Sedona Law 4 by Dave Daren (ready to read books TXT) 📕

erred on the side of silence. But man, these people had done their homework. Small town media deserved more credit than it got.

“And you are meeting with Marvin Iakova later this afternoon, am I correct?” the same reporter asked. “Why would the defense attorney on a high profile murder case meet with him unless they regarded him as a suspect?”

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the reporter, and I instantly recognized his type. Young, ambitious, and hungry for a career. I couldn’t say I blamed him. But, Marvin Iakova was a polarizing figure. He had to be kept at arm’s length.

“Like I said,” I replied, “we are meeting with everyone that was backstage that night. This is a murder investigation, and we need to keep our eyes on the ball.”

“There are reports that he staged the murder as a publicity stunt,” he continued.

Vicki and the clients were gone, so this press conference was over.

“You are a Starbright employee,” I snarled. “Have some loyalty to your boss. I’m sorry, people, that’s all for now.”

I held up my palms  and the crowd parted.

“Thank you, Mr. Irving,” was the resounding comment as they let me pass through unhindered. I jogged through the parking lot and up the steps. I didn’t know how far behind that had put me, but I needed to get back on track.

I arrived inside and searched the lobby areas for Vicki and the clients. The courthouse in Preston had the sort of old Americana look that could be charming. Patterned linoleum and winding wooden staircases all harkened back to another era.

I imagined the early days in this courthouse, when people waited in these lobbies and talked of the day’s headlines, a man landing on the moon, and the death of the incumbent President Kennedy.

They thought the world was going to hell, then, what with the Beatles and their long hair and all. I wondered what they would have thought if they knew that this courthouse would one day see a murder trial for a nude polyamorous Brooklyn dancer.

I found our party gathered in a crowd around Vicki’s phone. She was streaming the live feed of my press conference, where talking heads now filled airtime summarizing and rehashing everything I had said. Gabriel nervously rambled about the details of the case, and Vicki smiled as I approached.

“That was impressive,” she said.

I winked. “It’s not my first time around the mulberry bush with reporters. How’s everybody holding up?”

“We’re good,” Gabriel said as he took a sip of coffee. “Fifth cup since Sedona.”

“Espresso?” I asked.

“You know it,” he said.

I laughed. “How’s everyone else?”

I glanced at Olivia who sat on a bench and sullenly played with her hands. Chloe wrapped her arms around her, and the two sat in an embrace. Julianna stood silently. She channeled Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly in a knee length black dress and dark shades. Geez. This was starting to become a mess. I was just glad I didn’t have to handle all the relationship nonsense behind this case. I was just here to give legal advice. No one else answered my question.

“Alright,” I said. “This is going to be quick, so we don’t need to stress about it. The judge is just going to read the charges, which we already know, and then he’ll ask you guys how you want to plead. Anyone have any questions about what’s about to happen?”

Everyone shook their heads, and I checked my phone. It was time to go in.

“Oh, my god, did I miss the event?” Zondra’s voice resonated through the lobby, even though she was still about ten feet away.

“Zondra,” I said. “No, you’re right on time.”

“Holy Jesus,” she said and clapped her hands around her face. “Holy baby Jesus in the manger. How you holding up, baby girl?”

Julianna sighed and still didn’t say anything.

“She’s not taking it well today,” Gabriel said, and he started rambling to Zondra, who listened with ever increasing concern.

I turned to Vicki, and she sighed. It was time.

“Alright, people,” I said. “Let’s move.”

With that, we all filed into the courtroom. The room matched the outdated decor of the building. It was a small space, a few rows of wooden pews, and then separated areas for the defendant and prosecution up front. Chet was already there, sitting and going over his notes. He looked up when we walked in so I nodded to him, and he nodded back.

We all took our seats on the defense side, with Chloe, Olivia, and Zondra sitting in the visitor’s row. Zondra squeezed Julianna’s hand before finding her seat. Olivia was quiet and somber, and to an observer, it could be attributed to grief. But, I suspected it looked more like guilt. Julianna removed her sunglasses to reveal swollen eyes, and Gabriel wrapped his arm around her as they sat.

“We’re going to get through this,” he told her. “It’s just you and me, together, babe.”

She smiled, and this set off a fresh round of tears, and they embraced. Vicki and I smiled at each other awkwardly. That was the thing about having couples as clients. They either held tightly to each other for comfort, or killed each other with infighting. Fortunately, we had only seen the first type. Our last couple had a baby right in front of us, and I almost had to deliver it myself.

“All rise, for the honorable Judge Robert Florian,” the bailiff said.

I hadn’t had this judge before, but I had heard of him. He was known as the “rock star” judge. He had been a fairly successful recording artist in Nashville before retiring from the music world and pursuing a career in law. That was nearly twenty years ago, and he was still seen as an edgy, young-ish, nominally subversive legal figure.

He walked up to the podium with that sort