, and me, thinking it was no big deal said, ‘sure’.”

  “What did they ask you?”

  “They wanted to know where I had been on Tuesday. I told them after I left your office, I drove around for a while, and then I went to a friend’s house.”

  “What’s your friend’s name?”

  “Wade, Wade Long.”

  “What time did you get there?”

  “You ask questions just like they do,” Panthea said and smiled at Marcus. He took a breath. Every time she smiled, Marcus got a little weaker for her. “I’m really not sure, Marcus. I had a lot on my mind that night. I had just found out who Scott was seeing—and I just drove.”

  “Did you stop anywhere before you went to Wade’s house?”

  “No, I didn’t.”

  “Did you talk to your husband about the affair?”

  “No, I hadn’t said anything to him.”

  “Why not?” Marcus asked, more as a man who was interested in Panthea than her lawyer.

  Just then, the door swung open and one man walked in. “I’m detective Silver.”

  Marcus stood up and shook the detective’s hand. “Marcus Douglas. I’m Mrs. Daniels’ attorney.”

  “It’s good to meet you,” Silver said and the two men sat down. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

  “So, tell me, detective; what’s my client being charged with?”

  “She is being charged with the murder of Abril Arrington. As you already know from the investigation your firm initiated at Mrs. Daniels’ request, Mr. Daniels was involved with the deceased. After receiving the information, your client went to Ms. Arrington’s home, there is evidence at the scene that a fight ensued and your client pushed Ms. Arrington. She fell through a glass coffee table in the living room. Although she was knocked unconscious and there was some head trauma, the force of the fall wasn’t sufficient enough to kill her. Unfortunately, the victim cut her jugular vein and she bled to death.”

  Panthea looked as the detective placed a picture of Abril Arrington on the table. Marcus glanced at the pictures briefly. “What time was the murder committed?”

  “Somewhere between eight-thirty and nine-thirty that night,” the detective responded. “During that time, your client can not account for her whereabouts.”

  “I told you, detective. I drove around and I went to a friend’s house,” Panthea protested.

  Silver looked at his notes. “Yes, Wade Long. So far we haven’t been able to substantiate your alibi.”

  Marcus looked at Panthea and then to Silver. He knew that Silver had established a motive for the crime, Panthea’s knowledge of her husband Scott’s infidelity and had just established that Panthea had the opportunity to commit the murder.

  “That doesn’t necessarily mean that she committed a murder,” Marcus blurted out before he knew it.

  “We also have an eye witness who saw somebody leaving Ms. Arrington’s condo in a hurry at the time of the murder,” Silver said. “Then the witness saw that person get in a black Mercedes Benz, which just hap
pens to be the same color, make and model of the one that your client drives. Then the driver, who I believe is your client, Mr. Douglas, left the scene driving very fast.”

  8

  The following morning, Panthea was arraigned on the charge of murder. The bailiff stood up and called the next case. “The docket number is 12624. The state versus Panthea Daniels. The charge is murder in the first degree.”

  “Is the defendant represented by counsel?” the judge asked.

  “Yes, your honor. Marcus Douglas for the defense,” Marcus spoke up.

  “The charge is murder in the first degree, how do you plea?”

  “The defendant pleads not guilty, your honor.”

  “Remand?” the judge asked, looking for recommendations from the prosecution on whether Panthea could be held in custody or granted bail.

  “Your honor, the defendant has been accused of carrying out a particularly serious offence. We also have reasons to believe the defendant could leave the court's jurisdiction to avoid the trial and possible punishment. We recommend she be held without bail,” the prosecutor stated.

  “Mr. Douglas?” the judge asked.

  “Your honor, Mrs. Daniels is a respectable member of the community with no prior criminal record and is not likely to commit any further offences before the trial. Mrs. Daniels is neither a danger to herself or the community. I hope Your Honor will consider granting bail.”

  “I see,” the judge paused and smiled. “Bail is set at five hundred thousand dollars, and I order that the defendant surrender her passport. Next case.”

  Marcus turned to Panthea. “Your husband has already made arrangements with a bail bondsman. You shouldn’t be in for too much longer.”

  “I understand,” Panthea said as the bailiff approached her.

  “If you need anything call me tonight. If not, I’ll see you tomorrow at ten o'clock. We’ll get started then.”