Cheever.
The sergeant at the desk recognized her this time. He worked there when John was alive. Mai had been called away to a crime scene in south Charlotte, but Al was in his office. He sent Peggy back without bothering to call for permission.
Al was surprised to see her. “Peggy! What brings you down here?”
She sat in a chair by his desk. “I’d like to see Mr. Cheever. I heard you arrested him last night.”
“Word sure gets around.” He shook his head. “But you know better! You can’t see him. They brought him out of detox a little while ago. He’s a bit disoriented, but otherwise he’s okay. Unless you’re his lawyer, nobody sees him today but us.”
“You could arrange it for me. I really need to talk to him, Al. I feel responsible for him being a suspect in this case.”
“It’s not possible. Please don’t ask me.”
“Hogwash! You could make it possible.”
“The lieutenant would ream my butt. I can’t get you in there. You don’t realize all the heat we’re taking on this murder. This family has friends in important places. But there’s nothing for you to feel guilty about, Peggy. We would’ve heard about him one way or another. There’s nothing you can do for him now. Go home.”
She got to her feet. “You know I’ll find a way to see him.”
Al rubbed his eyes with his hands. “Go home before I lose my pension. Mary would do lots worse things to me than the lieutenant. You don’t scare me.”
Peggy was seething as she stormed out of the office. She passed the sergeant without speaking, pushing the sorry little ficus away from the door again. He stared at her but didn’t ask why she did it.
She didn’t have a lawyer who represented her interests. But she did have a friend who was a lawyer. She went to his house, only to find he was playing golf.
She stalked him at the Myers Park Country Club. Park Lamonte flatly refused her request to represent Mr. Cheever. He had a plate full of pro bono work already taking up his time, and the case was too high profile. Besides, he was friends with the Warners. It would represent a conflict for him.
“You wouldn’t really have to represent him,” she urged. “Just pretend you will so we can talk to him.”
Park looked at her like she was crazy. “That’s only breaking about half the rules I could be disbarred for. I can’t do it, Peggy. I’m sorry. You know I would if I could.”
“Could you recommend someone else? I’ll pay his fee. It doesn’t have to be pro bono.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and grinned. “If you’ve got the cash, Peg, any knee-jerk attorney can take the case. Hell, a second-year legal student could do the work. It won’t matter anyway. The man’s already tried, convicted, and hanged in this town.”
She scowled at him when he kissed her cheek and invited her over for dinner one night. “I hope you’re never in a tight spot and someone says that about you!”
“I hope not, too. Go home, Peg,” Park advised. “This is too big to beat. If this man is your friend, plan to visit him in prison. That’s the best you can do for him. Don’t waste your money. Let the state pay for an attorney.”
But she wasn’t going to let that happen. She didn’t know where to find an attorney on a Saturday. All the law offices she called were closed. She knew the court would appoint a lawyer for Mr. Cheever, but that wouldn’t solve her problem of getting in to see him.
Sam was waiting at her house. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for the last hour.”
“I’ve been trying to get a lawyer for Mr. Cheever. They picked him up last night. He had all of Mark’s stolen personal effects.” She rested her bike against the side of the house. “No one wants to take the case.”
Sam slapped his hand against his leg. “I guess that’s it then. It doesn’t matter who has their keys.”
“Why? Did you find someone with a key missing?”
“I’m not sure. Last night Keeley
The sergeant at the desk recognized her this time. He worked there when John was alive. Mai had been called away to a crime scene in south Charlotte, but Al was in his office. He sent Peggy back without bothering to call for permission.
Al was surprised to see her. “Peggy! What brings you down here?”
She sat in a chair by his desk. “I’d like to see Mr. Cheever. I heard you arrested him last night.”
“Word sure gets around.” He shook his head. “But you know better! You can’t see him. They brought him out of detox a little while ago. He’s a bit disoriented, but otherwise he’s okay. Unless you’re his lawyer, nobody sees him today but us.”
“You could arrange it for me. I really need to talk to him, Al. I feel responsible for him being a suspect in this case.”
“It’s not possible. Please don’t ask me.”
“Hogwash! You could make it possible.”
“The lieutenant would ream my butt. I can’t get you in there. You don’t realize all the heat we’re taking on this murder. This family has friends in important places. But there’s nothing for you to feel guilty about, Peggy. We would’ve heard about him one way or another. There’s nothing you can do for him now. Go home.”
She got to her feet. “You know I’ll find a way to see him.”
Al rubbed his eyes with his hands. “Go home before I lose my pension. Mary would do lots worse things to me than the lieutenant. You don’t scare me.”
Peggy was seething as she stormed out of the office. She passed the sergeant without speaking, pushing the sorry little ficus away from the door again. He stared at her but didn’t ask why she did it.
She didn’t have a lawyer who represented her interests. But she did have a friend who was a lawyer. She went to his house, only to find he was playing golf.
She stalked him at the Myers Park Country Club. Park Lamonte flatly refused her request to represent Mr. Cheever. He had a plate full of pro bono work already taking up his time, and the case was too high profile. Besides, he was friends with the Warners. It would represent a conflict for him.
“You wouldn’t really have to represent him,” she urged. “Just pretend you will so we can talk to him.”
Park looked at her like she was crazy. “That’s only breaking about half the rules I could be disbarred for. I can’t do it, Peggy. I’m sorry. You know I would if I could.”
“Could you recommend someone else? I’ll pay his fee. It doesn’t have to be pro bono.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and grinned. “If you’ve got the cash, Peg, any knee-jerk attorney can take the case. Hell, a second-year legal student could do the work. It won’t matter anyway. The man’s already tried, convicted, and hanged in this town.”
She scowled at him when he kissed her cheek and invited her over for dinner one night. “I hope you’re never in a tight spot and someone says that about you!”
“I hope not, too. Go home, Peg,” Park advised. “This is too big to beat. If this man is your friend, plan to visit him in prison. That’s the best you can do for him. Don’t waste your money. Let the state pay for an attorney.”
But she wasn’t going to let that happen. She didn’t know where to find an attorney on a Saturday. All the law offices she called were closed. She knew the court would appoint a lawyer for Mr. Cheever, but that wouldn’t solve her problem of getting in to see him.
Sam was waiting at her house. “Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for the last hour.”
“I’ve been trying to get a lawyer for Mr. Cheever. They picked him up last night. He had all of Mark’s stolen personal effects.” She rested her bike against the side of the house. “No one wants to take the case.”
Sam slapped his hand against his leg. “I guess that’s it then. It doesn’t matter who has their keys.”
“Why? Did you find someone with a key missing?”
“I’m not sure. Last night Keeley
Similar Books
