The Bad Judgment Series: The Complete Series (8 page)

It was silent in the courtroom as Marnie Edmonds appeared to be looking at a brief that a junior U.S. Attorney had just handed to her. She looked impeccable and impossibly calm in a crisp navy suit. I wondered if the woman ever broke a sweat. I wondered if I’d ever get to see it.

The judge was reading something on his desk. I was suddenly, desperately nervous again. He looked up at us and spoke, and I put my hands on the table in front of me, trying to stay my dizziness, and closed my eyes and listened.

“United States versus Broden Walker. Counsel, please enter your names for the record.”

“David Proctor of Proctor & Buchanan, Your Honor,” David said. I opened my eyes and found Judge Alvarez looking at me expectantly. David nudged me.

“Nicole Reynolds of Proctor & Buchanan,” I said, my voice shaking a little. “Your honor.”

“I
am
honored,” he said, smiling at me pleasantly, and there were chuckles from the back of the room. I didn’t know if he was making fun of me or if he thought I was cute in a new-lawyer sort of way.

He turned to Marnie. “Marnie Edmonds, United States District Attorney, your honor. May it please the court?”

“It always does, Attorney Edmonds,” the Judge said, showing those teeth again. I decided I cautiously liked him, even though he still scared me and he apparently also liked Marnie.

“Mr. Walker, please stand,” the Judge said, and Walker rose to his full height. I looked up at him and smiled; for as often as he sent me spinning, right now, in the eye of the storm, he was what was holding me to the earth.

I would recite The Rules five times, I promised myself. Later.

“You are being charged with larceny, RICO, and multiple counts of fraud and larceny. Have your attorneys fully explained the nature of the charges against you?” he asked.

“Yes, your honor,” Walker said, his voice even and calm.

“I would assume nothing less, at the rates they’re charging you,” Judge Alvarez said, bestowing a full-wattage smile on Walker. I realized then that Judge Alvarez was handsome, and that he was going to be more candid than I’d expected. “And how do you choose to enter your plea today,” he continued, “with respect to each count? RICO?”

“Not guilty, your honor.”

“Larceny?”

“Not guilty, your honor.”

It went on that way for twenty counts. When they finished, there was a murmuring in the courtroom that was silenced by one disapproving glance of the clerk.

“Very well,” said Judge Alvarez. “You may be seated.”

Walker sat down next to me, his posture perfect. He looked calm, relieved even. I slid my foot over and touched his, only for a split second. He proceeded to elbow me accidentally on purpose. I did not show any outward sign of acknowledgement, but it was such a relief to be with him, to have him near me, to have him almost acknowledging our secret-secret. That he didn't know about. That I hadn’t actually acknowledged to myself.

And he was still here. Not behind bars. Not yet. Not on my watch.

I hoped.

“Trial is going to be set for September 15th,” the Judge said, the clerk coming up next to him so they could review an electronic schedule together. “Discovery to be completed by August 15th. Dispositive motions to be filed by September 2nd.” He looked up at us. “Any questions about that?”

“No, your honor,” said Marnie and David, simultaneously. Any summer vacation plans were all out the window, and everybody knew it.

“Moving on,” Judge Alvarez said, “the government has requested that the Defendant be held without bond until trial.” He looked up at Marnie. “What’s the basis for this request, Attorney Edmonds? Mr. Walker seems like a nice enough fellow, pending charges aside.”

Marnie stood. “Your honor, the government submits that the Defendant is a serious flight risk. Mr. Walker is a wealthy man. The charges against him are very, very serious. Life-altering serious,” she said, pausing, looking over at Walker and then at Judge Alvarez. “His Board has put him on administrative leave, so he has no involvement in the day to day operations of Blue Securities anymore.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Walker's left hand ball into a fist. “He’s single, and has no wife or family to tie him down here.” I watched his fist turn red.

His sister,
I scribbled on my legal pad, and shoved it in front of David. He looked down and then back at Marnie, frowning.

“With no family, no access to work, and a vast fortune, the government submits that the Defendant is the epitome of a flight risk. He also has extensive experience living in various foreign countries, due to his military service. This is a man who could run and hide. I don’t believe we want to get into a situation where that happens and we’re trying to extradite someone before trial.”

Now we’re punishing people for their military service?
I scribbled furiously, shoving the pad back towards David. He shot me a warning look.

Down girl,
I thought.
Sit. Stay.
But all I really wanted to do was get up and shout all my points at Judge Alvarez.

“The government respectfully submits that these factors make for the perfect storm. The Defendant is exactly the type of candidate who should be held pending trial: he’s been charged with serious crimes, plural,” she said, and I balled my hands into fists, too. “The Defendant has the wealth, the experience abroad, and the lack of family bonds tying him here. Therefore the government respectfully requests that the Defendant be held without bail until trial.”

“What does the Defendant say to this?” the Judge asked, turning his thoughtful gaze our way.

David stood and cleared his throat. “My client is in no way a flight risk,” he said, pacing back in forth in front of our table. The man really couldn’t sit still. “He’s pleading not guilty to all of these charges because he’s innocent, and he will vigorously defend his innocence. Broden Walker wants to clear his name so he can get back to doing what he does best, what he loves — running his company. Innovating and creating security measures that have helped our country for over a decade. My client wants to see this through — not run and hide, Your Honor.”

I bounced my knee up and down as I looked down at my checklist.
Hit all the highlights, David,
I thought.
Get them all.
I tapped my pen nervously on my pad.

“I would like to take the government's supporting points one at a time. First of all, your honor, the defense vigorously objects to the government’s citation of my client’s military service as something negative — something that should factor into him being kept behind bars,” David said, sounding righteously indignant. I did a mental fist bump as he glared at Marnie and she frowned back at him.

“Second, my client does have family ties here. His younger sister Adrian lives with him. My client is very close with her. Both of their parents have passed away. Mr. Walker’s sister is the only family he has left. With respect to his wealth, the Defense respectfully submits this financial affidavit,” David said, handing Marnie a copy and also one to the Bailiff, who brought it to Judge Alvarez. They both silently reviewed it while David paced.

Marnie stood up. “Your honor, just because Mr. Walker swears these are his only assets — I’m sorry, but a sworn statement in this case doesn’t constitute dispositive proof,” she said.

I tapped a large stack of supporting paperwork in front of me on the desk. Mandy had prepared it and collated it with colored tabs earlier today. It was Walker's bank statements, his retirement accounts, and his credit card accounts. I tapped it nervously with my pen so David would give copies to Marnie and the judge. David glared at me. Clearly, he’d had enough of the associate trying to herd him through the arraignment.

“Attorney Proctor, do you have exhibits supporting this affidavit?” asked Judge Alvarez, looking past David to where I sat tapping the pile of papers in front of me.

“Yes, your honor, I was just getting to that,” David said, not missing a beat, grabbing the stacks I held up for him. David paced some more while they flipped through the bank statements. “The point of this is that you can see that Mr. Walker’s assets are tied up in his business and in his real estate holdings. His fortune is not liquid, as the government would like you to believe.”

“Thank you,” Judge Alvarez said, effectively dismissing David. He came and sat down. I started bouncing my knee up and down and he did, too. Walker sat, impassive, watching the judge. “I didn't need all of this, but thank you,” the judge said, looking at me. I felt my face flush crimson.

“I’m going to agree to keep Mr. Walker out of jail in advance of the trial,” the judge said. I relaxed my hands from the balled-up fists they were in. “His credit card accounts are going to have to be frozen. He will have to wear GPS monitoring bracelet around his ankle, and he will be confined to his Boston residence. He is permitted out of his home for ten hours a week for professional purposes and for religious services, food shopping and doctors’ appointments.”

He turned to Walker. “You are going to be monitored twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. If you go outside of the parameters I’ve set out here, we will know about it immediately and you will be taken into custody. Do you understand?”

Walker stood. “Yes, your honor,” he said.

The Judge turned to me. “I expect that your firm will also remain in constant contact with your client,” he said, and I nodded and blushed furiously.

Attorney Edmonds stood. “I’m going to appeal this decision,” she said, and the judge turned his smile to her.

“Of course you are,” he said. He looked back up at all of us. “Get going on your discovery. We’re keeping to very strict deadlines — no continuances.” David and Marnie nodded at him and he stood. We all scrambled to stand, too.

“Mr. Walker. Counsel,” he said, and nodded at us. “Looking forward to seeing you soon.”

And with that, he was gone. The bailiff came for Walker, to fit him with the ankle bracelet. David followed them out and I sat there, tapping my pen and waiting for what seemed like an eternity. When they came back Walker pulled up the leg of his suit and showed me the cuff.

Without even a second of a pause David turned to me. “About before,” he said, as I looked at him blankly. “I was getting to his sister and his military service, Nicole,” he said, calmly but forcefully. I could tell he was angry. “And I was about to submit the exhibits. I appreciate that you’re invested in this case,” he said, his eyes wandering briefly over to Walker, “but I’ve been doing this a long time. That’s why I’m the first chair, and you’re the second chair. So you need to let me do my job, and I’ll let you do yours. Okay?”

I nodded at him mutely, my previous exuberance morphing into embarrassment. David turned to Walker. “This was the best possible outcome,” he said, and Walker nodded at him.

“Next time,” Walker said, clapping David on the shoulder as we filed out, “you should let Nicole talk. She’d anticipated everything that the government did today. She was prepared. You shouldn’t undermine her like you just did.”

I blushed some more and David sighed. This was not going to be good. “Walker, I told Nicole what points to prepare. She’s doing a very good job — she always does —and I’m not trying to undermine her. I just want her to let me lead. I know what I’m doing. This is part of her training.”

He was calmer, more controlled than I’d expected, but still they were talking about me like I wasn’t even there. “I’m right here,” I said, walking next to them down the loud steps. “You don’t have to talk about me in the third person.”

They both gave me tired smiles. “Sorry,” Walker said. He looked like he meant it.

“Ditto,” David said. He looked like he meant nothing of the sort, and wanted to punish me with hours of ugly, boring document review.

But the throng of reporters were still waiting outside, and they took precedence over our little squabble. David took a deep breath. “Are you ready?” he asked Walker.

“I was born ready,” Walker said.

I
, however, was not born ready, and I found myself sweaty, shaking and crumpled back in our lobby a little while later. Between Judge Alvarez and the press, I was feeling so nervous and worn out, I needed a vacation. Or at least a shower.

“Walker, go home,” David said. None of us had spoken on the ride back; I could tell that David was happy with the results of the hearing and that Walker was exhausted and relieved. “I’m going to send Andrew over in a little while. He’ll stay with you — he’s being assigned babysitting duty for now. Nicole, I need you to start working on our discovery request with Mandy and Alexa.”

Walker and I both stopped. I felt a pit of dread in my stomach; I didn’t want to get stuck back in the office. I wanted to stay where I’d been, guarding my secret-secret and trying to get to the bottom of things. Walker stopped and looked at David evenly.

“That’s not gonna work, David,” he said, firmly. My stomach flipped. “I don’t want Andrew to come over. Nicole and I are getting along great. I’m comfortable with her and I trust her. I trust her judgment. I don’t want another stranger in my house. Not now.”

David sighed and started pacing back and forth. “I need Nicole here,” he said. “Like you were saying at the courthouse — she’s a valuable asset. She can manage the other associates and be in charge of research while I start putting together a case that’s going to save your ass. We don’t have a lot of time, Walker. We are on a very tight schedule. We need to work this case twenty-four seven in order to be ready for trial.”

“She can work from my house,” Walker said, not budging. I couldn’t bring myself to look at either one of them. “She’s keeping me informed and involved. I need to know what’s going on with my representation at all times. I’m paying you a fortune, David. Nicole has earned my trust and my respect. I want to work directly with her. I think that, given the amount she’s going to be able to bill for your firm, you can honor my request. Otherwise I’ll make it an order,” Walker said. “And if I do remember correctly, you work for me. Not the other way around. Right?”

“You’re only sort of right,” David said, giving him a tight look. “I do work for you. But I also represent your best interests. If I see that being compromised by Nicole not being in the office, then I’ll make another call. I can’t follow your orders if it means you’ll end up in jail. Because then I’m not doing my job. So I work for you unless and until you jeopardize this case. Understood?”

“Of course.” Walker said smoothly, and then turned to me. “Do you need to go to your office?” he asked, effectively dismissing David.

I shook my head,
no.
“But I need to swing by my house,” I said. I needed to take a shower, be alone for a few minutes after the tumultuous day.

David pointed at Walker. “You have to go directly to your house.” He looked at his watch. “Your car’s here, right?” Walker nodded. “Nicole, I can take you to your apartment to get your things. And then I can take you back to Walker’s.”

“I’ll just take a cab,” I said, hurriedly, not wanting to have to deal with David one on one right now. I wasn’t sure what he would say to me. I wasn’t sure what he thought of Walker’s insistence on my presence, but I was pretty sure I didn’t want to hear it. If David Proctor thought there was a problem, or that I needed a chaperone, was there a possibility that he was right?

I didn’t want to know.

“Let’s have a quick coffee. I’ll walk you through the parameters of home detention,” David said to Walker. My stomach dropped to my feet. Someone was getting a lecture, either way. We hadn’t done anything, and we wouldn’t. But something was between us, a connection that even David Proctor could see.

Don't sleep with your clients,
Mimi’s voice said, reciting The Rules in my head.
Not even the super-hot ones.

I haven’t,
I thought.
I won’t.

I nodded goodbye to them, suddenly giddy as a school girl, Rules or no Rules, happy to get away from David and Norris Phaland and Mandy and Alexa. I got to go back to Walkerland, and I wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

I practically skipped outside to get a cab.