Read Online The Advocate's Conviction by Teresa Burrell - Free Book Online Page B

sometimes when he talks about his family. You can tell how lonely he is. At night he cries for them and he keeps crying until he finally falls asleep.”

13
     
     
    Juvenile court detention hearings had another strange case on the calendar. Bob spotted it as he rifled through the detention hearings.
    “Are you on detentions this morning?” Sabre asked.
    “No. I was just curious to see if there were any more bizarre cases.” He handed the blue petition to Sabre. “And voilà.”
    “What kind of case is it?”
    “It has several allegations.”
    Sabre looked at the petition and then glanced at the detention report accompanying it. “It has neglect and abuse. Drug use by both parents. It says here that they were passed out in the living room while twin toddlers roamed the house.” Sabre scrunched her face. “Dang, the twins took a dive out a window from the second story. They both survived. One fell on a chaise lounge and the other on top of the first. Just one broken arm and some bruises. Boy, were they lucky.”
    Bob read over her shoulder. “And 66 is written on the walls in lipstick.”
    “Stupid people.” Sabre shook her head in disgust.
    “Yeah, don’t they know they’re supposed to use blo-o-o-od to write with?” He stretched out the word blood.
    “You goofball.” Sabre tapped Bob shoulder with her open hand. “Seriously, what do you think is going on here in San Diego?”
    “Beats me. JP said he heard about a few reportings by the police about some strange happenings in criminal cases, besides the house that was on the news, I mean.”
    “Do they have any suspects for that house?”
    “They don’t even have any serious crimes to attach to it. They did find some human blood but very little and it was real old, probably belonged to the last tenant; mostly they found animal blood and there was no real indication of animal abuse or ritualistic behavior. The pentagram on the floor was drawn with blood, but it was beef and pork blood and could’ve been obtained at a supermarket. The only other thing they really have is trespassing. It was an abandoned building. The fingerprints haven’t led them anywhere, at least according to JP’s inside sources.”
    “So, what the heck is going on?”
    “I don’t know.” Bob changed the subject. “Did you know my client, Karen Lecy, got out of jail this morning?”
    “Bailey’s mom?”
    “Yup. Any word on Bailey, yet?”
    “No. JP is still looking. Maybe she’ll try to see her mom.”
    “I’ll be talking with Karen today. I’ll tell her to report it if she sees Bailey, and I will carefully explain the legal ramifications if she doesn’t. I’m sure she’ll be happy to cooperate.”
    “Yeah, right.”
    “Anything more on Cole?” The concern was evident in his voice.
    “No. The police were following up on the ‘sighting,’ if you can call it that, by the homeless woman, but no news yet. JP went to Cole’s school this morning and gave photos of him to all the teachers in case he went there to see Hayden. I’m so worried about that little boy.”
    Bob put his arm around Sabre’s shoulder. “I know. Me, too. I’d be going out of my mind if that were Corey.” Sabre knew he understood. Bob’s son, Corey, was about the same age.
    Bob and Sabre worked through their morning calendar, went to Pho’s for lunch, and then back to court for an afternoon trial. After several hours of negotiations on a tox baby case, the trial was settled. Bob’s client, the mother, had already completed an in-house drug program and continued to attend Narcotic Anonymous meetings on a daily basis. The baby was placed with the mother in the grandmother’s home. The father was allowed supervised visitation until he successfully completed his programs and then supervision could be lifted by the social worker if Sabre, the minor’s attorney, concurred.
    Bob spoke as they walked out of the courtroom. “That took forever. We could’ve done the trial more