Page 63 of Tequila Tuesdays

Damien touched my shoulder. “Do you want me to see if he’s around and let you know when he leaves?”

I nodded gratefully. “Yes, please. He’s about my height, mid-thirties, brown hair. He’s wearing a short-sleeved pink shirt, and his attorney is wearing a blue suit with a yellow tie.”

Damien nodded, then stepped out.

I turned to Shanda. “Did you have to take any drug tests to get your job?”

“Yeah. I took one before I started, and two since then.” She smirked. “I think my piercings and orange hair made them a little nervous.”

I was cautiously optimistic. “Do you have copies of those test results?”

“No, but I can ask for them.”

“Okay. Let’s get those.”

I pulled out the bus pass and a gift card to a secondhand clothing store I’d picked up at the public defender’s office, hoping she’d show up today. I wordlessly handed them to her, along with another one of my business cards. She looked at them, glanced up at me, then stuck them in her pocket.

Damien came back. “Jason and his attorney just got on the elevator. The bailiff said there’s one more case and then the judge will adjourn for lunch. You need to go in soon.”

I nodded. “We’ll continue this hearing and set a date and time for the next one. We should have an agreement by then.”

Shanda groaned. “Another hearing? Why are there so many hearings? I don’t want to keep taking time off work. Can’t we just take care of this today?”

I put my hands on my hips. “We probably could have, but since you’ve been ghosting me for the past month, I haven’t been able to do anything with your case. You need to stay in touch andnot miss your appointments.”

“Okay, I was scared. Geez.”

“No more.” I pointed a finger at her. “Let’s go before Judge Conrad decides to throw your scrawny butt in jail.”

That got Shanda moving. We went in just as the last defendant and his attorney were leaving the courtroom. Damien slipped onto a bench behind us. Judge Conrad wasn’t happy, but after I spoke briefly with the prosecutor, we quickly went on the record.

The judge looked down at us. “Ms. Emerson, I see your client finally made it. Tell me why I shouldn’t just issue a bench warrant, take her into custody, and reschedule her hearing.”

Shanda sank down in her seat next to me. I patted her shoulder and addressed the judge.

“She’s sorry for being late, Your Honor. Shanda is gainfully employed and just came from work, as you can see from her scrubs. This hearing should be quick. My client is waiving her right to a preliminary hearing today, and we’re asking the court to set a pretrial date. We’re also requesting that Ms. Briggs’ case be bifurcated from that of the co-defendant, Jason Ulrich, and their hearings be set on different days from now on.”

Judge Conrad turned to Evan. “Your Honor, Ms. Emerson and I have spoken, and the State stipulates to the bifurcation. We should be able to reach a resolution by the next hearing.”

Judge Conrad nodded enthusiastically. The more stipulations the attorneys reached, the fewer hearings and oral arguments he had to sit through. We finished up quickly.

Trevor, the younger prosecutor, had stayed in the courtroom and he stood next to me as I gathered my belongings. “That was close. I hope you read your client the riot act about being so late for her hearing.” He nodded his head toward Shanda.

“We got it done,” I said shortly, then turned to Evan. “I’ll get a hold of you in the next few days and send you a copy of some drug tests she’s taken over the last month or so for her employment.”

Evan nodded. “That will help.”

“I’d like to discuss dismissing the charges, or a plea in abeyance on a reduced charge based on her age and extenuating circumstances.”

Shanda and I walked to the partition, and Damien stepped up and opened the short swinging door. Trevor stood there watching us. When I walked through last, Damien put his hand on the small of my back.

Trevor’s eyes narrowed, and he snorted. “Why would the prosecutor’s office give her a plea in abeyance? She’s got felony charges, and she and her boyfriend are lowlifes.”

Shanda froze next to me.

Evan glared at Trevor. “This isn’t your case. And it’s not appropriate or professional to call the defendants denigrating names. I’ll see you back at the office.”

Evan turned to Damien and gave him a firm handshake. “Detective Andreasen, it’s great to see you again. How are things?”

---