Free Trial and Terror by ADAM L PENENBERG Page B

together and forced them to rely on each other.
    Behind Summer’s and Rosie’s backs, these women, bitter and territorial, had taunted them, called them the “hair flippers” because of the long hair they constantly swept from their eyes. Levi also became the subject of derision: He was a life-support system for a penis, they chided. He liked hiring pretty girls: office furniture, not hardcore lawyers.
    Summer was knocked out of her reverie by Tai, who entered without knocking, poured himself a cup of coffee, and sat down. “I ran down the police witnesses and all the other stuff you requested,” he said.
    Summer looked up from paperwork. She couldn’t even remember what she had been reading. “That was fast. I just got them yesterday, after the judge was assigned.”
    “That’s why you hired me.”
    “I didn’t hire you.”
    “Right,” he said. “I forgot. Who’s the judge on the case?”
    “Hightower.”
    Tai whistled. “He can get awful ornery.”
    “Tell me something I don’t know.”
    “OK. Did you know that Hightower’s up for re-election?”
    “Of course.”
    “Did you know he’s going to face a primary challenge?”
    “Nobody’s announced a run against him. He’s unbeatable, which is why he’s run unopposed three times.”
    “It’s not public yet,” Tai responded. “And you’re the reason Hightower’s going to have to earn it this time. Getting that video-rape nut off.”
    “Who’s running against him?”
    Tai savored the moment. “Raines.”
    Summer tried to contain her surprise. “No way.”
    “He’s announcing in a couple days.”
    “Raines has never expressed political ambitions.”
    “Whatever.” Tai clasped his hands behind his neck, fanned his elbows out and yawned. “Want to know what I found out about Gundy, or talk about why you dislike me so much?”
    His yawn was contagious, but Summer stopped herself. “I’d rather hear about Gundy.”
    Tai held his cup near his mouth while he talked. “I ran down the same witnesses the cops did. The building super wasn’t around the night Gundy was offed, but saw SK around Gundy’s condo earlier in the day. She’s an oldie but a goodie, not too swift, doesn’t have great eyesight. She told the cops she could positively ID SK, but she doesn’t remember if she was wearing her glasses, so you might be able to impeach her.” He sipped, made a blech face. “Sugar?”
    Summer reached into a drawer and flicked him a couple of packets.
    “Milk?” he asked.
    Summer pointed to her mini-fridge. Tai leaned over and opened the fridge. He dribbled the last of the milk into his coffee, then ripped open a packet of sugar, stirred, and slurped. “Then there’s Malcolm Byers,” he continued, “the guy delivering pizza to a neighbor. In the police report, he said he saw a woman with curly red hair run from Gundy’s apartment at 10:30 P.M., which fits with the estimated time of death. You’ve read the report?”
    “Yeah.”
    “Notice how he gives such detail, as though he watched her over and over again?”
    “You think the cops led him on?”
    He gave Summer a cheeky smile. “If they had, it wouldn’t have been so obvious.”
    “Did he remember what kind of shoes she was wearing?” Summer asked.
    “Black boots, same as the cops found.”
    “That’s bad news.”
    “Perhaps, but Byers is no Boy Scout. Got expelled from high school for stealing. One of his teachers said Byers had attention deficit disorder, although that’s with 20-20 hindsight. Back then, they just called it being an asshole. I checked his movie rental record. Lots of ninja flicks and hard-core porn.”
    Summer eyed Tai warily. “You need a court order for that.”
    “Can I help it I’m persuasive? Besides, now you know you’ll need a court order—if you want to use it against him.” Tai crossed his legs, sat back lazily. “Not bad for an ex-cop.”
    “You forgot fat and lazy.”
    Tai laughed. Nothing seemed to sting him. Summer had to admit he