Contempt: A Legal Thriller Page 17

  “You were given the benefit of the doubt when you took this case, Mr. Banning,” Judge Reynold growled. “I’m now beginning to think Mr. Stone was right when he said you were taking this case solely to try to embarrass him.”

  “I did not, Your Honor.”

  “It sure as hell looks that way to me, and that sort of bullshit will not go on in my courtroom.” Reynolds threw his shoulders back, daring Thane to take him on.

  “I was just trying to—”

  Stone interrupted Thane, his face so flushed Thane was surprised he couldn’t hear the DA’s heartbeat from across the room. “We both know damn well what you were trying to do,” Stone said. “You’ve continually implied impropriety on my part, and I will not stand for it.”

  “More importantly,” Reynolds added, “neither will I.”

  “Your Honor, if this was a cheap trick, then the jury will see through it and penalize me for it. But you tell me: a witness tells my colleague he saw my client in a park, then the District Attorney pays him a visit—and god knows how he even learned about it—and suddenly the witness saw nothing. You saw him up on that stand: he wanted to make damn sure we all knew he didn’t see anything, afraid what might happen if he said otherwise.”

  “Mr. Banning, with all due respect, anyone could take one look at that ‘colleague’ of yours and easily see where a person would affirm whatever he was being asked. I have little doubt Mr. Song would have been willing to say he had seen Santa Claus that night.”

  Stone, who had been standing on one side of the room looking concerned he wouldn’t be able to constrain himself, strode over and joined the two men at the judge’s desk.

  “I demand a formal apology from this man in front of the jury,” Stone said.

  “Well, that isn’t going to happen,” the judge answered. “But I’ll tell you what is, Mr. Banning. You go down this path again of implying illegal behavior on the part of Mr. Stone without any evidence to back it up and I will cite you for contempt of court. You might even experience the pleasure of a jail cell once again, even if just for the night. Do you understand?”

  Thane’s stomach seized at this threat, especially after what he had done to Yoder in court. Whatever jail he was sent to, retribution would be swift, certain, and quite possibly fatal. The thought of once again being behind bars, being subjugated to the sadistic whims of anyone with authority and attitude, made him want to bolt from the room. He had vowed never to be locked up again, but he was now seeing where that could be a distinct possibility, especially if things played out as he expected.

  “Do you understand?” Reynolds asked again.

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  Thane stood between Gideon and Kristin in front of the elevators, but his mind was far away. Neither had asked what happened in the judge’s chambers yet, although he knew Kristin would only be able to contain herself for so long. When the elevator reached their floor, Stone appeared from the side, stepping in front of the opening door, blocking them from entering. Stone motioned for Thane to get on, then turned toward Gideon and Kristin.

  “Take the stairs,” Stone said.

  Gideon didn’t budge. “How about I take you with me?”

  Stone took a step forward. “You sure you’re in a position to threaten a DA, buddy boy?”

  “You sure you want to call me ‘boy’?”

  Thane shook his head. “I’ll meet you downstairs,” he said. He ushered the DA inside the elevator, as much for his well-being as Gideon’s. “Go on,” he said. “Take the next car and we’ll meet downstairs.”

  The elevator doors had to shut before Gideon’s glare was broken. As soon as they were alone, Stone immediately shifted his threats toward Thane, taking advantage of the privacy offered by the elevator.

  “If I thought you had any respect for the law, I wouldn’t worry about you ignoring the judge’s order.”

  “Respect for the law? That’s a joke, coming from you.”

  “Your antics are getting old, and they’re going to stop now if you want to keep that Neanderthal from going back to Forsman.”

  “Say what you have to say.”

  “Several nights ago your pal out there pawned a silver watch belonging to Ted Gruber. Care to tell me how he got it?”

  Thane stopped breathing.

  “You’re lying.”

  “No reason for the pawn shop owner to lie, and the video camera damn sure doesn’t lie. Ask the tough guy, see what he says.”

  “What do you want?”

  “His ass in jail, for one thing. I’m assuming he stole it when you visited Gruber’s home, and since pawning stolen goods will be his third strike, that means he’s out of the game for the rest of his life.”

  “Yet here we are, talking. So again, I’m asking you, what do you want?”

  “First, you quit insinuating I’ve broken conduct. Second, this case is over. No more witnesses, no more testimony, no more cross-examinations. Nothing. Third, you will not speak my name to the press again, ever, or your big friend goes away for good.”

  Thane turned away. “There’s the Bradford Stone we know and love.”

  “I’m not here to be loved. I asked you to step away from this case before all this started, but you didn’t listen. I don’t care what beef you have with me—but you’re after my office now, and that’s when I fight back. I’m not trying to be the bad guy here, but you fuck with me one more time, I will rain justice down all over your miserable head. That’s a promise.”

  Thane turned back slowly toward Stone, black thoughts rising inside him. And even though Stone had been more than comfortable standing up to Gideon, whatever he saw in Thane’s eyes made him step back. As soon as the doors opened, he quickly slipped past Thane and out onto the main floor, glancing back at Thane as he exited the elevator.

  “We’re done here,” he said over his shoulder. “You understand? We’re done.”

  Stone breezed past Gideon and Kristin, who were winded from hustling down the steps to meet the elevator.

  Kristin was the first to ask, “So, what’d Prince Charming have to say?”

  Thane ignored her, grabbing Gideon by the forearm and pulling him toward an empty meeting room off the main corridor. If his friend had been a smaller man, Thane’s grip would have pulled him off his feet. As it was, Gideon went along willingly.

  They entered the small room, Thane slamming the door behind him. His rage was building, but he tried as best he could to mollify his tone. “When we were at Gruber’s, did you steal something?”

  “What do you think?”

  “I think you’re not answering my question.”

  “Then there’s your answer,” Gideon said matter-of-factly.

  “Goddamn it, why?”

  “’Cause that’s what I do.”

  Thane kicked a chair, sending it clattering across the floor. He wanted to pick it up and smash it over his friend’s head. “Don’t give me that bullshit. You’re out of Forsman. You’re free. Why do you want to screw that up?”

  Gideon put his hands on the table, acting as if he were ready to flip it over. “Because I’m tired of living in a dump. Tired of not having money to get a decent meal or even buy a fucking beer. Yeah, I’m free, but sitting in a shithole with nothing to eat isn’t any better than jail.”

  “Oh that’s right, I forgot: we had to ask permission to piss in Forsman, but at least they gave you a good meal. Look, I’m trying to help you, but—”

  “Then stop trying. I don’t need your help, and I sure as hell didn’t ask for it. You don’t owe me nothin’, so maybe you should quit acting like you’re my white knight come to raise me from the ghetto. And maybe we should just stop pretending we have anything in common ‘sides doing time together. We’re from two different worlds, amigo, and those worlds are getting ready to collide. You shoulda seen it coming, so
get off my back.”

  Gideon scowled and headed for the door. Thane reached out and once again grabbed hold of his arm as he passed.

  “Don’t you walk out on me—”

  Gideon wheeled around and clamped hold of Thane’s shoulders with a grip that could have crushed his bones and pushed him toward the wall.

  “Don’t you ever grab me—” Gideon roared, but Thane managed to twist and reverse the hold, using their momentum to slam Gideon’s chest against the wall, his cheek flattened against the paneling.

  “Listen, you stubborn son of a bitch,” Thane said breathlessly. “Stone’s playing hardball now—and you’re the ball. He knows.”

  Gideon stopped struggling.

  “He threatening me to get you to back off?”

  Thane nodded, easing up on his grip, letting the big man peel off the wall to face him. “He’s Bradford Stone. That’s what he does.”

  “Fuck him. You can’t quit.”

  Thane hoped he’d never understand the thought process of a career felon. Total disregard for consequences or risk-versus-reward, where spending the rest of your life in prison was just the price you paid for showing someone they couldn’t push you around.

  “Does the phrase ‘three strikes’ mean anything to you?” Thane asked.

  “Yeah, that’s the number of times I’m going to take this chair upside your head if you roll over for him.”

  Gideon grabbed the chair that Thane had kicked across the room and sat down, slumping about as low as he could without sliding out of it.

  “What do you want me to do?” Thane asked.

  “I think you need to keep doing whatever you can to help Skunk—whatever it takes, whether it’s legal or not.”

  And there it was. Thane was surprised it had taken this long for Gideon to say it. “Jesus, Gideon, I can’t just—”

  Gideon flew back out of his chair. “Didn’t you learn nothing I taught you at Forsman? If somebody hits you in the leg with a stick, you bash them over the head with a pipe. You don’t do no eye for an eye. You take the entire head.”

  “I’m not in prison anymore.”

  Gideon stood over Thane. “But you still got the instincts. I can tell by watching you. You can’t tell me you didn’t learn a thing or two in prison. I watched you develop that edge. Hell, I helped you get that edge. You’re just scared to use it now that you’re out, ‘fraid of what it means if you can do those things. Take what you learned inside Forsman and start using it. Quit playing by their fucking rules.”

  “That’s not how the legal system works.”

  “The legal system,” Gideon muttered. “Ain’t that the same system that put you away? The same system that ripped you and your wife apart? How’s it working out for you now? You know Stone bullied that storeowner to change what he said. He playing by the rules? Time you start doing whatever you need to beat that son of a bitch. You’re due one. Take it.”

  Thane had no answer for this.

  “Skunk is counting on you, man,” Gideon continued. “If you roll over and let Stone step on you a second time, I’ll turn myself in over that watch. I’ll send myself back to Forsman just to spite you.”

  “You’re not that stubborn. Or that stupid.”

  “I’m both. Daddy didn’t raise no Honors student.”

  Gideon slapped Thane on the back and headed for the door. Just like that, the conversation was over.

  “Come on,” he said as he walked off. “We got work to do.”

  Gideon returned to the office, ostensibly to look through police reports and the various depositions the team had collected so far. He was supposed to be reading through the documents with a criminal’s eye. He had to laugh at that: everything he picked up he read with a criminal’s eye. But that didn’t mean he didn’t get bored with the reading part.

  The front office door creaked open, and Gideon glanced up to see Thane’s wife leaning into the office. She looked emotionally beaten down, like a first-time convict after his first week in Forsman: a dazed look in her eyes, and hesitant with every step.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I’m looking for Thane.”

  “He’s out.”

  He lifted himself off the sofa and extended his hand. “Gideon.”

  “Hannah. Hannah Banning. I’m glad to finally meet you. Thane’s talked a lot about you.”

  Gideon grinned. “I’m honored.”

  “You should be. You’re the only part of his time there he ever talks about.”

  Silence took over the room. Gideon had never been comfortable talking to women. He wanted to say something else, but was afraid that whatever he’d think up would be taken the wrong way—crass, profane, or just plain dumb. So he stood there, watching Thane’s wife until she spoke again.

  “Do me a favor,” she whispered. “Don’t tell Thane I stopped by. Maybe I’ll try calling him later.”

  After a moment more of standing in a daze, she turned slowly to leave. When she reached the door she paused, standing like that for several seconds. “Have I lost him?” she asked without turning around.

  “What do you mean?”

  She turned back around, the water in her eyes reflecting the light in the room. “I know who went into prison. But I’m not sure who came out.”

  “You expected the same fella you married?”

  “Don’t get me wrong. I understand what he went through, but—”

  “Whoa,” Gideon said, holding up his hand as if stopping traffic. “Let’s get that straight right now: you don’t. No damn way. Not trying to be rude or nothing, but however bad you think it is, the picture of it in your head is still a walk through Candyland next to the real thing.”

  She walked over and looked out the window. “After his second year at Forsman, he didn’t let me visit anymore. Didn’t respond to my letters. He said he wanted me to get on with my life.”

  “Sometimes it’s hard for those on the inside to hear about life outside. Kind of a cruel reminder. Besides, he loved you. Probably figured you was wasting your time waiting for him.”

  She continued staring out the window. “I just want him back.” Her voice cracked with emotion. “But I’m scared.”

  “You wanna know why I took your husband under my wing?” Gideon asked. “He was the only man I’d ever met in there who I really thought was innocent. A good man. I’d never met a guy like that before—not in Forsman, not anywhere.”

  Hannah finally turned back around to look at Gideon. “But five years is a long time.”

  “Hell of a lot longer than you know, sister. It’s like dog years. A long time to get bitter. Long time to have anger eatin’ away at you. Question now is, will he be able to get past that anger, or will it be a part of him forever?”

  Hannah nodded. “That’s what I want to know.”

  “Tell you the truth, I think he does too. Listen, I did everything I could to help him survive on the inside, but between you and me, I’m kinda out of my element on this side of the fence. It’s up to you now to help him survive.”

  “How?”

  “Just be there for him, even if you don’t understand what he’s going through. He needs you; it’s just he’s been conditioned not to ask for anything. Prison will do that to you. But one thing you got to keep in mind, no matter what happens, is he’s doing all of this for the two of you. For whatever reason, he thinks this is going to bring him through to the other side of that bitterness, crazy as it sounds. Hell, it don’t make no sense to me neither, but I don’t question nothing. Even though I ain’t got no college degree, I know one thing for sure, and that’s that he doesn’t give a damn about anything ‘cept getting on with your lives. He just thinks he’s gotta do this first. So have a little faith in him, huh? He needs you. He’s still a good man—despite what he thinks.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENT
Y-EIGHT

  Armor Park didn’t look like a park to Thane. Four busted-up benches were scattered across thirty yards of dirt, with an occasional tuft of grass bullying its way through the rock-hard soil. The only other hint of color came from some tall, mostly dead shrubs, which divided the park in half.

  Thane and Kristin stood at one end of the lot, surveying the stores surrounding it. A couple of sullen teenagers in the middle of some sort of transaction claimed the opposite side. One of the guys was exchanging packages with a shiny-faced youth in a shiny car, who looked like he was probably between classes at a nearby university. The other teen involved glanced over at Kristin and Thane, but paid them no mind—he was probably the lookout. He could probably tell they weren’t cops, but just the same, the well-dressed white couple didn’t exactly fit the picture.

  “What were you hoping to find here?” Kristin asked.

  “I don’t know,” Thane said. “I’m just grasping.”

  Kristin glanced from side to side. Despite her earlier attempts at bravado, she clearly didn’t like being in a place like this, even during daylight hours.

  Of the four benches in the park, they walked over to the only one that had wooden slats in the seat, and Thane saw that even those could be lifted up without much effort. A wall of hedges ran directly behind the bench, providing some shade and cover from the rear. They sat down.

  “This must be the bench where Skunk sat awaiting the mysterious caller,” Thane said.

  “I can see why Gideon had trouble finding anyone who would place Skunk here,” she said. “I’m betting there’s not a lot of civic-minded people around here. Not that I blame them.”

  Kristin paused, then glanced at Thane. “A lot of people are saying you took this case just to get back at Stone. Is it . . . is it true?”

  He didn’t answer right away, but also didn’t look away from her. Finally:

  “Yes.”

  She cocked her head in surprise, then nodded and turned back to the street. “Then I hope you kick his ass.”

  A black BMW SUV crawled down the street, the darkened passenger-side window rolling down a quarter of the way, then silently sliding back up as the car drove past. Kristin again glanced around the park, shifting on the bench. It wasn’t dark enough for the feeble streetlight next to the bench to illuminate them, but if they didn’t leave soon, the light would make them just that much more conspicuous.