When We Were Married Ch. 05A

As the elevator opened and she pushed me toward it, she said, "Your reputation is going to be insane after this. You actually convicted the killer granny. That's one of the first times a woman's ever been sent to Death Row in this state. I'll have to schedule an appointment to get any personal time with you, Mr. Maitland."

I spent two and a half hours doing media interviews after which I was almost convinced that I really could walk on water.

About 4 p.m. I got a call from the Big Man.

"Bill, could you trot on down to Courtroom 4. Peters is in court with that hit and run driver, the one that killed those two kids. His attorney is balking at the plea deal we've offered, 15 years with no parole."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Just walk in the courtroom and talk to Peters for a few minutes."

"Why? I've just killed almost three hours giving you about a million dollars in free publicity."

"And I appreciate it. Humor me."

So I walked into Courtroom 4 and talked to Peters, a youngish blonde guy who was actually only a few years younger than me but looked like he was still in his 20s. I noted the hit and runner looking at me strangely and then his attorney and he conferred and in a few minutes a woman I thought must be the defendant's wife came over to them and whispered.

"Your honor," the defense attorney said, drawing the attention of Circuit Judge Dominic Dellaro. Dellaro looked up from some papers he'd been studying.

"Uh, your honor, my client has changed his mind. We'll take the State's plea."

Dellaro looked at him with just the hint of a smile and asked, "Are you sure, Mr. Richards. I thought you said your client would never agree to 15 years imprisonment. You were going to fight to prove his innocence."

The defense guy looked at Peters, and then at me, and suddenly I realized the world was a different place.

"We changed our mind, your honor."

Dellaro just looked at me and smiled.

When I got back to my office the phone was ringing.

The Big Man sounded like a cat that had just swallowed a covey of canaries.

"I think I'm going to have you stand around in every courtroom where we have a trial going. At this rate, we won't actually have to try many more cases. Not with the Angel of Death breathing fire and brimstone."

I would have joked about it except I was still stunned. I really had frightened that guy into accepting a plea. This was almost not funny any more.

It got to be about 5 p.m. I was wrapping up loose ends, accepting congratulatory calls, and trying to decide if I wanted to make it to Hurly's or try to get by Carlos' place. It had been a while since I'd done any sparring. The way I felt right now, it seemed I could do almost anything.

I had put away an evil woman, made myself a legal superstar of sorts, had the kind of raw sex I hadn't even thought about in more than 20 years, and did it right in the middle of the State Attorney's Office without anyone being the wiser. Hell, I could probably fly if I put my mind to it.

The phone rang and I answered it wearily. I really wanted to get out of here. Susie, a secretary who was taking Cheryl's place, said, "I hate to bother you, Mr. Maitland, but there's a woman out here asking to see you."

"I really don't want to see anybody, Susie. If she's a reporter, get her name and tell her I'll definitely call her tomorrow."

"She...said it's important and that you might want to talk to her."

"She wouldn't give you her name?"

"No sir."

"Aw hell," I said more to myself than her, then said, "Okay Susie. I'll give her five minutes. Tell her."

I was leaning over to get papers out of a bottom drawer when I heard, "I'd rather have more than five minutes, but I'll accept whatever I can get."

I froze. I smelled her perfume first and then when she leaned over to kiss the side of my face, a kiss that slid onto my lips, I tasted mint. She pulled back from me and was looking down on me and I knew I was dreaming.

"You wouldn't come to me, Mr. Maitland, so I had to come to you."

I was standing holding her around the waist and she was looking into my eyes with those sea-green eyes of hers. I couldn't talk.

"I have two weeks, Bill. If you don't want me to stay, I'll go. I can fly down south if you don't want me around."

I pulled her to me and after a long moment I let her lips go and told her, "I don't want you to go, Aline. I don't want you to go."

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