Final Verdict

by William Bernhardt

  “We will see.”

  “Indeed we will.” Kakazu snapped the cuffs over Hernandez’ wrists. “Come to think of it,” he added, “let’s take your friend, too.”

  Jose slid out of the booth and raced toward the front door.

  “Should I chase him?” Pemberton asked.

  “Don’t bother. Let the boys outside do it.”

  “This is a farce,” Hernandez bellowed. “I demand to see my lawyer.”

  “In time.” Kakazu noticed the crowd gathering. “And tell your associates to stand down. I left many officers outside. If you start a riot, people will get hurt. Starting with you.”

  Hernandez spat in his face. “Fool. I will be out in an hour.”

  “Not this time. We’re charging you with sex trafficking, organ smuggling, conspiracy, incitement to riot, incitement to murder, murder-for-hire, and about a dozen other charges. There is no judge on earth stupid enough to put you back on the street. No one you can bribe. No one you can threaten. You’re going to jail.”

  Hernandez snarled and struggled, but Kakazu held him tight.

  “I have friends on the inside, you stupid policeman. Many friends.”

  “Thanks for the reminder.” Kakazu whipped out another pair of cuffs and, without warning, snapped them across Sergeant Pemberton’s wrists.

  “What the hell?”

  “Don’t even start. You’re the mole. Sweeney’s little plaything. Probably working for the cartel as well. Did you think we would never figure it out?”

  Pemberton clenched his teeth together. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I guess you inherited Sweeney’s sense of invulnerability. Except now he’s going down for the count. And so are you.”

  “You can’t make this stick.”

  “I can. Dan was suspicious of you the first time he met you. And I became suspicious when we visited SweeTech and you knew the way from the elevator to the office, though you said you’d never been there before. I totally baited you in the lab when we discovered who the body parts in the freezer belonged to. I kept Andrus’ name out of the media for twenty-four hours, but you leaked it to Sweeney. There was no other way he could have known.”

  “You’re just guessing. You have no real proof.”

  “We’ll see.” Kakazu swerved Pemberton around and pushed him toward the door right behind Hernandez. “Face it, Pemberton, you’re looking at a long prison stay. And,” he added, “I hear they don’t much like cops in there. I hope whatever Sweeney gave you was worth it. Because the rest of your life is going to be a living hell.”

  Chapter 49

  Dan hurried out of the courtroom back to his car. He didn’t want to be late. They were planning a celebration at the office. Food. Drink. Gloomhaven. And a big surprise for Maria.

  He was halfway down the sidewalk when he was approached by a man he did not recognize. About thirty years older than he was, give or take few years. Small man. Still trim for his age. Thin white hair at the top. Casual dress. “Excuse me. Daniel Pike?”

  Dan paused. He wasn’t normally suspicious of strangers, but given all he’d been through lately, it was hard not to be. “Do I know you?”

  “We’ve never met. Though I would be honored to shake your hand.” He extended his own.

  Dan hesitated. Something about the man was familiar. “And you are...”

  “My name is Benjamin J. Kincaid. My friends call me Ben.”

  “I know that voice.” Dan’s eyes widened like balloons. “You’re Mr. K!” He almost dropped his backpack.

  Ben laughed. “Guilty as charged. K for Kincaid.”

  “But—But—I can’t believe it. You really exist.”

  “And I decided it was time we met in person. What better location than a courthouse?”

  “Why now?”

  “That’s a good question. And a bit of a long story.”

  “I’ve got time. Why don’t you get in my car? Come back to the office. Your office, really, since you’re paying the bills. Meet the whole gang—”

  Ben raised his hands. “I can’t do that. And I’m going to have to ask you to keep this conversation confidential.”

  “But—why?”

  Ben relaxed, leaned against Dan’s car. “I’m a lawyer, too.”

  “We always guessed as much, but—”

  “I live in Oklahoma. Had a good career. Still pop up in the courtroom every now and again.”

  “You must’ve made a fortune at it.”

  “Not really. I had a bad habit of representing people who needed help but couldn’t pay their bills.”

  Dan grinned. “You were the original last chance lawyer.”

  “I guess I was at that. Anyway, to cut to the chase, my father was the one who made a fortune. I mean billions. He was a physician, but most of his wealth came from a cardiac surgical device he invented, magnified by some extremely wise investments. Turned out his invention didn’t work as well as he thought, but he made millions before that was discovered.”

  “And he left the wealth to you.”

  “No. He cut me out of his will.”

  “Ouch. Sorry.”

  “Don’t be. We never saw eye to eye on anything. When he died, the money went to my mother. But now she’s passed, and everything has gone to me and my sister Julia, who is...keeping a low profile. She asked me to manage the money, so I do. But it’s far more than our families will ever need. So I decided to make some investments of my own.”

  “You started the Last Chance Lawyer firm!”

  “Exactly. So law could be practiced the way it should be, without billable hours and meritless cases taken for financial reasons while deserving clients are ignored because they aren’t rich. What I like to think every lawyer wants to do but can’t.” He paused. “For you, I made it possible.”

  “Why have you stayed in the shadows?”

  “I thought it was best. I didn’t want conspiracy theories rising up about how I’m using big money to promote my socialist agenda. And I didn’t want my family in the line of fire.”

  “Why me? Why St. Petersburg?”

  “You think you’re the only one? Dan, I’ve got Last Chance Lawyer firms all over the country. I believe lawyers can and should be a force for good, and you’ve proven me correct time and time again. Defending the unpopular. Freeing the innocent.”

  “Our firm is only one of many?”

  “But the best of the lot. The first time we talked I said I’d had my eye on you for some time. Sure, you had a tarnished rep, but I was convinced that if I stepped in and made it possible for you to have the kind of practice you wanted, you’d pay it forward a thousand times over. And I was right.”

  Dan felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. “I—I literally don’t know what to say. I feel like I’m meeting my...my surrogate father.”

  “I’m okay with that. You would make any father proud.”

  A thousand thoughts raced through Dan’s brain. He had so many questions he didn’t know where to begin. “Why are you revealing yourself to me now?”

  Ben cleared his throat. “Because of the way you handled this last case I gave you. Representing the man you despised most. You’ve always had a passion for justice. And I liked that. That’s important to me. But I wanted to put your feet in the fire and see how committed to your ideals you really were.”

  “You were testing me.”

  “And you passed with flying colors. I know how hard it was for you. I once had to represent a white supremacist. Toughest case I ever tackled. But I did it because it was the right thing to do and an innocent man was saved.” Ben handed Dan a small briefcase. “Take this. I know, you prefer backpack to briefcase. But I’m the older model.”

  “What is it?”

  “The schematics for my entire operation. All the Last Chance Lawyer firms. You see, Dan—I’d be honored if you would take over the reins.”

  “You’re joking.”

  “I’m not getting any younger, and my wife
Christina wants to travel more. She’s still never seen France and she’s getting cranky about it. Our daughters are old enough that we can take more time for ourselves. And I think it’s time. I owe Christina that much. Much more actually.” He smiled. “But if I’m going on an extended vacation, someone else needs to have their hands on the tiller.”

  “You mean—I’d be the new Mr. K?”

  “No, dude, that’s my name. You can be Mr. P.”

  Dan pressed his hand against his forehead. “I feel like...like I’m Charlie Bucket and Willy Wonka just offered me the chocolate factory.”

  “I want you to feel that way. It’s a lot of work. Finding the right cases. Screening the clients. But it’s also rewarding. When it turns out right. Like it always has with you.”

  “Could I still handle some cases myself?”

  “If you’ve got time. It would be a crime if I deprived the world of your legal talents.”

  “Can I—Can I have some time to think about it?”

  “Sure. Take a day. Then I’m going to start booking flights. Because I can already tell you’re going to do it.”

  “Can I talk to Maria about it?”

  “Of course. Keep her close and treat her well. She’s perfect for you. I should know. Remember, I chose her even before I chose you. And I arranged for the two of you to meet.”

  “You’re sure about this?”

  “My wife is. And she understands people better than I ever will.”

  Dan thumbed through the file. “Man. You have a lot of these firms.”

  “And we could afford more. I don’t want you to just maintain. I want you to expand. I want you to create a shining example of what legal practice could and should be. Who knows? Maybe it will catch on.”

  Dan swallowed. “This is a big responsibility.”

  “But you’re up to it.” He placed his hand on Dan’s shoulder. “Who knows? Maybe one day every lawyer will be a Last Chance Lawyer.”

  Chapter 50

  As soon as Dan stepped through the front door, he was attacked—by a small girl.

  “Esperanza!” Dan beamed. This was the girl who had launched his career with the Last Chance Lawyers. The one he saved from deportation and who Jazlyn later adopted. Seemed appropriate. She’d been there at the last major turning point in his life, and she was here now, at what appeared to be the next one.

  “Hey, Uncle Dan. Thank you for saving my mommy.”

  He shrugged. “I didn’t...really...”

  “The hell you didn’t.” Jazlyn strode up and kissed him on the cheek. “You saved us all.”

  “Okay,” Maria said, jumping between them. “That’s enough of that. No more fraternization.”

  Jazlyn laughed. “No worries. He’s all yours. I’m too busy being the DA and a mommy. I have no personal life.”

  Maria shrugged. “Personal lives are overrated.”

  “Hey,” Dan said, “what does that mean?”

  “Nothing, nothing. What took you so long?”

  “I got an offer that you are not going to believe.”

  “What a tease you are. Spill.”

  “In a minute.” He spotted Jake Kakazu standing with a woman he didn’t know. “Jake. I’m so glad you could come.”

  “Least I could do for the man who has almost emptied my cold case file. We’ve arrested Hernandez. Almost two dozen of his operatives. And by the way, the police mole was exactly who you thought it was.”

  “And Sweeney?”

  “Turned himself in, believe it or not. I thought he’d try to skip to Argentina as soon as he was released from the murder charge. But he knew the game was over.”

  “I think what happened with Prudence hit him hard. I’m probably wrong, but...it’s just possible he’s an actual human being. With feelings and everything. And of course...his remaining days are numbered. Perhaps he decided he didn’t want to spend them running and hiding.”

  Maria nodded. “Any word on Tulip?”

  “Mr. K has agreed to cover her ongoing medical expenses. She’s going to need a lot of skin care. And she may have other health complications from her ordeal. Get this—Bernard Jamison has offered to give her the art internship she didn’t get from Andrus. For a fee, of course. Tulip is very excited about it.”

  Kakazu glanced at the woman standing behind him. “Oh, where are my manners? Dan, this is Teresa Crosswaite. She’s a lab tech. She’s the one who ID’d Andrus.”

  Dan arched an eyebrow. “So glad you could come to our celebration.”

  “Glad to be here,” she said. “I hear you’re a gourmet chef. I’ve been trying to improve Jake’s palate. For all his upper-class education, he eats like a five-year-old.”

  “I’m sure you can turn him around.”

  Dinah raced up clutching a small card. “I got an A. I got an A!”

  “Um, context, Dinah.”

  “In my legal assistant class. I just took the final. And I passed. I can get licensed and everything.”

  “Glad to hear it. Since we’ve been treating you like a legal assistant for weeks. You’re going to be a valuable asset to the firm. Our best ever legal assistant.”

  Dinah made a snorting noise. “Forget that. I’m going to law school next.”

  Kakazu grinned. “Better look out, Dan. I think she’s gunning for your job.”

  “Funny you should say that. It’s just possible there’s...going to be a vacancy soon.”

  Maria gave him a sharp look. “Does this relate to your surprise?”

  “Oh no. That’s something different. I went house shopping today.”

  Maria blinked several times rapidly. “House...shopping?”

  “Yeah. And I think I found a humdinger. Not far from here. On Snell Isle. We could walk to work. Together.”

  “Together?” She continued blinking. “You mean...this place would be for...?”

  “If you approve. I told the Realtor I’d talk to you first and then—”

  Maria wrapped her arms around his neck. “I approve.” She kissed him long and hard.

  Dinah jumped up and down. “My best friend and my brother. This is perfect.”

  Esperanza ran up and wrapped her small arms around both of them. “I’m going to have an aunt!”

  Everyone laughed. Jazlyn was the first to ask a sober question, several moments later. “Does this new house come with...any jewelry?”

  “I don’t care,” Maria said, before Dan could answer. “As long as we’re together.”

  A harsh noise emerged from the kitchen. Jimmy and Garrett entered tooting on kazoos. And carrying large platters over their heads.

  “I know, Dan,” Jimmy said. “you probably planned to cook. But I had a different idea.”

  “We decided,” Garrett added, “that just this once, we’d prepare the food.”

  Dan’s lips parted. “I am impressed. That is so thoughtful.”

  “You deserve a night off,” Jimmy replied. “Tonight, we just want you to relax.”

  “We’ve got a wide array of dishes,” Garrett said. “Plenty for everyone.”

  They lowered the platters and Dan scanned them. Soup, sandwiches, salads...

  “Wait a minute. Is this takeout from Panera Bread?”

  Jimmy jabbed him in the side. “We said we prepared food. We didn’t say we cooked.”

  Dan nodded. “Probably just as well.”

  Kakazu cut in. “Okay, one last thing before this celebration disintegrates into a total lovefest. I’ve been working on a little project at the police department. Ever since the Sweeney defamation suit. Since you uncovered the truth about...you know. Your father.”

  Dan’s expression fell. “I’m not sure this is the time...”

  “Bear with me a minute, please. Dinah, you’re included. I know you and Dan had different fathers but I also know Ethan cared about you very much. He sacrificed everything to make sure you were safe.” Kakazu turned back to Dan. “I know your dad lost his badge when he was arrested, but most of the officers and I th
ink he was a hero. It took some work but...we got all the bad stuff expunged from his record. Ethan Pike is now listed as retired in good standing. And I got this.” Kakazu reached into his jacket and withdrew a small black box. “This is your dad’s badge. Reinstated. Most officers here in Sunshine City take their badge with them when they retire. I want you to have your father’s.”

  Dan found it hard to speak, so he didn’t say anything. Maria squeezed his arm tightly.

  “Thank you,” he managed finally.

  “The honor is mine,” Kakazu said. He stiffened, then offered a formal salute. “This is for Ethan Pike. That man was a hero. Just like his son.”

  * * *

  Late that night, after the party ended, Dan fulfilled a promise he had made to Dinah long before.

  “I’m sorry we didn’t get to this sooner.”

  “It’s okay. You’ve been a little busy.”

  “True.” He trudged through the cemetery, shining a flashlight till he found the headstone. “I took you to visit our mother at the home. But I’ve never brought you here.”

  He shined a light on the tombstone. ETHAN NATHANIEL PIKE.

  “He was a great man,” Dinah said softly.

  “And he loved you very much. And Mom.” Dan paused. “And me.”

  Dinah put her arm around him.

  “My father used to talk about keeping the faith. And boy did he ever. Justice for everyone, that was his credo. As a police officer, he tried to make sure everyone was treated fairly.”

  “The same thing you’ve done. As a lawyer.”

  “I suppose. But Dad made the ultimate sacrifice for you and Mom. He was so brave. Braver than anyone I’ve ever known.”

  He reached into his coat pocket and withdrew the badge, then spread it open and gently laid it on the grave.

  “I know how much this would’ve meant to you, Dad. So I wanted to make sure you saw it. One way or the other. Clean record. All honors restored. And you had a lot of honor.”

  He wiped his eyes, then reached back and took Dinah’s hand.

  “I guess this story has come full circle, Dad. Your sacrifice was not in vain. You showed me how to build a life worth living.” He inhaled deeply, fighting back the tears. “I kept the faith, Dad. And it was all because of you.”