Red Hot Bikers, Rock Stars and Bad Boys

by Cassia Leo

  Stella nudged Beatrice. “We have to get him a lawyer. Arthur is good, and the defender is going to blow this.”

  Beatrice led her out the back. “I agree, Stella. But lawyers don’t come cheap.”

  “I didn’t have to pay Mooner.”

  Beatrice held the door open. “You might need the money next week.”

  “I don’t think we can wait.”

  Beatrice glanced back into the courtroom where Darlene and her mother still held each other, crying. “You may be right.”

  ***

  28: Lawyer Hire

  DANE looked up as Deputy Barnes poked his face in the barred window of his cell. “Lawyer’s here to talk to you.”

  Lot of good that would do. The boy was younger than him and didn’t seem too interested in his job. Fumbling around like a fifteen-year-old unhooking his first bra.

  The door clanged as the deputy slid back the locks. “I don’t have to cuff you for this, but no funny business. Walk the straight and narrow.”

  They followed a corridor through another set of locked doors and into a conference room. Barnes kicked a chair away from the table. “Sit there. They’ll be here in a minute.”

  They. More than one this time. Good. Maybe the boy would have some help.

  The laminate table was chilly. The walls were bare, just white plaster, except for a large gray mirror in one. He could have stood up to put his finger against it, the gap telling him that it was actually a one-way window, but he knew it was. No telling who was watching.

  He’d been in jail two days now, and the night wasn’t too bad. The cot was about the same as the sofa. Ryker had tried to see him, his lawyer had told him, but he couldn’t have visitors other than counsel with the murder charge standing. Supposedly at the hearing it would get downgraded to manslaughter and he could go home if he made bail. Depended on how much the judge set it for. Or if Darlene or the others convinced the judge he was dangerous.

  Maybe he was. Cold air blew on him, but he could still barely clamp down on his rage. He wanted to hit something, no doubt about it, but that was what got him here in the first place. Fucked up his life at 27. Killed a man. Thank God his mother wasn’t around to see it.

  The door opened, and a strange man entered, slicked up in a suit and fancy haircut.

  “I’m Justin Spears,” he said, offering a hand.

  Dane took it. “Dane Scoffield.”

  “Stella hired me to represent you.”

  His face bloomed hot. “What did she do that for?”

  “She was concerned about the public defender’s handling of your case so far. She was right.”

  “But this is expensive.”

  Justin sat back. “It is. It’s what she wants. And honestly, you’re going to need some help here.”

  Dane stood up, saw the man tense, then sat back down. “I don’t want her spending her savings. She wants to get out of Holly.”

  “I can’t convince her of that.”

  “Can I talk to her?”

  “I tried to bring her back. They wouldn’t let her in.”

  “Can my brother come?”

  “I might can get him in. Maybe. They aren’t too kindly when first-degree murder is on the table.”

  “I thought it was getting changed to manslaughter.”

  “I’m pretty sure we can get that. Murder isn’t the usual charge in cases like this. I’m not sure what the prosecutor is after here.”

  Dane couldn’t stop himself, but stood and paced the room. Someone knocked at the door, but Justin waved his hand and no one came in. So they were watching.

  “Why can’t the public defender handle this?”

  Justin shifted in his chair. “He can. You can refuse me.”

  “What’s Stella out if I do?”

  “Just the consult.”

  “How much is that?”

  “Dane, your life is on the line here. If they succeed with murder, you’re looking at life over a barroom fight that really shouldn’t be giving you time at all.”

  “I have a temper. People will say that.”

  “Yes, I heard about the statements in the arraignment. We’ll get this trial moved. Get the local folks out of the works. Then we can start with a clean slate. The knife incident in the bar is plenty to show a need for self-defense, although I sure wish you’d gone to the hospital with it, get it documented.”

  “How much will this cost Stella?”

  “Hard to say. We’ll have the preliminary hearing, discovery, serving witnesses, then the trial itself, which could go on several days.”

  “How much?”

  “Ballpark? Twenty grand.”

  Dane punched the wall, and this time there was no knock, but Barnes stepped right in. “Want me to cuff him?”

  Justin shook his head. “No. We’re fine.”

  Barnes stepped back out.

  “Let’s not make matters worse here. The town’s on edge. I need to get you through this hearing, down to manslaughter, and taken to a new trial location.”

  Stella didn’t have that much money. He was stealing her future. “No. I want to plead guilty. Just go to jail.”

  “Dane. You cannot plead guilty to murder. A trial will go in your favor on this. Honestly, I don’t think the prosecutor will push for murder. He has to know he can’t win that.”

  “But I hit him first.”

  “But you had cause to believe he could knife you again. We can make this work. We’ll get this down to manslaughter.”

  Nobody could guarantee shit. Dane knew that. “How can I avoid a trial?”

  Justin opened his briefcase. “Well, you can plea out. We can take the lesser charge, try to lowball the sentence.”

  “And no trial then?”

  “No. We’d make an agreement, as long as the prosecutor will do it. I’d try for six, but if they think their case is strong, you’d be looking at fifteen years, probably.” He pulled a chart. “Possibility of parole after 85 percent served. There was no weapon involved, right?”

  “No. Just the barstool.”

  “No weapon on you when you were arrested?”

  “No.”

  “Okay. So yeah, you’re looking at about twelve years if you plea out. I will work for less, but coming off murder, that’s probably where we’re at. Really, though, a trial is your best bet. A jury will be sympathetic. You won’t get more time than that, and it’s possible you’ll get off, or only get probation.”

  “No. I won’t trade my life for Stella’s.”

  “Money can be earned. Freedom cannot.”

  “I want her to be free to go.”

  “All right, then.” He closed the briefcase and stood up. “I’ll call the prosecutor, work out the terms.”

  “What will that run her?”

  “A couple grand, tops.”

  “Your word on that?”

  He held out his hand. “My word.”

  Dane accepted his hand and shook it. “Can you not tell her? I don’t think she’ll like it.”

  “You want her to hear the plea at the hearing?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. Your call.” He pushed the chair back under the table. “See you Monday. I’ll come by if I have a question. But you won’t be testifying. We’ll have already worked out the deal. Just sit tight and stay cool.” He rapped on the door, and Barnes let him out.

  Dane followed the deputy back down the corridor. After Monday, this would be over, and Stella would be free. It’d cost her a bit, but he’d pay her back eventually, maybe send the money to Beatrice. And Stella could go on with her life. She wouldn’t have any choice. None of them did, not anymore.

  ***

  29: Stella’s Plan

  STELLA rearranged a shelf of Jean Naté Bath Splash for the tenth time, crinkling the blue paper along the edges, trying to keep her hands and mind busy.

  Beatrice wiped down the glass counter despite it sparkling from the last cleaning five minutes before. Neither of them had much to say.
/>   “Been a long week,” Beatrice finally said. “Just the weekend to get through now.”

  Stella flattened the tissue out to make another attempt at a wave. The paper was almost beyond use now, she’d done it so many times. “I wonder what he’s doing. Just sitting on a chair? Watching TV? Going crazy?”

  “Yeah, I don’t think they’ve got much going on back there. Not that I’ve been. No call to.” She dropped the cloth back in a cabinet. “Maybe they are all playing cards or something.”

  “I doubt that.” Stella gave up on the bath display, collecting the extra paper and glitter to take to the back. “I’m sure they’ve closed ranks back there. He’s the stranger.”

  “Not everybody thinks like that,” Beatrice said. “Some of us like people for being people without considering where they were born.”

  Stella pushed through the curtains to put away the supplies. She hadn’t expected to still be there, working. She needed the paycheck now, she knew, but she’d given up this life, that job. Her car remained in Beatrice’s driveway, still mostly packed. She’d only taken her clothes out.

  She began sorting the various packages of tissue paper by color, just to have something to do. Even if Dane got out on bail Monday, they’d probably have to stay close until the trial. Her getaway was permanently suspended.

  The front door jingled, but Stella stayed back. Some of the town’s women had taken to stopping by the shop just to eyeball her. They’d sold all that cheap perfume, as Beatrice had foisted it on them, making them purchase something if they were going to darken her door. All the commissions went to Stella, even though she often fled to the back. The storeroom had never been more dusted or organized.

  Beatrice popped her head through the curtains. “It’s Janine.”

  Stella barreled into the shop and straight into the arms of her friend. “You got away from your mom!”

  Janine hugged her fiercely. “She’s been a total bear. I have to get out of there.” She stepped back. “But the whole thing seemed to get Nick’s butt in gear. She waved her hand in front of Stella, showing off a tiny diamond on a thin band.

  “Janine!” Stella clutched at her again. “You’re finally going to do it!”

  Beatrice picked up Janine’s hand. “Aww, how lovely. Congratulations.”

  They sat on the red cushioned bench. “When are you going to have the wedding?” Stella asked. She was genuinely happy for Janine, but still, an unsettledness uncurled within her. She might not get this day with Dane. It was the first time she’d ever wanted it.

  “In the spring, I think. I don’t know. Maybe sooner. It won’t be anything fancy.” Janine admired her ring. “I can’t believe it!”

  Beatrice headed to the back. “I’m going to fetch some lunch. I’ll let you girls chitchat.”

  Stella clenched her hands in her lap. “I’m glad for you. Really.” She could feel them separating already. Janine’s life moving forward, while hers was still stuck.

  “Oh, Stella. I’ve been so worried. How is Dane? Have you seen him?”

  Stella picked at her nail polish. “No. They wouldn’t let me back. Only his lawyer.”

  “I heard Darlene made a fuss at court.”

  “Yeah, she really put it on. That’s why he didn’t get bail.”

  “That girl.”

  Flecks of pink floated to the floor as Stella pulled off more polish. “Well, it was her brother.”

  “If only he’d just…”

  Stella understood. If only Bobby Ray hadn’t been a jerk. If only Dane hadn’t taken the stool. If only Stella hadn’t danced on the bar. Too many things to count.

  “So what are you going to do?” Janine asked. “Just keep working here? Did you go home?”

  “Hell, no. I’m living with Beatrice.”

  “I’m sorry my mom was so awful.”

  Stella kicked at the bits of polish on the floor. “Not your fault.”

  “What can I do?”

  Stella walked over to the counter and pulled her binder from the shelf. “Help me decide where Dane and I should go once he gets out.” She plunked the book on the glass and flipped through the pages. “New York? Bound to be lots of troublemakers there. Dane would seem downright upstanding.”

  Janine fingered the book. “I think New Orleans is the murder capital of the world.”

  Stella’s hand froze over the page.

  “God, I’m sorry. Stella. I’m sorry.” Janine’s face crumpled. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  Stella closed the book. “No, it’s fine. I started it. And we probably can’t go anywhere anyway. Not until after the trial.”

  “They can’t find him guilty, can they? I mean, Bobby Ray was looking for that fight.”

  “The lawyer said that they wouldn’t be able to go for murder in the end. They wouldn’t win.”

  “Oh, good. Will they just drop the whole thing?”

  Stella shoved the binder back under the counter. “No. But hopefully the jury will see the situation for what it was, and give him probation.”

  “Surely they will. Dane’s a nice guy.”

  Stella braced her elbows on the counter, looking out the window. She could just catch the corner of the courthouse from here. Somewhere inside was Dane, awaiting his fate. As bad as it was for them out here, it had to be so much worse for him in there.

  ***

  30: Hearing

  “YOU ready for this?”

  Dane glanced up at the barred window. Justin, the new lawyer, grinned at him through the small rectangle. The silver lines in front of his face made him look like he was the one in a cage.

  But he was familiar with the view. For a week he’d mostly just sat there. The jail wasn’t equipped for long-term inmates. He’d had to shower in the officers’ quarters, and meals were brought to him three times a day from the diner down the street, except Sunday morning, when a deputy had arrived with donuts. A sympathetic woman who came to give him a clean set of scrubs brought a newspaper and a crossword-puzzle book.

  Dane stood up, smoothing the jacket and shirt he’d last worn at the funeral. Ryker had brought it by yesterday, although they’d only allowed the brothers the briefest of “Hey” and “You look like shit” before sending him off again. Ryker had managed to say that he was splitting town. The scene was no good, and he felt Joe’s business might suffer if he stayed. Said he’d leave a number with Joe when he got settled again.

  For an hour after Ryker had left, Dane had held the jacket to his face, smelling the traces of perfume still lingering there from when Stella had held on to him at the service. He wanted to smash something after learning Ryker had to leave town, but the smell of her calmed him. He’d only known her two weeks. And barely that. It’s all they’d ever have.

  The door screeched open, and the deputy ushered him into the corridor. Justin strode confidently, animated, and Dane could see that this was the sort of thing he lived for—the thrill of someone else’s life hanging in the balance.

  The deputy stepped behind Dane, cuffing his wrists.

  “What’s that for?” Justin asked.

  “He’s got a history,” the deputy said. “Smith said to bring him in cuffed.”

  “Who is Smith?”

  “The sheriff.”

  Dane tightened his fists. That man from the funeral. Vivian’s stooge.

  “Put him back in the cell,” Justin said. “I’m going to file a continuance instead. I’m not having him go out in cuffs.”

  “Awww, don’t do that,” the deputy said. “Smith will get his panties all in a wad.”

  “Then remove the cuffs.”

  “Hold on just a minute.” The deputy trotted down the short hall and through the locked doors.

  “What was that about?” Dane asked.

  “Not sure. But damned if I’m going to let them make you look like you can’t handle yourself right before we issue a plea.”

  The door swung open again, and the deputy returned, followed by the sheriff from the funera
l.

  “That one’s got an ax to grind,” Dane said.

  “Not today.” Justin held out his hand, but the sheriff ignored it.

  The sheriff’s voice was a growl. “He got violent in the interview room. He’s got a history with multiple witnesses. He’s cuffed.”

  “Fine,” Justin said. “Then put him back in the cell. I’ll file a continuance and a request for a change of venue due to prejudice. You guys are poster children for an unfair trial.”

  The sheriff rocked forward, one hand on his belt, the other on his holster. “You city lawyers are all alike. Thinking you can come in here and showboat.”

  “We can indeed,” Justin said. “It’s called balance of justice. Dane, let’s get you settled back in the cell. I’ll see you again in Springfield, or maybe we’ll have to go as far as Columbia or St. Louis. You ever been to St. Louis?”

  The sheriff grumbled low under his breath. “Uncuff him.”

  Justin stepped back so the deputy could release Dane. “Good choice,” he said. “It would have been mighty inconvenient when I had to subpoena you about that funeral. Were you there in an official capacity? Or do you just wear your uniform for fun and intimidation?”

  The sheriff growled again, but Justin took Dane’s arm and led him away. They passed through two more doors, then stood outside the hall that led to the courtroom. “Just be cool,” Justin said. “If you show any emotion on your face, make it be remorse. Otherwise, keep your head down and your hands on the table.”

  Dane would do anything this boy said. He was downright grateful to have the man now. He’d pay Stella back every dime, but this guy was worth it.

  Justin pushed through the door and led them to their table. Dane kept his head down, but still saw Stella, who had positioned herself just behind his chair. His body went on alert, and he didn’t feel in control anymore. He wanted to sweep her up and escape, get out of this hellhole and back onto the open road, knocking aside anyone who got in his way. Even crashing on the banks of a creek had felt better than this.