by Caine, Candy
Chapter Nine
John Kalb was definitely not a nice man. He sat with his lawyer across the aisle from his wife and Marnie, yet his unpleasant vibes could still be felt. He did not try to hide his disgust with the divorce proceedings. His thinning black hair was combed straight back making his ears look larger and pointier. But it was his nose that drew one’s attention. It resembled the beak of a bird of prey and his hooded beady, black eyes enhanced that image. Marnie couldn’t help feeling that if evil could be transformed into the likes of a man, he’d look exactly like John Kalb.
His attorney, Dariah Phillips, rose from her seat, straightening her skirt. Resembling a librarian wearing horned-rimmed glasses over her sharp blue eyes and her dark hair swept up to a French knot, she was actually more of a barracuda. “Your Honor, my client wishes to lodge a complaint before the court.”
“What is it, Ms. Phillips?” the judge asked.
“Since the divorce proceedings began, my client has not been able to see his children in violation of his parental rights.”
“That’s too bad. Perhaps we can arrange a supervised visitation here at court.”
“We had something quite different in mind.”
“I’m certain you did. To safeguard all parties involved, the meeting will take place here or not at all. I will not have anything jeopardize this hearing until it is over. Do you understand, Ms. Phillips?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Good. Now, let’s get on with this.”
* * *
Scott had no idea where Angel was. She had disappeared days ago, leaving him to fear the worst. As usual, it was the wrong time for this to happen. It wasn’t as if she’d never done something like this before. Yet, no matter how many times she’d pull such a stunt, he couldn’t get used to it. Nor could he merely ignore it, though he wanted to. Therefore, he’d usually check the morgue and hospitals first. He’d hit the streets after that, but all that had to wait for now. Time was tight. To console himself, he recalled one of his father’s sayings: “No news was good news.” For Angel’s sake, and his own, he hoped his father was right.
The Old Man had given him a fairly involved case, probably as a test to see how he handled it. If he wanted to gain worth as a litigator in the DA’s eyes he needed to remain focused and do the best job he could. He couldn’t afford to blow this chance because he was ill prepared and overlooked some important aspect. Even so, his mind began to wander.
He’d overheard another A.D. A. speaking about Marnie the other day. He thought he had gotten over “The Ice Maiden” as he had nicknamed her. But when hearing her name merely conjured up those same images he’d longed to forget, the fire that still glowed within him melted that image of ice. He couldn’t stop himself from wondering what might have been. There were times at court that he would catch himself looking for her. It was so ingrained that sometimes he was unaware he was even doing this. He wanted the chance to explain to her about Angel and what had happened that night, if nothing else, than to clear his name. He didn’t want her thinking of him as a womanizer. Besides, if there was still a slim chance that she would understand and give him another opportunity to show her what kind of guy he really was, he didn’t want to pass it by.
He tried to console himself with the thought that she was only another woman. There were others who would gladly welcome his attention. However, like the brass ring on the carousel, Marnie seemed impossible to reach. And despite everything, he wanted to snatch that prize more than any other.
* * *
The Kalb case continued. Marnie needed more evidence to prove that the husband’s abusive behavior towards Marishka and her daughter. It would ensure that her client would be awarded full custody of the children.
The psychiatrist, who examined her little girl, could only testify that the child exhibited traits consistent with being abused. Marnie needed to provide the court with hard evidence of Kalb’s abuse to keep him from gaining custody of the children.
That night she went to the safe house where Marishka and her children were staying. The building looked like a small hotel from a distance, but the bars on the windows and armed guards who staffed it 24 hours a day, said otherwise. No one got in without first checking in at the main desk and going through a metal detector. To Marishka, as well as the other women living there, it was like a prison, but it was the only protection they had. Typewritten words on a piece of paper couldn’t protect them.
Marnie met the woman in the lounge. They found a quiet spot in the corner with a small table and two chairs away from the noise of the TV. Marnie didn’t really want to press the woman. Dark circles hung beneath her sad eyes like baggage, calling attention to the mounting worry and stress the woman was already under. When she’d first met Marishka, she hardly looked like a robust woman. Since the hearings began, she’d lost more weight. Marnie could almost smell the fear coming from her body, which seemed to be slowly wasting away.
Marnie asked how her children were and then went directly to the heart of the matter.
“You mentioned you’d seen your husband touch Stephanie in the bath. Yet, you felt that he’d eventually do much worse. I need to know why you feel this way.”
Marishka seemed to shrink in her chair. Marnie had a feeling in her gut that their entire case hinged on the answer to that question. Therefore, as painful as that question was to her client, she needed to get Marishka to talk. She had to convince the woman that to hold back now would be futile and counterproductive.
“Something else had to have happened to made you feel that way. Did John do something else to Stephanie that may have slipped your mind? I need to know so we can prove our case.”
“Isn’t what I told you enough?”
“I’m afraid not. The other side will argue he was merely washing the child. We need more concrete proof showing his intent was deviant.”
Marishka bit her bottom lip, which had begun to tremble as she dabbed at her silent tears with her ever-present tissue.
“I hate putting you through all this, but I have no choice. There’s no other way. If we make statements about your husband, we must have ample proof to back them up. This is your only chance to protect Stephanie. Please, Marishka, if there is something you haven’t told me, now is the time.”
The only sound heard between them was the woman’s sobbing. Marnie wanted to hug her and remove all her pain, but only winning in court could ultimately do that. She needed to know why Marishka felt the way she did about her husband. Marnie truly hated this part of the interview process.
“Marishka…please give me the evidence to help you.”
Marishka’s lips began to move, but nothing audible was heard at first. Finally, she began. “John…John began to change. Little things. I found pictures of little girls hidden in his desk.”
“What kind of pictures?” Marnie prodded.
“Nasty pictures.”
“Children engaged in sexual acts?”
“Yes.”
“With whom?”
“Adults and other children.” Marishka swallowed. “There was even one with…with John in it.”
“Did anyone else see these pictures?” Marnie asked.
“No—but I know where they’re hidden. A secret drawer in his desk.” Marnie made a note to herself to see if she could get a warrant to search for the pictures.
Marnie tried to keep an impassive expression on her face. Damn! If she could produce those pictures… “Anything else?”
“John wanted me to wear certain things to bed and…”
“What type of things?”
“He wanted me to play dress-up. You know…be like a little girl. And…”
“And what, Marishka?” Marnie gentled her tone.
“I had to shave…shave off my…hair…you know…down there…so I would look younger.”
There was definitely a progression here. The man was sick. This went way beyond acting out one’s fantasies. Marnie would quake in her boots for her dau
ghter had she one, as well. Leaving the child alone with John Kalb was totally out of the question.
“I realize how difficult that was for you to tell me. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to tell this to the judge.”
“No! No, I can’t! Please—please don’t make me!”
“Do you want your husband to get joint custody and be able to take your daughter to the privacy of his own home on unsupervised visits?”
“Oh, God, no!” she wailed, her hands covering her face as her entire body trembled.
“Then you must tell the court what he is capable of. Your husband is a pedophile. He is a very sick man and needs help. But above all, he should never be permitted around children.”
Marishka continued to sob. Marnie got up and placed her arms around her. “It will soon be over. I will fight as hard as I can to keep him away from Stephanie. I promise.”
Marnie waited until Marishka was calm enough to return to her children. She could easily imagine the pain that poor woman was going through, but couldn’t understand how she’d suffered living with such a horrible man as long as she did. Frank had warned her on more than one occasion about getting personally involved with her clients. But, how could she avoid it? When she gave Marishka her word about doing everything she could to help her, she meant it.
Marnie went home drained knowing what she now had to do. She had to get those pictures. They would be the proof she needed to win Marishka sole custody of the children. Yet the situation troubled her. The information she had to present to the court was pure dynamite and the case was looking more and more like an explosive situation. John Kalb’s cruel face flashed before her mind’s eye and she shuddered, frightened of what might happen after the judge ruled in their favor.
Chapter Ten
The next day Marnie stopped off at the office to check in with Debbie and see to her messages before heading over to the courthouse. Despite the Kalb case, life still went on. There were other cases and other clients she had to deal with.
“Hi, Debbie.”
“You look like you need a cup of coffee—and fast,” her assistant stood appraising her, hands on hips.
“It certainly couldn’t hurt.”
“The Kalb case, huh?”
“Big time. Anything else I should know about?”
“Only that Frank wants to talk to you,” she said, pouring coffee into Marnie’s cup.
“What kind of mood is he in?”
“Hard to say. In a calm voice devoid of all emotion, he requested I send you in to see him when you arrived.”
“I guess I’ll go find out what he wants. See you in a bit.”
Marnie walked down the carpeted hall and knocked on Frank’s door.
“Come in.”
Marnie entered to find him on the phone. He waved her into a chair. The conversation lasted for less than two minutes.
“How are things going with the Kalb case?”
Marnie filled him in. Frank immediately set in motion a warrant to search the Kalb’s home. “What else?” he asked, noticing Marnie’s frown. “She knows we can’t protect her forever and she’s terribly frightened.”
“Keep in mind, it’s the job of the police and not ours to protect her.”
“But we can’t just walk away leaving her a target!”
“You’ve already done as much as the law will allow by placing her in a safe house. Is there anything else we may have overlooked?”
Marnie shook her head. “No. I don’t think so.”
“That’s the problem. There’s nothing more we can do. You’ve got to remain more objective.”
“Easier said than done.”
“That may be so, but that’s the way it has to be. You can’t make each case a personal crusade.”
“But how is it possible to care any less?”
“I’m not telling you not to care. It’s your concern that drives you to win. You just can’t lose yourself to the cause.”
Marnie understood what he was saying. But putting that knowledge into action, well, that was something entirely different.
“Good luck. You’ve done a great job thus far.”
“Thanks, Frank.”
* * *
Frank watched Marnie leave. She was a good litigator, but he feared she got too emotionally involved with every case. The Joan of Arc syndrome, as he referred to it, would eventually make her a partner, however, it might also end up destroying her, as well.
He knew something had happened to sour her budding relationship with his godson. As curious as he was about it, he wouldn’t mention it to her. Scott had already expressed his wish not to discuss it at a Sunday dinner. It seemed a shame. They had made such a nice couple. Perhaps the future might see them together again.
* * *
Frank was able to get a warrant to search Kalb’s house and the pornographic pictures were seized and placed into evidence. It took another three days to wrap things up on the Kalb case. Marnie put Marishka in the witness chair and sympathetically led the weeping woman through her line of questioning. The opposing counsel tried to discredit her testimony, but it looked more like she was badgering the poor woman. Marishka broke down on the stand several times. Her eyes were constantly in motion, making her look more pitiful and frightened. Kalb sat in his chair with a sneer on his face and glared at anyone who caught his eye. It mattered little because the damage was done. His pedophile tendencies were now documented. There was no way on earth the judge would allow John Kalb joint custody and private visitation rights.
The judge, having all the facts and figures necessary to render a decision, recessed the court until the following day when he’d hand down his decision.
Kalb approached his wife. “If the judge denies me the right to see my children, I will kill you, you bitch. Do you hear me, Marishka? Do you?” He had tried to strike out at her, but Marnie stepped in the way. The way Kalb glared at her iced the blood flowing in her veins.
Instinctively, Marnie put a protective arm around Marishka’s shoulders. She could feel the woman’s body trembling. “I suggest you not make threats against my client in open court. It will do your case no good.”
He continued to glare at Marnie, but she stood her ground until Dariah Phillips caught up to them and convinced Kalb to leave quietly. But that venomous look on his face would haunt her.
“Come on, Marishka, it’s time to go.”
Marishka grabbed both of Marnie’s arms. “He’s going to kill me! You heard him.”
“We’re not going to let him near you. Besides, it’s probably only an angry threat,” Marnie said. To be honest, she wasn’t quite sure if she believed her own words.
By the time they left the courthouse, John Kalb was gone. Marnie watched as Marishka got into her car and drove away. Only one question crowded her mind. What if she were wrong?
What if Kalb wasn’t making idle threats?
* * *
Marnie had a sleepless night. Every time she closed her eyes, John Kalb’s sneering face appeared. At some time during the night she fell into an exhausted sleep and dreamed John Kalb went insane and killed Marishka, her two children, and then hunted her down. Just as he was about to shoot her, she bolted up in bed screaming. Drenched in sweat and still shaking, she padded to the bathroom and washed her face with cool water. If the man could spook her like he had, what must Marishka be feeling? She shuddered to imagine.
She got back into bed and thought about Scott—not that she cared to. She remembered the last time she’d encountered him at the courthouse, the look on his face when their eyes met. And her body’s reaction. She hated how her heart turned over and her pussy tightened. No matter how hard she tried not to react to the man, the more her body betrayed her. Then she recalled the familiar touch of the woman walking with him as she rubbed his back. Thankfully, it reminded her why she didn’t want any part of the man.
* * *
Running late the following morning, Marnie drove directly to the courthouse. She grabbed
a cup of coffee from the vending machine and waited for Marishka to appear at their meeting place. Needing more caffeine, she bought a second cup of coffee. She glanced at her watch. It was getting late but Marishka still hadn’t arrived. Perhaps she had a fitful night, as well, she reassured herself. However, the reassurance grew thin.
Marnie began to get nervous, fearing that something may have happened to her client. She immediately called the shelter and was told that Marishka had already left, but they couldn’t be certain of the time. Just as Marnie’s panic level climbed still another notch, Marishka walked in.
Noticing the distressed look on her lawyer’s face, she apologized.
Marnie waved her hand. “It’s okay. Let’s go inside.”
Kalb, dressed in a black suit looking like an undertaker, was already seated next to his lawyer. He turned to face Marnie and Marishka as they walked toward their seats. He mouthed the word, “Remember,” which caused Marishka to gasp and sent an icy chill down Marnie’s spine.
Moments later, Judge Malone was announced and everyone stood. As soon as the courtroom was settled, the judge immediately began to render his decision. He quickly dispensed of the property. Then he discussed child support and alimony. He granted sole custody to Marishka and explained in detail why. He left visitation rights for last and denied unsupervised visits to John Kalb for now and the foreseeable future. “I would not leave my own child in the care of this man and would strongly recommend to this Court that he seek the proper help…” This so enraged Kalb, he jumped out of his seat cursing and shaking his fist at the judge, despite his lawyer’s attempts to calm and quiet him. When two guards began to approach him, he finally shut up and sat down. Marnie noticed Marishka cringing in her chair.
When the proceedings were over, Kalb rushed out of the courtroom nearly knocking Dariah Phillips down. Marnie took Marishka aside to talk to her. She didn’t want her to leave so troubled.
“I know I should be grateful and happy, but I’m too afraid.”
