Free Directed Verdict (Failed Justice Book 1) by Rick Santini Page B

shanked and died in the prison shower, you pompous son of a bitch. That’s what I was thinking.
    “Sir, I did what I thought was right. The facts simply did not call for a conviction. I did what I was paid to do and I would do it again under the same circumstances. Does that answer your question, Mr. Chief Justice?”
    It appeared all the air had been sucked out of the room. No one said a word, each waiting for the other to apologize.
    “Will there be anything else, Mr. Chief Justice?”
    “No, Wally, that appears to be it. I’ll have your new assignments sent over to you after lunch. You will be assigned to civil cases only for the time being. I assume you enjoyed your vacation and had some time to think and relax.”
    Wally did not respond. Had he said what he was thinking, he would have had all the time in the word to think and relax. Maybe till the day he died.
    Without a goodbye, acknowledgement, or thank you, Judge K got up and left the room.
     
    ***
     
    By the time his assignment list had been received, every clerk in the entire courthouse knew Judge Kolkolski was on the Chief Justice’s shit list. By nine the next morning, half the criminal bar knew Judge Kolkolski would not be trying their cases.
    Robert Samuel Sugarman was not pleased. This had always been his ace in the hole.
    Anthony Pauli Ricardo decided not to follow through on the criminal charges against his former attorney. There was nothing in it for him. Besides, the civil case had already been settled as far as he was concerned. Why waste time in court for no good reason?
    The DA had no choice but to move to dismiss. The judge granted the motion, as if he had a choice, but not before embarrassing Bob Sugarman in open court by suggesting there had to be a better way to handle clients than by breaking their legs.
    Everyone laughed. Bob did not think it was funny.
    He said nothing. He would have been held in contempt of court had the judge been able to read his thoughts.
    Now I have to find a new rabbi.
    Bob was referring to the term used by many, meaning one who could be relied upon and could quietly help in an awkward situation. He had no one in mind. The very last thing he thought about was the black sedan that was following him that day.
    It shouldn’t have been. The occupants of the black sedan had been busy.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER 14
     
     
    Oops, another mistake.
    Not the first, not the last.
     
    The computer generated note was stuck under the windshield wiper. All four tires in his year-old blood red Ferrari were flat. Sugarman couldn’t tell if the air had just been let out or if a knife had been used. He called Triple A and sat on the curb to wait. It had not been a good day; it had not been a good week, it had not been a good month. Ever since that damn directed verdict, his life had turned to shit.
    Ever since those false flyers, business had dropped off considerably. His referrals from non-criminal attorneys, his real life’s blood, had dried up. No one wanted to refer anything to him for fear of being connected.
    Bob Sugarman had the bad habit of most successful businessmen. He made it and he spent it. What good was busting your ass if you couldn’t enjoy the fruits of your labor? Bob had a big house and a big mortgage. He had a few high priced toys in his four car garage. Two of the four cars were paid for, the other two, not.
    Money was going out faster than it was coming in. Much faster.
    “Sorry, sir. It looks like the stems have been removed from all four tires. Not sure why but the tires do not seem to want to hold air. I would suggest we tow it to a Ferrari dealer. We’re just not equipped for this sort of problem.”
    Sugarman knew every trip to the Ferrari dealership set him back at least a few grand. It had been a mistake to buy the damn money pit in the first place but ego overcame logic. Not for the first time.
     
    ***
     
    The shock was totally unexpected. It was so far out of left field, no one