Are you sure you want to do this, Mrs. Althorp?” Nicholas Greco asked. “It’s absolutely terrible outside.”
“That’s what I told her, Mr. Greco.” Brenda, the housekeeper, her face creased with worry, was helping Gladys Althorp on with her coat.
“I am going to the arraignment of Susan’s murderer, and there will be no further discussion about it. Mr. Greco, we will go in my car. I assume that my driver will be able to leave us near the door of the courthouse.”
When she says no more discussion, she means it, Greco thought. He saw that Brenda was about to continue to protest, and he shook his head to warn her off.
The driver was waiting outside, holding an open umbrella. Without speaking, Greco and the driver each took an arm of the frail woman and helped her into the car. When they were on their way, Gladys Althorp asked, “Mr. Greco, tell me how an arraignment is conducted. Does it take very long?”
“No, Peter Carrington will appear with his attorney before the judge. He will have been waiting in a holding cell next to the courtroom. The prosecutor will read the charges that have been filed.”
“How will he be dressed?”
“In a prisoner’s jumpsuit.”
“Will he be wearing handcuffs?”
“Yes. After the charge is read, the judge will ask him how he pleads. His attorney will answer for him. Of course, he will say, ‘not guilty.’ ”
“I would certainly expect him to plead that way,” Gladys said bitterly.
Greco could see that his client was biting her lip to keep it from trembling. “Mrs. Althorp,” he said, “this isn’t going to be easy for you. I wish you had someone in your family with you now.”
“My sons could not have made it in time. They both live in California. My husband was already on his way to Chicago this morning when the word came that Peter Carrington had been arrested. But you know something, Mr. Greco, in a way, I’m not sorry to be the only one in my family here today. No one has grieved for Susan as I have all these years. We were so very close. We did so many things together. From the time she was a child, she loved to go to museums and the ballet and opera with me. She was a fine arts major in college, just as I had been. When she chose that major, she joked that it would give us even more in common, as if we needed it. She was beautiful and intelligent and sweet and loving, a perfect, perfect human being. Charles and the boys will attend Peter Carrington’s trial. I won’t be around to see it. Today is my day in court to represent her. I feel almost as though Susan will be there in spirit, too. Does that sound silly to you?”
“No, it does not,” Greco said. “I have attended many trials, and the presence of the victim is always felt as their relatives and friends give testimony about them. Today, when the formal charge of murder is read, everyone in that courtroom will be thinking of the pictures they have seen in the papers of Susan. She will come alive in their minds.”
“You’ll never know how grateful I am to you for locating Maria Valdez. Her testimony, and the copy of that check from Peter’s father, will surely be enough evidence to convict Carrington.”
“I believe that ultimately Carrington will be convicted,” Greco replied. “It has been an honor to be of service to you, Mrs. Althorp, and I do hope that after today you will find some measure of peace.”
“I hope so, too.” She leaned back and closed her eyes, obviously exhausted. Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up to the courthouse.