Read Online State's Evidence: A Beverly Mendoza Legal Thriller by R. Barri Flowers - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: R. Barri Flowers
Tags: LEGAL, thriller, Suspense, Mystery, Police Procedural, legal thriller, murder mystery, justice, Courtroom Drama, multicultural thriller
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bouffant, looked up behind glasses. “You’ve got about ten
messages here,” she groaned, handing them to Beverly one by
one.
“And good morning to you, too.” Beverly
looked at her with an amused smile.
Jean scowled. “It’s been anything but good
this morning.”
“I can see that.” Beverly glanced at the
messages. “At least there’s the rest of the day to look forward
to.”
Jean rolled her hazel eyes. “Yeah, I can
hardly wait.” She looked at her calendar. “You’ve got an
appointment at eleven with Walter McIntosh.”
Beverly recalled setting up the meeting with
the investigator for the D.A.’s office. But that was before the
recent developments took precedence. “I have a lineup to go to.
Reschedule it for tomorrow.”
“Not a problem, for me anyway. Maybe Mr.
McIntosh might beg to differ.”
“I doubt that. Usually it’s Walter whose busy
plate is too much for me to keep up with,” Beverly said.
She went into her office. It was a good deal
smaller than Dean Sullivan’s, but big enough for Beverly to feel as
if she belonged. Her wraparound desk was in typical disarray with
open file folders, closed ones, a couple of trays filled with
papers, and her laptop. Law books lined the shelf on the back wall
and a single file cabinet stood in one corner.
She sat in her ergonomic desk chair and
glanced out the window. The view was largely of other buildings in
downtown Eagles Landing, though if she stretched her neck Beverly
could make out the peak of Mount Tulan surrounded by some puffy
clouds.
Her thoughts turned to her father. She hated
the helpless feeling of watching him decline right before her very
eyes. He barely recognized her now and had no memory at all of
Jaime. Her son had trouble dealing with it, choosing mostly not to
deal at all.
But she had to. Alberto Elizondo was still
her father and Beverly owed it to him to do what she could to make
him feel as comfortable as possible and know that he did have a
family out there who cared about him.
Beverly made a few phone calls thanking those
who had lent their support, expertise, or testimony in her last
case. Aside from a common courtesy, she was also networking; well
aware that it never hurt to maintain ties with people you might
have to work with again.
Afterwards Beverly focused her attention on
Rafael Santiago and Maxine Crawford. The two were about to form the
centerpiece of her professional life and preoccupation. She
accepted the challenge. She never liked to lose a case, especially
one involving such violence and a high profile victim. But she was
careful not to take anything for granted, knowing that surprises
seemed to always wait in the wings, ready to potentially burst
forth and jeopardize a trial at any time.
The mere notion left Beverly just slightly on
edge.
CHAPTER TEN
The car—a shiny, new cream Chevy Cobalt—sat unlocked in the parking lot, as
if the owner had every intention of coming back to it, but never
made it. At least that was what Stone imagined, surveying the
vehicle, careful not to touch anything. From all indications, there
was no sign that it had been broken into or vandalized.
But the fact that the car had apparently been
there all night did not bode well for Adrienne Murray. Had she gone
running after work? Stone stared across the lot at Belle Park, a
popular park for runners and non-runners alike, narrowing his eyes
to block out the sunlight.
Someone could have been stalking her, Stone
mused, waiting in the park for her expected run. Then what? Had she
been abducted? Left for dead somewhere?
He had to consider the possibility that
Adrienne Murray could already be a victim of foul play. Were this
the case, Stone had to first look back at the husband, knowing that
in spite of his apparent concern, most adult female murder victims
were slain by their romantic partners.
So what type of relationship did the Murrays
have? Had Chuck Murray actually done away with his wife?
Stone walked back to
messages here,” she groaned, handing them to Beverly one by
one.
“And good morning to you, too.” Beverly
looked at her with an amused smile.
Jean scowled. “It’s been anything but good
this morning.”
“I can see that.” Beverly glanced at the
messages. “At least there’s the rest of the day to look forward
to.”
Jean rolled her hazel eyes. “Yeah, I can
hardly wait.” She looked at her calendar. “You’ve got an
appointment at eleven with Walter McIntosh.”
Beverly recalled setting up the meeting with
the investigator for the D.A.’s office. But that was before the
recent developments took precedence. “I have a lineup to go to.
Reschedule it for tomorrow.”
“Not a problem, for me anyway. Maybe Mr.
McIntosh might beg to differ.”
“I doubt that. Usually it’s Walter whose busy
plate is too much for me to keep up with,” Beverly said.
She went into her office. It was a good deal
smaller than Dean Sullivan’s, but big enough for Beverly to feel as
if she belonged. Her wraparound desk was in typical disarray with
open file folders, closed ones, a couple of trays filled with
papers, and her laptop. Law books lined the shelf on the back wall
and a single file cabinet stood in one corner.
She sat in her ergonomic desk chair and
glanced out the window. The view was largely of other buildings in
downtown Eagles Landing, though if she stretched her neck Beverly
could make out the peak of Mount Tulan surrounded by some puffy
clouds.
Her thoughts turned to her father. She hated
the helpless feeling of watching him decline right before her very
eyes. He barely recognized her now and had no memory at all of
Jaime. Her son had trouble dealing with it, choosing mostly not to
deal at all.
But she had to. Alberto Elizondo was still
her father and Beverly owed it to him to do what she could to make
him feel as comfortable as possible and know that he did have a
family out there who cared about him.
Beverly made a few phone calls thanking those
who had lent their support, expertise, or testimony in her last
case. Aside from a common courtesy, she was also networking; well
aware that it never hurt to maintain ties with people you might
have to work with again.
Afterwards Beverly focused her attention on
Rafael Santiago and Maxine Crawford. The two were about to form the
centerpiece of her professional life and preoccupation. She
accepted the challenge. She never liked to lose a case, especially
one involving such violence and a high profile victim. But she was
careful not to take anything for granted, knowing that surprises
seemed to always wait in the wings, ready to potentially burst
forth and jeopardize a trial at any time.
The mere notion left Beverly just slightly on
edge.
CHAPTER TEN
The car—a shiny, new cream Chevy Cobalt—sat unlocked in the parking lot, as
if the owner had every intention of coming back to it, but never
made it. At least that was what Stone imagined, surveying the
vehicle, careful not to touch anything. From all indications, there
was no sign that it had been broken into or vandalized.
But the fact that the car had apparently been
there all night did not bode well for Adrienne Murray. Had she gone
running after work? Stone stared across the lot at Belle Park, a
popular park for runners and non-runners alike, narrowing his eyes
to block out the sunlight.
Someone could have been stalking her, Stone
mused, waiting in the park for her expected run. Then what? Had she
been abducted? Left for dead somewhere?
He had to consider the possibility that
Adrienne Murray could already be a victim of foul play. Were this
the case, Stone had to first look back at the husband, knowing that
in spite of his apparent concern, most adult female murder victims
were slain by their romantic partners.
So what type of relationship did the Murrays
have? Had Chuck Murray actually done away with his wife?
Stone walked back to
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