Page 57 of Take the Bait

He smirked at her for just an instant, but then his expression went deadpan again. The guy’s self-discipline was almost frightening. Frankly, it might be best for everyone if this dangerous young man were behind bars until he worked out whatever demons were riding him.

The judge, riffling through Alex’s case file on the bench, said sternly, “There will be no more shenanigans in my court, Mr. Koronov, or I will charge you with assault and contempt. Is that understood?”

“That’s Doctor Koronov to you, Judge,” Alex bit out.

“Alex,” she hissed, “play nice.”

“And that’s Your Honor, to you,” the judge snapped back.

Was it legal for her to kick her client under the table? What the hell. She gave Alex’s calf a whack with the toe of her shoe.

“Do you understand, Doctor Koronov, that the District Attorney has been extremely lenient in not pressing charges against you in the death of an inmate in the county detention facility?”

A shrug from Alex. Then, “I’d take him out again if a piece of slime like that jumped me again.”

The judge went ominously still. Pulled his reading glasses down with one hand to stare over them, first at Alex, and then at her.

Crap, crap, crap.

Judge Rasmussen was pissed.

She ground the heel of her shoe into Alex’s instep frantically as he casually told the judge, “Of course, the District Attorney was lenient with me. After all, he’s screwing my lawyer.”

“Alex!” she cried, aghast.

The judge pointed at her and Cam. “My chambers. Both of you.”

A steady stream of cursing flowed through her brain. She’d known in her heart of hearts that Alex would pull some stunt to hose himself. She just hadn’t expected him to throw her under the bus, too.

She didn’t know about Cam, but she felt like a kid summoned to the principal’s office for committing some terrible infraction.

Rising to her feet, she glared down at Alex. “You sit here. Do nothing. Say nothing. Got it?”

He nodded back at her unrepentantly. “Got it.” But as Cam strode past, Alex muttered sotto voce, “Hope she was worth it, slugger.”

Cam shot a murderous glare at Alex as he politely gestured for her to go first into the judge’s office.

The judge pointed to seats in front of his desk and she and Cam sank into them. He leaned back in his big leather chair, hands folded across his girth. “Care to tell me what’s going on with your client, Ms. Wellford?”

“Dr. Koronov has seemed determined to go to jail from the beginning. Any time anyone shows him the slightest hint of leniency, he strikes out provocatively, much as he did just now. He flatly refuses to tell me what he’s acting out or why, although I’m certain he knows exactly why he’s doing it. This is a calculated strategy on his part.”

“Do you concur with that assessment, Mr. Townsend?”

“I do.”

“Tell me, Mr. Townsend. If the accused killed an inmate and badly wounded three more intentionally, why aren’t you pressing charges?”

She flinched as the judge’s voice flailed at Cam. The judge sounded half-inclined to believe Alex’s outrageous, and unfortunately accurate, accusation about her and Cam sleeping together. Good instincts both Alex and the judge had, dammit.

She caught the miniscule move Cam made, leaning protectively toward her before he quickly straightened and shifted his weight further away from her on his seat.

Cam answered the judge, “Investigation into the incident at the jail revealed that the four inmates attacked Mr. Koronov first. They were overheard making statements earlier that day indicating they planned to kill him. I also have affidavits from multiple guards stating that they believe Mr. Koronov easily could have killed all four of his attackers. They believe he intentionally refrained from doing so.”

“So I’m supposed to show leniency because he only killed one man?” the judge bit out.

“It has been deemed self-defense by my office. And given the extenuating circumstances of Mr. Koronov’s past, the District Attorney has chosen not to pursue pressing charges.”

“What have you got to say for your client, Ms. Wellford? I’m inclined to tack on assault charges against my bailiffs.”

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