Irrevocable Trust (Sasha McCandless Legal Thriller Book 6) (28 page)

Bricker had promised he
’
d be well-compensated if he performed well.

But Andy had latched on to what his client had left unsaid. What would Bricker to do him if he didn
’
t shine? What if the judge appointed McCandless despite his objections? Would Bricker kill him?

Get. A. Grip.

He washed his hands and lobbed the paper towel toward the trashcan.

If it goes in, it
’
s a sign that you
’
re gonna win.

The crumpled towel bounced off the rim of the can and landed on the floor.

Andy closed his eyes for a moment to clear his mind.

He had to stomp out the fear and blaze into Judge Perry-Brown
’
s courtroom, no holds barred, with all the fury he could muster.

His career, and maybe his life, depended on it.

It was time for his pre-game ritual.

He did a quick check of the bathroom to confirm that he was alone. Then he leaned close to the mirror and imagined himself as a blue-faced Mel Gibson in
“
Braveheart.
”
He took a breath then whispered the lines where William Wallace roused the men before battle. At the end, he threw back his head and roared,
“
Freedom!
”

His voice echoed off the tile floor and walls. His heart thudded in his chest. The Big Gun was ready.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Sasha nodded and pretended to listen to whatever last-minute advice Will was hurriedly trying to impart as they walked up the wide white courthouse steps. It didn
’
t matter what he was saying. She already knew how she planned to approach the hearing.

She found that Krav Maga training principles applied almost as well to her trial preparations as to her self-defense routines. Before a court appearance, she rehearsed her planned moves and responses until they became automatic. She didn
’
t have to think about them, which allowed her to free up her mental capacity for identifying and readjusting to unplanned moves that her adversary or the court threw at her.

For her, it worked.

For a belt-and-suspenders guy like Marsh, who memorized a script and refused to deviate from it, her method would have been disastrous. And for an off-the-cuff blusterer who relied on his quick wit and theatrical delivery like her late mentor, Noah, it would have been suffocating. But for her, the structure was freeing. And calming.

In fact, considering she was walking into a courtroom to face off against a truly horrible human being, who was representing an even more disgusting person, in a matter that would decide the course of the lives of six children she cared about, she was calmer than she had any right to be. Placid, even.

A quick glance back at Connelly and Cole as she stepped through the doors into the vestibule sent a wave of worry through all that tranquility, though.

Cole was pale. And sweating.

She put a hand out to stop Will and they moved to the side of the lobby to wait.

Connelly shot her a worried look and jerked his head toward the boy as he stopped next to her.

“
Here, can you hold this for me, please?
”
she asked, handing him her trial bag.

“
What? Naya
’
s not here to carry your briefcase, so I have to?
”
he teased her.

“
Something like that.
”

Cole was staring at the metal detectors with a distant look.

“
Are you okay? You don
’
t have to go through with this, you know.
”

He kept his eyes pinned over her shoulder and gulped.

“
I dunno.
”

She turned toward Connelly.

“
Okay, why don
’
t you and Will go ahead. I
’
ll stay here with Cole for a bit and meet you up there.
”

Connelly glanced from her to Cole then said,
“
Well at least have him wait on the other side of the security scanners. Just in case.
”

As in,
just in case his father decides to storm the lobby in a murderous rage.

“
Uh, I need to just sit down for a minute,
”
Cole mumbled.

He half-stumbled toward the nearest bench, but Connelly shook his head.

“
Not here. Sasha, since I
’
m apparently sneaking your knife through security, can you and Will lend Cole a hand?
”

Connelly shook his head at her attempt to con him and walked over to a bored-looking police officer gabbing with the scanner operator.

She felt the questions in Will
’
s eyes about the knife comment and a blush crept up her neck.

She cleared her throat and focused on Cole.

“
What
’
s he doing?
”
Cole croaked, nodding toward Connelly.

“
He
’
s flexing his federal agent muscle to avoid going through the metal detector with his gun.
”

“
Oh.
”

Cole
’
s entire body seemed to relax in response to the news that Connelly was armed. He let her guide him toward the little cluster formed by Will, Connelly, and the cop.

Their heads were bent over some official-looking document that Connelly had pulled from his breast pocket.

The police officer was nodding with enthusiasm and self-importance. Based on the officer
’
s conduct, she suspected Connelly had managed to convince him that something critical to national security was about to go down in the Allegheny County Courthouse.

She hid her smile and placed a hand on Connelly
’
s arm.

“
Are we good here?
”
she asked.

The police officer snapped his eyes to her.

“
Is this the attorney and client, sir?
”
he asked Connelly.

“
Affirmative,
”
Connelly answered in his best law enforcement voice.

Behind her, she heard Cole coughing into his hand.

“
You
’
re all cleared, ma
’
am. Your party can circumvent the scanner and just shoot up that staircase to your right.
”

“
Thank you, officer,
”
Will interjected, eager to be on his way.
“
Let
’
s go.
”

Connelly handed over her trial bag with a knowing smirk.

Will took off for the stairs at a brisk pace, and she had to trot to keep up with him.

Connelly and Cole trailed behind. Connelly refolded his paper and returned it to his pocket. Cole took a final backward glance at the lobby area and exhaled. The color was already returning to his face.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Sasha scanned the rows of seats as they entered Judge Perry-Brown
’
s courtroom. A cadre of senior citizens had already claimed the back row and were settled in. In the middle of the room, two brightly-scrubbed law students sat side-by-side in their brand-new suits, legal pads and pens out and ready on their laps. Interns, no doubt. And way over in the far corner, partially obscured by a wall that jutted out, was an unkempt middle-aged man.

Sasha squinted, trying to determine if he was the same guy from last time.

She didn
’
t realize she
’
d stopped mid-aisle until Connelly bumped into her back.

“
Sorry.
”

“
It
’
s my fault,
”
she whispered over her shoulder.

“
Is everything okay?
”

“
Not sure.
”

She took a second look at the man, trying to search his face, but he had his head turned to the wall. He seemed to be avoiding her gaze.

She continued on to the counsel table and dumped her bag beside Will, who was already seated and looking at her with a concerned expression.

She flashed him a reassuring smile then strolled over to the bar separating the gallery from the well and gestured for Connelly and Cole to meet her there.

They had just settled into the front row, but they hurried over to see what she wanted.

Connelly leaned over the railing.

“
What
’
s up?
”

She directed her comments to Cole.
“
Don
’
t look, but there
’
s a guy sitting in the far corner, way in the back. He
’
s wearing a green Army jacket. After you sit back down, wait a minute or two and then casually glance over and see if you recognize him as one of your father
’
s followers.
”

She forced herself not to look in the man
’
s direction and to keep her tone unconcerned, but worry flashed in Connelly
’
s eyes. He patted his jacket, where she knew his Glock was holstered.

Cole gnawed on his lower lip.

“
Here? You think my dad has a plant here?
”

She reached over the bar and patted down his cowlick. His hair popped right back up.

“
Probably not. He
’
s probably just some down-on-his-luck guy enjoying the air conditioning. But just in case, do me a favor and take a peek, okay?
”

She smiled broadly at him.

The door swung open, and Pulaski entered the courtroom.

She kept the smile pasted firmly in place and walked back to counsel
’
s table.

As Pulaski claimed the seat next to hers, she twisted her neck and caught Cole
’
s eye.

He shook his head no. He didn
’
t recognize the homeless guy.

Connelly
’
s tense face relaxed a fraction.

Sasha exhaled in relief.

“
Breathless already, McCandless?
”
Pulaski cracked.

She turned to him.
“
You
’
re looking awfully green, Andy. You feeling okay?
”

She said it mainly to rattle him, but it was true. He looked sickly. And scared.

For a fleeting moment, something like sympathy swelled in her
—
after all, he hadn
’
t chosen to represent a sociopathic criminal.

Then he winked at her and licked his lips, and any kind feelings evaporated.

“
Just gearing up to take you down. It
’
s gonna be the highlight of my career.
”
He bared his teeth in an approximation of a smile.

Will stiffened and shifted in his chair.

She turned away from Pulaski and caught Will
’
s attention.

“
What a putz,
”
she said loudly enough for Pulaski to hear.

Will searched her face.

“
Are you ready?
”

“
Ready as I
’
ll ever be.
”

She removed a legal pad from her briefcase, taking care not to disturb the knife nestled in the bottom of the bag.

Bev, the judge
’
s clerk, looked up from her paperwork and checked the time. Then she picked up the telephone to her right and murmured into the receiver.

Sasha knew she was telling the judge that all parties were present and ready to go.

Showtime.

The doors leading from the judge
’
s chambers opened, and she entered the courtroom with her large handbag dangling over the crook of her elbow.