“Easy. Retired Irish cop murdered at Navy Pier. Just seems like someone from the DA’s office might get involved.”
Bennett decompressed a bit.
“Sorry, Michael. Just a little keyed up.”
“I can see that,” I said.
“Internal stuff. Office politics, you know.”
I didn’t know and didn’t ask. Bennett Davis told me anyway.
“O’Leary loves to keep us at each other’s throat. His management style. Keeps anyone from getting too big, going after the top job.”
“Someone like you, maybe?”
“Maybe. No one ever knows who is running what in the office. So, of course, everyone tries to get an angle, cook up the next big case. A lot of bullshit.”
Bennett leaned his mouth down to his glass and took another hit on his drink. His eyes moved around the room and back to mine. The prosecutor smiled, pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket, and wiped his face.
“I don’t do well at these things,” he said. “Haven’t had hair since high school and didn’t look good then.”
“You make your living in front of a jury, Bennett.”
“Completely different animal. I’m in control there.”
A couple cruised by. Bennett Davis smiled a hello and continued talking out of the side of his mouth.
“Out here, I’m working without a script.”
“One more business thing, Bennett. Then we put it away.”
“Sure.”
“I ran across an old rape case you worked. Victim’s name was Elaine Remington. Ring a bell?”
“Remington, huh? Can’t say that it does. How old is it?”
“Nine years,” I said.
Bennett shook his head.
“Goddamn, Michael. Nine years ago. Did we go to trial?”
“No.”
“Pled out, huh? Sorry, pal.”
“Actually, it wasn’t a plea, either. More like the suspect just disappeared.”
“Disappeared?”
“Yeah. Forget about it. Just saw your name on a piece of paperwork and thought you might remember.”
“Not a problem. Tell you what, I’ll look it up on Monday. See if I have anything in the files.”
Beyond Bennett, I could see Nicole and caught her eye. She took Rodriguez by the hand and started over.
“Nicole’s heading over,” I said.
Bennett craned his neck around for a look.
“Where?”
“Right behind you. Walking across the room.”
The prosecutor’s head snapped forward.
“Shit. She with someone?”
“Bennett.”
“Is she with someone?”
“Yes.”
“I gotta go.”
Bennett Davis finished his drink, slid away from the bar and into the shadows. I’d say one thing. For a portly fellow, the assistant DA could really slither when he had to.
CHAPTER 32
Why the rush?”
Diane had returned from wherever. Just in time to see the back of Bennett Davis’ bald spot.
“Long story,” I said. “By the way, are we a couple tonight?”
“What do you think? Say hi to Nicole.”
A group of chattering men drifted away. Nicole moved into the void and drew close.
“I’m so glad you came,” she whispered. Then she hugged Diane, pulled back, and looked at both of us in that “I approve of this coupling” sort of way. Rodriguez loitered to Nicole’s left: smooth, chilled, and waiting to be opened.
“Vince,” I said and offered a hand.
“Nice to see you again, Kelly.”
The handshake was dry, the look sincere. I wanted to hate the guy. He was making it difficult. Nicole introduced the detective to Diane.
“I know this face,” Rodriguez said. “Nice to finally meet you, Ms. Lindsay.”
“Feeling’s mutual, Detective Rodriguez. I certainly have heard the stories.”
Everyone laughed at that except me. I wondered what the stories were about Rodriguez, and why I didn’t know anything about them. The conversation moved right on past.
“Did you meet Judge Swenson?” Nicole said.
“I saw her on the way in,” I said. “Rather, she picked me out of a crowd. Thanks a lot.”
Nicole laughed.
“You’re not hard to describe, Michael. When we were growing up, his nickname in the neighborhood was Irish. Big ears, crooked smile.”
“Isn’t that cute,” Diane chimed in. “Do tell us more.”
Nicole was about to oblige when Rachel Swenson mercifully moved to the podium and adjusted the mic. The crowd grew quiet, and the judge began to speak.
“There are more than one hundred million women in the United States. Almost twenty percent of them, roughly eighteen million, have been raped. The majority of those, more than once.
“You have a daughter getting ready for college. Consider this. One out of every four students can expect to be attacked by the time she graduates. Of that number, eighty percent will know their attacker.
“Overall, this country sees more than eight hundred thousand sexual assaults each year. That’s thirteen times higher than Great Britain. Twenty times higher than Japan.
“During the two hours we gather here tonight, more than one hundred and fifty women will be assaulted. During the minute and a half I’ve been speaking, two women, somewhere in this country, have been violated.
“Do we have a problem, ladies and gentlemen? I think so.”
Rachel stepped back from the podium and the crowd simply breathed. No applause, no chatter. Just a lot of quiet. I wasn’t sure what the tuxedoes expected, but this wasn’t your typical Gold Coast fund-raiser. The judge moved back to the mic.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming. My name is Rachel Swenson. I am the chairperson for the Rape Volunteer Association and your host for the night.”
CHAPTER 33
What do you think?”
Rachel Swenson was wrapping up her talk when Diane moved close, a cup of ice in hand.
“I think it’s powerful.”
“You should see some of the interviews I’ve got.”
