Ties That Bind (14 page)

“So, maybe it wasn’t a suicide.” Sanders said the stark words matter-of-factly.

“We know that’s a possibility,” Reese put in. “But we think that should we should keep all the options open at this point, to make sure.”

“I’ll talk to her family, friends and as many people at the prison as I can. We’ll look for evidence of both—was it a suicide, and if not, who killed her, and why would they implicate you.” He didn’t take any notes, just watched them with shrewd eyes. “You know that if it was homicide, we’re saying somebody murdered her to get to you.”

“That seems equally implausible,” Kate said, frowning. “It’s hard to believe we made that kind of enemy. Done something that egregious.”

“Not so unbelievable. People retaliate for all kinds of offenses, real and imaginary. Meanwhile, you’re getting her prison records, which I’d like to see when you’re done with them, and you’re talking to her other lawyers, right?”

“Yes, Wednesday night. I think we’ll get more insight into all this after examining those records.”

“And talking with inmates.” He grunted. “They say a lot more than they mean to.” In a welcome no-nonsense manner, the private investigator stood. “I’ll be in touch after I contact Bingham’s family and friends. I’ll let you know when I go to Longshore. Keep me up to speed on the records.” He extended his hand to Reese for a quick shake, but held Kate’s longer. “I’ll be in touch.”

When he left, Kate sank down onto a chair. She leaned back against the leather and closed her eyes. “This is hard.”

“I know. And so damn slow. It’s only been eleven days but it seems like we’ve been under this cloud forever.” He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “It’s wreaking havoc with my concentration. I just got a new case that needs my full attention.”

“On what?” They used to discuss every single case, inside and out, for hours, even if one of them was working alone. It was exhilarating to match wits with her.

“A school shooter. He’s seventeen, so he’s going to be tried as an adult.”

“The one that happened over in Allenstown?”

“Yep. The family contacted Bishop Associates because of our success with the shooting you and I handled.”

“That was six years ago. One of the last cases we did together.”

“Well, at least we won.”

She stared off as if she was seeing something. “Are you doing this one pro bono, too?”

“Yes. I haven’t done as much of that as I’d like to since you…since I took over as sole partner.”

She smiled. “That case was a success story. I read where Jamie Ryan’s back from upstate. And on the right path.”

“He got a lot of counseling, finished high school in detention, and is at a SUNY college.” Reese sighed. “The new one looks like another bullying situation.”

“It’s criminal that bullying still goes on in schools. My caseload would be a lot lighter, if it didn’t.” She sighed. “I wish I could do some pro bono work, like I used to with you.”

“Your job as a family court justice is community service, Kate. More so than any other judgeship.”

“Still, I’d like to do more.”

Rising, he poured them coffee. “We never got a chance before things fell apart between us to discuss how you liked being a judge.” And to his amazement, he really wanted to know.

She took the coffee and sipped. “Thanks. I love the job. Many appointees just use family court as a stepping stone. We’re low on the totem pole with civil and criminal courts.” She sighed. “I tried my hand at criminal court for a few weeks. It wasn’t my thing.”

“I remember all too well.”

She looked puzzled. Then awareness dawned. “Oh, yeah, that time we met up on either side of the bench. What a fiasco.”

“The opposing counsel had a field day with it.”

She shook her head. “The whole courthouse joked about it, so I hear.”

“Forget it. They fed off our splitting. What were you saying about family court?”

“Just that when people like Judge Judy write that we’re too lenient, it doesn’t help the image of family court.”

“I can’t believe you’re too easy on your cases.”

“I’m not. There’s a difference between empathy and leniency. I’m tough when I need to be.”

“I can attest to that.”

Giving him a weak grin, she hesitated before she said, “At the risk of breaking this…truce, your nomination is for criminal court, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“Are you excited about that?”

“I’m not letting myself be. Every day I fear that phone ringing, telling me my name is being withdrawn.”

“Do you still want it?”

“Truthfully?”

“Of course.”

“I haven’t gone after it until now because I lost some of my drive when we split.”

“You built this firm up a lot, Reese.”

“Yeah, but as far as going further, I don’t know, Kate, the magic was gone.”

She smiled wistfully. “Same here. I have no desire to go any further than where I am.”

Nostalgia hung heavily in the air. They just stared at each other. There were shadows in those pretty brown eyes of hers. He wondered if she was thinking the same thing as he. They’d lost so much.

A knock on the door precluded any comment. “Come in,” Reese said, annoyed by the intrusion.

Yolanda strode into the conference room. She nodded to Kate, who arrived for the early morning meeting before his assistant had gotten in. “Judge Renado.”

Kate frowned. “Yolanda, we’ve been on a first-name basis forever.”

Yolanda sniffed, and Kate’s gaze swung to Reese.

He shrugged.

“Greg Abbott’s waiting for you.” His colleague and maybe soon-to-be partner. “You need to be on your way to Allenstown. “ She angled her head to Kate. “Are you done with her?”

The words echoed in the air. For five years, Reese had thought he was done with Kaitlyn Renado. It was more than disconcerting that the notion didn’t seem true anymore.

And it sure as hell didn’t feel good.

o0o

HER PRETTY YELLOW suit was hidden behind her judge’s robes, which was unfortunate because Kate needed the pick-me-up of the cheerful color. The meeting with the private investigator had been unnerving, but nothing compared to the trial that was just beginning.

She looked to the petitioner’s table.

“Mary Lank, from the state’s attorney’s office, Your Honor.”

Standing also, the other lawyer stated, “Eric Benson, for the respondent.”

Kate turned her attention to the fourteen-year-old girl accused of second-degree murder and swallowed back the feeling that always surfaced with what she secretly labeled baby cases. “Ms. Lank, would you give your opening statement?”

“Elsa Golindez is charged with second-degree murder. Her infant son was found dead in the toilet of her home, after her sister called 911 saying Ms. Golindez was bleeding and in need of medical help. Firefighters found the newborn face down in the toilet. Medical personnel confirm that Ms. Golindez did indeed give birth to the child.”

Kate steeled herself to hear the gruesome details. “Mr. Benson?”

Eric Benson was a distinguished lawyer, who did more than his share of pro bono cases. “Your Honor, Elsa Golindez has an IQ of eighty. She contends that she didn’t even know she was pregnant until the baby came out.”

“That testimony was in the hearing. We’re here to proceed to fact-finding.” Which in family court meant the trial.

First up on the witness stand was the sister who called in the emergency. Dark and pretty, she resembled Elsa in size and coloring. The state asked, “Ms. Golindez, did you know your sister was pregnant?”

“I thought maybe, but I asked Mama and she said Elsa couldn’t be because she wasn’t married.”

Mama sat behind the respondent’s table, a big woman, dressed in black, her hands fumbling on rosary beads. She stared down, not at the goings-on in the courtroom, nor at her daughter.

“Why did you call nine-one-one?” Benson asked.

“Elsa was on the toilet, and there was blood all over her legs.”

“Did you check inside the toilet?”

“Ew…” the young girl said. “No way.”

“Was your sister dating anybody?”

“No, but…there were boys, who…liked her, who wanted to walk her home, be with her.”

Oh, dear, Kate thought. No question as to what they were after. A young, retarded girl, abused by boys at school. Where the hell was the supervision?

After the sister, the mother was called to the stand. She needed an interpreter. Her testimony revealed that she didn’t know how her daughter could be pregnant, she was a good girl, not too smart, but good. The prosecution asked the mother questions that indicated she was irresponsible and should have known her own child was pregnant. The woman seemed confused by that. When it came out that the mother and aunt were in the living room when the girl gave birth, Kate had to bite her own tongue not to rage at all of them.

By noon, Kate had heard from doctors and caseworkers as well. “All right, we’ll adjourn until after lunch when I’ll hear testimony from…” She looked at the respondent’s lawyer.

Benson said, “Ms. Golindez is our only witness.”

Kate returned to her chambers exhausted. As usual this baby case made her think of the baby she and Reese didn’t have, and her actions to bring that about. For all her life, she’d fought for a woman’s right to choose, sure that, if an unwanted pregnancy happened to her, she wouldn’t choose abortion, but believing women had the right to their own decisions. Why, she wondered as she took off her robe, had she changed her mind and gone ahead with her own abortion?

To get back at Reese for hounding her, his jealousy, his destruction of the perfect marriage? No, there was more to it than that. She hadn’t really wanted another child, and it would have interfered with her career. She wasn’t going to apologize for that. Still, in the dark of night, she did wonder if she’d acted rashly. If things had been better between them would she have had the child? The night she’d told Reese what she’d done, she’d been stricken with remorse. After time had passed, she didn’t feel guilt over her actions, but questioned if she’d made the right decision for herself. And, of course, it had damaged their marriage beyond repair.

Damn it, why was she thinking about this again? She’d dealt with her feelings about it all long ago.

A quick knock on her door brought her out of the uncomfortable reflection as her assistant, Portia, stepped inside. The woman’s sympathetic smile was soothing. “Tough one today, huh?”

Kate sighed. “Yes. That poor family. Still, something has to be done.”

“I know.” She plopped down in a padded chair. “I hate these cases though. How can anybody destroy or allow a child to be destroyed?”

“There are always circumstances.” She glanced at her calendar. “How’s the docket?”

“Packed. We’ll run late. You should finish this one as soon as you can.”

Kate nodded.

“You all right, Judge Renado? That suit’s a knockout, but it can’t hide how tired you look.”

“I’m not sleeping well.”

“I’m sorry. Anything I can do?”

“No, but thanks for being concerned.”

“Hey, am I interrupting?” Tyler poked his head through the open doorway, his hands filled with white cartons. “Not if that’s food.”

“It is—chicken Caesar salad and hot croissants.”

Portia gave Kate a lucky you look, stood and greeted Tyler. “I’ll be back in twenty. Enjoy the respite.”

All smiles, dressed in beltless jeans and a navy T-shirt, Tyler crossed to the desk, set the food down and kissed Kate on the cheek. “Hi, gorgeous.”

“Hi, handsome.” She was glad to see him.

“Hungry?”

“Always.” She nodded to the table. “Let’s sit there.”

As they ate, she asked about his day off, and he told her he was playing golf that afternoon. “However, I made your recipe for spaghetti sauce and put it in the Crock-Pot this morning, in hopes of luring you over tonight for dinner.”

“That would be nice.” She squeezed his strong, doctor’s hand. “And you don’t have to lure me over, Ty.”

“You look tired.”

She hadn’t gone to his house the previous evening, nor invited him to hers. “I know. It’s why I didn’t call you last night.”

“How did the meeting with the private investigator go?”

“Nerve racking.” Her office phone rang. “Let the machine pick up. I turned off my cell.”

“I’m sorry you’re going through this. I wish you’d let me help. “

“You can help tonight. Dinner would be terrific.”

His eyes turned hot. “And maybe…other things…will be just as terrific.”

A beep…She glanced at the phone as the voice came on. “Hi, Katie.” It was Reese. Too late she recalled the last time she’d gotten a call that the person with her shouldn’t hear. “I tried your cell. It was off, so I’ll just leave a message now. I’m on a break, but I wanted to tell you the prison records came in. Since we’re meeting with Bingham’s lawyers tomorrow evening, and I’ve got a full load today, I think we should get together tonight and look them over. My office? About eight?” He chuckled. “I’ll even order you Italian food again, and let you wear my sweat suit. Call and tell me if this works for you.”

Chagrined, Kate swallowed the bite she’d taken of her salad and met Tyler’s gaze. His had turned hard. “Ty, I’m sorry. He…”

“Didn’t even identify himself. He didn’t have to.”

Of all Tyler had to object to, Kate was surprised he chose that. “I…”

“You wore his clothes?”

She just stared at him. “It’s not what you’re implying.”

“No? Then exactly what is it?”

“It’s two people forced to work together for a common good.”

Tossing down his napkin, Tyler stood. “I’m sick of this.”

“It’s only been a few days. I need to be with Reese to get to the bottom of this accusation. “

“You could have done that without him. Hell, you could have implicated him and been out of this mess.”

“I thought we rang that bell. I won’t do something I don’t believe is right.”

Pacing now, he didn’t look at her. “I don’t like it. Any of it.”

She stood, too, with anger accompanying her. “Neither do I. But there’s not much I can do about it.”

He gestured to the phone. “Are you going over to meet him?”