The Last Chance Lawyer

by William Bernhardt

  “I’m about to, your honor. Promise.”

  She held up a finger. “One minute.”

  Come on, Jimmy. Come on. “You knew Sanchez was involved with sex trafficking, didn’t you?”

  “We had strong suspicions. My office has been tracking him for a long time.”

  “And yet he still got into this country.” Pause. “It’s almost as if someone wanted him here.”

  “This stuff happens, unfortunately. People with the kind of money Sanchez had are able to pull strings. One connection leads to another.”

  “But at the end of the day, someone has to authorize the visa, right?” He felt a buzzing in his pocket. He pulled out his phone and glanced at the screen.

  He tapped out a hasty response.

  “Yes,” Crenshaw said. “I’ve already told you that. I don’t know why—”

  He cut Crenshaw off. “And in this case, the person who signed the paperwork granting Sanchez’ visa application—was you.”

  A hush fell across the courtroom.

  “You made sure he could get into the States, didn’t you? Because you wanted him here.”

  Crenshaw’s lips parted slowly. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I think you do. You didn’t use your own name on the forms, of course, which is why no one noticed till now. But my colleague is a handwriting expert and he says the signature is yours. He’s on his way to the courtroom now with a copy.”

  “You’re bluffing.”

  “Not today. I have a crack team, including someone who knows the records system inside out and is also a trained handwriting analyst. He’s got the goods on you, so you might as well come clean.”

  “This is completely outrageous.”

  “I’m asking you point blank, Agent Crenshaw. Please remember that you are under oath and subject to the penalties of perjury. So how do you want to play this?” He allowed several seconds of silence. Crenshaw’s eyes burned into his. “Did you allow Sanchez into this country?”

  “Damn you,” Crenshaw muttered. His eyes grew steely. His jaw tightened. “I did.”

  He had the jury’s attention now. Time for the money shot. “So when you said you had no idea how or why Sanchez was here, that wasn’t entirely correct, was it? You’re the whole reason he was here.”

  “This is part of an undercover sting operation,” Crenshaw replied. “Top secret. You’re trespassing into an ongoing investigation. I don’t care what the courtroom rules are. I can’t talk about this. If you sent my office a subpoena, as you should have done, we might have been able to work something out.”

  He wasn’t buying it. “How can there be an ongoing investigation? Sanchez is dead.”

  “His cartel had many people in it. Some of his operatives and some of the men and women he turned into sex slaves are still in this country. Stop trying to thwart justice with smoke and mirrors and let us do our job.”

  He kept pressing. “You’re saying the government let a major cartel figure into the country so they could investigate him? And to accomplish this, you put a false name on the visa paperwork? And somehow Sanchez knew his visa application would be granted by someone who wanted to investigate him? I’m not buying it. I think you let Sanchez into the country because you wanted to do business with him. You wanted a piece of the action.”

  “That’s absurd.”

  Jazlyn started to rise, but he cut her off. “First time I met you, Agent Crenshaw, you complained about how little the government pays you. Couldn’t pay the mortgage, right? Working with Sanchez would solve that problem. And this could also explain why you knew so much about Gabriella. And Esperanza. You knew, because Sanchez told you he was Esperanza’s nearest relative. Sanchez very much wanted Esperanza, and you very much wanted to please Sanchez. That meant you needed to do something about Gabriella, to get her out of the way.”

  “This is a complete fantasy.”

  “You contacted Luis, Emilio’s assistant, who wanted Emilio out of the way so he could be captain of the ship. And you got hold of someone in Sanchez’ outfit. Maybe his little brother, Diego? You set up the meeting to take out both gang lords. But you still wanted to eliminate Gabriella, probably to curry favor with Diego Sanchez.”

  “It’s a lie! A disgusting filthy lie.”

  “You must’ve been paid something up front, for getting Sanchez across the border. Maybe you used some of that to bribe Luis and Diego. Where’s the rest of the money? Offshore accounts?”

  “You have no proof of that.”

  “Not yet. But I have a crack research team, and they have experience dealing with foreign bank accounts, which aren’t nearly as impenetrable as they used to be. We’ll find your account.”

  Crenshaw turned toward the judge. “Do I have to put up with this unsubstantiated mudslinging? This is offensive not only to me but to my office and the United States government. He’s meddling in an ongoing investigation.”

  The judge was slow to respond. “You are required to answer Mr. Pike’s questions. I will remind Mr. Pike that he is supposed to be asking questions.”

  “Fine. Here’s another one. How did you know about Gabriella’s sister, Luciana?”

  Crenshaw seemed startled. “Well... Gabriella...told me about her sister.”

  “Really? According to Gabriella, you told her Luciana was in the country. How did you know?”

  “That’s not accurate. Gabriella asked me to check up on the gal.”

  “When did Gabriella tell you about her sister?”

  “I don’t remember the date.”

  “How did it come up?”

  “Her name was in the file.”

  “You gave me copies of those records. I saw no mention of Luciana. I knew nothing about the sister till I heard about her in court.”

  Crenshaw hesitated. “Well...I don’t remember exactly. This is all very confusing.”

  “One way or the other, you’re going to be called on your lies.”

  “I’m not lying!”

  “Here’s the truth. Sanchez told you about Luciana, just like he told you about Esperanza. He’d used Luciana until there was almost nothing left of her. Brought her here—with a visa you arranged, I’ll wager—for leverage against Gabriella, but she kept escaping and became a threat—which you dealt with. You went to work on her, didn’t you? Drugs, captivity, isolation. Who knows, maybe even a little torture. You wanted to make sure she couldn’t identify you, couldn’t testify against you, couldn’t tell people you were involved with Sanchez. We know she and others were confined in a storage locker, apparently for days at a time. Someone took her apart, destroyed what fragile remnant of a mind was left after years of sexual degradation.”

  “These are all lies!”

  He could see Jazlyn preparing to object, and to be fair, she had cause. He pivoted and gave her a stern look.

  His meaning was clear. Don’t interrupt. I’m onto something here.

  Jazlyn settled back into her seat.

  “You know what Luciana told me when I talked to her? She babbled about someone who wanted to hurt her. She kept talking about the eyes.” He concentrated, recalling the scene. “She repeated the phrase. ‘The eyes, man.’ And I was so stupid, I let her true meaning get lost in her broken voice and heavily accented Spanglish. She wasn’t saying eyes—she was saying ICE. She was talking about the ICE-man. Meaning you. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who had beaten and tortured her.”

  “I’m not putting up with this any longer.” Crenshaw stood as if to leave. The judge gave him a fierce look and motioned toward the bailiff.

  In the back of the courtroom, Jimmy burst through the doors, waving papers above his head.

  “You see that?” he continued. “We’ve got the goods on you. The visa application with your signature. Soon we’ll be able to prove you let Sanchez into the country, met with him, learned about Gabriella’s sister, and arranged the meeting that led to the shootout. I bet you were the one who instituted deportatio
n proceedings against Esperanza. Even by the standards of the current administration, rushing the deportation of a little girl who’s lost her parents is inhumane. You pushed for it, right? Don’t bother answering, I’ll prove it. Once I get the FBI involved, we’ll find all kinds of telecommunications between you and Sanchez. And Sanchez’ brother.”

  “I would never work for men like that! They disgusted me!”

  “So you admit that you knew them?”

  Crenshaw fell back into his seat. Sweat trickled down the side of his face. “I want a lawyer. I’m taking the fifth. Man’s got to protect himself against lies. I’m not saying another word.”

  Yes! Nailed it.

  He exchanged a glance with the judge, then continued. “You told me the cartel planned to expand the sex-trafficking business to the US. Wouldn’t they need a point man here to assist? Who better than you? You’re so well connected in the immigration world. You could get almost anyone in or out.”

  Crenshaw stared back at him, his teeth clenched shut. “I’m not talking.”

  “Then let me explain what happened. You knew Gabriella had a gun. You searched her house while she was at work and Esperanza was at school till you found it, which probably didn’t take you long. You planted a lookalike gun in its place. You set up the shootout, hid in the shadows, and killed Sanchez with Gabriella’s gun. Probably tried to kill Emilio. You mutilated the body to make the murder look personal. Later you switched the guns again, taking back yours and planting Gabriella’s, the murder weapon, in her backyard. Then you called the cops and gave them the anonymous tip.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Crenshaw growled.

  “I think I do. I’m going to prove everything I’ve said and make sure you’re locked up for the rest of your life. If anyone deserves to be on death row, it’s you, and I will not rest until—”

  Before anyone knew what had happened, Crenshaw had a gun in his hands. Pointed about a foot from Dan’s forehead.

  Chapter 50

  “Don’t move!” Crenshaw shouted. “No one moves!”

  The bailiff took a step forward. Crenshaw cautioned him with a wave of the gun. “Anybody moves toward that door or me, they’re dead. I’ve got nothing to lose now. Don’t push me.”

  His hand waved the gun back and forth, erratic and trembling. “I may kill you all anyway. Starting with you, Pike. Followed by your client.”

  Dan’s heart pounded madly against his chest. He had hoped to get Crenshaw excited—but he hadn’t expected this. He should’ve realized the man might have a gun on him. Like all law enforcement personnel, state or federal, he was allowed to carry weapons into the courthouse. They waived him past the metal detectors.

  “I’m getting out of here,” Crenshaw said, “and nobody’s gonna stop me. Including you, Pike.”

  He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm. He liked extreme sports, he told himself. Staring down the barrel of a gun had to be the most extreme one yet. “Let’s say you get out of here, which I doubt. Then what?”

  “I got money. I can go anywhere.”

  “Can you? You can’t leave the country. I doubt you can even make it to your car.”

  “I’ve already made arrangements. Contingency plans.”

  “You’re thinking Diego will take care of you. Forget it. You just made yourself untouchable.”

  “You’ll forgive me if I try.”

  “Aren’t you a poker player? Surely you know it’s time to fold.”

  “I’ll fold when I’m dead.”

  “And that’s exactly what’s going to happen, probably in the next ten minutes, if you don’t put down that gun.”

  He noticed the judge slowly sliding under the bench, out of the firing line. The bench was probably steel-reinforced. He knew judges were trained for emergencies. Too often, they became targets.

  Maria looked stunned, terrified. He laid his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. Gabriella, by contrast, seemed oddly calm. Perhaps because this scene vindicated her. But he thought it was more. Finally, she was seeing the truth revealed, the truth about what she and so many others had suffered.

  Crenshaw climbed out of the witness stand and headed down the center aisle, keeping the gun trained. “Here’s a word of advice for you, judge. If you’re thinking about calling security, think again. No one’s going to draw on an immigration officer. And if they try, they’ll end up dead.”

  Judge Le, to her credit, was not cowed. “Sir, you are in my courtroom, and you will obey my instructions. Put down the weapon.”

  “Your courtroom? You’re a joke. The whole justice system is a joke. Immigration is a joke. Politicians and bureaucrats give speeches and nothing ever changes. We have a real immigration problem and no one is doing anything about it. How much longer can we go on like this, paying the way for people who can’t support themselves? Are we going to be dominated by the people who contribute the least? It has to stop somewhere.”

  “We can talk about this,” he said, breathing deeply. “Just put down the gun.”

  “I tried to help people, but what did it get me? A crappy house, a broken marriage, a job no one respects. Just once, I tried to do something for myself, tried to make a little money on the side. But of course, you won’t let that happen. Rights are only for illegal leeches.”

  “You’re not thinking straight,” he said, holding out his hands. “I think you need some help. And we can get you that. But you need to put down the gun.”

  “You’re even worse than they are, Pike. Putting murderers back on the street for cash. You have no idea what justice is.”

  His face hardened. “I know my father did fourteen years for a crime he didn’t commit. And then he died, when I was seventeen. I swore I’d never let the government railroad anybody else. Not if I could stop it.”

  Maria looked at him. “Dan...I had no idea.”

  “Doesn’t matter.” He turned back to Crenshaw. “Please put down the gun before someone gets hurt.”

  “I am so damn sick of this. I’m sick of everyone!” Crenshaw took several steps forward and pointed the gun directly at his face. “But most of all I’m sick of you, Pike. I tried to warn you off. The doll, the photo. But you wouldn’t listen. Damn you!” The gun swung wildly all around him. “I may not get out of here alive. But I won’t die alone!”

  Everything happened at once. He leapt backward, pushing over the defense table to serve as a shield. Gunfire erupted. He grabbed Maria and Gabriella and held them tight. He heard a rush of footsteps, then screaming. A mad blur. Crenshaw’s knees buckled and he fell forward. More people screamed.

  The gun fired again.

  And then the courtroom was filled with an eerie silence.

  He and Maria exchanged looks. What happened? Was it safe?

  A few seconds later, he leaned out from behind the table.

  Crenshaw lay on the floor, arms twisted behind his back. Garrett sat on top of him. The gun was on the carpet a few feet away.

  “What happened?”

  “Well,” Garrett said, “someone had to do something.”

  “I had security people—”

  “And they weren’t moving,” Garrett replied. “So I did.”

  Armed officers burst through the back doors of the courtroom. Garrett raised his hands. The cops took custody of Crenshaw. Jimmy slowly raised his head out of the aisle. Garrett walked back to the defense table. “You okay, Dan?”

  “I’ll live. I think you just saved my life.”

  “Well, I didn’t want to go through the whole process of getting another new team member. Too damn much trouble.”

  Chapter 51

  Much time passed before Dan felt remotely normal again. He wondered if he would ever feel normal again. His heart pounded like a stroke was imminent. He let Maria calm Gabriella. She seemed much calmer than he expected to be anytime soon.

  The police spent the next hour taking statements. No one was allowed to leave. Eventually they hauled Crenshaw away.


  He quizzed Garrett. “What the hell did you think you were doing?”

  Garrett shrugged. “I expected your security guys to cut in, but they seemed paralyzed.”

  “So you decided to play Superman?”

  “I held back when he was confessing. I thought that might help our case. But when he started babbling about immigrants, I couldn’t stand it anymore. Losers like that give conservatives a bad name. While he was distracted by you, I tackled him from behind. He fired into the ceiling a couple of times, but I knocked the gun out of his hand and pinned his arms behind his back. No big.”

  “You saved my life, dude. And probably a lot of other people’s lives too.”

  “I could hear the officers outside. They were probably afraid they’d draw fire if they burst through the doors.”

  “Just the same—thanks. That was speedy thinking.”

  “You were pretty speedy yourself, Dan,” Maria said. “I think you leapt ten feet to get that table down to shield us.”

  He pointed at his feet. “Air Jordans. Not just a fashion statement.”

  Judge Le looked shaken, but she held herself together and spoke directly to Gabriella. “We still have much to learn, Ms. Valdez. I suspect the investigation will continue for many weeks. But it’s clear that you are a victim here, not a perpetrator. I believe the charges against you should be dismissed. Any objection from the prosecution?”

  “Definitely not,” Jazlyn said.

  “Gabriella Valdez, you are free to go.”

  Gabriella melted into his arms, tears streaming down her face. “I can’t believe it. I never thought—” Her voice was buried beneath tears.

  Maria closed in beside him. “I’m just as surprised. And just as pleased.”

  “You didn’t think we could win this?”

  “I didn’t think anyone could win this. And a few minutes ago, I thought you’d solved the case and your reward would be a bullet in the head. But somehow you managed to win and survive. You really are a miracle worker.”

  Jimmy came up behind them. “Could we please have a normal day? One with no threats, gunplay, or racing after documents?”