He removed his hand from hers and Johnna stood. Im sure Erin appreciates your support. She opened her purse to get money for her meal.
Its on me, he said.
Thank you, she said, and closed her purse. She murmured a quick goodbye, then left the diner, hoping the heat of the midday sun would burn away the feel of his hand on hers.
Fifteen minutes later she was ushered into Chet Maxwells office, where the chubby prosecutor greeted her with a big grin. I hear were going head-to-head on the Kramer murder case.
Johnna raised an eyebrow in surprise. News travels fast.
He laughed and gestured her into the chair in front of his desk. This is Inferno. The minute you walked into the jail this morning, half-a-dozen people began talking.
I dont know why we bother publishing a newspaper every morning, Johnna said wryly.
So. Chet sat behind his desk and reared back in the oversize chair. I assume thats why youre herethe Kramer case.
For the next hour Johnna argued, cursed and conceded points of law with Chet. She came away from the meeting knowing that Erin would be charged with first-degree murder and that Chet intended to ask the judge for no bail.
He promised to have his secretary personally deliver copies of all pertinent paperwork to her office in the next couple of hours.
Johnna left his office and walked the three blocks to her own law office. She unlocked the door and entered the small office that comprised two roomsthe reception/lobby area and her private office. Her receptionist worked on a part-time basis and didnt work on Saturdays.
Johnna headed to the private office and sat down behind her desk, her thoughts tumbling turbulently in her head. Her father had never seen her office. Hed never shown any interest in the fact that shed passed the bar, leased an office or begun a practice. But then, hed never shown any interest in her other than to tell her how utterly worthless she was.
In retrospect, Johnna realized her relationship with Jerrod had begun as a rebellion and it had been the first time shed achieved her goal, resulting in her finally gaining her fathers attention. Theyd had the biggest row of their lives over her seeing Jerrod.
But it hadnt taken long for rebellion to become something deeper, more profound, and the love shed felt for Jerrod had been the first good thing in her life.
And then hed destroyed it.
Funny, most of her anger had never been directed at Erin. Erin hadnt broken promises, destroyed faith or betrayed trust by sleeping with Jerrod. No, Jerrod had done all those things by sleeping with Erin.
Pain ripped through her as she remembered the night of his confession. Shed waited for him as usual at the end of the lane leading to her family ranch, her heart singing with the knowledge that soon shed be in his arms. But when hed arrived, he hadnt taken her in his arms; instead, hed told her that the night before hed had sex with Erin. And that was the night Johnnas world crashed down around her.
Shed been so sure hed deny it, that hed tell her hed never so much as kissed Erin McCall. But he hadnt denied it, and the memory of that moment of truth still had the power to make her ache inside.
Shoving aside those thoughts, she picked up the telephone and dialed the long-distance number that would connect her to Harriet Smith. She didnt want to think any more about Jerrod McCain. She had to focus on Erins case.
She was grateful to hear the raspy deep voice that picked up on the second ring. Harry, its me.
Johnna! What a pleasure to hear your voice.
And yours, Johnna replied, warmth flooding through her as she thought of the older lawyer who had played an integral role in Johnnas pursuit of a law degree. Without Harriets support and friendship during the grueling years of law school, Johnna might have given up.
Whats up? Harriet asked.
I need your help. How would you like to second-chair a murder trial?
Tell me where and when and Im there.
Johnna smiled. Here and yesterday. For the next few minutes the two women finalized things, then hung up.
It would be good to see Harriet again, although shed refused to consider being a houseguest of Johnnas and instead, had asked Johnna to get her a room at the local bed-and-breakfast.
Ninety minutes later Chet Maxwells secretary knocked on the door of the office and handed Johnna a manila envelope. Johnna thanked her, then went back to her desk and began reading and making notes.
She didnt realize how long shed been working until she stopped to stretch and realized the room was growing dark with the approach of night.
Checking her watch, she was shocked to see it was almost nine. Shed worked through dinner and the lonely evening hours. Now night shadows deepened to possess the tiny town and Johnna was exhausted.
Her exhaustion was physical. Her shoulders ached and her back was sore from sitting for so many hours. But her mind whirled with all the information the reports had contained.
Sheriff Broder and a couple of his deputies had responded to a disturbance call and had arrived at the Kramer home at eleven-thirteen Thursday night. Erin answered the door, dazed and obviously beaten and led them into the living room where Richard Kramer lay sprawled on the floor, dead from several blows to the back of the head. Nothing had been found at the scene that appeared to be the object used to hit the victim.