Mortal Crimes: 7 Novels of Suspense (261 page)

Hutch was at a loss for words.

"I know a lot of people, Ethan. Powerful people. And some of those people owe me favors. It was no different back then." He paused. "Of course, none of us could have known that you'd actually wind up with a hit TV show. I mean, Jack Van Parkes, for godsakes? Give me a fucking break. All I wanted was get you out of Chicago and away from my daughter. And to prove to her you were the loser I thought you were. Game, set, match."

The pain finally subsided a bit, but it had been replaced by such a feeling of dismay that Hutch still couldn't find the words to respond. He had known his career was a fluke, but could this asshole really be the great and powerful Oz he claimed to be? Had he engineered that very first audition? Had he called in a favor to get Hutch the job?

And was it possible that, somewhere down deep, Hutch had known this all along? Had sensed it?

It might explain a lot of things. His rejection of Jenny. His descent into booze and drugs. All because he'd known Keating was right. That he
was
a loser. The type who would chase temptation and forget everyone around him. Those who mattered to him.

Keating smiled now, as if reading his mind. "How's that for truth?"

"Fuck you," Hutch managed, but it was said without much fire.

He half expected another blow to the kidney, but it didn't come. Instead, Keating said, "Here's what I want from you now. I want you to butt out of this. Forget your alternate suspects, forget your old college friends, and go back to Los Angeles where you belong. Lose yourself in that insular little world they have out there, and leave my Jenny alone."

Hutch eyed him defiantly. "And if I don't?"

"Then I'll have to put you on a plane myself."

________

THEY DROPPED HIM off where they had picked him up, a little less than a block from the courthouse.

Hutch's kidney still ached as the car door slammed behind him and the sedan pulled away, Keating in back now, giving him one last look before dismissing him from his mind. They would circle around and pull up in front of the courthouse and Keating would once again play the stoic, grieving father as he walked up the steps past the throng of reporters and video cameras.

For the briefest of moments, Hutch entertained the idea of leaving Chicago. He thought about running away with Ronnie, and for a millisecond, even considered herding sheep somewhere in South America.

Or he could do as Keating had suggested and simply go back to L.A.

But then he looked down the block toward the courthouse and asked himself, what would Jenny want him to do? And he knew that she would want him to stay. Just as she had before. She would want him to fight for Ronnie, to help prove that this trial was a severe miscarriage of justice.

But she would also want him to prove her father wrong.

And with this in mind, Hutch ignored the ache in his side and started walking toward the courthouse, determined to stare the old man down as he strode into the gallery, give him a look that said,
you can try, but you won't succeed.

Not this time.

Ten minutes later, Hutch did exactly that.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

"WHAT'S WITH OLD man Keating?" Andy asked. "Guy's really giving you the evil eye."

Hutch shook his head. "Long story. Apparently a lot longer than I thought."

Monica, Tom and Gus were seated on either side of them and they all looked at Hutch curiously. But before they could hammer him with any questions, the bailiff called out, "All rise!" and they got to their feet.

As the door behind the bench opened and Judge O'Donnell took a seat in his high-backed chair, Andy whispered, "See? What did I tell you? Dude definitely got laid during the break."

Andy quietly sang the first two lines of
Afternoon Delight
, and Monica snickered. So did Tom and Gus. And despite himself, Hutch joined in, thinking he could use a laugh just about now.

His kidney still ached and he was afraid he'd be pissing blood tonight.

He felt Keating's gaze on him and wondered what the old man's next step would be. Send out the Filipina towel girl to do more damage? Or was it all bluff in hopes that Hutch would tuck his tail and flee?

Judge O'Donnell shot a look in their direction, nearly provoking another wave of snickers, then said, "With all present and accounted for, court is back in session. Mr. Abernathy, please call your next witness."

Ronnie turned now, making brief eye contact with Hutch, and he knew he'd made the right decision in ignoring Keating's threat. If any of the old guy's lackeys came within ten feet of him, he'd call the cops.

Hopefully no one would have to call the paramedics.

Abernathy stood up, looking fully recovered from the morning session. "I'd like to call Ms. Carlene Harding to the stand."

So that's why Jenny's secretary was out.

A guard moved to a door, pushed it open and said something to the person waiting behind it. A moment later a tall black woman wearing a stylish but conservative skirt suit stepped into the courtroom and made her way to the witness box. She was movie-star pretty, and it looked to Hutch as if she'd spent some time in the makeup chair before driving to court today.

Everyone waited as she was sworn in and stated her name, then Abernathy approached the podium.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Harding."

She smiled warmly. "Hello." No case of the jitters for this witness. In fact, she looked so calm and collected that Hutch had to wonder if she was on something.

"Ms. Harding, where are you currently employed?"

"The Law Offices of Treacher and Pine." There was a hint of pride in her voice.

"And what is your occupation?"

"I'm a legal secretary."

Abernathy nodded. "And what exactly does that job entail?"

"I have a number of duties. I keep the court calendar for my attorneys, schedule appointments and depositions, prepare briefs, take dictation, and handle any written correspondence that may be needed."

"And for which attorneys do you do all this work?"

"I'm currently assisting Curtis Tobin and Mitchell Clark in contracts."

"What about four months ago? Who were assisting then?"

Harding's eyes clouded slightly. "Mr. Tobin and Ms. Keating, in the same department."

"Jennifer Keating? The victim in this case?"

She nodded solemnly. "Yes."

"And how long did you work for Ms. Keating?"

She thought about this, then said, "Jenny came aboard about a month after I started, so approximately four years."

"I see. And how would you characterize your relationship with her?"

"Unlike some attorneys I've worked for, Jenny never looked down on the support staff. We didn't really socialize outside the office, but I like to think we were friends."

Abernathy nodded then checked the notepad in front of him on the podium. "I assume your duties were the same for Ms. Keating as they are for Mr. Tobin and Mr. Clark?"

"Yes," she said.

"Did you also handle her phone calls?"

"Only the calls that came through the office switchboard. Jenny had a cell phone that she used quite frequently."

"Was that a business phone?"

"Not technically, no. It was her personal line. The office used to supply cell phones for the attorneys, but the practice became cost prohibitive and the attorneys were encouraged to use their own."

"So would the cell phone be a number she would normally give out to clients?"

Harding shook her head. "No. That number was private and would only be given to close friends or work associates. Any calls from clients would have gone to her office phone, if they knew her direct extension, or be routed through me."

"I see," Abernathy said. "So if I needed to talk to Ms. Keating and didn't have her cell number, how would I have contacted her?"

"Call the firm's main number and the operator would transfer it to me. Once I determined who was calling and why, I'd buzz Jenny and ask if she was available."

"And if she wasn't?"

"I'd take a message."

"What if Ms. Keating herself needed to call a client. Did she ever have you make the call, then connect to her once the party answered?"

"That was part of my job, yes."

Abernathy bobbed his head and spent a short moment formulating his next question. Then he said, "Ms. Harding, you say that you and Ms. Keating didn't really socialize outside the office, but is it fair to say that you knew a good deal about her social life?"

"I think so, yes."

"And how is that?"

"Like I told you," Harding said, "we were friends. Office friends. She'd sometimes talk about her private life and the people she knew outside work."

"Assistant District Attorney Warren Lutz, for example?"

"Yes, they were in a romantic relationship for quite some time."

"Did she ever talk about that relationship?"

Harding nodded. "Sometimes. Not often. More toward the end, when they decide to call it quits."

"Is that how she characterized it? That
they
had decided to call it quits?"

"Yes," Harding said. "She told me it was a mutual decision. She said the relationship had run its course and they had both decided to move on."

"Did she ever tell you why?"

"Objection," Waverly called out. "Is this a murder trial or a soap opera?"

This got a few laughs from the gallery.

"Your Honor, defense counsel opened this door this morning when she inferred that ADA Lutz was the one who should be on trial here."

"I inferred no such thing, Your Honor. I was merely pointing out the deficiencies in Detective Meyer's—"

"Oh, please," Abernathy snapped. "You as good as accused the man of—"

"All right, children, that's enough." O'Donnell waved an impatient hand at them. "Objection overruled, let's keep moving."

The two attorneys took a moment to calm down, then Abernathy repeated his question. "You can answer Ms. Harding. Did Ms. Keating ever tell you
why
she and Mr. Lutz decided to move on?"

"Not really. I have my suspicions, but—"

"Objection."

"Sustained."

Abernathy smiled at the witness. "I appreciate your honesty, but let's try to avoid any hint of conjecture in your answers. Tell us only what Ms. Keating told you."

"She said they just realized they were better off as friends."

Abernathy nodded. "And when they were
more
than just friends, did Mr. Lutz ever call her?"

"I don't know about her private number, but yes, of course, he would sometimes call the office complaining that she'd turned off her cell, wanting to know if she was in a meeting or stuck in court."

"And after they 'moved on'?"

"I didn't notice any change in the frequency of calls."

"What about Ms. Keating? Did she ever have you call Mr. Lutz during this period?"

"Yes, many times," Harding said, then showed the glimmer of a smile. "I once asked her how she could stay friends with a man who had shared her bed—it's not something
I
could do—and she told me that she still found him intellectually stimulating and saw no point is shutting down an entire relationship simply because they were no longer having sex."

Abernathy nodded and fiddled with his notepad, pausing to let the jury ponder this notion. He was no doubt hoping that he had repaired some of the damage Waverly had done this morning.

Then he said, "Ms. Harding, when was the first time you heard the name Veronica Baldacci?"

"About a month before Jenny was killed."

"And in what context did you hear it?"

"Jenny came into the office and said she'd run into an old college roommate the night before. I asked her if it was one of the friends in the photo that she kept on her credenza and she said 'yes' and pointed Ms. Baldacci out to me."