Free Murder One by William Bernhardt

gone.”
    “Where the hell is he?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “We have to find out.”
    “That’s a no go. Penelope says he’s undercover. No one will tell me any more.”
    “Damn.” Ben clenched his teeth. “He said he was leaving town for some new case. What lousy timing.”
    “ I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
    He jerked his head up. “What do you mean?”
    “The cops show up to railroad you the second your close friend on the force goes under? That can’t be just bad luck. They waited till he was gone.”
    Ben didn’t like the idea at all, but he had to admit she was probably right. This was planned. And planned very well.
    “So what’s their goal here? What’s the charge?”
    “So far they’ve only charged you with concealing evidence. Aiding and abetting. Obstructing justice.”
    Ben pondered a moment. “That tells me they still think Keri is guilty. They’re just using me to get to her.”
    “Probably.”
    “They’ll never be able to make the concealment rap stick.”
    “I agree. I think the judge will kick it as soon as he learns you were the defendant’s—and chief suspect’s—attorney. I’ve done a little research.” She popped open her brand-spanking-new briefcase and revealed a stack of photocopied cases so thick it barely fit inside.
    Nothing like having a new grad on the team, Ben mused. Bundles of energy. “What’s the aiding and abetting about?”
    “Presumably they’ll argue you helped Keri commit the crime. Or helped her cover it up.”
    “I suppose you could argue that, in a way, every defense attorney representing a guilty defendant helps them cover it up. But I don’t think they can make that a crime. Not without doing some serious damage to the Constitution.”
    “Ben … what you said. About Keri. Are you telling me she was …”
    “Guilty? No. She convinced me she was innocent a long time ago. Not that it matters. Even guilty people are entitled to lawyers.”
    “But still …”
    “Yeah.” He stretched, straining his aching muscles. “Keri always said she’d been framed. That someone was out to get her. Which at the time I thought a trifle paranoid. Now I’m not so sure.” He pondered a moment. “These charges against me are just preliminary. A device. They’ll use this to reopen the case against Keri.”
    “What about double jeopardy?”
    “There are ways around double jeopardy protection. And one of the best is to allege fraud on the part of the defendant. Or the defendant’s lawyer.”
    “Like hiding key evidence in his file cabinet?”
    “Exactly.” The more he said it aloud, the more he realized it must be true. “That’s what they’re after. It’s Keri they want.”
    “Maybe so,” Christina said. “But I wouldn’t discount anything. I hate to be the one to tell you, Ben, but every cop I talked to, everyone I tried to interview—they were all hostile. They loved Joe McNaughton, and they couldn’t handle the verdict. I think some of these people are willing to do just about anything to get Keri convicted.” She paused, then added, “And to teach you a lesson.”
    Ben’s lip turned up at the edge. “I’ve already learned a lesson. But I’m not going to let them railroad my client.”
    “Which leads to my next important question.” She pushed herself to her feet and began to pace. Ben marveled at how professional, how— lawyerly she looked. Snappy two-piece suit, briefcase, pinned-up hair, serious expression. She’d been out of school for less than twenty-four hours, but she already had the part down cold. “Whom do you want to represent you?”
    Ben looked surprised. “What do you mean? I already have a lawyer. You.”
    “I’m serious, Ben.”
    “So am I.”
    “Ben, I just got my diploma. I haven’t even passed the bar.”
    “You’ve already taken the multistate, haven’t you? We’ll get you a Rule 9 temporary permit.”
    “Ben, I’m not ready for this.”
    “You said you wanted to be tested. Tested by