Abbie spun the dial and it opened. Matthew and Barry Frame crowded around Abbie as she reached in to bring out the contents. Tracy walked around the edge of the desk to try to see what Abbie had pulled out.
'Stock certificates, tax records,' Abbie said. 'I don't see anything unusual, Matt.'
The front door opened. Abbie turned her head. Barry left the den and stepped into the living room.
'District attorney's office,' someone said. 'Please identify yourself.'
'I'm Barry Frame, an investigator for Matthew Reynolds. We represent Abigail Griffen. This is her house and she let us in.
We're in the den.'
A moment later, Barry reentered the room followed by Chuck Geddes, Neil Christenson and two uniformed officers.
'Hello, Matt,' Geddes said.
'Good afternoon, Mr. Geddes.'
'Mind telling me what you're doing here?'
'I'm Mrs. Griffen's attorney. This is Mrs. Griffen's home.
We're here at Mrs. Griffen's invitation.'
'How did you get in and what are you doing in my house?'
Abbie demanded. Matthew put a restraining hand on his client's arm and stepped between Abbie and Geddes.
'I was about to ask the same questions,' Reynolds said.
Geddes flashed a condescending smile at Reynolds. 'I'll be glad to answer them. I opened your front door with a key that the medical examiner found in your husband's pocket, Mrs. Griffen, and I'm here to place you under arrest for Justice Griffen's murder.'
Reynolds turned to Abbie. 'Not another word,' he said sternly. Then he turned back to Geddes. 'May I see your warrant?'
'Sure,' Geddes answered with a smirk. Christenson handed the warrant to Matthew, who read it carefully. Tracy was impressed with Reynolds's calm demeanor.
'I assume you'll agree to release Mrs. Griffen pending arraignment, after she's been booked and printed,' Matthew said when he was done.
'No, sir,' Geddes answered. 'Your client is charged with the murder of a Supreme Court justice. She's wealthy enough to be a serious flight risk. We're holding Mrs. Griffen in jail pending arraignment. You can ask for a bail hearing.'
'You're not serious. Mrs. Griffen is a deputy district attorney with an excellent reputation.'
'Save the passionate oratory for the judge. You got lucky the last time we were in front of one. Maybe you'll get lucky again.'
'This isn't about us, Mr. Geddes. Mrs. Griffen is a human being.
There's no need to strip her of her dignity by making her spend several days in jail.'
'Mrs. Griffen is accused of premeditated murder,' Geddes shot back.
'She's the worst kind of criminala prosecutor who's broken the law.
She's going to be convicted for the murder of her husband and I'm going to see that she gets a death sentence.'
Abbie paled. Tracy felt a shock go through her and she was suddenly very frightened for their client.
Reynolds stared at Geddes with contempt. 'You are a little man,' he said quietly. 'A tiny little man. I'm going to enjoy destroying you in front of everyone.'
Geddes flushed with anger. He turned to one of the policemen. 'Cuff her and take her downtown.'
Abbie turned to Reynolds. She looked scared.
'Go with them,' Matthew said. 'You know you have to. And don't say anything to anyone about the case. Not the police, not a cellmate, not a soul.'
'Matt, I can't go to jail.'
Reynolds placed his hands on Abbie's shoulders.
'You have to be strong. Don't let them demean you. And trust me. I'll have you out as soon as possible.'
The policeman with the handcuffs looked embarrassed. He waited until Reynolds stepped aside, then politely asked Abbie to put her hands behind her back. When he'd secured the cuffs, he asked if they were hurting her. Abbie shook her head.
'Let's go,' Geddes said, executing a military turn and striding out of the den. Tracy followed Matthew outside and watched the officer help Abbie into the back seat of a police car.
'Do you think it was smart to insult Geddes that way?' Barry asked Matthew as soon as the police were gone.
'Mr. Geddes is no concern of mine,' Matthew said.
'Geddes has a thin skin. He's going to make everything extra hard now.'
Reynolds turned to Frame. Tracy saw an almost frightening determination on his face and in the way he held himself. She imagined his body as pure energy, and for the first time realized what a formidable adversary he would be.
'Leave Chuck Geddes to me, Barry. I have other work for you. If Geddes has an indictment, he'll have to make discovery available to us immediately. We'll soon know the identity of this mystery witness and their evidence. You're going to be very busy.'
Chapter FIFTEEN
The fourth floor of the Justice Center jail was reserved for security risks, prisoners with psychiatric problems and prisoners who had to be isolated. The jail commander had known Abbie for years and liked her.
When she appeared at the jail on the preceding day, he booked her in personally, then made sure she was held in her own cell on the fourth floor, because he knew what would happen if he put a deputy district attorney in with the other inmates.
The jail elevator opened onto a narrow hall of concrete blocks painted in yellow and brown pastels. The fourth-floor contact visiting room was across from the elevator. It was small with a circular wooden table and two plastic chairs. Matthew stood when the guard brought Abbie into the room through a heavy metal door that opened into the jail.
Abbie's hair was combed, but she wore no makeup. There were dark circles under her eyes. The guard took off Abbie's handcuffs. She sat down and rubbed her wrists. Her face stayed expressionless while the guard was in the room. As soon as he left, she spread her arms to show Reynolds the blue cotton pants and short-sleeved blue pullover shirt that all the women prisoners wore. Then she flashed him a tired smile.
'Not exactly high fashion, huh?'
'I'm glad to see you haven't lost your sense of humor.'
'I know exactly what Geddes is trying to do. Do you think I'd let that asshole spook me?' Abbie paused. Her smile disappeared and she was suddenly subdued. 'It ain't been easy, though. I barely slept. It's so noisy. The woman next to me cried all night.
'There was one time, last night, when I was so tired I let my defenses down and started thinking about what it would be like to spend the rest of my life in a place like this. That's when I understood why the woman in the next cell was crying.'
Abbie caught herself. 'Sorry. I'm getting maudlin and I promised myself I wouldn't do that.'
'It's okay. That's what I'm here for. To listen. To help relieve some of the pressure.'
Abbie smiled again. 'I appreciate that. When's the arraignment?'
'Late this afternoon. They couldn't hold the hearing sooner because they had to bring in a judge from another county. All the Multnomah County judges have a conflict, because they know you.'
'Who's the judge?'
'Jack Baldwin. He's from Hood River. Don't worry. I've appeared in front of him and he's all right.'
'Can you get me out of here?' Abbie asked, trying not to sound desperate.
'I don't know. Geddes won't give an inch. He'll want you held without bail and, as you well know, there's no automatic bail in murder cases.'
'What are you going to do?'
'I'm going to try an end run. Meanwhile, I've sent Tracy to your house to pick out an outfit for court.'
