Read Online The Crush by Sandra Brown - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sandra Brown
Tags: Contemporary
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tired, he thought. It had been a long day for her. He knew. He had been there when her day began.
Chapter 5
Rennie leaned against the counter and rolled the bottle of cold water across her forehead. It had been years since deep-breathing exercises were necessary for her to regain her calm. Years, but she hadn't forgotten how terrifying it felt not to be in absolute control.
For the last three weeks her life had been in disarray. The disintegration of her carefully structured life had begun with the jury summons.
The day after receiving it through the mail, she and a group, including Lee Howell, had been gathered in the doctors' lounge. When she told them about the summons, they had groaned collectively and commented on her rotten luck.
Someone suggested that she claim to have young children at home.
"But I don't."
"You're the sole caretaker of an elderly parent."
"But I'm not."
"You're a full-time student."
She hadn't even acknowledged that suggestion.
"Throw the damn thing away and ignore it," another advised her. "That's what I did.
Figured it would be worth the fine, no matter how steep, if I didn't have to appear."
"What happened?"
"Nothing. They never follow up on those things, Rennie. They run hundreds of people through there each week. You think they're going to take the time and effort to track down one no-show?"
"I would be the exception. They'd throw me in jail. Use me as an example to those who try and dodge their civic responsibility."
Thoughtfully, she twirled the straw in her soft drink. "Besides, that's what it is. A civic duty."
"Please." Lee groaned around a mouthful of vending-machine potato chips. "It's a civic duty for people who have nothing better to do. Use your work to get you off."
"Work is not an exemption. That's printed in bold letters on the summons. I'm afraid I'm stuck."
"Don't worry about it," he said. "They won't choose you."
"Wouldn't surprise me if they did," another male colleague had chimed in. "My brother's a trial lawyer. Says he always tries to seat at least one good-looking woman on every jury."
Rennie returned his wink with a scathing glare.
"And what if the lawyers are women?"
His smile collapsed. "Didn't think of that."
"You wouldn't."
Lee dusted salt off his hands. "They won't choose you."
"Okay, Lee, why not? You're just itching to tell me why I'd be an unsuitable juror, aren't you?"
He counted off the reasons on his nimble surgeon's fingers. "You're too analytical.
Too opinionated. Too outspoken. And too bossy. Neither side wants a juror who could sway the others."
That was one argument Rennie would have gladly let Lee win. She had been the second juror picked from forty-eight candidates, and then she'd been voted forewoman. For the following ten business days, while paperwork mounted and her patient load got backlogged, her time had belonged to the State of Texas.
When it ended, her relief was short-lived.
Through the media, the verdict had been criticized by the district attorney's office. Nor had it won the approval of the average citizen, Dr.
Lee Howell being one.
He had voiced his opinion at that Friday night cookout. "I can't believe you let this joker off, Rennie. He's a career criminal."
"He's never been convicted," she'd argued.
"Besides, he wasn't on trial for previous alleged crimes."
"No, he was on trial for executing a prominent banker, one of our fair city's leading citizens. The prosecutor was asking for the death penalty."
"I know, Lee. I was there."
"Here they go," said one of the other guests who'd gathered around to eavesdrop on what was sure to be a heated debate. "The staunch conservative and the bleeding-heart liberal are at it again."
"We jurors were informed going in that the DA was asking for the death penalty. That wasn't the reason we voted to acquit."
"Then how was it that you twelve decided to let this creep walk instead of giving him the needle? How could you believe for a second that he was innocent?"
"None of
Chapter 5
Rennie leaned against the counter and rolled the bottle of cold water across her forehead. It had been years since deep-breathing exercises were necessary for her to regain her calm. Years, but she hadn't forgotten how terrifying it felt not to be in absolute control.
For the last three weeks her life had been in disarray. The disintegration of her carefully structured life had begun with the jury summons.
The day after receiving it through the mail, she and a group, including Lee Howell, had been gathered in the doctors' lounge. When she told them about the summons, they had groaned collectively and commented on her rotten luck.
Someone suggested that she claim to have young children at home.
"But I don't."
"You're the sole caretaker of an elderly parent."
"But I'm not."
"You're a full-time student."
She hadn't even acknowledged that suggestion.
"Throw the damn thing away and ignore it," another advised her. "That's what I did.
Figured it would be worth the fine, no matter how steep, if I didn't have to appear."
"What happened?"
"Nothing. They never follow up on those things, Rennie. They run hundreds of people through there each week. You think they're going to take the time and effort to track down one no-show?"
"I would be the exception. They'd throw me in jail. Use me as an example to those who try and dodge their civic responsibility."
Thoughtfully, she twirled the straw in her soft drink. "Besides, that's what it is. A civic duty."
"Please." Lee groaned around a mouthful of vending-machine potato chips. "It's a civic duty for people who have nothing better to do. Use your work to get you off."
"Work is not an exemption. That's printed in bold letters on the summons. I'm afraid I'm stuck."
"Don't worry about it," he said. "They won't choose you."
"Wouldn't surprise me if they did," another male colleague had chimed in. "My brother's a trial lawyer. Says he always tries to seat at least one good-looking woman on every jury."
Rennie returned his wink with a scathing glare.
"And what if the lawyers are women?"
His smile collapsed. "Didn't think of that."
"You wouldn't."
Lee dusted salt off his hands. "They won't choose you."
"Okay, Lee, why not? You're just itching to tell me why I'd be an unsuitable juror, aren't you?"
He counted off the reasons on his nimble surgeon's fingers. "You're too analytical.
Too opinionated. Too outspoken. And too bossy. Neither side wants a juror who could sway the others."
That was one argument Rennie would have gladly let Lee win. She had been the second juror picked from forty-eight candidates, and then she'd been voted forewoman. For the following ten business days, while paperwork mounted and her patient load got backlogged, her time had belonged to the State of Texas.
When it ended, her relief was short-lived.
Through the media, the verdict had been criticized by the district attorney's office. Nor had it won the approval of the average citizen, Dr.
Lee Howell being one.
He had voiced his opinion at that Friday night cookout. "I can't believe you let this joker off, Rennie. He's a career criminal."
"He's never been convicted," she'd argued.
"Besides, he wasn't on trial for previous alleged crimes."
"No, he was on trial for executing a prominent banker, one of our fair city's leading citizens. The prosecutor was asking for the death penalty."
"I know, Lee. I was there."
"Here they go," said one of the other guests who'd gathered around to eavesdrop on what was sure to be a heated debate. "The staunch conservative and the bleeding-heart liberal are at it again."
"We jurors were informed going in that the DA was asking for the death penalty. That wasn't the reason we voted to acquit."
"Then how was it that you twelve decided to let this creep walk instead of giving him the needle? How could you believe for a second that he was innocent?"
"None of
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