Motion to Dismiss by Jonnie Jacobs Read Free Book Online

need. But I think you should be the attorney of record."
    There was pressure building above my right eye. I took another sip of wine. "Is that an order?"
    "We're on the same side here, Kali. Don't make things difficult."
    "Look who's talking."
    "Hey, it's a marginal case at best. I can't believe they'll really go through with it."
    "Rape is a serious crime."
    "This wasn't rape. You know that as well as I do. Grady Barrett is an important name. That's the reason Ms. She-Bear Rivera is trying to make an issue of it."
    I didn't like the snide edge to his tone, but in essence I agreed with him. "She does have a tendency to see things from her own perspective," I conceded. And to infuse them with passion.
    "From what I've heard, fur is flying downtown. There's talk Madelaine's taking this on in order to show the cops who they're dealing with. She's pissed that they were pussyfooting around with the investigation."
    "They were?"
    "I doubt it. But the cops are steamed about something as well. I doubt she'll get much support from that quarter."
    "Ought to make the prelim interesting."
    "You think you'll be able to knock the wind out of her sails?"
    I was beginning to feel the effects of the wine. And, the case wasn't airtight by any means. Grady's word against Deirdre's. Especially if he'd agree to let me argue consent.
    "I just might," I told him smugly.

Chapter 8
    For the day of the hearing, Madelaine Rivera had selected a dark blue power suit with a light gray shell and simple silver jewelry. I was favoring black and cream, without shoulder pads. We were pretty evenly matched in terms of serious professional attire.
    By contrast, Deirdre Nichols was like a breath of spring. The loose-fitting jumper of teal and lavender paisley did a remarkable job of enhancing her soft femininity while hiding her generous curves. The billowing red hair was tied at he nape of her neck with a black grosgrain ribbon, and her makeup had been applied with such a light touch that I could see the sprinkling of freckles across her nose when I approached the witness box.
    I offered her a smile, a trick I'd picked up early on in my career. Deirdre returned it spontaneously. I knew that if the case went to trial, which seemed at this point increasingly likely, Madelaine would coach her to respond with more reserve in the presence of "the enemy."
    With each witness the prosecution had paraded to the stand that morning, I'd felt the momentum of their case gathering. I was sure that Grady, seated next to me, felt it as well. His posture grew more rigid, his expression a little more hardened as the morning progressed.
    Officer Sylvester, who'd taken the initial report, spoke of Ms. Nichols's highly charged emotional state at the time she'd reported the crime. "As though she spoke from the heart," he said. A guest at the Saturday night party had confirmed that Deirdre and Grady had driven off together in his car. A neighbor had heard raised voices around eleven. A woman's breathless, "Don't. Please," and a male voice that wasn't clear enough to understand.
    To my dismay, Deirdre herself had made a surprisingly good witness, telling her story simply and believably as Madelaine led her through the evening's events. Now it was my turn. I doubted I'd be able to trip her up.
    I cleared my throat with the trace of a nervous laugh. Like the smile, this was an attempt to put the witness at ease, to have her see me as a person rather than simply as an attorney. It was surprising how many times witnesses obliged by going out of their way to give you what you wanted.
    "I'm going to take you through some of the testimony you gave earlier this morning," I told her. "I know it's going to seem terribly repetitive, but that doesn't mean I wasn't listening the first time. I just want to make sure I've got it right. Okay?" I loaded the word with all the empathy I could muster.
    "I understand." Her eyes met mine as though we were old friends.
    Judge Riley's gray head bobbed, though