Roarke scored again.
Though amused, Eve kept her face impassive, her gaze steady, a way of letting the woman know she was equally determined justice got its way.
Phoebe looked away first as they escorted Jonathan into the courtroom.
His mother had brought him fresh clothes, she noted, the suit, the crisp shirt, the tie, the shined shoes. He’d knotted his hair up.
He gave his mother a look of sorrow with just a hint of tears.
She touched her hand to her lips, then extended it to him.
Moments later, the bailiff ordered all to rise.
Chapter Twenty-One
Judge Gerald McEnroy entered, beefy in his black robes, his hair tightly curled around his wide, deep brown face.
Eve let the preliminaries go by, focused on the defendant and his mother.
She studied Jonathan’s profile, his body language as McEnroy informed him of his trial rights.
Not nervous, Eve concluded. Pretending to be, a little, but not nervous.
Smug. To her eye, he came off smug.
His mother kept her hands clasped together tightly on the knee of her crossed legs. Some nerves there, Eve thought. She carried them for her baby boy.
Jonathan’s shoulders hunched a bit when they read the charges against him, outlined the probable cause.
But not nerves, Eve concluded. Insult.
“Mr. Ebersole, do you understand the charges against you?”
He started to speak, then the lawyer with the silver hair leaned toward him, whispered something.
Jonathan rose politely. “Yes, Your Honor.”
“How do you plead?”
“Not guilty, Your Honor. Thank you.” And sat.
Reo rose. “Your Honor, the prosecution believes the charges against the defendant are heinous and show a disregard for human life. We contend, and have substantial evidence to prove, that Jonathan Harper Ebersole intended and planned to continue his killing spree.
“In addition, the defendant has access to great wealth. His family owns property and homes in several countries. He has access to private shuttles, and poses a serious flight risk. We request he be remanded until trial.”
“Your Honor.” Kopeckne rose. “The defense contends denying bail until the trial is concluded would be undo punishment. It will take several weeks for his legal representatives to mount a defense given the unwieldy and circular route law enforcement employed to the arrest of my client.”
“Your client took an unwieldy and circular route to murdering three people and attempting to murder another,” Reo snapped back.
“We’re not trying the case today, Ms. Reo.”
“Your Honor, the Harper Group is a multibillion-dollar company with global arms. The record of the arrest clearly shows the defendant threatened Aaron Pine with a weapon, the same weapon he attempted to attack Lieutenant Eve Dallas with in his attempt to escape arrest. This shows a propensity for violence.”
“It shows,” Kopeckne argued, “a young man shocked and frightened when his home is invaded.” He held up a hand. “Or so he believed in the moment. He has never exhibited violent behavior. He has no criminal record. He has his family’s emotional support, and deep ties to New York.”
“Your Honor—”
McEnroy slapped his gavel. “Just hold on, both of you. I repeat, we’re not trying this case today. This is a hearing regarding bail. The defense is entitled to build that defense. Due to that, and the court calendar, thistrial would begin…” He checked his calendar, nodding, frowning. “On February eighteenth of next year.”
