Free Apex Predator by J. A. Faura Page A

even more amusing to watch Logan’s reaction to Zeidler’s arrival.
    He stood up from the prosecution table buttoning up his suit coat with a very dignified look on his face and his hand outstretched, “Mr. Zeidler, Bart Logan, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you, I’ve been expecting you. I assume you’re here about the Pedroza case.”
    Zeidler stopped, looked at him, shook his hand as a mere courtesy and asked, “Where’s Melanie Farris? I thought she was the one handling the case.”
    Logan tried to maintain his composure, but the red spreading across his face betrayed his annoyance, embarrassment was more like it. ”She’s been pulled into another case, so the Pedroza case has been handed to me.”
    Logan was trying hard as hell to remain composed, but the awkwardness of the situation was just not in his comfort zone and rather than coming off as someone with some authority, he came off as a petulant child insisting he was right.
    Zeidler turned back and whispered to one of his assistants, then turned back to face Logan. “Well, Bert, you don’t mind if I call you Bert, do you? Why don’t we get the judge out here and get on with requesting a continuance until Melanie can get back on the case.”
    Bart stood his ground, Drew was impressed, “Mr. Zeidler, there is no reason for requesting a continuance, the people are ready and all the stipulations about the DNA evidence have been made. Your office confirmed it. And it’s Bart, not Bert.”
    Zeidler was smiling. Drew knew what was coming and he was actually feeling sorry for Logan. The kid just couldn’t figure out which battles he should fight.
    “Alright, Bart, here’s the deal. We have made the stipulations we have because of long and careful discussions with Melanie Farris and your boss, David Neill, you know, the DA.
    “Now if we are going to have to deal with a different legal team then we will need a continuance in order to discuss the case with that new legal team, a team I am assuming you will be a part of, but not heading, no offense.
    “If we are going to ask for a continuance anyway, then wouldn’t it make sense to request one until the original prosecution team could handle the case again? I am sure you would still be a part of the team, but this way, things would move just so much more smoothly, don’t you think?”
    Drew had to sit in admiration, in one fell swoop Zeidler had let Logan down easy, without insulting him, dangled a high-profile case in front of him like a carrot in front of a horse and made him think it would end up coming off as his idea. Logan was clearly outgunned and outmatched here and he didn’t even know it. He made a show of looking through the file and thinking about it, but he knew damn well what he was going to do.
    Still he had to save face and get the last word in, “Based on the complexity of the case, Mr. Zeidler, the people would not be opposed to a continuance until Mr. Neill and Ms. Farris can rejoin the case. Of course that will be up to Judge Lee to decide.”
    Zeidler nodded and patted Logan on the shoulder. “That’s a good man. Don’t worry, Jerry…I mean Judge Lee…won’t have a problem with it. His docket is backed up as it is.”
    Logan looked satisfied with himself. He turned to the judge’s clerk, who was smiling at the whole exchange herself, “Heather, could you ask Judge Lee if we can meet with him in his chambers?”
    Heather nodded, “Of course, Mr. Logan, I will check with him.”
    As she turned to go back to the judge’s chambers, she caught Zeidler’s eye and gave him a quick wink. While they were all waiting for her to come back, Drew, one of the last lawyers in the courtroom, was shaking his head and smiling as he finished putting his files away.
    Zeidler and his entourage, most of whom were on their iPhones or Blackberries texting away, just sat and waited. He looked around the courtroom and saw Drew putting his files away and called out to him, “Willis, it is Willis,