Page 59 of Savage in the Streets
Alvarez tents his fingers. “Tell me more.”
“You put Bailey Savage away, no one bats an eye. You put Big Jim Savage behind bars, that’ll make your career.”
Alvarez snickers. “He’s been in and out his whole life.”
“But nothing has ever stuck. Nothing big, anyway. This would be identity theft, fraud, breaking and entering, god knows what else we’ll dig up.”
“So, you’re telling me that what she said is true.” Alvarez looks from Bailey to me skeptically. “That her father Jim had his hands in this? Or perhaps I should rephrase: that Bailey really is innocent?”
“I know prosecution is your job, but I want you to think for a minute. Who is the most likely culprit? The woman trying to get her life in order, working sixty-hour weeks trying to save her business? Or the career criminal that skates below the radar?”
“It’s not my job to determine guilt,” he says. “I just present the case. If you have evidence you’d like me to consider, log it, I’d be more than happy to take it into consideration.”
I look to Bailey. “Is there anything else you can think of?” It’s clear she doesn’t trust me, so I add, “I’m going to do everything I can to help you. Just like I promised.”
“Then why are you handing me off to your father? You said he—.”
“He might be evil, but he’s very good at what he does.”
“And you’re not?”
“I’m a corporate attorney. My father made a living getting mobsters and career criminals off. He is better suited to take your case, even though he’s been working in consulting lately. Plus, because of our relationship, I should no longer represent you.”
“Relationship?” Bailey’s stormy green eyes rage. “How can you even call it that when you were trying to get me to marry Bruce?”
I’m so shocked by what she just said, all I can say is, “Huh?”
“Now, this is some drama.” Alvarez laughs.
“Shut it, Alvie!” I snap.
“Or…at least I thought you were.” Bailey lets out a tired sigh. “That doesn’t really make any sense now.”
“Why do you think I was trying to get you to marry Bruce?”
She pulls out a slip of paper. Her brother’s message.
“God, this is like a soap opera,” Alvarez says. “Wish I had some popcorn.”
She hands it to me.
If you agree to marry Bruce, I can make this all go away.
-Caleb
“Bailey,I had nothing to do with this. Why would you think that I did?”
“I didn’t know why you took my case. I had assumed—”
“Not now. Not in front of him.” I point to Alvarez.
“Would you like to share that so that I might take it into consideration?” Alvarez says.
“Actually, this might help us,” I say, passing it to him.
It’s not standard for me to help the prosecution in any way, but when the evidence so clearly points away from Bailey to a juicer target, I figure it’s time to make my enemy my friend.
Alvarez reads the message. “This evidence won’t hold up in court.”
