Counsel (Counsel #1)

by Shenda Paul

  "This case comes down to standards of criminal liability. However foolish you may feel my client had been to trust Joseph Cordi or misguided you may view his attempts to help Angelique Bain had been; should he pay with his freedom? That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the question I would leave you with, and which I ask you to consider when deliberating. I feel confident that in the end you will do what, in your hearts, you know to be right and just and acquit my client, Justin Wade, of the charges brought against him."

  Tom’s summation was eloquent, but his attempts to represent Justin’s actions as the result of misplaced trust and misguided altruism bordered on being ludicrous. His entire argument was based on the premise that Justin had no alternative but to accept Joseph’s offer; as if he himself were a man of little means or influence.

  "Is the Commonwealth ready?" Judge Bolton asks.

  "We are, Your Honor," I respond, rising to my feet.

  "Your Honor, Counsels, Ladies, and Gentlemen of the Jury, before I make my argument, I would like, on behalf of the Commonwealth, to thank you for your time and attention throughout these proceedings," I say before turning my attention to the jury.

  "When we leave court today, this case will be handed over to you to consider your verdict, and you will, no doubt, exercise your solemn duty with meticulous care. All we ask is that you take into account the facts.

  "Because, despite Defense Counsel’s heartfelt argument, the irrefutable facts cannot be denied. The facts are that, despite learning that the club operated as a brothel, the defendant chose to retain his membership of Liaison. He continued to frequent the establishment. Instead of reporting the prostitution, as one would expect someone in his position to do, the defendant gave his tacit approval. He availed himself of the sexual services on offer. Then, not satisfied with paying one woman for sex, he succumbed to temptation, as he called it, again. He claimed for himself the dubious honor of being the first man Angelique Bain prostituted herself with.

  "Faced with the prospect of having to share her favors, he chose to enter into a business partnership with a man he knew, then, to be a criminal; a man who, in his own testimony, the defendant admitted to being untrustworthy. The defendant has testified that he signed the Fidelity Properties agreement because Joseph Cordi made it a condition of the contract for Ms. Bain's exclusive services. He expects you to believe that he complied for her benefit. He expects you to believe that he, a wealthy and influential man, had no means of helping other than to enter into a nefarious contract to purchase a woman’s body.

  "A senator's role is to bridge the gap between the people and its government; his or her senatorial responsibilities include proposing and vetoing laws, laws by which we are all governed. Justin Wade has broken the very laws he was elected to honor, uphold and live by. He wasn’t coerced into doing so; he consciously made the choice to break the law, Ladies and Gentlemen.

  The defendant’s actions were not those of a misled or misguided man or one motivated by the desire to help an unfortunate woman. Justin Wade wanted to indulge in the prostitution on offer at Liaison, so he did; he wanted to be the first man at the club to have Angelique Bain, so he did. He wanted to keep her for his exclusive gratification, so he did; and in doing so, knowingly entered into a business partnership with a criminal.

  "Why, you might rightly ask, would he have done those things? We contend that it had been for the simple reason of indulging himself; he did it because he wanted to and because he could.

  "You have heard the defendant’s mea culpa, his glibly stated regret, and his flimsy rationale. It speaks volumes that he voiced contrition only after being placed on trial. One has to wonder, had his crimes remained undiscovered, whether the defendant would have shown remorse.

  "Defense Counsel has acknowledged the evidence against his client but denies his guilt. He has made the point that his client is not charged with soliciting, and he's absolutely correct in his assertion in that regard. What he failed to admit, however, is that his client chose to retain his membership of a brothel, chose to indulge in prostitution, and then chose to enter into a business partnership with a man he knew to be a criminal.

  "Every item of documented evidence presented, each testimony you have heard, including that of the defendant himself, has irrefutably proven that he ignored and then broke the law, that he gained part ownership of and financially profited from the proceeds of an illegal business, one that centered on prostitution. Justin Wade should be held to account for the choices he made, and he should be convicted of the charges brought against him," I conclude.

  .

  .

  The scene outside is chaotic as the defense contingent fights their way through the gathered media. Someone has at least learned from yesterday's debacle because two security guards escort them; one is, thankfully, taking good care of Mrs. Wade. They eventually escape in two waiting cars.

  "Let's get this over with," I mutter, guiding Jodi forward. Ignoring the shouted questions, I decide to take control of the situation.

  "This trial is over; the decision now lies in the capable hands of the jury. I’ll take only three questions," I address the media group.

  "Charlie?" I call on a respected, veteran reporter.

  "How do you think the prosecution fared, Counselor?" he asks.

  "We hope, as we always do, that we’ve done our job well."

  "Do you think Senator Wade deserves to be found guilty?" he follows up.

  "The evidence in this case is clear, and the defendant no different from any other citizen; he is subject to the same laws. I ask that the media evaluate the issues in the same way you would for an ordinary citizen; that is what our judicial system requires, that is what the Commonwealth has sought to live up to, and that is what the jury will do in their deliberations."

  "So you don't care that your friendship with Senator Wade or Thomas Martin has suffered?" the reporter who tried to push this storyline before calls out.

  "I've just answered your question."

  "Mr. Thorne, do you think Angelique Bain should be charged?" a female I recognize asks. Irritated, I stop, despite my three-question stipulation.

  "Why should Ms. Bain be singled out? The Commonwealth’s laws dictate that a person has to be caught soliciting to be charged with prostitution; as a journalist, you should know that, Jill," I reply tersely. This woman has dogged my steps at almost every social event in an attempt to pry into my private life, and now here she is, at my place of work, asking yet another vapid question.

  "The defendant has not been charged with soliciting, none of the sex workers at Liaison or any of the other clubs have been charged. What, in your mind, makes Ms. Bain’s situation different from those of Justin Wade, the other members of Liaison, or the other club workers? Her name has already been bandied about in the most damning way simply because she’d unwittingly found herself the bargaining chip between two men.

  "Let me address any who are considering running with this storyline. The law is clear; we have no grounds on which to charge anyone involved in this case with soliciting. Ms. Bain will not be charged. She has done what the law required of her and testified in court; she should now be allowed to live her life in the same way other witnesses have been able to."

  I glance down at Jodi to let her know we should leave. She stares back at me with shocked eyes but quickly recovers and moves alongside me as I make my way to our waiting car. I ignore the questions still being yelled.

  I'm fuming as we wend our way through Boston’s afternoon traffic. I sense Jodi watching me, but I keep my face averted. What the fuck was I thinking? I've broken one of my cardinal rules when dealing with the press. 'Never say more than you have to,' has always been my mantra. Well, I've well and truly blown that rule, haven't I?

  "It wasn't that bad," Jodi says softly.

  "What?" I snap, turning to look at her troubled face.

  "What you said; it wasn't that bad. You wer
e asked a question, and you answered it factually. Okay, probably more passionately than you normally would, but I don't think anyone else will pick up on it."

  "Pick up on what?" I ask testily, despite the slight relief I feel at her observation.

  "Your attraction to Angelique Bain," she whispers, casting a glance at our driver.

  I’m about to protest, but she cuts me off. "I noticed it the first time you two were in a room together. I was fascinated that two people who’d only just met could have such an impact on each other. I don't think she's completely immune to you either, by the way."

  I exhale loudly, contemplating what I should say. I hadn’t wanted to talk about this to anyone other than what I confessed to Cait, and I only told her the bare minimum, but I trust Jodi. I lean forward to raise the privacy panel between the driver and us.

  "I met her before I was handed the case," I confess, and watch amazement turn to humor as I relate the events of my first run-in with Angelique. Jodi giggles uncontrollably when she learns about the false name.

  "Everyone finds that funny, except me," I mutter.

  "Of course, you do, Thorne, admit it," she challenges, struggling to control her mirth.

  "Maybe a little," I confess, smiling reluctantly.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  "Here, you should read this." I look up, surprised, as Jodi slaps a file onto my desk.

  "What's this?" I ask, reaching for it.

  "Something I asked Jon to have couriered over."

  "Jon's back?"

  "No, he’ll be back tomorrow evening or the following day. He says hi, by the way, and he wants to catch up as soon as possible to brief us on the new developments."

  "Did he say what they were?"

  "He'd prefer to tell us in person, and I agreed that we'd meet the morning after he gets back. I had Bec block out the time in your diary."

  "Okay," I reply distractedly, already perusing the contents of the folder.

  "Where the hell did you get this?" I look up in shock.

  "I spent the last hours doing research with some help from someone on Jon’s team. It was easier to find after what we’ve learned about her in the last few days. The more official stuff you probably know, it’s what Jon uncovered when you asked him to investigate her."

  I run my hand over the graceful lines of the figure in the photograph. The headline above the image of her and a male dancer reads, An Angel Lands In Our Midst!

  "You should read the rest, Adam. She's been through a lot, and I'm sure there's a lot more to her story than I managed to find out."

  "Thanks," I mutter, my eyes glued to the page.

  "No need to thank me. I'll leave you to it," she says and turns to leave. I acknowledge her with a lift of my hand.

  Angelique Bain made her debut in the challenging and highly coveted role as Giselle at Oper Leipzig last night. Her grace and the ethereal quality of her dance epitomized the meaning of her name. She displays superb technique, but her true triumph is in the combination of her mesmerizing grace and emotional commitment to the role of Giselle.

  The pairing of Luke Grantham’s Albrecht with Angelique’s Giselle is inspired. Their chemistry in both dance and emotion is palpable, their pas de deux, one of the most touching I've witnessed. I predict that these two will go far, hopefully as partners. Bain and Grantham will be lauded and sought after as principal dancers by Companies around the globe.

  The Dance Director, Master Gustav Reinhardt, when asked to comment on the couple, said they were two of the most gifted dancers he'd seen in decades, adding that their romantic involvement adds to the passion and authenticity of their onstage performances.

  So this Luke Grantham had been her boyfriend. I wonder where he is now and just what happened to take her from the high of a European debut to being a dancer and prostitute in a Boston club. Even from the somewhat grainy newspaper image I can tell that his tender expression is more than acting. She stares up at him, adoration clearly visible in her expression. This man loved her and she him. My heart twists at the realization, but I appease myself with the thought that he can longer be in the picture.

  I read review after review every one lauding her performance. At only eighteen, Angelique had been a professional ballerina and made her debut on the international stage. She gained the attention of not only the German press; she and this Luke Grantham also received coverage in France and England, his homeland, even New York papers ran articles. Every one predicted that they’d become stars of the modern ballet era, but it was her performance that critics unanimously extolled the virtues of. They called her talent something truly unique.

  And almost every article mentions their offstage romance. I find myself conflicted, upset by the knowledge that the first woman to impact me so deeply once loved, may still love, someone else when I've never felt that way about anyone. My dismay is tempered, however, by the knowledge that she'd, at least, experienced that kind of love before ending up at Liaison.

  From New York reports, I discover that Angelique had, from the age of seven, trained at an exclusive ballet school in that city. I have difficulty tearing my eyes from the images of her, the graceful lines of her body to the breathtaking sight of her airborne, legs extended in an amazing feat. In one shot, I get a close-up view of her face. She’s younger; her face fuller, but those sensual lips are unmistakable. Her doe-like eyes bore into me from the inanimate image as they do in life, causing the same, familiar tightening in my chest.

  I reclip the photocopied sheets the way Jodi had so meticulously presented them before turning to the next. My heart sinks, and a despairing groan leaves my throat at the sight of the photograph. She’s lying prone onstage, her head turned to the side, one leg bent at a frightening angle. A male dancer I recognize as Grantham hovers over her, a look of horror etched on his face. Several other, obviously concerned, dancers surround them.

  Giselle Performance Comes To A Spectacular End, the headline announces.

  Last night’s audience at Leipzig Opera House witnessed a horrific accident as Angelique Bain, in her role as Giselle, appeared to misjudge a leap, making it impossible for her dancing partner, Luke Grantham, to execute the catch. The romantically involved pair rehearsed this sequence for months and performed it to spellbound audiences and spectacular reviews before this awful mishap.

  The curtains were quickly lowered to give the injured ballerina, who lay prone and surrounded by her distressed boyfriend and fellow cast members, privacy. The Company's Dance Director, Gustav Reinhardt, appeared visibly upset when he addressed the shocked audience to advise that Ms. Bain would be moved to a hospital. He offered either a refund or an opportunity to attend another performance. Whether audience members decide on a refund or seeing the performance again, one thing is certain; they will not be mesmerized by the grace and beauty of Angelique Bain's performances for the remainder of this season’s run.

  We were unable to ascertain the extent of Miss Bain's injuries at the time of publication and can only hope that this wonderfully talented dancer makes a full recovery and lives up to predictions of a stellar career.

  The next article is in German, I can’t read what it says, but the photograph is the same, except that this one is in close-up. I clearly see her pale face, eyes shut, long, dark lashes emphasizing her pallor. Grantham’s hand gently cups her cheek as he leans over her.

  I feel sick to my stomach, sick to think that such a gifted and talented young woman ended up at Liaison, and sick at the memory of how disdainfully I'd questioned her about teaching ballet. I felt bad afterward, the first time, ever, I’ve regretted my treatment of a witness during questioning; but now, having read this, I feel like a total bastard.

  .

  .

  The next day, despite my heavy workload, I find my mind frequently wandering to thoughts of Angelique. I’m still coming to terms with the fact that she’d been a professional ballerina, poised for gre
atness when it was all so tragically torn away from her. A short, follow-up article in the New York Post reported her as having suffered several serious breaks in her right leg and predicted a long and painful recovery. It went on to speculate about whether or not her injuries would cost her her career. The Post had been the only newspaper to carry a follow-up story, the others had, most probably, moved on to the next sensation.

  Jodi, when we meet to revisit our proposed witness lists for the Cordi trials, doesn’t mention the folder of explosive information. I am, as ever, grateful for her circumspection because I’m not ready to discuss what I’ve learned or reveal more of my feelings for Angelique.

  Finally at home, I do what I’ve thought about all day. I return to the file, trying in vain to find answers to the questions swirling around in my head. What happened to her when she returned from Europe? What happened to her relationship with Grantham? Jodi’s notes say she could find no trace of Angelique having been treated in any hospital or medical facility in New York City or state, and she'd obviously not traveled straight to Boston. So where did she go? My thoughts remain chaotic for the rest of the night and later, in bed, I toss and turn for hours before succumbing to sleep.

  I wake early, my mind returning to Angelique only moments later. In an attempt to clear my head and knowing him to be an early riser, I call Nick, who agrees to a match in forty-five minutes. The mental and physical effort of our ensuing session focuses my mind enough to ponder the verdict in Justin’s trial and concentrate on the upcoming Cordi trials. But intermittently, like now, I find my thoughts straying to Angelique.

  "Adam?" Jodi looks at me expectantly.

  "Sorry…I was just thinking; what did you say?"

  "We have a number of trials to get through, how do you want to approach this?"

  "Given that they’re facing the same charges and the shared nature of the evidence in both cases, I want to petition to have Silvio and Enzo tried as co-defendants. Because of the inclusion of the prostitution-related charges, I think it’s best that we try Joseph separately. We should discuss our intentions with their attorneys as soon as possible."