Tia’s heartbeat quickened with hope at the expression on Lorelei’s face the next time she was locked in the tiny visiting booth.
“Hey, sweetie.”
“Hi,” said Tia. “I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”
“Yeah, well, get used to it,” Lorelei said with a smile, “because you’re going to see me in court tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Tia asked with surprise.
Lorelei nodded. “Yes, ma’am. At 9:00 sharp.”
“What’s going to happen then?”
Lorelei chose her words carefully. “Well, there are no guarantees, as I said before, but I’m going to try to get the case dismissed on lack of evidence.”
“Really?” Tia said, her excitement growing.
“I can’t promise you anything, sweetheart, but I’ll be bringing up the fact that you were never tested for gunpowder residue, along with some other things.”
“Like what?”
“Like Morgan Cole’s strange behavior, for starters.”
“Wow! Do you really think it will work?”
“I’m going to go in there and try my best,” Lorelei said with a serious, yet hopeful expression on her face.
“What do I do on my part?”
“Nothing but sit tight and wait for tomorrow.”
“I don’t have anything to wear to court, obviously.”
Lorelei laughed. “That’s ok. They’re used to these fashionable jailhouse jumpsuits. For now, just hang in there and keep your fingers crossed. If you believe in prayer, you might want to try that, too.”
“So what’s going to happen? Are we just going to go to court and say what we’ve learned?”
“Actually, you’re not going to say anything unless the judge asks you a question directly. I’m the one that’s going to do most of the talking.”
“I see.”
“After all, that’s what they pay me for,” Lorelei said, smiling at Tia’s lovely face. Most inmates bore a haggard, unkempt appearance. But not Tia. Tia looked a bit stressed out and tired, but beautiful just the same.
“Is it possible I could be released right then and there?”
“Yes, ma’am. It is.”
Tia appeared shocked. “Wow! As exciting as that is, I wouldn’t have any place to go.”
“Sure you would,” Lorelei said. “You don’t think I’d just let you go out on the streets, do you?”
Tia smiled broadly with both hope and excitement.
“You’ve got to remember one thing, though, and that’s not to give up if you’re not let go tomorrow for any reason. I’ve got a few other tricks up my sleeve on standby, waiting to be put into action if need be.”
“Ok, I’ll try. It would be hard not to be disappointed, though.”
“Of course you’d be disappointed. But you must never give up. As long as you’re not convicted and sentenced to twenty-five to life, and have exhausted all your appeals, there’s hope.”
“The thought of going to prison for years is truly terrifying,” said Tia. “I’d rather be dead.”
“Well, I feel pretty confident that it won’t come to that, and I wouldn’t say so if I didn’t feel the way I do. I get paid to help you. Not kid you.”
Tia eyed Lorelei with gratitude. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
“My pleasure,” Lorelei replied with a quick nod. “Now you go back to that cell of yours and think positive thoughts. Try to get a good night’s sleep, too.”
Tia laughed. “I can think positively, but I think the sleep will be rather hopeless.”
Lorelei laughed too, and Tia returned to her cell to spend what would be the longest night of her life.
She’d barely slept a wink when the stony-faced guard was rousing her from her bunk. “Five minutes, Karson,” snapped the guard.
Tia quickly brushed her teeth with her little, three-inch toothbrush, washed her face, and combed through her hair as best she could with the tiny, flimsy comb she had. Her hair was considered her top asset by most, so she decided to leave it down. She smoothed out the wrinkles in her uniform as the door to her cell was opened once again.
“Good luck,” her present cellmate said in a sleepy voice.
“Thanks, Doreen. And good luck to you too, in case I don’t come back.”
“First of all, my name is Dori. Secondly, you’ll be back,” she said confidently.
Tia felt her heart sink to the pit of her stomach at the thought of returning before she reminded herself of Lorelei’s advising her to think positively. And so she quickly gathered up all her legal papers and followed the guard to the central corridor, where she was then escorted to a waiting area.
After what seemed like an hour, though it was really only a few minutes, she and about a dozen other inmates were handcuffed in pairs and loaded onto a county corrections bus. The ride was a wild one, as the driver, no doubt assuming he owned the roads being in law enforcement, wove through traffic with such ferocity that it was all Tia could do to keep from sliding off her seat along with her cuff mate. Horn honking, tires screeching, they somehow made it alive to the courthouse a few minutes later.
Tia was almost dizzy when she first stood up to exit the bus.
Once inside the courthouse, she would wait for what seemed like an eternity in a holding cell with other inmates awaiting trial. She tried not to think of all the things that could possibly go wrong as she listened to one girl brag about the guy she’d beaten up for slapping her, and another viciously defend herself against the allegations made against her for child abuse.
At last, the door opened and an officer called her name. She rose on trembling legs and was escorted to the courtroom. Lorelei was standing just inside the door, briefcase in hand. “Hi there,” she said.
“Hello.”
“Will she be ok without cuffs?” asked the officer.
“She’ll be fine,” Lorelei assured her, and then the officer returned to the jail.
Lorelei was dressed conservatively in a plain navy dress that suited her tall, slender body well.
“Who are all these people?” asked Tia, surveying the courtroom.
“They have cases to be presented here today as well.”
“Where is the judge?”
“He’s in recess right now, but will be back soon.”
Tia began to follow Lorelei. “So all these people have cases to be heard, too?”
“Well, some of the people may be witnesses, plaintiffs, or just people who are along for the support.”
“Is this going on TV?”
“Not our actual testimony, though the results of whatever happens here today may be in tomorrow’s paper.”
They sat in the third row on one side of the courtroom.
“So what do we do now? Just wait?”
“That’s it, my dear.”
Tia’s legs felt weak, and her pulse was much quicker than usual. “I’m nervous. No. I’m terrified.”
“Just hang in there,” Lorelei said, patting her shoulder. “I think we really have a good shot at getting you outa here. If not, remember your promise to me about not giving up. There are other things we can do. They just may not be as quick as we’d like.”
Tia tried not to think of what might happen with her case and focused on Lorelei instead. They sat barely an inch apart from one another. Tia liked being close to the woman. She felt a little safer and less alone. She liked the smell of the flowery perfume she wore, too.
The judge returned, and everyone was made to rise.
Why are we made to rise for this person? Tia wondered. It’s not like he’s God. Then again, he does play God with some people’s lives, doesn’t he?
The judge abruptly took his seat. His manner was stern, serious, and seemingly without any feeling for the actual human beings before him. Instead, they were just another number to him. Another object to be labeled and categorized.
A young man was represented by an older man. The man wasn’t in uniform and had obviously not come from the jail.
Then it was time for her and Lorelei to take the stand. Tia was afraid she’d never be able to stand when it came time to approach the podium.
“Remember,” Lorelei whispered in her ear. “Don’t say anything unless you’re asked a question.”
Tia nodded and followed Lorelei to the podium.
A mousy-looking woman read from a file before she handed it to the judge. “The State versus Tia Nicole Karson.”
After the judge formally greeted Lorelei and the DA, he had Lorelei speak first. She spoke steadily, only interrupted a few times with an occasional question from the judge.
“Why wasn’t she tested for gunpowder residue immediately following the incident?” asked the judge.
“I don’t know, Your Honor. I only know that there’s nothing to say for sure. No concrete evidence at all that suggests that Miss Karson is, in fact, guilty of this crime.”
The judge studied Tia. She felt like a fish in a small bowl as he eyed her as if he could search inside her soul and detect any traces of guilt that may be present.
“But what makes you think the victim’s wife could be guilty?” he asked, giving Tia a sinking sensation that was as physical as it was emotional.
Lorelei explained the life insurance policy that Morgan Cole had collected on, the shopping sprees, and the talks she’d had with Courtney.
“Could it be possible that she won, inherited, or came into some money in another way?”
Tia’s feeling of doom grew heavier.
“Not likely, Judge. Business hasn’t exactly been booming. Not with the economy doing as poorly as it has been lately.”
The judge then turned his attention to the DA, an older, shorter, wider lady who seemed as if she just couldn’t wait to get her two cents in as far as why she thought Tia should continue to suffer. “Has the DA anything she’d like to add?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” said the DA as she rearranged papers on her own podium. “Judge, there’s simply no other obvious suspect in the death of Stanley Hagan. I understand that the investigators failed to conduct a gunpowder residue test. However, an overwhelming amount of circumstantial evidence does point to Miss Karson. I ask that you consider that much and allow for a more thorough investigation.”
The judge looked thoughtful as he studied the papers before him. In a hesitant, even regretful-sounding voice, he said, “Well, I’m not sure how much more thorough this already botched investigation can be. Especially when it involves procedures in which timing is most critical. If I allow Miss Karson to be released today, it will basically be because of the lack of gunpowder testing. Not because I can say with or without a doubt in my mind that she is, in fact, innocent of the charges.”
Tia’s heartbeat sped up. She tried not to show the fact that she felt a real spark of hope for the first time since her nightmare began.
The judge studied the papers some more, prolonging the torture, before he finally said, “I hate to let someone go that may have had a hand in taking the life of another human being, though I don’t think that’s the case here. I tend to agree that the wife’s behavior and the daughter’s statements do cast a shadow of doubt over this case. However, in light of the fact that no testing has been conducted on the defendant for gunpowder residue, I have no choice but to dismiss the case on lack of sufficient evidence.”
Tia did all she could do to keep from squealing with joy. Instead, she thanked Lorelei profusely after his official ruling. “You did it! You did it!”
“I told you we had a good chance,” Lorelei said as she returned the warm embrace Tia gave her. Then she swiped her briefcase from the podium and said, “I’ll be waiting for you in front once you’ve turned in your uniform and your release has been officially processed.”
It seemed to take forever, but once Tia was back in her own clothes and let go, she smiled with glee at the sight of a waiting Lorelei.
“Let’s go celebrate, and then we’ll head over to my place. You’ve got a furry friend waiting for you there that’s going to be awfully glad to see you.” Lorelei said.
Tia’s eyes lit up with delight. “You’ve got Tinkerbell?”
“I sure do.”
“But don’t you have anyone else to represent today?”
“No, not today. I knew we had such a good shot at getting you out of here that I didn’t schedule anyone else in for the rest of the day.”
They got in Lorelei’s SUV and headed out of the court’s parking lot. “Where to, ma’am?”
“Anywhere you want to take me, Counselor,” said a still grinning Tia. “I’m happy just to follow along.”
Someone else was happy to follow along, too. Only the woman kept enough of a distance so as not to be detected.
Tia was treated to a lobster at Red Lobster while Lorelei had steak and shrimp. When they were done eating, Tia excused herself and headed for the ladies’ room.
Inside the restroom, Tia noted that the bathroom was empty. She entered the last of three stalls. She heard the door open and assumed whoever had entered the room had stepped into one of the vacant stalls. The toilet flushed itself automatically as soon as she stood up. She was washing her hands when a familiar voice said, “I know you didn’t kill Stanley.”
Startled, Tia spun around to face Courtney Cole.
“Omigod, Courtney! What are you doing here?”
Courtney shook her head sadly and said, “I just wanted to make sure.”
“Make sure of what?”
“That if I can’t have you, nobody can.”
Tia died within seconds of the loud pop.
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