Chapter 18
By the time they reached Gloria Evans’s office the next day, it was already noon.
Catalina had awoken in Benjamin’s arms late morning.
It was no surprise that they’d both slept so long.
It had been well after midnight when they’d gone to sleep, and at some point during the night, she’d awoken to Benjamin caressing her tenderly.
His touch had reignited her desire for him, and they’d made love once more.
She was astonished by Benjamin’s stamina.
He was insatiable, and it appeared that it was infectious, because she too couldn’t keep her hands off him.
On their way to the public defender’s office, they’d stopped at a café to have breakfast. She’d been famished and devoured an omelet, toast, and a bowl of fruit, while Benjamin had eaten very little.
Gloria Evans was the public defender who’d been assigned to Santiago’s case. She was in her early to mid-thirties and pretty. When Catalina and Benjamin entered her office after being announced by a receptionist who seemed to work for a whole host of attorneys, she looked up from her desk.
Her office was full of stacks of files occupying every conceivable surface, even the floor.
“Yes? How can I help you?” Gloria Evans asked, her question directed at Benjamin, before her gaze swept to her.
Her forehead furrowed. “I know you. You’re the sister of one of my clients. Uh…”
She appeared to search her mind for the correct name.
“Santiago Vargas,” Catalina helped.
“Yes, yes, now I remember. Is this about his case?” She motioned toward an inbox with unopened letters. “Is he requesting we file an appeal? I can tell you right away that if there’s no new evidence—”
“It’s not about an appeal,” Benjamin interrupted. “I’m Benjamin LeSang. Miss Vargas has hired me as an investigator to look into the handling of her brother’s case.”
“The handling?”
Gloria’s voice inched an octave higher, while her eyebrows rose, and her back straightened.
“I can assure you that the case was handled properly.”
Outright indignation colored her voice, and Catalina felt uneasy. She didn’t like confrontation.
“Miss Evans,” Catalina started. “We’re just here to find out if there was anything else that could have helped prove my brother’s innocence.”
“If there had been, I would have brought it up in court,” she said, her voice clipped.
Then she motioned to the files around her.
“Do you have any idea how many cases I handle simultaneously every single week?”
“We understand, Miss Evans,” Benjamin cut in, his tone conciliatory. “We’re just trying to understand why you didn’t bring in your own expert witnesses who could have contradicted the prosecution.”
“To contradict what? That his fingerprints were all over the walk-in closet where the safe was located? Or that it was him on the security tape? I don’t waste the city’s meager budget when the evidence is indisputable.”
“I see. And you didn’t think it would be important to call any character witnesses for Santiago?”
Gloria huffed. “His boss refused to testify to his character. The Prestons are his customers. He didn’t want to piss them off. In this economy, nobody can blame him. He couldn’t afford to lose them or any of the customers they referred to him. As for any other character witnesses, there were none.”
“I could have testified,” Catalina said.
Gloria turned her face to her. “As I told you back then, it would have meant that the prosecution could cross-examine you and ask you about the deportation of your parents. It was bad enough when the prosecutor pointed it out in his opening and closing statements. To put you on the stand would have meant exposing your and Santiago’s need for money even more overtly. ”
“But—”
Benjamin put a hand on her forearm. “I’m afraid she’s right about that.” He looked back at Gloria. “Is that also the reason why Santiago didn’t testify at his own trial?”
The public defender nodded. “In part.”
“Even though he could have explained how his fingerprints got to be in the master closet?”
“I thought I could raise enough doubt about the fingerprints when I cross-examined the forensic technician.” She hesitated.
“In what way?”
“Because while they found Santiago’s fingerprints in the closet, they didn’t find them on the safe itself. But it didn’t seem to be enough for the jury once they saw the security tape.”
“I see. But you could have let Santiago testify at that point,” Benjamin said, his voice now insistent.
“Initially, I wanted to. I’d prepped him, but…”
“But what?”
She turned to Catalina. “You know your brother better than anyone. You know how shy he is, and how nervous he gets. Even during prep, he fell apart. The prosecution would have made mincemeat out of him during cross-examination. If anything, it would have strengthened their case even more.”
Gloria Evans sighed. “I did what I could to limit what the prosecutor asked his witnesses, but I was constantly overruled by the judge.” She glanced at her watch. “I’m sorry, I have to leave for an appointment.”
It was their sign to leave her office. Disappointed, Catalina allowed Benjamin to lead her out of the office. Moments later they were in the parking lot, heading for Benjamin’s Porsche.
“She was very defensive,” Benjamin remarked. “Don’t you think?”
“At first, yes.”
Benjamin nodded. “Is it true that your brother is shy and gets frazzled easily?”
“Yes. Unfortunately, he’s not used to speaking in public. And he gets intimidated very easily.”
They stopped at his car, and he suddenly looked past her. Curious, she glanced over her shoulder and noticed Gloria Evans, a heavy briefcase in her hand, unlock a Mercedes. It looked brand-new.
“That’s this year’s model of the Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Coupe,” Benjamin murmured. “How much do you think a public defender is paid?”
Catalina’s mind was on the same track. “Not enough to buy a brand-new $100,000 sports car.”
“That’s what I think too.”
What if Gloria Evans had been paid off by somebody to make sure Santiago’s defense was as weak as possible? It was a long shot, but they had to start somewhere.