Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies
Page 3

I didn’t tell him about how I’d started working for Skeeter Malcolm. Or how I’d used my gift of sight to help Skeeter win the Thanksgiving Day auction that had granted him the right to run the Fenton County criminal world. And I most definitely did not tell him that I was the Lady in Black.
After I had talked myself breathless, Carter released a low whistle. “You could write a book about all of this. I bet it would be a bestseller.”
I shook my head, embarrassed. “I assure you, Mr. Hale. No one wants to read about my life.”
He smirked. “I bet you’d be surprised.”
“You believe me about my visions?”
“Trust me, I’ve heard stranger things in this room. And besides, it fills in a few blanks you didn’t bring up.”
Oh, crappy doodles. He’d guessed the truth—I could see it in his eyes. And if he’d made the connection this quickly, how long would it be before Mason did too?
But before I could say a word, Carter’s expression changed. He looked down at his notes and then lifted his face, wearing a grim expression. “I’m gonna shoot it to you straight, Rose. J.R. Simmons is not a man to be trifled with. He never does anything half-assed. This case is as thin as the ham they put on the sandwiches at Tucker’s Deli, and I suspect the evidence is flimsy at best. If he weren’t involved, I’d count on getting it tossed out before trial. But Simmons is involved, so you can bet he has all his ducks in a row.”
He wasn’t telling me anything I didn’t already suspect.
“He got Deveraux out of the way so he could set this in motion, which means he’s got the DA, and most likely a judge, in his back pocket. Not to mention his son’s involvement.” He set his pen down and leaned back in his chair. “The trial’s gonna be a waste of everyone’s time because there’s no doubt whatsoever what the verdict will be.”
“Guilty.” It wasn’t a question. I already knew that too.
He pushed the notepad away, his forehead wrinkling. Finally he sat up. “There’s no use fighting this in court when every last one of them is probably on his payroll.”
“So what are you sayin’?” I asked, my anger rising. “That I should just plead guilty and expect to live out the rest of my days in the state pen?”
“No. But I’m warning you that short of a miracle, you’re gonna be convicted.” At least he didn’t look too happy with his declaration.
“I think I want a new attorney.”
He chuckled, but he stayed firmly seated in his chair. “I assure you that no one else wants this case. Hell, I didn’t even want it. When your boyfriend showed up at my door a few hours ago, I told him no.”
“Mason asked you to take my case?”
He frowned, looking displeased. “It doesn’t matter who asked me or why I took it. The fact is that I’m the only one who’s willing to take it on.”
“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” I could see he was holding back information, and I was sick to death of people hiding things … including me. “If I’m expected to tell you everything, then I need you to tell me everything too.”
His eyebrows lifted in mock reprimand. “Oh, but you haven’t told me everything, have you?”
My blood ran cold. “There are things that don’t seem pertinent to my case.”
“Yet they seem pertinent to the reason why I’m here.”
I was in deep trouble. He knew, all right. I might as well be wearing the Lady in Black’s veil right now.
He released a sigh and picked up his pen, twirling it in his hand. “How about we go at this another way?”
“And which way is that?”
He stopped to ponder his words for a moment, then said, “I have a client who keeps me on retainer. We have an … understanding.”
I sat up in my chair. He was talking about Skeeter.
“I take the cases he requests that I represent. Some seem hopeless—not as hopeless as this one, mind you,” he said with an ornery grin. “But hopeless nonetheless.”
I wanted to reach over and slug him, but I suspected that wouldn’t help my situation.
“I’m very good at what I do, Ms. Gardner, a trait that has earned your boyfriend’s dislike—and that’s putting it mildly. But sometimes even I can’t make the law work the way I need it to.”
I leaned forward and rested my hand on the table. “Mason’s been workin’ on finding something to use against J.R. Simmons. If he finds it, that should help, right?”
“It depends on what he finds and how quickly your case goes to trial. Once you’re convicted, it’ll be a helluva lot harder to get you out. But every piece of information will help, and my client seems determined to do everything in his power to keep you protected.” His eyes narrowed and a grin tugged at his lips. “And that has me very curious. Why’s he so interested in keepin’ you out of jail?”
I kept my mouth shut.
He grinned. “Not to worry. I was always good at puzzles. And I’ve already got this one mostly figured out.”
“Then I guess you don’t need anything else from me,” I grumbled.
Carter sat up and slid his notebook back in front of him. “Since we seem to have everything else wrapped up, how about we move on to personal matters? Any messages you want to give to your family? I doubt anyone will be able to see you until Monday at your arraignment.”