Read Online Only By Moonlight by Lynn Emery - Free Book Online Page B

sensationalize this case
anymore than it’s already going to be. Manny lured his victims in
and murdered them. Plain and simple,” Chase added in his deep, firm
voice as he gazed at the assistant DA.
    “Sure. I was just asking,” Josh replied and
sat back in his chair. He avoided the stony look from his boss.
“So, any clues from his childhood with Orin Young?”
    “Manny was abused physically and emotionally
by his father,” LaShaun replied carefully.
    Josh flipped open a soft leather briefcase
and took out a folder. “Ethan Young disappeared years ago. He had
an arrest history, mostly drugs. But he did have a couple of simple
battery charges.”
    “Orin Young was just as vicious to his family
as he was to the strangers he killed,” LaShaun said with force. Her
rage at the agony one man inflicted flooded her veins like fire.
She slapped the surface of the table.
    “Damn,” Josh mumbled and blinked at his
boss.
    “Look, we’re pretty sure Manny’s legal team
is going to say he was abused. They’re more than likely also going
to say he was controlled by his grandfather and his father,”
Hazelton said.
    Josh glanced at his smart phone. “We’ve got
about five minutes left of this break.”
    “Did Manny mention his grandfather or his
father leading him to become a killer? Was Orin or Ethan Young with
Manny when he killed any victims?” Hazelton said, getting to the
point.
    LaShaun glanced at Chase and then back at
Hazelton. “Manny never mentioned them being together.”
    “Which doesn’t mean they weren’t,” Hazelton
answered and stared at her hard as though willing her to remember
more.
    LaShaun shook her head. “But he didn’t talk
to me about the murders.”
    “Okay then. That’s good.” Hazelton stood and
smoothed down his dark green silk tie. He buttoned the deep blue
jacket of his suit and nodded to his assistant. Josh rose and
hastily stuffed the folder back into his briefcase. Chase and
LaShaun stood as well.
    LaShaun looked at Hazelton in surprise.
“Really?”
    “Yeah. Manny’s lawyers are probably hoping
you can tell a gruesome tale of how Orin forced his poor grandson
to witness a bloodbath,” Chase answered for the two
prosecutors.
    “Deputy Broussard has been down this road
before,” Hazelton said with a tight smile.
    “Nothing pisses me off more than the ‘Poor
me’ defense,” Chase grumbled.
    “Manny’s sister told me Ethan and Orin beat
him when he was a kid. He suffered psychological abuse as well.”
LaShaun stopped short of saying how learning he was a product of
incest had twisted Manny’s mind even more.
    “More reason he needs to stay locked up. That
makes him less likely to respond to short-term therapy,” Josh put
in.
    “Which makes him a threat to public safety;
that fact along with the physical evidence linking him to the
murders means the jury got it right the first time. The death
penalty was made for guys like Emanuel Young,” Hazelton said.
    “Sounds like you’ve got your closing argument
half-way finished,” Chase said with a half grin.
    “Just about,” Hazelton answered. “Judge
Barrow is known to lean toward extenuating circumstances and the
bad childhood argument.”
    “Crap, Patricia Barrow is your judge?” Chase
rubbed his forehead.
    “What’s wrong?” LaShaun asked and tapped
Chase’s arm.
    “Judge Patricia Barrow isn’t exactly a fan of
law enforcement procedures. She views some of our routine practices
as going over the line to trap suspects.” Chase scowled as he
spoke.
    “I wouldn’t go that far,” Josh said. “Judge
Barrow has handed down her share of convictions in bench
trials.”
    “Mostly in trials of misdemeanor cases
though. She also thinks the system is stacked against minority
defendants.” Hazelton shook his head.
    “I happen to agree with her,” LaShaun said
more sharply than she probably should have. “And more than a few
studies back that up.” The three men grew quiet for several
seconds. A knock on