Unconditional Surrender by Desiree Holt Read Free Book Online Page B

arrange two more sessions had thrilled her. Then the trial had swallowed up her life and she hadn’t heard from him again. Had she made him angry? It wasn’t as if they’d made any commitment to each other, although she was beginning to daydream about the possibility. She’d finally worked up the courage to call Bruno and ask if he’d been around but apparently he’d just disappeared from sight. What was that all about?
    The banging of the judge’s gavel brought her back to awareness and she straightened in her seat. Next to her she could feel Jerry Broder, her second chair, vibrating with controlled anticipation. They’d worked hard on this and had presented a solid case. But you couldn’t control the human factor and sometimes it did you in.
    “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” Judge Swimmer’s heavy voice boomed at her. “Have you reached a verdict?”
    The foreman, a thin, grey-haired man who’d shown no reaction to either testimony or evidence during the weeks of the trial, rose from his seat.
    “We have, Your Honour.” He unfolded the sheet of paper in his hands. “In the manner of The People versus Harold Webster, we The People find the defendant”—he paused for maximum effect—“guilty of first-degree murder.”
    Kari let out a breath she hadn’t even been aware she was holding as the courtroom erupted. Jerry pounded her on the back, the murder victim’s family was crying in the row behind her, reporters were clamouring for sound bites. Judge Swimmer pounded his gavel again.
    “Silence. All of you. I will have order in here or the bailiff will clear the courtroom. Officers, please remove the prisoner at once.”
    Then, finally, it was blessedly quiet.
    Kari shook hands with Jerry and began stuffing folders into her briefcase. She was glad to have this finally over with. The trial had dragged on for a week longer than she’d expected but in the end she’d got the verdict she wanted, that she knew was the right one.
    “Nice job, Kari. Even if I did lose.”
    She looked up and smiled at Rod Ciruli, the defence attorney. Although still in his mid-thirties, he had already built a strong reputation for himself as a shark for his clients. Kari respected him. He didn’t cut corners and, if his client was blatantly guilty, he did his best to work out the most advantageous deal for him. The guys in her office who’d lost to him griped about him all the time. Kari usually just smiled to herself, loath to point out to them that they needed to prepare their cases better. She, herself, had only lost to him once, and she could have smacked herself for her sloppy homework. But that had been ten years ago and she hadn’t lost to him since.
    “Thanks.” She laughed. “But your client made it easy for me. Too many things pointed to him.” She zipped her briefcase shut. “But I’ll take the compliment.
    He walked over to her, his own briefcase under his arm. “Got time for a drink?” He grinned. “Maybe you can give me some pointers.”
    “Thanks, but I really just want to get home, take a hot shower and pour myself a shot of fine Tennessee whisky.”
    “Most women I know usually crack open a bottle of wine. But I guess a tough prosecutor has some strong tastes in alcohol.” He walked with her to the doors leading from the courtroom out into the corridor.
    “We all have our own tastes, Rod,” she joked.
    “So, no big celebration tonight?”
    She shook her head. “No, just some time to unwind. But thanks for the offer, anyway.”
    She was waiting at the elevator, anxious to get to her office, unload everything and head for home. When the door opened, Sasha was swept out with the crowd and she threw her arms around Kari.
    “Congrats, girlfriend! The word is all over the office that you hit a home run.”
    “Thanks.” Kari managed to loosen herself from the bear hug. “I’m feeling really good about it.”
    Sasha stepped back and studied her friend carefully. “You look beat. Wrung out.