‘This is outrageous, Judge! Twenty minutes before we’re set to pick a jury and this is the story the whole damn pool is reading downstairs!’ Mel Levenson bellowed, waving a copy of the Miami Herald about in his balloon hands. He looked like he’d just been boiled: his face was as red as a lobster, large beads of sweat dripped from his hook nose and off unruly, gray Elvis sideburns.
‘You may be giving some of that pool way too much credit,’ Farley replied with a dry chuckle, looking around at the crowd in his chambers from his throne at the head of a long conference table. ‘So don’t get yourself all worked up now, Mel. But Ido agree that it’s rather interesting this breaks today.’ He looked at John Latarrino for an answer, his eyes narrowing. ‘Detective? What’s the story here? Is he a suspect in these killings?’
‘He has not been named a suspect,’ Lat replied carefully. Across from him, Bellido leaned casually back in his chair, almost removing himself from the conversation, long fingers thoughtfully stroking his chin, probably covering up a toothy, smug smile, Lat thought. The longer this case went on, the more intolerable he was finding Ricardo Alejandro Bellido, the name the guy now made sure the press addressed him by. The thought of the man becoming the next State Attorney was enough to make Lat seriously consider moving departments north and over the county line to Broward. ‘At this point, I’d have to say he’s just a person of interest, Judge. There are certain similarities between the crimes, which, obviously, I’m not at liberty to discuss. We’re working with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the local authorities in both Wakulla and Santa Rosa counties.’
At the far end of the table he watched as Julia settled into a seat with her coffee, but he noticed she wasn’t looking over at him. And she wasn’t looking over at him on purpose, he figured. She was probably a little embarrassed about last night’s late-night phone call and North Beach rescue mission, which was definitely a little weird, but then again, he’d had his share of weird nights himself over the years. A lot of regrets swallowed along with his morning coffee. Everybody had. And the pressure of this case was sure to get to people in different ways, especially the major players. He just hoped she wasn’t worried he’d hold it against her. Whatever she had going on in her life – whoever she had it going on with – he knew she’d figure it out. She was a smart woman.
‘There you have it, Mr Levenson,’ said Farley with a shrug. ‘He’s not really a suspect. No harm intended, says the detective.’
‘This is bullshit, Your Honor!’ Mel yelled, leveling a fat fist on the table. ‘The prosecutors and detectives here are just not happy that on the eve of trial, public opinion in this case is not in their favor. They’re not happy that their attempts to prosecute and execute a clearly insane man – who, by the way, is being forced to take psychotropic meds by this court so he can stay sane in front of a jury – have ignited worldwide outrage, and so they will do anything and say anything to change their bloodthirsty image.’ He leaned on the table and looked directly at Rick, his eyes narrowing. ‘Especially our future State Attorney here, who apparently will be making a permanent run at the job come November. I’m guessing congratulations are in order.’
Rick didn’t even blink.
Mel turned back to the judge. ‘And that “do anything and say anything” mentality includes making my client look like a psychopathic serial killer in the public eye! All it takes is the allegation he’s involved in another couple of murder investigations to taint the whole pool downstairs. Just the allegation, and Mr Bellido knows it. I’m telling you, Judge, you won’t find one prospective juror in that courtroom this morning who hasn’t heard this story already and formed an opinion – and if you do, I’m removing him for cause, because he’s lying. Ican’t even move this mess to another county now – hell, even to another country– because it’s world news. World news. And these detectives – and Mr Bellido here, with his hidden smirk – sure as hell know it! The news hounds have up and done it again, Your Honor.’
Lat sat straight up in his chair, his blood boiling, while Brill pushed his back hard from the table.
‘Alright. Enough with the name-calling,’ the judge said with a sigh, holding up his hands as if to separate the two sides. Mel plunked back down in his seat, breathing heavy, pulling his shirt cuffs back down and out his sleeves. Rick maintained the disinterested stare.
‘Well, you just said it, Mel,’ Farley continued. ‘He’s tainted the world. So don’t bother asking for a change of venue now to Martin County. I’ll be sure to give the pool a curative instruction when they get up here.’ The judge turned to Rick. ‘While Iwas very happy to hear on The Today Show that you’ll have Jerry Tigler’s endorsement on county bus benches across Miami-Dade come September, this isn’t how we’re gonna try this case.’ His icy stare drifted back and forth between Rick and Julia now. ‘Do you both understand me? Nice try.’ He sat back and perused the entire table. ‘You’ve all been gagged. And that includes your detectives and your private investigators. Your mothers and your grandmothers, too. Idon’t want to hear about another suspected leak unless it’s coming from underneath someone’s kitchen sink. Got it?’
‘Fair enough, Your Honor,’ said Rick, rising. He smoothly buttoned his jacket. ‘I don’t know how the press got a hold of this information, but Icertainly won’t mention another word about it.’
‘Including, I’m sure, the fact that David Marquette is not actually a suspect. How convenient,’ scoffed Mel, grabbing his file from Stan Grossbach’s hands. ‘Your Honor, if I’m not going to get a venue change, I think I should at the very least get a continuance charged to the State. We should wait until the press dies down on this and people at least forget what they heard this morning on CNN.’
Farley actually laughed. ‘Have you been looking out your window for the past few months, Mr Levenson? The press is going nowhere. If anything, a continuance will just encourage a few more diehards to pick up a camera and cross the pond. Or even worse for you, your client could actually be charged as a defendant in the North Florida murders. You want a continuance, it’s a defense continuance, so say goodbye to speedies. And you can try this case maybe next March, because I’m sure my docket is pretty full till then.’ He shot a look over at the court reporter, who obediently stopped typing. ‘And, let’s be honest here, Mel, Ijust don’t think your client’s daddy is gonna be too happy to hear that. Especially with Junior enjoying the luxurious accommodations of Hotel DCJ across the street. ’Cause that’s where he’ll sit till we try this thing.’
Mel shook his head. ‘I’m between a rock and a hard place on this, Lenny,’ he said between gritted teeth.
‘Then let me make it easy for you. I’m not giving you a continuance anyway, even if you want it. There. Ijust handed you your first issue on appeal.’ The judge turned to Jefferson, who stood by the door, fidgeting with his glasses. ‘Jefferson!’ he said, making the bailiff jump in his skin and drop them to the floor. ‘Go bring up the first fifty from downstairs. We’re picking this jury in an hour.’