Chapter 31
“Mom.”
I felt weighed down. Peaceful. I opened one eye and the world seemed upside down.
“Mom!”
I blinked, taking a second to orient myself in the pitch dark. I was on the living room couch, face down, lying on top of my legal pad and notes.
I sat bolt upright. “What time is it?”
“It’s early,” Will said. He was still wearing pajama pants and a tee shirt. My eyes adjusted. Stars shone from the bay window in front of me. He looked so much like his father in the dim light.
“It’s almost five thirty,” he said. “You were talking in your sleep.”
“You heard me from upstairs?” I asked, wiping the drool from the corner of my mouth. Five thirty. I patted the couch with my hands, searching for my phone.
“Here,” Will said. He had my phone in his hand. I took it from him and quickly unlocked it.
Nothing. No missed calls. No texts from Gus. It was going on sixteen hours since we left the courthouse. Since he’d been on the hunt for Holly Logue. No news was bad news.
“I started the coffee,” Will said. “I figured you’d want to head into the office early. Are you going to rest your case today?”
I rose. The smell of the brewing coffee hit me. Manna from heaven.
“Probably,” I said. “I’m waiting for a call from Uncle Gus.”
“Bo’s mom is going to pick me up today,” he said. “I figured that’d be easier for you.”
My heart sank. My sweet boy. “That was thoughtful of you. I’m sure Aunt Kat wouldn’t mind …”
“No,” Will said. “Aunt Bree’s off this week. Aunt Kat didn’t want to say, but she’s having a hard time. Nervous about whether you’re going to win this case.”
“She was good friends with the girl who died,” I said.
I checked my phone again, making sure the ringer was on.
Gus should have called me. In three hours, I’d have to tell the judge something.
Either I had an alibi witness I could call on rebuttal, or I’d have to send this case to the jury with a big, fat hole in the shape of Dane Fischer.
Will followed me to the kitchen. I poured a cup of coffee and practically inhaled it.
“Do you think they’ll decide today?” he asked.
“No. I don’t know. I have one more witness. Then closing arguments if the defense doesn’t call anyone else. So maybe tomorrow or over the weekend.”
Worry lines creased his face. This had been an ongoing issue. My son got too invested in some of the cases I tried, especially the murders.
“You sure you’re okay if I head in early?” I asked.
“What happens if Uncle Gus can’t find this witness you need?”
I poured another cup of coffee. “I don’t know, buddy. Hopefully, it won’t matter either way. Hopefully, they’ll see there’s nothing else that could have happened.”
“Hopefully,” he said, those frown lines still deep. I reached for him. Will wasn’t an affectionate kid, but he had a keen sense of when I needed it. I kissed him on the cheek. He gave me a rigid hug.
“It’s okay,” he said. “Bo’s mom’s a good driver. She’ll be here in an hour. If something happens … you’ll text me?”
“Of course,” I said.
He turned and headed back up the stairs. If I squinted, he almost looked like a grown man. My baby. I hoped I could make the world just a little safer today. I hoped Gus could, too.
“Anything?”
Hojo and Caro were already in the office when I walked in an hour later.
“He hasn’t called here?” I asked.
Hojo’s face fell. “No. I called Gus’s office phone. Went straight to voicemail. You should call Sam.”
“You two should calm down,” Caro said. “So what if he can’t find this woman? Dane Fischer’s not the one who collected souvenirs from that poor girl’s dead body.”
“They need a reason to believe Fischer’s innocent,” Hojo said. “I was watching them. Fischer’s testimony made them uncomfortable. I’m telling you. Juror number seven in particular. The retired plumber. He was staring right through Fischer. Pure hatred.”
“Stop it,” Caro said. “How does that help Mara? Don’t you have some paperwork you have to file?” Hojo looked sufficiently chastised.
“It’s okay,” I said.
“You’ll kill him on closing,” Caro said. “No matter what Gus brings to the table today.”
I didn’t like this. I didn’t like having to walk into the courtroom not knowing which version of my closing I’d have to give. If Dane Fischer’s possible guilt hung over this thing, Jamie Simmons would likely be acquitted. I couldn’t believe I was even thinking that to myself.
“You’ll be great,” Hojo said. Then he took Caro’s advice and went down to his office.
“Ignore him,” Caro said. “I mean, not the part about you being great. The rest of it. If Gus comes through, it’ll just be icing on the cake.”
“Thanks,” I said. “I’m going to try calling Sam.”
“Good idea.” Then Caro’s face grew serious. “Mara. This may not be the best time. But … I know you met with Kenya the other day. She’s not coming back, is she? Please tell me you are.”
“Coming back?”
“Taking that office,” she said, pointing down the hall where Hojo had just disappeared.
“Did Kenya talk to you about it?”
Caro’s face betrayed nothing. But that alone told me what I needed to know. If anything, Caro had been the one to urge Kenya to put pressure on me to run. It meant Kenya hadn’t told her about her true plans. There had to be a reason for that. But I knew it wasn’t my place to share it.
“You’ll have to talk to Kenya about it,” I said. “But right now, I need to focus on the next couple of days.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I jumped, hoping to see Gus’s caller ID. But it was Sam. Caro discreetly went back to her desk so I could take the call in private.
“Hey, Sam. Do you know anything?”
He sighed. “I was about to ask you the same question. Gus isn’t returning my calls or texts. I haven’t seen him since last night.”
“Dammit. Sam …”
“He’s got time.”
“He’s got an hour,” I said. “I’m about to head over to the courthouse now. And even if he walked through my door right now with that witness, I’d barely have time to prep. I’ll have to put her on the stand cold. I don’t like that. I have no idea what she’ll say.”
“Is there someone else you can put on the stand?” he asked. “Stall. Vamp. Work your magic?”
“I’m out of ideas. If Gus can’t bring Holly Logue today, I’m going to have to rest.”
“Got it. I’ll keep trying to get a hold of Gus.”
“This isn’t like him,” I said. “Not to check in. Not even with you. Do you think he’s okay?”
I wish Sam were in front of me. I could have read his face. Known for sure what he was thinking. Instead, he gave me what amounted to a party line.
“Gus is good at what he does. If he can’t find this woman, it means she’s unfindable. Either way, I trust him.”
“Okay. But don’t you think he should at least call one of us and tell us that?”
Sam let out a huge sigh. I knew he agreed with me. But he’d never say anything against Gus.
“Mara, my gut’s telling me it’s because he’s found her. We have to trust him.”
“He should call,” I insisted, letting my frustration get the better of me. I clicked off. I had to prepare for what I’d do if I had to rest my case as is. As the minutes ticked away, I felt my options shrinking. And it was time to head to court.
“I’m sorry, she wants what?” Bennett Cutler was enjoying this. He stood at the lectern beside me. I wanted to knock the smug smile right off his face. Behind him, Jamie Simmons looked as relaxed as if he were sitting in his living room, not in a courtroom on trial for his life.
“I just need a bit more time,” I said. “My witness has had some traffic issues.”
“And I will renew my objection to her being able to call this witness at all,” Cutler said. “Holly Logue wasn’t on her witness list.”
“And I’ll renew my response. It’s proper rebuttal.
Mr. Cutler has been repeatedly allowed to enter testimony about Dane Fischer’s relationship with the victim.
His stunt yesterday opened the door. Ms. Logue has relevant information about the time period Ellie Luke went missing as it pertains to Dane Fischer. ”
“Be that as it may,” Judge Saul said. “The elusive Ms. Logue isn’t here. We cannot wait indefinitely. I’m going to ask you point blank, Ms. Brent. Do you know where your witness is?”
I couldn’t lie. But the truth would end this here and now. Where the hell was Gus? I had at least a dozen unanswered calls to him. Never mind how many Sam had placed. Every unspoken doubt I’d had came bubbling to the surface.
This case had changed him. Thrown him off his game. Gotten too far under his skin. I was worried. I prayed he wasn’t at the bottom of a bottle somewhere. Or worse.
“Ms. Brent?” the judge repeated. “Do you or do you not know where your witness is?”
“Detective Ritter is working on getting her here. As I said …”
“Working on it?” Cutler shouted. “Your Honor, enough is enough. Ms. Brent either needs to put up or shut up. She’s stalling for time. She’s wasting the jury’s time as well as everyone else’s in this room.”
“I’m afraid I agree,” Judge Saul said. “I’m sorry. Your witness is either here or she’s not. If she’s not, then we must proceed. Call your next witness, Ms. Brent.”
My knees turned to water. I hadn’t felt like that in a courtroom since I tried my very first case. Unprepared.
There was nobody left to call. So be it. I looked behind me. Sam sat in the back of the courtroom, his face stoic. He gave me the slightest raise of his brow. He had no news for me either. Gus was AWOL.
“Your Honor,” I said. “At this time, the prosecution …”
Sam let out a loud cough that echoed through the courtroom. The door had just opened. Gus walked through, coated in sweat, his face flushed. He held the door open and a tall woman walked through behind him. Gus gave me just the slightest nod.
Holly Logue.
“Your Honor,” I said. “My witness is here. If I could just have thirty minutes to confer …”
“You may not,” Judge Saul said. “You’ve had eighteen hours. Call your witness or rest, Ms. Brent.”
I wished for the gift of telepathy. What had she told Gus? What would she say on the stand? I stared hard at Gus. He nodded again, then mouthed two words. Trust me.
This would have to do.
“I’m ready for the jury to be brought back in,” I said.
Judge Saul motioned to her bailiff. I felt sweat running down my back as the jury filed in and took their seats.