Free Justice Served: A Barkley and Parker Thriller by R. Barri Flowers Page B

up,” she groaned, as if given
a low blow. “There’s enough of that going around these days without
it being self-inflicted.”
    He wrinkled his nose. “Yeah, I hear you.
Definitely the wrong choice of words. Sorry.”
    Carole playfully poked his rock hard
shoulder. “You should be, Mr. Criminal Defense Attorney. If you
keep putting yourself into deep holes, pretty soon you’ll never
find a ladder long enough to climb out.”
    Stuart chuckled warily, and said: “Hate to
stay on this same track, but it appears as if we have a bona-fide
vigilante on our hands.” His brow dripped with sweat as he frowned.
“A man who was a partner in the firm represented on an assault
charge was found beaten to death last night. Blake Wallace.”
    Carole lifted her eyes with surprise.
“Really? I presided over his trial. I expected a conviction, but
the jury felt otherwise.”
    “I think this is the fourth murder of an
accused batterer this year. The press is calling it justice
served to protect the innocent and vulnerable from these
bastards.”
    “Maybe they’re right,” she said gingerly.
“Our justice system does seem to be failing abused women.”
    His gaze fell on her. “But is cold-blooded
murder the answer to helping them? Or is this angel-in-disguise
really doing more harm than good?”
    Carole increased her speed as Stuart
struggled to keep up. “Officially, no, murdering the bastards is
not the answer.” She drew in breath. “Unofficially, this country
needs a wake up call that can draw attention to the plight of
battered and broken women.”
    Stuart’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe I’m
hearing this from your lips, Judge Cranston. Don’t tell me
you really think executing these men is somehow justifiable
homicide?”
    Carole could feel her heart racing and it
wasn’t from jogging. She responded caustically: “All I’m saying is
do you really think we’d even be talking about battering, abuse,
and domestic violence if someone out there hadn’t chosen to make
examples out of them on a dramatic stage?”
    Stuart pondered this for a long moment.
“Probably not,” he granted. “That still doesn’t give
someone—anyone—the right to go after these men like a hunter
killing deer.”
    “Agreed,” Carole said, knowing it was what he
wanted to hear. She wasn’t sure where she stood on the issue from
top to bottom.
    “The cops are all over this.”
    “I know,” she said pensively. “They’ve
already been to see me. At least two of them.”
    Carole immediately thought about Detective
Barkley and got a tingly feeling. She wondered just how dangerous
it was to even imagine being with him intimately.
    “And...?” Stuart seemed keenly
interested.
    “And I couldn’t really help them in their
investigation,” she said evasively.
    “They’re not going to stop until they find
the person,” he told her banefully.
    Was he warning her?
    With a defiant look, Carole said flatly: “Who
says they ever will? If she’s smart—assuming it’s a female we’re
talking about here—she’ll know when enough is enough and disappear
into the woodwork, having made her statement loud and clear.”
    Carole immediately shifted course, crossing
the track onto jade-green grass. She turned and saw Stuart still on
the track, running in place, mind buzzing, no doubt.
    “Duty calls,” she told him. “I’m due back in
court in less than an hour. I’ll see you.”
    Even as she ran across the grass and onto the
sidewalk, Carole could feel Stuart watching her every move till
she’d disappeared from sight.
     

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
     
    “I’ve got something I think you might find
interesting,” Nina said, making her way into Ray’s office.
    He looked up from some paperwork and detected
the glow in her eyes, as if she had just won the lottery.
    “Has my retirement with full benefits come
in?” he joked wistfully, sitting back in his leather desk
chair.
    She laughed. “Only in your dreams. Did some
checking up on