Page 28 of The Best Lawyer
“Is Katy going to be in the courtroom?”
“She is. It was her choice.”
“What happens if you lose?”
I felt awkward talking about the case with her. But so far, she hadn’t asked me about anything that wasn’t part of the public court filings.
“If I lose the suppression motion tomorrow, Katy’s statement to the police comes in. The jury will hear it.”
“And her toxicology, too.”
I nodded. “And her toxicology, too.”
“EdwardsandDavisare the strongest precedents,” she said. “Tierneyif he wants a Michigan-specific case. She didn’t have to ask for you by name. You have a clear invocation …”
“Emma,” I stopped her. “Let’s not. You know the rules.”
She screwed her eyes shut for an instant. I don’t know if she was trying to stave off tears or anger, or what. She tilted her head, resting her cheek on her knees as she looked at me.
“She knew better. She knew she should have kept quiet with the cops.”
“And whose fault is that!” Vangie’s shout echoed off the lake. It caughtthe attention of two fishermen in a boat twenty yards away.
She stomped up the dock, her face purple with rage. Behind her, Joe punched the back of one of the seats. I saw his wheels turning as he decided whether to go after Vangie.
Stay down, I thought to myself. Duck and cover, man.
He didn’t. Instead, he charged up the dock right behind her. They squared off on the lawn. I wished I had helmets and those foam sticks they use on the gladiator shows. Let them physically fight it out.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Joe shouted. Eric poked his head around the corner, saw Vangie and Joe, then stepped back. He wasn’t alone; Deputy Jeff Steuben had been assisting him with the burgers. He and Vangie had been on and off again for the last couple of years. That she brought him here today meant they were on a different level.
“You don’t want any of that,” Eric wisely told Jeff. He put a hand on his arm and drew him back toward the grill.
“This is never going to end.” Emma sighed.
“That woman is toxic,” Vangie erupted. “When are you going to get that through your thick skull, huh?”
“She’s facing life in prison,” Joe countered. “This isn’t just some traffic ticket. This is the rest of her life. You know she didn’t kill anybody?”
“I don’t care,” Vangie said.
“And you don’t mean that,” Joe said.
I turned to Emma, but before I could say anything, she rose from the swing and disappeared into the house. Probably for the best.
“Will you two knock it off!” Matt shouted from the dock. His voice roused my dog, Madison, who’d been stretched out in a patch of sunlight on the lawn, snoring. She let out a short yip of protest, then lay back down.
“I’m saying it doesn’t matter whether Katy killed that man or not. It shouldn’t be our problem anymore.”
“It’s not your problem,” Joe said.
“Really? Look around. Emma looks like crap because she’s not eating or sleeping. You’ve forced Cass into an impossible situation. She’s mad at you; she’s just not saying anything.”
“Whoa,” I said. “Don’t speak for me.”
“Youaremad,” Vangie argued. “You’re tense as hell. You’ve been forced out of your own office. Whatever mess Katy’s in, it’s of her own making. There are other lawyers who could help her.”
“I’m done arguing about this,” Joe said.
