Kenya whistled low. “She looks terrible.”
“Her whole family turned their backs on her. They’re too invested in believing Dane Fischer really killed Ellie. Jamie Simmons has been manipulating them all for twenty years. Grooming them to believe he’s this hero. The guy who took control and pulled them out of their grief.”
“Wow. That poor kid. I can’t even imagine. She’s solid though? She’s not going to change her mind?”
“No. She sees her dad for who he is. I think Cutler’s afraid of her.”
I had the copy of Erin Luke’s petition. I handed it to Kenya. She scanned it.
“She’s seeking a restraining order against her own daughter? This is sick.”
“I know. Cutler put her up to it just so he could ask Hayden about it on the stand.”
“And you’ll object and Judge Saul will sustain it.”
“Probably,” I agreed. “But Cutler’s whole case will be painting Hayden as disturbed. I’ve got her in touch with the Silver Angels. They’re looking out for her. She’s in therapy and I think it’s helping. But she needs someone else in her corner.”
“You have someone in mind?”
I smiled. “You think you could find the time to take her on as a client? Handle the hearing on that petition for her?”
“It’s gonna go nowhere,” she said. “Has Hayden been in contact with her mother? Has she threatened her?”
“No.”
“Then this is easy,” Kenya said, waving the petition.
“You’ll do it?”
“I’ll do it.”
“That’s fantastic. I’ll get word to her to expect a call from you.”
“I assume you want me to do this pro bono?”
“I never assume with other people’s money. I just know Hayden doesn’t have much. She’s been thrown out of her parents’ house. She’s living in an apartment the Silver Angels helped her find. They’re helping her with her rent for now.”
“It’s okay,” Kenya said. “I’m happy to do it. Sounds like this kid could use as many friends as she can.”
“Thank you,” I said. “That’ll give her … and me … peace of mind.”
“What about you?” she asked. “Are you ready for this?”
I looked at the whiteboard. “I don’t know. I mean, of course I am. It’s just … this isn’t a slam dunk. Not by any means. Simmons is a monster. Of that I’m sure. He kept souvenirs from the crime scene, from Ellie Luke’s body.”
“Then he married a souvenir,” Kenya said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. “Lord, Erin Luke could have been her sister’s twin.”
“It’s disturbing. But that alone doesn’t prove murder. Everything I have is circumstantial. I don’t have a confession. I don’t have definitive physical evidence tying him to the actual killing.”
Kenya smiled. “And I know you’ve gotten convictions on less. If anyone can pull this off, it’s you. I for one can’t wait to watch.”
“You’ll be there?” I asked.
Kenya put her hands on my shoulders. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed her strong presence in this office. It led me to another question. The big one. The county needed her … I needed her … to run for office again. To get back where she belonged in the corner office next to us.
“I’ll be here if you need me,” she said. “I’ll be your good luck charm. And I’ll back Hayden Simmons.”
Relief flooded me. Stress I hadn’t realized I’d been holding released. At the same time, I knew how big a battle I had in front of me. And Bennett Cutler may very well have more ammo.
