Стюарт Вудс - Barely Legal

They were surprised to find the door open. The rookie cop was about to barge right in, but his partner stopped him. She was an old-timer and attached to protocol. She rapped loudly on the door, yelling into the apartment, “Police!”

When they were met with silence, she pulled her service weapon and eased through the door sideways, gun up.

Her partner followed, smirking at her for drawing her gun in a Park Avenue penthouse.

He got quite a shock when they reached the bedroom.

Herbie didn’t move. He stayed exactly as Carlo had posed him, breathing shallowly, the gun still in his hand.

Yvette didn’t move, either, but she wasn’t going to.

That was all the cops needed to see. The naked tableau told the story.

The rookie reached his hand out for the gun.

“Don’t touch that!”

He looked at her in surprise. “Why not?”

“It’s a crime scene. Don’t contaminate it.”

“The guy’s alive. You gonna let him keep the gun?”

“No, and I’m not going to touch it, either.”

She whipped a handkerchief out of her pocket and lifted the gun gently from Herbie’s fingers. She set the gun on the dresser, out of Herbie’s reach. “Cuff him. I’ll call it in.”

“Cuff him? He’s out cold.”

“Okay, I’ll cuff him and you call it in.”

The rookie made the call. “Got a homicide here. Husband in custody, wife DOA. Domestic disturbance gone bad.” He hung up to find his partner smirking at him. “What’s so funny?”

“Domestic disturbance gone bad?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Like a domestic disturbance could be good .”

Herbie was barely stirring when the detectives from the crime scene unit arrived. He was in their way, so they let the patrol officers run him in. With little help from their stumbling, incoherent suspect, they dressed him in sweats and running shoes and took him out to the car. They borrowed a gurney from the EMTs so they wouldn’t have to carry him.

They took him downtown and booked him for murder, which ordinarily would have earned him a chat with an ADA, but he was still too out of it to be Mirandized. He’d have to sleep it off. So they did what they always do with prisoners in his condition.

They threw him in the drunk tank.

Judge Buckingham glowered at the defense table where David Ross sat alone.

“Mr. Ross, where is your attorney?”

“I don’t know, Your Honor.”

“Did he inform you that he could not be here?”

“No, Your Honor.”

“Or that he would be late?”

“No, Your Honor.”

“Have you heard from Mr. Fisher this morning?”

“No, I have not.”

“Did you ask that another attorney appear in his stead?”

“I didn’t know he wouldn’t be here, Your Honor.”

“That was not my question. Did you ask for another attorney?”

“No, Your Honor.”

“How about Mr. Glick?”

“I have not heard from him, either, Your Honor.”

“Have you attempted to call him?”

“No, Your Honor. And in any case, Mr. Fisher has taken over for him. Mr. Glick would not be prepared to resume questioning at this point.”

“That’s not what I asked, either. It is not your place to assess how this courtroom should be run. That is my business, and I will thank you to remember it.”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

Judge Buckingham sat up straight on the bench. “This is unacceptable. Herb Fisher knew he was to be here. Herb Fisher is not here. Herb Fisher is in contempt of court. Issue a bench warrant for his arrest, and haul him in here. I expect to see him at two o’clock sharp to show cause why he should not be held in contempt of court.”

Judge Buckingham banged the gavel and stalked from the courtroom.

Councilman Ross joined his son at the defense table.

“Any luck?” David said.

Ross shook his head. “I called Woodman & Weld. They haven’t heard from him and have no idea where he is.”

“What do we do now?”

“Who else would know?” The councilman frowned. “Who was that friend he mentioned the other night? With the mansions and the planes?”

“Stone Barrington.”

“That’s the one.” Ross whipped out his cell phone and called his secretary. “I need a phone number.”

Mookie exited the courtroom and pulled out his cell phone, hesitating as his thumb hovered over the green call button. He didn’t want to make this call. He figured Taperelli wouldn’t be pleased about the news he had to report.

He figured right.

“What do you mean he isn’t there?” Taperelli shouted.

“He didn’t show up. No one knows where he is. The prosecutor’s pissed, and the judge issued some sort of warrant.”

“A bench warrant.”

“That’s the one.”

“The lawyer skipped out?”

“Or it’s just another stalling tactic. We’ll know at two o’clock.”

“I don’t want to wait till two o’clock.”

“I know, but what can we do?”

“The judge really issued a bench warrant?”

“Yeah. There’s cops looking for him.”

“That’s not good.”

“No kidding. You can’t compete with cops.”

“Damn. The guy skipped out. I wonder what happened.”

“You talked to him yesterday. Maybe you leaned on him a little hard.”

“You’re saying it’s my fault?”

“Of course not. But you’re an intimidating guy. Maybe he got scared.”

“It doesn’t add up. He shouldn’t have run.”

“Well, he’s not here. The kid’s here with no lawyer. So what do you want me to do? I can’t lean on him if he’s not here.”

“He got any close friends?”

“He’s got a girlfriend.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“I followed her the other night. He met her for drinks, walked her home, kissed her good night.”

“Who’s the girl?”

“I don’t know.”

“Find out. Find out who she is, find out where she works. Keep tabs on her till I tell you different. We’ll get to him through her.”

“You got it.”

Mookie left court and headed for the Upper West Side.

Stone Barrington was planning a dinner menu. So far it was a dinner for four, but it was for Saturday night and there was still time to add guests. At the moment it was him, a dinner companion to be named later, and Dino and Viv, and he hadn’t even asked Dino and Viv yet.

But all that was incidental. What was important was the food. Stone was considering caviar when Joan poked her head in the door. “Do you know a Councilman Ross?”

The name sounded familiar, but not for any reason Stone could put his finger on. “Can’t say as I do.”

“He says it’s about Herbie.”

“I’ll take it.” Stone picked up the phone. “Yes, Councilman, how can I help you?”

“Herb Fisher mentioned you. Said you were great friends.”

“We are indeed, and I can give him the highest reference if you’re looking for an attorney.”

“He’s already my attorney! He’s representing my son.”

The councilman’s name clicked in Stone’s mind. “Ah, yes, I do seem to recollect that now that you mention it.”

“He didn’t show up in court this morning.”

“That doesn’t sound like Herb.”

“It’s true, nevertheless. The judge issued a bench warrant, and no one can reach him.”

“Thanks, Councilman. I’ll take it from here.”

Stone got off the phone and called Dino. “Hey, Dino, I just got a call from Councilman Ross, the father of the kid Herbie’s representing. Herbie was a no-show in court this morning, and the judge issued a bench warrant.”

“What!”

“No one can find him. Can you circumvent the usual missing persons bullshit and see if he’s been taken to any emergency room? I have a bad feeling about this.”