Read Online The Best Defense by Kate Wilhelm - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Wilhelm
Ads: Link
understand. It’s got to be someone with stamina to make the trips to New York and Holly wood, and enough smarts to stay on top of those Hollywood shysters. In a nutshell, you.”
Another time that would have brought a smile to her lips: His office consisted of upright attorneys; in Holly wood they were shysters.
“And it would keep me occupied,” she murmured, and suddenly wondered. Who had told Spassero he called her Bobby?
“That, too,” he admitted.
“No, thanks. Dad. Let someone else make a bundle this time. Are you going to be late for your appointment for the house closing?”
He glanced at his watch and scowled.
“I’ll give you a call later on. If you have those papers for Kennerman to sign, I could drop them off for her. Not out of my way.”
She shook her head.
“Dad, does Bessie still keep all those local newspapers on hand?” Bessie was Herman Besserman, who must be going on eighty; he had been with the firm since it started.
“Sure. Why?” He glanced at the Valley Weekly Re port on the table and said, “Leave it alone, honey. You can’t win with a rag like that, and you’ve got a lot to lose if they fix their sights on you. You know that.”
“Just curious,” she said with a shrug.
“You know them, the Dodgsons?” Another name swam back into reach: Craig Dodgson, the man who claimed he had asked Paula Kennerman out on his yacht.
“Nope. I’ve got to go. Bobby, will you stay out of that mess? Please?”
“Go buy a house. Dad.”
After he left, she read the paper again, more carefully this time; there was no mention of Craig Dodgson, but there was a bit of information tucked into the recap of the murder: “Baby killer Kennerman left her husband and killed her child and thought she was rid of all obstacles to a life of luxury, free to pursue a wealthy man she believed would take her away on a yacht.”
She wrote a brief letter to the judge and then dressed today in a flowered skirt and blouse, panty hose even, and sandals. Just in case she ran into the judge, she told herself, tugging on the panty hose with some resentment. It was going to be a hot day.
She delivered the letter without seeing the judge or Spassero, and then returned to the jail for the third time.
Today there was no delay in taking her to the conference room, and they let her keep her pen. Paula was brought in almost immediately. The bandages had been changed, Barbara noted. They were no more than simple coverings to keep the wounds clean.
Paula was still pale, but her eyes were alive and there was a light flush on her cheeks when she greeted Barbara
“I’m glad you came back,” she said, taking her seat.
“What happened Friday?” Barbara asked.
“He came to talk to me, the lawyer. He’s off the case.
Thank you. They’ll send someone else now, I guess.
Anyone would be better.”
“Friday?” Barbara prompted. At least Spassero had had enough sense to bow out, she thought, before Paula asked for his dismissal.
“He came and began asking me what Craig someone was to me. Were we having an affair? Was there anyone else I was running around with? Things like that. He said this Craig would cinch it for the state, that I had to talk about him, about us. I tried to tell him Jack must have done it, and he wouldn’t listen and just kept asking about affairs, and I started to yell at him to get out and stay out.” She ducked her head the same way Lucille did. For just an instant she looked like her sister, then the look vanished and she leaned forward with her hands on the table
“I kept thinking of what you said, someone else did it, and it had to be Jack. There’s got to be a way to prove it!”
Barbara said quickly, “Paula, listen to me a minute before you say anything else. You know I’m not your attorney. I’m representing your sister, that’s all. I have the papers for you to sign, and you can add whatever you’d like to the list of things for her to keep for you.
You see, since I’m
Another time that would have brought a smile to her lips: His office consisted of upright attorneys; in Holly wood they were shysters.
“And it would keep me occupied,” she murmured, and suddenly wondered. Who had told Spassero he called her Bobby?
“That, too,” he admitted.
“No, thanks. Dad. Let someone else make a bundle this time. Are you going to be late for your appointment for the house closing?”
He glanced at his watch and scowled.
“I’ll give you a call later on. If you have those papers for Kennerman to sign, I could drop them off for her. Not out of my way.”
She shook her head.
“Dad, does Bessie still keep all those local newspapers on hand?” Bessie was Herman Besserman, who must be going on eighty; he had been with the firm since it started.
“Sure. Why?” He glanced at the Valley Weekly Re port on the table and said, “Leave it alone, honey. You can’t win with a rag like that, and you’ve got a lot to lose if they fix their sights on you. You know that.”
“Just curious,” she said with a shrug.
“You know them, the Dodgsons?” Another name swam back into reach: Craig Dodgson, the man who claimed he had asked Paula Kennerman out on his yacht.
“Nope. I’ve got to go. Bobby, will you stay out of that mess? Please?”
“Go buy a house. Dad.”
After he left, she read the paper again, more carefully this time; there was no mention of Craig Dodgson, but there was a bit of information tucked into the recap of the murder: “Baby killer Kennerman left her husband and killed her child and thought she was rid of all obstacles to a life of luxury, free to pursue a wealthy man she believed would take her away on a yacht.”
She wrote a brief letter to the judge and then dressed today in a flowered skirt and blouse, panty hose even, and sandals. Just in case she ran into the judge, she told herself, tugging on the panty hose with some resentment. It was going to be a hot day.
She delivered the letter without seeing the judge or Spassero, and then returned to the jail for the third time.
Today there was no delay in taking her to the conference room, and they let her keep her pen. Paula was brought in almost immediately. The bandages had been changed, Barbara noted. They were no more than simple coverings to keep the wounds clean.
Paula was still pale, but her eyes were alive and there was a light flush on her cheeks when she greeted Barbara
“I’m glad you came back,” she said, taking her seat.
“What happened Friday?” Barbara asked.
“He came to talk to me, the lawyer. He’s off the case.
Thank you. They’ll send someone else now, I guess.
Anyone would be better.”
“Friday?” Barbara prompted. At least Spassero had had enough sense to bow out, she thought, before Paula asked for his dismissal.
“He came and began asking me what Craig someone was to me. Were we having an affair? Was there anyone else I was running around with? Things like that. He said this Craig would cinch it for the state, that I had to talk about him, about us. I tried to tell him Jack must have done it, and he wouldn’t listen and just kept asking about affairs, and I started to yell at him to get out and stay out.” She ducked her head the same way Lucille did. For just an instant she looked like her sister, then the look vanished and she leaned forward with her hands on the table
“I kept thinking of what you said, someone else did it, and it had to be Jack. There’s got to be a way to prove it!”
Barbara said quickly, “Paula, listen to me a minute before you say anything else. You know I’m not your attorney. I’m representing your sister, that’s all. I have the papers for you to sign, and you can add whatever you’d like to the list of things for her to keep for you.
You see, since I’m
Similar Books
