This wasn’t going to be easy.
Jesus Christ. I hadn’t been this nervous working a case or standing in front of a judge since the very first time I’d been asked to handle one myself. I’d been tongue tied, blubbering like some first-year law student instead of a woman who’d been offered the job after two hundred even more qualified people had applied.
It was ridiculous. I had a few years under my belt, dozens of cases, many of which had gained notoriety. The once tongue-tied girl had turned into an accomplished shark who knew her way around the law with her eyes closed. I had both the admiration and hatred of my colleagues, but I wasn’t in the game to win Miss Popularity. It was all about the law.
Which was why when I rushed up the steps to the courthouse and was instantly confronted with reporters, their presence dragged me out of my pretrial mental state. While bail hearings were usually court proceedings that lasted maybe ten minutes, this case was huge and required special care.
I’d had two hours to prepare, not nearly enough given his extensive background and the oddities that I’d noticed about the case. Yet I’d been forced to go with what I had, refusing to walkinto any courtroom without having every single duck in a row. That wasn’t fair to the prosecutor’s office or to the person who’d been accused of the crime. Only this wasn’t just any person. This was about arguably the most powerful man in New Orleans.
What I’d found interesting was that for all the aggressive insistence that Alexander was guilty, there’d been very little evidence to back it up. Yes, there was a note that the victim was from a rival family, but if I had a quarter for every time I heard about possible turf wars, I wouldn’t need a promotion. If this case were being tried today, the prosecution would lose. After today, I didn’t need to worry about it.
And I certainly would find a way to ensure I didn’t run into the handsome man ever again.
Suddenly, I was barraged by a throng of reporters, their eager faces and instant questions catching me off guard.
“Ms. Devereaux. I understand you’ll be taking over the case against Alexander Prince.”
“Ms. Devereaux. Do you know who you’re prosecuting? The Prince of Darkness.”
What? I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the last question. Was I suddenly going to be faced with someone fromThe Walking Dead? Perhaps Dracula’s assistant? Now I had to admit the man oozed darkness and danger as if it were a piece of daily attire. The thought created warmth between my legs.
Silly girl.
Then the content of the first question finally dawned on me.
Wait. Hold on. I wasn’t taking over this case. I was doing my boss a favor. Or was that what he’d been trying to tellme? I wasn’t given an opportunity to answer before another microphone was thrust in my face.
“Ms. Devereaux, I understand your conviction record is over ninety-five percent. There are those who call you a shark, incapable of flexibility. What do you say to that?”
“Well, I…”
“Ms. Devereaux. If convicted, will you be seeking the death penalty?”
Jesus. Could they slow down? This I wasn’t used to.
A strange feeling washed over me as if I was being watched. Just like before. Very slowly, the questions and voices faded and I peered through an opening in the crowd toward the street. While there were too many people crowding the sidewalk, the feeling lingered. Now creepy-crawlies were slithering up my back.
Shake it off.
“Ms. Devereaux.” Another jarring voice yanked me out of the haze.
“Excuse me?”
How in the hell had anyone gotten my name? Unless Mr. Bernat had planned to hand over the case to me all along and had even told the court. Why would he do that? He’d been right in that this was a very important case. Enough so that the weight of what I was doing felt as if more than just a bail hearing.
Why give it to me? Unless there were aspects about the case he’d yet to explain. Another irritation.
Both Mr. Prince’s reputation and potentially his life were on the line. I didn’t take that lightly. Nor did I shove aside theknowledge that his family going way back was known for their criminal activity. I’d had only twenty minutes to delve into Alexander’s past and the charges against him. I needed as many details as possible in trying to establish what bail I’d request if any. I’d also made mental note of the number of times someone in his employ had been arrested. How interesting very few had led to charges that had stuck.
Or anyone spending time behind bars.
That annoyed the hell out of me. Anyone who thought they were better than the law was nothing but an irritation.
Something did snap inside about the questions they were asking.
“I’m late for court and other than just saying no comment, I will say this. This case has yet to be tried and until it does, there will be no conjecture on guilt or innocence. That is not only unfair to the defendant, but also to the state of Louisiana. I suggest you keep your eye on the ball.”
While I had to push my way through them, they weren’t eager to let me go, following me as far as to the security line.
