Trials and Tribulations
Chapter 26
by Bridgid
Joseph Addley, Esq. was the bane of every officer who every made an
arrest on a wing and a prayer. A subject could admit guilt, be wearing mud and
blood from a crime scene and pretty much be caught in the act, but if the
arresting cop didn't dot their 'I's and cross their 'T's correctly then a lot of
times Addley got them off scot free. It made him feel kind of high and mighty to
have one of LA's finest at his door. For the most part they were lined up to
throw the book at him for one reason or another. He knew White well and he knew
the man's temper had cost him from time to time, he also considered that a man
like White may make an interesting ally too. There was always leg work to be
done, papers to be served and the likes. Who better than an off duty cop? It was
apparent that there was some mutual back scratching possibilities in the offing.
Both Bud and Thomas sat in Addley's office for at least a half hour waiting for
him and every second that ticked by made the visions Bud had of Lonnie look
worse. He'd get her out if he had to bust her out and flee to Mexico. That's all
there was to it.
Addley entered the office carrying a thick file in a manila folder. He said
nothing as he sat down and spread the file open on his desk. Finally he sighed.
"Gentleman, I believe I can help you. The evidence against Miss Brannigan is
circumstantial and I do believe we'll get a bail but it won't be low. I figure
somewhere around three to five hundred thousand," he said in a monotone voice.
"Jesus fucking Christ. Where are we gonna get that kid of dough?" Bud tensed.
His jaw was tight when he looked at Thomas. The man looked worried.
"You'll need ten percent," Addley added. "The rest can be obtained from a
bondsman I know. She won't be released ROR either. Someone will have to take
responsibility for her and it won't be you, White."
"Why not? Don't they trust me? I've buried myself in this fucking job for years
and if that ain't enough what is?"
Addley shook his head. "Trust isn't the issue; it's the fact that you two are
involved. A matter of ethics."
"What about me?" Thomas chimed in. "We're friends and that's it. I could take
responsibility for her."
"That's an option. We'll give it the old college try. All I can say to you right
now is you need to gather as much cash as you can, at least thirty large. The
hearing is scheduled for this afternoon at one and believe me, I'm going to make
a little noise about the delay. I figure I can get some headway when I bring up
a rights violation. That always make them squirm."
"You think I'm not fucking aware of that, Addley?" Bud growled. "For once it
leans in our favor."
"Listen White, my job as a criminal defense attorney says I have to do what I
can to get my client either off or off with the lightest sentence possible. You
screw up and I'll take advantage of it. Remember that next time you decide to
rough someone up."
Thomas nudged Bud with his knee. He knew the man had a bad taste in his mouth
about that kind of thing but it wasn't the time to discuss it.
"I'll meet you in the lobby of the court house at twelve forty five," Addley
stated. "That'll be all." It was his way of excusing the men. He wasn't about to
get into a pissing match with Bud White, not now.
The two men left the office without saying much. Bud knew what he had to do. His
hand was in his jacket pocket and he felt the box that contained the rings he
had to borrow from his pension to buy. Pawning them was going to hurt but if it
meant getting her out of the tombs he'd do it without question. He and Thomas
separated outside, both hell bent on gathering as much as they could. Thomas
could turn up the lions share in a cashiers check from his savings but Bud
headed to Lucky Louie's pawn shop with everything he had that was worth
anything.
When Bud entered the shop, Louie stood and started to chatter. "You're not gonna
shake me down, White. Everything here is legit. I don't buy stolen shit and you
know it."
"Relax, asshole. I'm here on personal business." Bud strode up to the counter
and he began to unload his pockets of one thirty eight police special, one opal
necklace that belonged to his mother and a set of rings including a decent half
carat diamond.
Louie looked at the items one at a time. He grabbed a jeweler's loop from under
the counter and examined the diamond carefully. "This is nice. Where'd you get
it?"
"Never mind that. What'll you give me for it?"
"Hmm, E color, VVS1 clarity, you must have paid about ten big ones for it. I'll
give you five."
"Gimme seven."
"What are you, crazy? How can I turn a profit if I give you seven?" Louis set
the ring down. "Six, that's it."
"Six five."
"Six two."
"Are you sure you got all the paperwork for everything in here, Lou? I could
make your life shit, buddy."
Louis removed the loop from his eye and glared at Bud. "Seems to me you're the
one with the problem here. Throw in the bands and I'll give you six five."
"Deal. What about the rest?"
Louie picked up the necklace and gave it a once over. "Nice color, platinum
setting and chain. It's an old piece. Two hundred."
"Two hundred? You son of a bitch, that belonged to my ... fuck you, Lou."
"White, I ain't gonna pay you for sentimental value. All I can pay you for is
what its worth for me to resell. I'll make a deal with you. I'll give you three
for it and I'll hold on to it for six weeks. You want it back then come in and
pay me face value.
"Deal." He'd get it back, he knew it. "What about the piece?"
"Ain't buying your piece," Louie shook his head.
Bud picked the gun up and holstered it. Six thousand seven hundred dollars was
honestly more than he thought he'd get. Hopefully Thomas would do better.
w
Bud was the last one to arrive for the hearing. Thomas and Addley were already
conversing outside of the courtroom.
"How'd you make out?" Bud asked of Thomas
"Not too bad. I got twenty one grand and change. Took me a little while, I had
to cash in a bond. How bout you?"
"Gives us twenty seven, seven and change."
"I'll ask for a very low bail, fifty grand maybe. I don't think they'll go for
it but it might keep the final total down." Addley nudged his head toward the
end of the hallway where they were bringing the prisoners in. "Looks like we're
ready to get started. Just do me a favor and keep your mouths shut. Let me do
all of the talking no matter what. Are we straight?"
Thomas nodded but Bud was too busy looking at her. She was second in line and
chained between two other women. He nearly stepped forward when she raised her
hands slightly to wave at him. Thomas turned to follow his line of sight and he
put his arm up across the big man's chest.
"Let's go, Bud."
The cop's face softened as he looked at her. He knew deep down he had to control
himself now more than ever. Just as their eyes met again she was shoved forward
into the courtroom. Thomas tugged at Bud's arm.
"C'mon, pal. Let's get this over with."
They'd just taken their seats when the defendants were brought in. Addley went
at once to talk to Lonnie and Bud wished he knew what they were saying. He must
have told her about the money they raised because she looked down and then over
at Bud and Thomas. Her face was still bruised and she looked gaunt and tired.
Shit, Bud thought, what if she had to go back in. How could he face it?
The thoughts were dashed as the baliff called, "Oh yay, Oh yay," and announced
that court would be in session. Everyone stood as the judge entered but Bud
didn't take his eyes off of her. She had to know he was looking but she didn't
look back again.
The first hearing passed with a woman who robbed a convenience store having her
bail set at thirty grand to priors. Lonnie was up next. The bailiff passed the
case file to the judge who sat and read quietly for a few moments.
"Miss Brannigan, I see you were an officer of the law. I also see here that you
have an exemplary record with both the Philadelphia and the LA police
departments. I'm surprised to see you in front of me under these circumstances."
As he was paid to do, Addley spoke for her.
"Your Honor, my client has entered a plea of not guilty. Though we are not here
to determine that today, I'm sure you will see in the near future that she has
done nothing wrong. At this juncture I'm here to request that my client be freed
on her own recognizance pending trial."
The attorney for the state stood. "I object, Your Honor. Miss Brannigan has
committed a crime of a severe magnitude. The state asks that no bail be granted
and that the defendant be held over without bail until her trial."
Addley looked over at the prosecutor and grinned. He winked saucily at the woman
who was slightly appalled by his unsophisticated gesture.
"I'll take both of your statements under consideration," the judge interjected.
"Ms. Prosecutor would you care to enhance."
Gloria Williams rose from her chair. She smoothed the front of her straight gray
skirt with her palms and cleared her throat.
"Your Honor, the state feels that due to Miss Brannigan's knowledge of the legal
system and her contacts outside of the law, which are purely professional of
course, we feel she may be not only a flight risk but a risk to the arresting
officers and possibly their families."
"Your Honor, I vehemently object," Addley barked. "My client is by no means a
flight risk. In her innocence, I cannot see her fleeing nor do I see her as any
kind of threat to her fellow officers. As you can see by her record, she's
tarried for quite some time to uphold the law. It makes no sense that she would
turn on a dime now. The state's charges are pure rubbish."
The two attorneys glared at each other as the judge pondered. Bud sat in the
back of the courtroom shifting uneasily in the hard bench seat as all of this
went down. He'd been to many a bail hearing before but never under the pressure
that this one brought.
Thomas leaned on the back of the bench in front of him afraid to make eye
contact with Bud. He listened to every word and thanked his maker that Bud had
thought of Addley. The man had a counter for everything the prosecutor said. It
made him feel confident that they'd get bail but he still kept his fingers
crossed and his hopes at bay.
The judge took his time to render a decision. Perhaps he knew all along after
reading the case file as to what he would do but he seemed to take a bit of
perverse pleasure in watching all sides squirm. The prosecutor wanted to keep
her pristine record and Addley; well he was one of the hardest defense attorneys
to go up against. When the judge finally spoke, every ass in the courtroom moved
to the edge of the seat.
"I've made a decision. Bail is set at one hundred fifty thousand dollars and can
be secured by a ten percent bond. Miss Brannigan will be released into the
custody of her attorney until the time of her trial which will be announced
shortly. You will be notified by certified mail no less than one week prior to
trial. Mister Addley, are you prepared to take responsibility for your client in
such a manner?"
"Yes, Your Honor, I am."
"Very well, than. If you have the bond you may pay the clerk and Miss Brannigan
will be released at once. Next case please."
Bud nearly knocked Thomas from his seat to get up to pay the bond. No surety was
ordered and between him and Thomas they had more than enough to get her out.
Relief flooded over him so fast he felt the room spin and go dark for a moment
but it didn't stop him from stumbling out to the cashier. He emptied his pockets
and stood by for Thomas to put up the rest. With a flash of paperwork and a few
minutes of time, Addley brought Lonnie out of the holding cell to them.
Finally they could touch and Bud held her tight. "Baby, everything okay?"
"It is now," she sobbed into his shoulder. "Thank you."
The reunion was short lived. Bud White was the on call detective and as luck
would have it he was ordered to work. It was easier now knowing she was safe and
away from the tombs even if she did have to stay with Addley for the time being.
He knew if he was called in, there had to be a homicide but this case was
twisted. When he arrived on scene at Rita's Launderette there was no victim,
just a man sitting in a plastic chair in front of a dryer. He was staring into
the device as it tumbled round and round, cooking the blood stained clothes
inside. His clothes were covered in fresh blood and he held a thirty eight
special in one hand and the other was pressed to the side of his head. The boys
in blue surrounded him with guns drawn and one young officer was trying to
convince him to drop the gun but the man repeated one sentence over and over
again.
"They're all dead," he moaned repeatedly.
Bud wound his way around the blue line and simply took the gun from the man's
hand. He couldn't be bothered negotiating with a man who wasn't fully with it.
To him he'd either have an easy go of it or he'd shoot the fucker. Nothing else.
Luckily it was the first of the two. When he took the man's hand away from his
head to cuff him a deluge of bright red blood flowed and he collapsed to the
floor.
"Jesus fucking Christ, get a bus in here, this man's been shot," Bud ordered.
"Who did this to you?" he asked.
"They're all dead," the man responded in a weaker tone.
"Who … tell me who before you croak?"
"All of them," were his last words.