Free A Dangerous Affair by Jason Melby Page B

Henderson?"
    "He's on medical leave."
    "Then give it to Jablonski. That slacker hasn't seen any action in months."
    "He's on vacation," said George.
    "So am I," Leslie countered.
    George parked himself on the edge of Leslie's desk and loosened his tie a little further. "I'm getting squeezed by the mayor on this one."
    "Sounds kinky," said Leslie with a hint of sarcasm.
    "The state attorney's pushing hard. If I had the resources—"
    "I wouldn't be here," said Leslie.
    "That's not true. You love this job."
    "I love the law," said Leslie. "This job can bite me."
    George stood up and put his hands on the desk in a more aggressive posture. "That time of the month already?"
    Leslie gave him the bird.
    George shook his head. "What's going on with you?"
    "Nothing. That's the problem. I'm forty-two years old. I don't have friends outside of work. I don't have hobbies. The last time I met a man for dinner, Clinton was still in office. I share a home with two small cats and a large rechargeable vibrator. What kind of life is that? What type of woman does this to herself?"
    George leaned across the desk. "The type who's passionate about her work. The type who puts her clients' needs before her own. That's why I hired you. That's why I need you on this. You're the best defense attorney in the county. Hell, in this state."
    Leslie blew her nose. "Save the platitudes for your paralegal servants. I want a life outside this office, George. Nothing fancy or extravagant. Just a chance to feel human again. This place owes me that much. Just because my social life is nonexistent doesn't mean I should be the one saddled with all the heavy lifting around here."
    "Judge Dugan requested you by name."
    "DUI Dugan? I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult."
    George opened the file. "The defendant is thirty-four-year old Manny Morallen. He's scheduled for arraignment in three days. Dugan appointed us when Manny's attorney pulled a no-show at pretrial. Morallen wants to cut a deal in exchange for information."
    "Information on what?"
    George dropped the file on her desk. "That's what you're going to find out."
    "What are the charges?"
    "Illegal possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a controlled substance, and first degree murder of a deputy sheriff."
    Leslie rubbed her nose. The swelling in her nasal passages made it harder to breath. "Sounds like a train wreck. What do you expect me to do with this?"
    "Find out what Morallen's offering. Talk to the state attorney's office and see if we can hammer out a deal. I think they'll bend on this one."
    "How do you know?"
    "Morallen has something they want. Whatever it is he's offering, it's got the state's attention."
    "So I work the plea bargain and push Morallen toward a lighter sentence. Then what?"
    "Then get on with your vacation. You need some downtime. You've earned it."
    "What if he's innocent?" Leslie asked almost rhetorically. She skimmed the police report and the defendant's prior convictions. "I won't sign a deal until I see what the state puts on the table."
    "Manny Morallen killed a cop."
    "Allegedly," said Leslie.
    "The evidence supports a conviction. Morallen's a career criminal. He served eight years for cocaine distribution. He did a nickel in Pelican Bay for armed robbery. He has a laundry list of priors going back to his juvenile record. Everything from petty theft to assault with a deadly weapon."
    Leslie skimmed the rest of the file. "I say he's a long way from murder. Especially a cop killing."
    "Maybe he's on the fast track," said George.
    "Do you think this is gang-related?"
    "In our county?"
    "We've seen it before."
    "Not since Blanchart took office. This case smells like a drug bust gone bad. Morallen panicked and made a poor decision. It happens."
    Leslie took a minute to let the facts sink in. She'd read a hundred jackets on career criminals like Morallen. Clients resigned to a life of crime in lieu of any formal education or a normal work