Pryor looked at Parver. Shana thought for a moment and said, 'The state has no objection.'
'Good, then that's all settled.'
Pryor rapped her gavel and called for the next case.
Venable walked across to the prosecutor's table. 'Nicely done,' she said to Parver. 'Looks like you took round one.'
'Thanks,' Parver answered.
'See you next time.'
Venable returned to Edith Stoddard as the guards prepared to handcuff her and lead her out.
'Do you boys mind cuffing her in front?' she asked. 'She isn't going to turn rabbit on you.'
The two guards exchanged glances and one of them shrugged.
'Sure, Miss Venable,' he said.
'Why did you do that?' Stoddard asked as they were leading her out of the courtroom. There was emotion in her voice for the first time, a sense of betrayal and anger. 'I told you, I want to plead guilty. I can't stand these photographers and reporters screaming at me. The pictures—'
'Edith, please trust me. Let me do this my way,' Jane Venable said. 'They will most certainly indict you for murder one. Then I'll move to throw out the confession. They don't have the gun, so they can't prove yours was even the murder weapon. That gives me good ammunition when I go to Vail to strike a deal.'
'I just want it over with,' Stoddard said mournfully.
'And it will be soon,' Venable said with sympathy as they led Edith Stoddard out of the room.
Parver worked her way back through the reporters, who had now descended on her. Vail slipped out of the door and walked across the hall to wait for her.
Parver stopped just outside the courtroom doors.
'We will seek a murder-one indictment of Mrs Stoddard as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of the week. That's all I can tell you now.'
'Will you ask for the death penalty?' a female TV reporter asked.
Parver stared at her for several seconds. The impact of the question threw her. 'I'm not going to try this case in the media,' she said. 'I've told you all I can tell you at this time. Thank you.'
She walked away. The press swarmed off down the hall, looking for Jane Venable. Vail fell in beside Parver and they threaded their way through the crowded hall.
'I don't understand why Edith Stoddard is so determined to plead guilty,' Parver said.
'A lot of reasons,' Vail said. 'She's scared, she's depressed, she knows she's guilty. Doesn't want her family hurt any more than necessary. My guess is, she's being protective of her husband and daughter. And it's a humiliating experience, very traumatic.'
'I don't believe it's sunk in yet that she blew this man away in cold blood and she's going to pay heavily for it,' Parver said. 'She's facing life.'
'I'm sure Jane's drumming that into her, but I really don't believe that's a reality to her at this point.'
'I feel a little sorry for her,' Parver admitted, half aloud.
'You don't have that luxury,' Vail said, then added: 'There is one thing - '
'Find the gun,' Parver said.
'You're one step ahead of me.'
'Abel's working on it,' she said. 'When do I get a crack at Mrs Stoddard?'
'Let's wait until after the grand jury,' Vail said. 'Once she's indicted, when the reality of what she's up against sets in, she may begin to break down a little.'
'I don't think so,' Parver answered. 'I think she's determined to enter a plea.'
'And Venable's determined to fight it. Let's wait and see how that one plays out. Ready to take on Paul Rainey?'
