Free Presumption of Innocence: David Brunelle Legal Thriller #1 by Stephen Penner Page A

defense attorneys routinely agree to continuances so that the State can get its DNA results back from the lab, or something equally damaging to the accused. I will not agree to give the State more time to manufacture evidence against my wholly innocent client."
    Brunelle had to smile. The man had a point. He never did understand why defense attorneys would give him more time. Well, he did understand. They weren't ready either. But it was more than that. They weren't assholes like Welles.
    "Fine, Your Honor," Brunelle addressed the court. "The State can be ready within the speedy trial expiration. But I would ask that the court make a finding that the defense has answered ready for trial. I don't think they should be allowed to challenge us to be ready, and then when we are ready, they ask for a continuance and claim to need more time to prepare."
    Quinn looked back at Welles. "The man has a point. You want a speedy trial, I'll give you a speedy trial. But I'm not going to let you out of it, if turns out you guessed wrong and they really can get ready that fast."
    Welles smiled, but Brunelle could see the worry hidden in the corners of his mouth. "We'll be ready, Your Honor. And my client will be acquitted."
    Judge Quinn wisely didn't comment. Instead, she announced the schedule. "Trial will be scheduled for six weeks from today. We will have a status conference two weeks before trial. In one week from today we will have a preliminary pre-trial conference. In addition we will have a bail hearing. In the meantime, I am changing Mr. Karpati's conditions of release to a no bail hold."
    "What?" Welles shouted. "We haven't had the bail hearing!"
    "You're correct, Mr. Welles," the judge responded, "because you weren't ready. But I've read Ms. Yamata's brief and I think she's probably right. I'm not going to give your client a chance to post bail while we wait for a full hearing. No bail hold. Court is adjourned."
    Judge Quinn stood up and retreated to her chambers.
    Brunelle was going to say something smarmy to Welles, but Karpati was already grabbing at Welles' shirt sleeve.
    Yamata stepped next to Brunelle and purred, "Told ya my briefs were exquisite."

Chapter 15
     
    The recital was at seven.  Brunelle was supposed to be there at six forty-five. It was maybe twenty minutes from his office. But he didn't really feel like working past six that night. In fact, he didn't feel like working past five.
    So he decided to take the long way to the high school. Actually, the totally opposite way, then double back. If he was going to try to convict Karpati without Holly, he was going to need to find someone else. There may not have been anyone else with the two of them that night, but people talk. And anything you say can and will be used against you. People think that just applies to things you say to the cops. Brunelle knew better. He hoped Karpati didn't.
    He parked his car right in front of 'Darkness.'
    It was early still, for a nightclub anyway, but he thought they might be open already. And he kind of wanted to miss most of the clientele. If anybody was going to know what Arpad Karpati was really about, it was going to be the staff. Maybe the regulars, but Brunelle wasn't sure was ready to meet the regulars quite yet. He buttoned his suit coat, smoothed back his just-starting-to-gray hair, and pulled open the faux castle door.
    He had been kind of looking forward to the record-scratching, piano-stopping, everybody-looking-at-the-door reaction his suited entry into the underground nightclub would evoke. He was disappointed.
    There were three other guys in suits drinking beers in the corner, and the bartender, a young woman covered in black clothes, silver jewelry, and colorful tattoos, looked up and said, not at all ominously, "Hi."
    "Uh, hi," Brunelle answered. He walked over to the bar. "Can I get a beer?"
    He wasn't going to do more than sip at it while he talked to the bartender. Not right before driving across town. He didn't