10. Harper #3
The quiet doesn’t last long because as soon as the court officers bring Sasha Melnikov in, a flurry of whispers makes its way around the room, some a lot louder than others.
I ignore all of them and watch the man who’s being brought in.
I’ve never seen Sasha in person, and the photos didn’t do him justice.
He’s in the jail-issued orange jumpsuit, and they have him in cuffs.
His very presence is intimidating due to his height and build, and the tattooed hands and neck certainly don’t scream I’m a law-abiding citizen but it’s the stare he’s giving that has warning bells screaming in my head.
It’s not the normal dead-eyed stare I’ve seen on arrested men before.
Some like to appear tough—all bravado and an I don’t give a fuck attitude, but this is the kind of look that makes the small hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
As soon as I think it, Sasha looks at Ev and the look is gone, replaced with a casual, almost contrite look that is completely at odds with what I’d just seen.
I listen to the whispers around me, but no one else seems to have noticed the change.
Sasha is led to Ev’s table, and the cuffs are removed before he sits down next to him.
As soon as he’s sitting, he turns his head so he can see his wife and dad.
His face immediately softens when he looks at his wife, and when she starts crying, I swear it looks like he might join her.
He looks distraught, the same way she’s looking right now.
It’s obvious he loves her, and I have to remind myself that even psychotic killers can be nice sometimes.
Usually they only do it when they’re manipulating someone, but I’d swear this seems genuine if anyone were to ask my opinion of it.
Ev leans over and says something to Caleb, who then nods and scribbles something onto a sheet of paper before adding it to a folder and sliding it in front of Ev.
The whole time Sasha stares at his wife, unable or unwilling to take his eyes off her until the court clerk says, “Please rise for the Honorable Judge Jonathan Mathis,” and Ev motions for him to stand.
We all follow suit, standing as the judge walks in and takes his place at the very front before sitting back down again. The court clerk announces why we’re all here. “People of the State of New York versus Sasha Melnikov. Court is now in session.”
Arraignments only take about ten minutes, and this is just the first in a long line for the court today. Judge Mathis looks at the notes in front of him before adjusting the microphone and looking out at the courtroom.
Lang announces herself first. “Good morning, Your Honor. Rebecca Lang for the People.”
Ev is right behind her with, “Good morning, Your Honor. Evgeny Nikitin for the defendant.”
“Good morning, everyone,” Judge Mathis says in greeting before asking, “Counsel, are we ready to proceed?”
After the required, “Yes, Your Honor” from Ev and Rebecca, the judge looks at Sasha. “You’ve retained private counsel, Mr. Melnikov?”
Sasha’s voice is deep and strong when he says, “Yes, Your Honor,” not even a hint of a nervous tremor, and I’m not sure if that’s a good sign or a bad one.
Lang says in an equally confident tone, “The defendant is charged with Murder in the Second Degree.”
“Do you understand these charges, Mr. Melnikov?” Judge Mathis asks.
“Yes, Your Honor,” Sasha tells him.
“And how do you plead?”
“Not guilty,” Sasha answers.
Lang takes the opportunity to say, “Due to the severity of the charges and Mr. Melnikov’s known ties with organized crime, I request that he be remanded.”
Ev quickly jumps in. “My client has never been tied to organized crime,” he points out, which is technically true.
“Mr. Melnikov has a wife and four daughters and strong ties to his extended family. He has been cooperative throughout this entire process, even willingly surrendering himself to the police. He intends to contest these allegations vigorously and prove his innocence. He is not a flight risk or a danger to anyone. I ask that he be released until the trial so he can remain with his family.”
It takes the judge all of five seconds before he says, “Your request is denied. The defendant is remanded without bail. The matter is adjourned until August 23rd for a status conference.”
Sasha’s head whips around when he hears the sob his wife gives. Lev keeps his arm around his daughter-in-law while he shares a look with his son.
Ev seems unsurprised by the judge’s decision, and when it’s announced that the proceedings are over, his paralegal starts to quickly gather up the paperwork and put it in Ev’s briefcase while everyone starts to stand.
Before Sasha can be led away, his wife bolts forward, wrapping her arms around her husband and stealing a hug before anyone can stop her.
He hugs her back, nearly swallowing her up in his arms. He holds her like he never wants to let her go while he kisses her face and whispers something I can’t hear over the frenzied shouts around me.
“Ma’am, you need to step back,” one of the officers says, trying to lead Sasha away.
When Cindy makes no move to let him go, several other officers join in. One reaches out to grab her, and Lev quickly steps in and grabs onto her first.
“Don’t touch her, please,” he says. “She’s fine. I’ve got her, just don’t put your hands on her.”
Sasha looks at the officer who’d just been about to grab his wife, and those hairs on the back of my neck stand up again.
Ev puts a hand on Sasha’s shoulder, and the murderous look quickly leaves his face. He nods, even though I didn’t see Ev say anything, and then he looks back at his wife.
I can easily read his lips when he says, “I love you,” to her right before he’s roughly yanked back and cuffed before being led out of the courtroom.
Cindy sobs against her father-in-law while Ev speaks to them in a low voice. I’m not sure what he says, but it seems to make Sasha’s wife feel better because she nods her head and wipes at her face, trying to get herself under control.
The next arraignment is about to start, and it’s not even close to being newsworthy, so I follow the rest of the reporters as we all make our way out of the courtroom.
I lose track of Ev, and as soon as I’m outside, I wait on the steps with the rest of the horde.
I feel like one of the vultures when Ev finally appears and they all rush towards him, desperate for any word that might drop from his ridiculously skilled lips.
He ignores their shouts. Instead of leaving like he usually does, he waits for them to quiet down before he says, “My client is innocent of this crime, and I intend to prove it. I ask that you respect the privacy of his family. This is a very difficult time for them and hounding them won’t help you get a story because I already warned all of them to not say a single word to any of you. That’s the only statement I have.”
Everyone screams questions at him, but I manage to squeeze through and get in his path, so he’s forced to stop and look at me.
“Mr. Nikitin, did Mr. Melnikov call you from the station after he was arrested?” I ask, making him pause as he looks down at me. Whatever softness was on his face the night we’d kissed is gone when he turns away from me and says, “No comment.”
He ignores all of us, picking up his pace as he walks away from the building.
Several start to chase after him, but when Lang steps out next, all their focus goes to her instead.
I wait just long enough to hear her say, “The People intend to prosecute this case vigorously. Mr. Melnikov is charged with a very serious crime, and we intend to present the evidence in court that proves he committed it,” before I take off running after Ev.
I catch up to him right as he’s nearing his car.
“Mr. Nikitin, wait!” I holler, trying to keep things professional between us, but he doesn’t even turn around, even though I know he heard me. I try again, and when I’m only a couple of feet away, he reaches for the door handle, seconds away from getting in and leaving me behind.
“Ev,” I say, watching as his hand stills before he opens the door and tosses his briefcase inside. “Please look at me.”
He turns his head so I can see him, but the anger in his eyes makes me wish I’d just let him go.
“I said no comment, Ms. Reed. Did you not hear me? I already gave you a statement back there, the same as all the others. Why do you think you’re owed special treatment?”
“I don’t think I’m owed special treatment,” I start to say. “I just wanted to talk to you.”
The harsh laugh is anything but kind. “You’re here because you want a story.
Don’t bullshit me. I have to go,” he says, putting on his sunglasses and getting into his car.
He shuts the door in my face before I can even utter another word, and it starts to feel a lot like déjà vu.
At least this time he doesn’t threaten to hit me.
He just peels out, leaving me feeling like an idiot and an asshole all in one, and I’m not sure how he always manages to do that so effortlessly.
He might be avoiding me now, but he can’t avoid me forever.
Maybe he’s forgotten that he showed me where he lives.
If he doesn’t start playing nice, then I might have to pay him a visit.
The last thing I want is to see that pissed-off look directed at me again, but I want answers, and not all of them have to do with Sasha’s case.
I want to know if he regrets the kiss we shared, or if he still thinks about it as much as I do.
I want to know if he’s having as hard of a time with this as I am and if he’s just as confused by that as I am.
I want a lot of things, and if I have to go to his house and demand a sit-down, then I will. For now, I stand on the sidewalk, watching his Audi disappear into traffic while I think about the article I’m about to write.