Page 97 of Shadow of Justice
“Because of me,” he said.
“Enough. You made a mistake. An honest one. A legitimate one. Danedidlie. He acted like a guilty man. Even today. He’s been in his own way since the beginning. But we’re out of time. I’m going to try to stall, but when I go back into that courtroom. I can almost guarantee you Bennett Cutler’s going to rest. I have to convince Saul to give me until tomorrow morning to call my rebuttal witnesses. Get me Holly Logue. Can you do that?”
Gus straightened. His expression hardened. “I’ll find her,” he promised me. I prayed he could. But she could be anywhere. She could even be dead.
“I’ll find her,” Gus repeated. We both knew Jamie Simmons’s fate would depend on it.
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.
