Judge Becker drummed her dark plum claws on the bench. The sound echoed in the mostly empty courtroom. She stared at Vance Collier. ‘Is the state ready to proceed or not?’
‘Your Honor, I have a problem,’ replied Vance, his voice tinged with anxiety and anger.
‘I see that. Or rather, I don’t. Tell me, where is Ms DeBianchi?’
Joe Varlack checked his watch again and looked over at the state’s table. He was going without co-counsel today. Beside him was his client, decked out in a grey Hugo Boss suit, his sandy, once shaggy, blond locks now cut to his ears and respectably combed back. Unlike his lawyer, his face was devoid of emotion. Seated behind Talbot was a smiling Abby Lunders.
‘Your Honor, my office has been unable to reach Ms DeBianchi,’ Vance stumbled. ‘She, ah, was at a law enforcement conference in Orlando these past few days, but she hasn’t been in the office this morning. We’re trying to locate her.’
‘You do know that Mr Varlack has filed a speedy demand?’ the judge replied. ‘And that we’ve already lost considerable time due to the hurricane?’
‘My office has been swamped trying to get back up to speed after Artemis. It’s been very difficult.’
‘Quite frankly, Mr Collier, that is not the defendant’s problem. He’s here. He’s ready to proceed. Obviously, Ms DeBianchi is not doing hurricane relief work in Orlando. Perhaps she got lost at Disney World?’
‘Just so the court knows,’ announced Joe Varlack haughtily, ‘Ms Simmons will not be attending the hearing today due to an unexpected illness. But I am still prepared and ready to go forward. Even if the plane loses an engine, it should still be able to fly.’
The courtroom doors swung open and George Schaible, the Chief of the SAO’s Legal Unit walked in, accompanied by Daria’s secretary. Gretchen looked real nervous. She stood at his side as he motioned for Vance to come over.
Manny had just walked in the courtroom himself, late as usual but only by about fifteen minutes, and dressed in the navy suit he and Daria had picked out on a rainy Sunday afternoon. He was surprised that the party was not in full swing. That Daria was not glaring at him with those fiery peepers of hers while she smiled in relief that he’d finally showed up. He figured he would mess with her head this morning. They still hadn’t talked since she had drunk-dialed him. But now he watched as the frowning Chief of Legal shook his head at whatever Collier was saying and Daria’s secretary kept shrugging. Daria was nowhere to be found. A horrible feeling was building in his stomach.
He had started out the morning being both angry and anxious to see her again. Over the past couple of days he’d thought about the other night far too often and had come to the conclusion that she was either fucking with his head or she really did love him and she couldn’t swallow that big fat Italian pride of hers to call and tell him it when she was sober. That made him even more mad. And really anxious. So he wasn’t sure what he was gonna do after the hearing — scream at her or pull her into a hallway and kiss her. But the anger was gone. Now he was just scared. He made his way up to the threesome in the gallery, as Vance turned back to address the judge.
‘Your Honor, we definitely have a problem and I am going to need a continuance till at least tomorrow,’ Vance said.
‘This is absolutely ridiculous …’ Varlack grumbled loudly.
‘Where is Ms DeBianchi?’ the judge demanded.
‘That’s what we’re trying to find out, Your Honor,’ answered Collier.
‘Is she hurt?’
‘We don’t know, Your Honor. We don’t know where she is. She was supposed to speak at a law enforcement conference in Orlando on Tuesday, but I have just learned that she did not. No one knows where she is at this moment.’
Manny felt like he had been shot in the gut. He had the urge to run and do something, but he couldn’t move. He was frozen in place.
‘I would imagine that if she was in a car accident someone would have notified your office,’ continued the judge skeptically.
‘I’m not sure what we’re dealing with yet, Your Honor.’
Judge Becker sighed. ‘I don’t mean to sound uncaring, but your office needs to get its act together. You have till two p.m. this afternoon, Mr Collier, to either find Ms DeBianchi, or handle this motion yourself. I’m not sure what stall tactics the state is trying, but I am out of patience, especially given Ms DeBianchi’s previous disrespect of the court and defense counsel with that Brady violation.’ She slapped the file closed on the bench and stood up.
‘Your Honor, that only gives me three hours,’ protested Vance.
‘We’re in recess till two,’ replied the judge coldly.
Then she sailed off the bench.