Page 5 of Savage in the Streets
Judge Fischer scans the documents, shakes his head, and says, “I can’t let her out.”
“Can’t let her out? Your Honor, she’s not violent. Hardly a risk to anyone. She has a business that needs her around to manage it—”
The judge cuts in with, “First of all, she’s a repeat offender. Second, she’s a flight risk.”
“Flight risk?”
“Roughly four hundred thousand dollars is unaccounted for, more than enough to skip town with.”
“Take her passport.”
She snickers. “What makes you think I have a passport? I’ve never been out of my small, podunk town.”
I ignore my wayward defendant and instead address the judge. “Your Honor, I beg you to reconsider your position.”
He grunts, leaning back in his chair to think as I’ve seen him do countless times in the courtroom.
“How about fifty thousand dollars,” I offer. “Would that be enough?”
“It’s not just the money, Mr. Ward—you know that.”
“But it’s a good place to start negotiating. One hundred thousand dollars, and an ankle monitor that will allow her to go from her apartment to her work.”
“Your Honor,” Alvarez cuts in, “the Savages have resources beyond that of the average citizen. They head a criminal empire.”
Bailey chuckles and says, “Yeah, about that, my father was ousted from the Savage Angels three years ago.”
“Bailey, would you just let me do my job?” I snap.
“If we must offer her bail, how about we start at five-hundred-thousand dollars?” Alvarez offers.
My mouth gapes open at the outlandish number. “Your Honor, my client deserves—”
“You think I’m just gonna let a criminal that tricked our most vulnerable population out of their retirement off the hook that easily?” Judge Fischer says with fire in his eyes. “If I let her walk outta here, what are the chances she’ll show up for her hearings? Considering her family’s history. You must have thought of that. You’re too smart not to.”
The look he gives me lets me know how disappointed he is with me, and truth be told, I’m disappointed in myself.
I never thought I’d be put into a position where I’d actually want my client to flee, but it’s the only good option available to me, and I’m afraid I’ve made that too obvious.
This isn’t good.
“Your Honor, please. It’s unfair to make Bailey pay for the sins of her father. She is a business owner, and despite her record, a good and productive member of society. Let her out, and I promise you, she’ll be at her hearings,” I lie.
The judge stares back at my client, trying to puzzle together what the hell I’ve gotten myself into because he knows full well that I’d never willingly represent a Savage.
“Is there any way she could be offered conditional bail or perhaps a work release?”
After a minute of agonizing silence, the judge says, “Third-party conditional bail. Into your custody. She’ll be fitted with a tracker and only be allowed to go to work and back home. Bail is set at fifty-thousand dollars.”
I blink back at him, trying to process his words. “Pardon?”
“If you are so confident in your client, prove it to me. Take responsibility for her.”
My mouth feels suddenly dry. Judge Fischer is a smart man, but I never figured him to be this strategic. He’s helping me, yet forcing me to stay within certain boundaries he knows I want to cross.
Even Alvarez seems to be at a loss for words.
I look over to Bailey, who’s wearing a wry grin. This deal with Caleb wasn’t supposed to include his sister coming home with me. It was supposed to be me kissing the bail money goodbye while she hightails it out of town. Now, if she leaves while under my watch, I’ll be held responsible.
