“You can’t do that. I’m your father, Adam.” His voice was pleading now, the bravado of a moment ago gone.
You know I’m right. Why would you be caving already if that wasn’t the case? “I can’t in all conscience let an innocent man sit in jail for something he hasn’t done. You, as a judge, should never have tarnished your reputation for something so infantile as my good name. I could have dealt with it, it wasn’t your concern.” Anger infused his voice. After all this time he let his father know how much it infuriated him.
“I couldn’t let her underhanded dealings dirty your good name, Adam. Don’t you see that?” The judge sank into his chair.
“No, I can’t. As far as I’m concerned it would have been a flash in the pan. The media would have forgotten about it as soon as it was done because there is always something else out there to grab their attention. I’m stronger than that. I thought you would have seen it.”
“I suppose I should have but I didn’t.” He picked up his whiskey glass and downed the remaining liquor. “You know if you do this it will ruin me.” The judge looked up at his son, defeat already in his eyes.
Not my problem. You’ve done it to yourself. “That’s not why I’m doing it. I want to see justice for everyone here. To tell you the truth, it’s why I left the law. I couldn’t handle the way you did deals and let people who should be locked up go free.”
“So you told me at the time but as I said then, I’ll say again now, you need to take off your rose-tinted glasses. The prisons are full of people who cry innocent. We all know that. But some cases are better not trying to fight.” He held up his hand. “I know that sounds strange and unfair, but there are people out there who will avoid sentencing no matter what we do. They cut a deal so we can get to the guy next up in the food chain. It’s the way it is.”
“But this case wasn’t like that. You let Sally go and pinned the evidence against an innocent man. That I can’t allow.” Adam turned from his father, his anger simmering just below the surface. What would it take to make the Judge own up to what he’d done?
“He wasn’t as innocent as you would like to believe.”
Adam turned back, a sinking lump of clay in the pit of his stomach.
“Your man wasn’t that innocent. He did commit fraud, maybe not as much as he was charged with but still, he committed a crime and got caught.”
“That still doesn’t mean you could let Sally go and dump it all on Simon. You need to tell me everything you know.” Adam pulled up a chair in front of his father and took out his phone to record the conversation. “Don’t leave out anything because if you do and I find out, so help me, Father, I will ruin you.”
* * *
“Lena, how wonderful to see you.” Mrs. Battle, her father’s secretary, stood and greeted her when she walked in the door to his office.
Nothing’s changed in here at all. “It’s lovely to see you again too. How have you been?” Lena deposited a box on the desk and sat down.
“Same as always, nothing much really happens in town.” She eyed the box with its pink string wrapped around it. “What have you brought in?”
Bribery, that’s what. “Morning tea for you and Papa. Thought I would treat you both and sneak a few minutes with him if that’s okay.” This conversation was going to be hard and Lena hadn’t wanted to do it at home where Sofia could overhear. She would protest more than just a little, Lena was sure of that. At least talking to her father at the office would be easier.
“Let me call him and see what he’s up to. He doesn’t have any appointments until after lunch today.” Carol Battle lifted up her phone and punched in the connection to Ben’s office. “Ben, Lena is here with morning tea. She’s wondering if you could spare her a few minutes.” Carol nodded her head and put the phone down. “He said of course, but give him a moment. Let me put the kettle on and you can open the box. I’m very intrigued to see what you’ve brought us.”
She hurried off to the small kitchen at the back of the office and Lena waited, her nerves getting the better of her. She had lain awake last night, tossing over the conversation she’d had with Adam and subsequently with her father. Adam was at the base of the case as far as she was concerned. If it hadn’t been for his good name, Simon wouldn’t be in jail. Those were years he would never get back. Lena didn’t want to imagine what life was like for him inside. It would be horrific, especially being the father of three young children who he could no longer have contact with. The years he missed and the milestones in their lives would never be repeated.
The door to her father’s office opened and Ben was standing there, a look of concern on his face. “Is everything alright?”
Lena stood up. “I just needed to talk to you away from home. Mama would only get upset and put her two cents worth in and you know how stubborn she can be. I need a cool headed lawyer to talk to over coffee and zeppole. I thought that might be you.” She held her breath.
“You know you can talk to me anytime. Come on in.” He stood to one side and let her into the office ahead
