I wanted to shout:I graduated summa cum laude, you bastard!
He was waiting for me to respond. I made a neutral noise. Kept my mouth closed.
“Hey, I hear you met my assistant today. Eleanor? She’s a tough competitor, I’ll guarantee that. Powerful litigator. Lots of courtroom experience.”
“I’m familiar with her rep.” I was, actually. Eleanor Lindquist was becoming low-key famous in Alabama. Everyone in the law biz knew about the victories she’d won in high-profile cases.
I wondered whether he’d reveal the true reason for her presence on the case. Was sincerely curious. I said, “I know you send some trial lawyers from your litigation division to lend a hand to inexperienced county prosecutors. When they need help with big cases. But that situation doesn’t apply to Robert Reeves, our DA. He’s not a novice.”
“True. But Eleanor Lindquist, well, she’s got qualities that Reeves lacks. She’ll add a different dimension to the trial. She’s already establishing rapport with the State’s primary witness.”
“I see.” Actually, I did see. Strategically, it was a smart move. “So y’all are thinking that a woman at the prosecution counsel table will counter sympathy for the doctor. Juries sometimes have a soft spot for female defendants. And when your thirteen-year-old witness testifies, being questioned by a woman will make the direct examination less awkward.”
He nodded, shrugged. “You always had an instinct for strategy, Mary. One of your strengths.”
“Hmmm.” I was growing weary of the conversation. There was no pleasure in tripping down memory lane with Dick Winston.“When are you heading back to Montgomery? I know you’re a busy man.”
Take the hint,I thought. Maybe he did. He cut the shit, got to the point.
“This case in your circuit is really blowing up, Mary. Isn’t it? Eleanor and I were talking about it on the way down here today. It’s not surprising, because feelings run high on the issue. I feel that, personally. I’m pro-life, I make no secret. I believe that abortion is murder.”
I sat there. Didn’t respond.
He said, “Eleanor’s young, she’s not as conservative as I am. She told me that she personally believes we could benefit from more leniency in our Alabama law. But it won’t affect her ability to represent the State in this case.” His voice was deliberately casual when he said, “What do you think?”
I sounded perfectly chill. “She’s your employee. You know best.”
“No, no, no—I mean, where do you stand on the issue? Of abortion?”
“Well. That’s a personal question, Dick.”
He edged forward in his seat. “Come on, Mary—it’s a fair question. No one really knows your position on these issues! You’re running as a Democrat on the ballot for your reelection campaign for circuit judge. But where do you stand? No one knows for sure what your position on abortion is. Hell, I don’t know. And we’re old friends.”
I was getting hot. Didn’t let it show, not then. “I’m a judicial candidate. I can’t make statements about issues of law that will come before my court. Can’t commit to ruling in a particular way on the bench. You’re well aware of that.”
“Mary, it’s just the two of us sitting in here.”
Lord, he was trying my patience. “Dick. I know what you’re doing.”
He sat back. Smiled at me. “What am I doing? I’m trying to have a conversation with you.”
The condescension was biblical. It always has been, with him.
“No, you’re not! You’re trying to coerce me into making a statement that you can use to pry me out of my position as the judge overseeing this case. Even though you are perfectly aware of my obligation to remain politically neutral. You want a statement? Here it is: As circuit judge, I’ll uphold the law. In the case ofState v. Gaines,I will preside in a fair and impartial manner.”
We had a brief standoff after that, a short period of strained silence. When the AG finally spoke, he’d dropped all pretense of civility. “Let me tell you what’s gonna happen here, Mary. Dr. Gaines will be convicted. We both know that, don’t we? It’s open-and-shut. And the jury will recommend a sentence. I’m projecting nothing less than twenty years. Hell, they may give her life.”
No easy exit. That was the problem with having a shithead like Dick Winston sitting in my chambers. It was my territory, so I couldn’t just get up and walk out. I needed to kick him out of my office before I lost it. After all, he was the state AG.
I was devising a good line to get him up from that chair and out the door when he dropped the bomb. “After she’s convicted, a lot of money will be spent—whatever it takes—to be absolutely certain you’re no longer a circuit judge. You’ll lose everything.”
That did it. No point in fake civility. We were past that. I pushed away from my desk and stood up, because I was determined to get that man out of my space. Even if I had to haul him out by his shirt collar. “Well, at least I’ll have the family farm.”
“Careful, Mary. You might lose that, too.”
Son of a bitch.“What’s that? What you say about my farm?”
I don’t want to hate anybody, truly. But I hated Dick Winston’s guts. I stalked around the desk toward him, ready to smack thatsmirk off his face. Maybe he could see my intention, knew he’d gone too far.
