William Bernhardt - Dark Justice

“In that case,” Ben said, “I’ll go now.”

“Thought you might feel that way.” He pulled the jangling cell keys out of his pocket. “This little lady’s got you all fixed up. Never seen anyone come to town and get things done the way she did. She’s got a lot of spunk.” He grinned. “I like that in a woman.”

“Christina’s the best legal assistant I’ve ever had.”

Allen tipped his hat. “That’s high praise, I expect.”

“Not really,” Christina explained. “I’m the only legal assistant he’s ever had.”

Allen began unlocking Ben’s cell.

Ben heard stirrings from the cell to his left. Maureen was awake and on her feet. “Looks like you grabbed the brass ring, Kincaid.”

“No need to display your penal envy,” Allen said as he slid Ben’s cell door open. “You’re getting out, too.”

Rick pressed against the bars on Ben’s right. “We are?”

“Yup. Judge says twenty-four hours is the most we can hold you for disturbing the peace. But let me tell you something. I got no feelings about your cause for or against. But if you and your people go on stirring up trouble around here, I will come down on you-hard.”

Maureen nodded. “Thanks, Sheriff.”

Allen unlocked Maureen’s and Rick’s cells. “ ’Fore you all go, I wonder if I might, um-” He cleared his throat awkwardly. “I wondered if I might have a word with Miss, uh, is it Christina?”

Christina turned, surprised. “That’s my name.”

“You think you’re going to be hanging around town for a spell?”

“Well, I couldn’t get us a flight out of here until tomorrow.”

“I just wondered if, you know, if you and this guy ain’t hitched or anything-”

Christina’s eyes expanded.

Allen cleared his throat. “I wondered if you wouldn’t mind having lunch with me.”

Christina appeared momentarily perplexed. She glanced at Ben. “Is that a problem?”

Ben shrugged. “Not with me.”

“Then it’s a date.”

A date ! Ben thought. He just invited her to lunch, for Pete’s sake. Was that a date?

“Now,” Christina said, “if it’s all right with the rest of you, I’d like to get the hell out of here. Jails and I are … not bosom buddies.”

Ben knew what she was talking about. Christina had spent a horrible period locked up in a tiny, dirty jail cell several years ago when she was falsely accused of murder. The incident had left emotional scars. She had nightmares about finding herself shut up behind bars again. Just the thought of it was enough to make her break down like a baby.

Allen led the four of them down the corridor. Ben thought he detected a certain bounce in the man’s boots that hadn’t been there before. And they hadn’t even started the lunch date.

“Welcome back to the free world,” he said, opening the outside door. “Now stay out of trouble, you hear?”

Ben heard, all right. Loud and clear.

Maureen started at Ben again the instant they stepped out of the jailhouse. “Seriously, Ben, think about my invitation. This could be a unique opportunity for you to be a potent force for good.”

Ben waved his hands in the air. “I’m sorry, no. I’m not going to become known as the mouthpiece for terrorists.”

“Then forget about the book idea. Just take Zak’s case. He needs a lawyer who knows the ropes. Who has experience with capital murder cases.”

Christina’s ears pricked up. “A case? They’re offering us a case?” She grabbed Ben’s arm and lowered her voice. “Ben, this could be just what we need.”

“Believe me, it isn’t.”

“Ben, we haven’t had a paying case for months. We haven’t had a case that paid well since Wallace Barrett, and that money ran out a long time ago.”

“Trust me, Christina. This isn’t the answer.”

“Look, maybe you don’t need the cash, but I’m paying tuition at TU, and that bill is larger than the GNP of some industrialized nations.”

“Christina, this wouldn’t be a moneymaker. More like a pro bono case. With some serious negative ramifications.” He turned back toward Maureen. “I’m sorry. I’d like to help. But it’s out of the question.” He extended his hand. “I just can’t do it.”

Maureen took his hand and clasped it. Her eyes seemed much softer than they had before. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said. “I’m disappointed and-well, just very … sorry.” She turned quickly and headed down the sidewalk. Rick followed a beat behind her.

Ben and Christina watched as the pair passed out of sight. “Are you sure about this?” Christina asked.

“Absolutely,” Ben replied. “It’s for the best. Really.” He started walking in the opposite direction.

Ben hadn’t moved ten feet when he heard a piercing shout from down the street. “ Maureen !”

“What’s that?” Christina asked.

Ben whirled around. “Stay here.” He raced down the street and rounded the same corner he had seen Rick and Maureen take a few moments before. Following the sounds of struggle, he ducked into a side alley behind a closed dry cleaning store.

There were three of them-big burly thugs, the kind you knew immediately couldn’t possibly be good for anything in the world except inflicting pain. One of them had a chain wrapped around his fist and was using it to pummel Rick. Another one had Maureen pinned against the wall, her face stricken with terror. The third seemed content to fold his arms, supervise, and sneer.

“Well, now,” the third man said. “Let’s show these two tree huggers what rage really is, whaddaya say, boys?”

Before Ben had a chance to think, much less act, the metal chain whipped around in a deadly spiral. Rick turned away, but had no room to maneuver. The chain crashed down on his back. He cried out as he fell to his knees. His assailant grinned and brought the chain around again.

Maureen was struggling for all she was worth, but her attacker had her pinned against a brick wall, his arms on either side and beneath hers, leaving her nowhere to go. The man outweighed her by at least a hundred pounds and was much stronger. He snapped his hand back for a sudden slap across the side of her face. Maureen’s head banged against the brick wall, then went limp.

“ Stop !” Ben shouted. He knew that probably sounded incredibly unthreatening to these toughs, but he hoped it might slow them down a few beats. He had to think of something. But what could he do?

“Lookee here,” said the man with the folded arms. “Another tree hugger. Looks like I’m gonna get to do some poundin’ myself.” He started toward Ben, not in a hurry, making it all the more frightening. There was something about the man, something in his calm, powerful manner, that made him absolutely terrifying.

“I’ve called the sheriff’s office,” Ben said, trying to suppress the stutter in his voice. “They’re on their way.”

The man shook his head, still moving toward Ben. “There’s no pay phone on this block. You haven’t had time.”

Without thinking, Ben whipped his checkbook out of his back pocket. He just hoped it was dark enough back here to get away with this. “I used my cell phone. They’re on their way. Won’t take them a minute to get here.”

“You’re bluffing.”

“It’s true,” Maureen said, bringing as much strength to her voice as she could muster. “It’s standard Green Rage operating procedure. First sign of trouble, call the cops.”

“Listen!” Ben said. “I hear them coming.”

Somewhere in the distance, they heard the sound of a door slamming, followed by the sound of feet moving quickly on the pavement.

“Damn it all to hell,” the man swore, throwing down his big muscled arms. “Let’s get out of here, boys.”