Read Online A Real Basket Case by Beth Groundwater - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Beth Groundwater
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Roger. “Mr. Hanover, do you have anything to add?”
Roger squared his shoulders. “I plan to return to my work and family and clear my name. I have no intention of leaving town.”
His voice was clear and strong. Claire marveled at how self- assured he sounded. God, I love that man. But the pride she felt for him only made her berate herself even more for putting him in this position. If not for her stupidity, he wouldn’t be here, defending his life.
After examining the papers before her, the judge said, “Bail is set at five hundred thousand dollars. Also, Mr. Hanover, you must relinquish your passport to the court, and you may not leave the city limits without this court’s permission.”
Stunned, Claire recoiled in her seat. Half a million! Where could she come up with that amount of money?
Dave returned, tapped her on the shoulder, and motioned for her to follow him to the rear of the courtroom.
She stood and moved to the end of the bench. As Roger was led out of the side door by the guard, she tried to catch her husband’s attention, but he kept his gaze trained on the clumsy ankle shackles. Wishing she had a chance to hug him, she watched the door close behind him.
When Claire walked down the aisle, the wispy-haired man stood and caught her elbow. “Mrs. Hanover, my name is Marvin Bradshaw. I’m a reporter with the Gazette . I have a few questions for you.”
Claire’s mouth fell open. He was the same reporter who had written the story under the damning headline in the morning paper. She trembled with fury at the audacity of the man.
Dave backtracked, shoved an arm between Claire and Bradshaw, and pulled Claire away. “No comment.”
Bradshaw raised a hand. “But—”
“I said, no comment. Now leave us alone.” He glared at the reporter until the man stepped back. Then he ushered Claire through the courtroom doors. Once in the corridor, he wheeled on Claire. “Don’t talk to any reporters, ever, without my say-so or the say-so of Roger’s criminal lawyer. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“This is very important, Claire. You could divulge something inadvertently that would undermine Roger’s case.”
She bristled. “I’m not stupid. I’ve already been avoiding reporters, and I certainly don’t intend to talk to that man.”
“Good. Sorry about that. He caught me off guard.” Dave wiped his brow then opened his briefcase. “I’ve alerted a high-stakes bail bondsman I know. He’ll put up the five hundred thousand, given your assets.”
He handed her a piece of paper. “We need these documents. How soon can you gather them?”
Claire scanned the list. Roger’s passport was stored in the safe deposit box. The brokerage and mortgage statements she could find at home. “About an hour and a half. Why do you need all this?”
“As the judge said, Roger has to relinquish his passport. The statements are for the bondsman. You also need to get a cashier’s check made out for thirty-five thousand to the bondsman.”
She couldn’t believe she heard him right. “Thirty-five-thousand dollars?”
“Be glad it’s only that. He’s willing to take seven percent instead of his usual ten, given evidence of your net worth.”
“Do we get the money back when Roger appears in court?”
“No.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Being accused of a crime, especially murder, is expensive.”
“I never dreamed—”
“Nobody does.” He flipped a page over on his legal pad and scanned a sheet covered with handwriting that Claire recognized as Roger’s. “Roger listed a money market account that has enough in it to cover the check.”
Her throat tightened. One more brick in what used to be her well-organized world had just crashed to the ground. “That’s Judy’s college account.”
Dave glanced up and, upon seeing her face, his features softened a bit. “Yeah, well for now, it’s Roger’s freedom account.”
“Of course.” Claire flushed, feeling foolish under Dave’s
Roger squared his shoulders. “I plan to return to my work and family and clear my name. I have no intention of leaving town.”
His voice was clear and strong. Claire marveled at how self- assured he sounded. God, I love that man. But the pride she felt for him only made her berate herself even more for putting him in this position. If not for her stupidity, he wouldn’t be here, defending his life.
After examining the papers before her, the judge said, “Bail is set at five hundred thousand dollars. Also, Mr. Hanover, you must relinquish your passport to the court, and you may not leave the city limits without this court’s permission.”
Stunned, Claire recoiled in her seat. Half a million! Where could she come up with that amount of money?
Dave returned, tapped her on the shoulder, and motioned for her to follow him to the rear of the courtroom.
She stood and moved to the end of the bench. As Roger was led out of the side door by the guard, she tried to catch her husband’s attention, but he kept his gaze trained on the clumsy ankle shackles. Wishing she had a chance to hug him, she watched the door close behind him.
When Claire walked down the aisle, the wispy-haired man stood and caught her elbow. “Mrs. Hanover, my name is Marvin Bradshaw. I’m a reporter with the Gazette . I have a few questions for you.”
Claire’s mouth fell open. He was the same reporter who had written the story under the damning headline in the morning paper. She trembled with fury at the audacity of the man.
Dave backtracked, shoved an arm between Claire and Bradshaw, and pulled Claire away. “No comment.”
Bradshaw raised a hand. “But—”
“I said, no comment. Now leave us alone.” He glared at the reporter until the man stepped back. Then he ushered Claire through the courtroom doors. Once in the corridor, he wheeled on Claire. “Don’t talk to any reporters, ever, without my say-so or the say-so of Roger’s criminal lawyer. Understand?”
“Yes.”
“This is very important, Claire. You could divulge something inadvertently that would undermine Roger’s case.”
She bristled. “I’m not stupid. I’ve already been avoiding reporters, and I certainly don’t intend to talk to that man.”
“Good. Sorry about that. He caught me off guard.” Dave wiped his brow then opened his briefcase. “I’ve alerted a high-stakes bail bondsman I know. He’ll put up the five hundred thousand, given your assets.”
He handed her a piece of paper. “We need these documents. How soon can you gather them?”
Claire scanned the list. Roger’s passport was stored in the safe deposit box. The brokerage and mortgage statements she could find at home. “About an hour and a half. Why do you need all this?”
“As the judge said, Roger has to relinquish his passport. The statements are for the bondsman. You also need to get a cashier’s check made out for thirty-five thousand to the bondsman.”
She couldn’t believe she heard him right. “Thirty-five-thousand dollars?”
“Be glad it’s only that. He’s willing to take seven percent instead of his usual ten, given evidence of your net worth.”
“Do we get the money back when Roger appears in court?”
“No.” He placed his hand on her shoulder. “Being accused of a crime, especially murder, is expensive.”
“I never dreamed—”
“Nobody does.” He flipped a page over on his legal pad and scanned a sheet covered with handwriting that Claire recognized as Roger’s. “Roger listed a money market account that has enough in it to cover the check.”
Her throat tightened. One more brick in what used to be her well-organized world had just crashed to the ground. “That’s Judy’s college account.”
Dave glanced up and, upon seeing her face, his features softened a bit. “Yeah, well for now, it’s Roger’s freedom account.”
“Of course.” Claire flushed, feeling foolish under Dave’s
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