Ben saw another familiar face push through the back doors. It was Al! Ben hadn’t seen him since his last visit to the hospital, but he seemed to be doing fine. His step was a little slow, but he was getting around just the same.
To Ben’s surprise, Al stopped and exchanged a few whispered words with Jeremiah Adams. Talk about opposites attracting, Ben mused. What could those two possibly have to discuss?
There was a commotion in the back of the courtroom. Sheriff Allen and two of his deputies were bringing in the prisoner. As soon as they started down the nave, some of the loggers began to hiss. Epithets were hurled. A few of the men looked as if they might jump out and start a fight, but Sheriff Allen held them in check with a steely look.
Zak ignored it all. Ben was glad to see him maintaining his composure. He was looking good, all in all. He had gotten the suit Ben had sent over and had the sense to wear it. He’d also had an opportunity to groom himself; he’d cut his hair shorter, shaved, washed. Altered his general appearance from crazed eco-terrorist to Ricky Nelson.
Sheriff Allen escorted Zak to his chair at the defendant’s table and removed his cuffs. “He’s in your hands now, counselor.”
“Thanks, Sheriff. And please pass on my thanks again to Deputy Andrews. If it hadn’t been for him, that mob would’ve torn those Green Ragers apart.”
“Will do.” The sheriff tipped his hat. Ben saw him glancing in Christina’s general direction. “By the way, do you suppose-”
“Sorry. We work during lunch when a trial is in progress. Probably dinner, too.”
“Oh. Well. Too bad.” He shuffled into the back of the gallery and found an empty seat.
Ben turned his attention to his client. “How’re you doing, Zak?”
“I’m fine. What the hell’s happening to Green Rage?” His forehead was creased with anger.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, first Al, then Rick in the hospital! Rick and Maureen and Tess kidnapped and whipped. Deirdre’s equipment smashed. The camp destroyed.”
So he’d had a visitor. Someone who’d brought him up-to-date. Ben had intentionally not told him anything; he wanted his attention focused on the trial and the trial alone. “It’s retaliation, of course,” Ben said. “They’re trying to get back at you. Trying to scare you off.”
“Man, this is unacceptable! I’ve put too much time into this organization. I do not want to see it destroyed.”
Ben laid a hand on his shoulder. “Zak, I know this is important to you, but it’s not what this trial is about. Right now I need your energy focused on this courtroom. One hundred percent.”
“I can’t just overlook-”
“You can and you will,” Ben said as forcefully as possible. “I’m not going to waste my time trying to get you cleared if you’re not going to help. Understand? This trial is going to be plenty tough. I need you pulling with me. Got it?”
Zak frowned. “Got it.”
“Good. Now face front and try to look like you just stepped off the set of
Zak smirked. “When do we get started?”
“Should be any minute now.”
Christina appeared at his right and deposited a notebook and a tall stack of file folders on the table. “Here’s your trial notebook,” she said, pointing. “I think it’s got everything you need. The list of jurors in the initial pool is up front.”
“Thanks, Christina. You’re the greatest.”
She was looking a bit blurry-eyed, but Ben knew she was doing her best to mask it. Granny had finally delivered photocopyable documents on Saturday afternoon. Christina had spent the entire day and most of Sunday trying to catalogue the exhibits and get them into shape for use at trial. In addition to all her usual pretrial duties. He didn’t know when she’d managed to do it all. But he was grateful that she had.
“Sorry you had to be up all night.”
She shrugged. “
“And tomorrow’s exhibits?”
“Done.”
Ben nodded. Christina was always thorough and prepared-and then some. She really was a treasure. One he probably didn’t appreciate half as much as he should.
Not as much as Sheriff Allen, anyway.
“You’re a lifesaver, Christina.” Ben glanced up at her. “Christina, are you … all right?”
Her forehead crinkled. “All right? What do you mean?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I just wondered if … you know. Everything’s going all right.”
The crinkles deepened. “What a strange question.”
“It’s not a strange question. You’re a-a close friend and a coworker. Why is it strange to ask how you’re feeling?”
“Because I’ve been working with you for years, and you’ve never once inquired into my feelings. Are
Ben rolled his eyes. “I’m fine.”
“Good.” She punched him on the shoulder. “Concentrate on the trial, champ.”
“Right.” Ben glanced at his watch, then out in the gallery. “Excuse me for just a minute.” Ben strolled down the nave till he arrived at the last row of the gallery, right-hand side. Slade was still sitting there, alone. “Come to watch the fruits of your labor?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” Slade gazed up with his usual placid, unruffled expression. “I hope you don’t think I had anything to do with this murder.”
“I wouldn’t put anything past you, Slade. When is all this hate-mongering going to stop?”
“Again, I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oh, I think you do. You promised me something big was going to happen, and sure enough, it did. Now Green Rage has another man in the hospital and their camp has been destroyed. Thousands of dollars of equipment have been ruined.”
“Green Rage has cost the logging industry millions of dollars.”
“I’m not talking about lost profits, Slade. I’m talking about dispatching thugs to frighten and torture people.”
“I have never condoned violence and I never will.”
“Bull.”
“It’s true. Violence is inherently counterproductive, as this whole incident has proven. Not twenty-four hours after the Green Rage people were attacked, they struck back against the loggers.”
“Who then struck back against Green Rage, right?”
Slade didn’t answer.
“What’s happened to Tess O’Connell, Slade? Where is she?”
No one had seen Tess since the day of the last pretrial hearing. Her car had been found on a side street just off Main, smashed into the side of a grocery store. Blood was found all over the steering wheel. But there was no trace of Tess.
“Where is she, Slade? What have your goons done to her?”
“Again, I must protest. I know nothing about this … Tess.”
“Right. Just like you know nothing about the murder of Dwayne Gardiner. I think you’re lying, Slade. And as soon as I have some time, I’m going to get to the truth about you and your nasty organization.”
“What are you saying?”
“I’m saying that when I’m done with this trial, you’re next.”
“You’re going to file some sort of action?”
