One to Save (One to Hold 6)

“I hope this is relevant.”

“We are in possession of that undergarment and believe if it’s tested, you will find Reynolds’s DNA on it.”

“And?”

“You will also see photographic evidence of one Star Brandon, a high-class hooker Reynolds was... servicing at the time my client acted in defense.”

T

he prosecutor seems bored at this point. “How is this evidence?”

“As you can further see in the photograph, Ms. Brandon’s neck and torso are bruised and battered. Reynolds was in the process of strangling Brandon to the point of death when my client was compelled to use deadly force to rescue her.”

“Sloan Reynolds was unarmed at the time of death. Deadly force was not required. Three to five years, one year in prison less time served, the rest on probation.”

In that instant, Marcus’s tone changes, and I hear why he’s the best. “We’re not letting our client spend one more night behind bars. We want him out now. He’s a decorated veteran, a former commanding officer, a member of law enforcement, respected Ivy League professor, and a leader in the security field. He had objective reason to believe the only way to stop Sloan Reynolds’s pattern of abusive murder was to take him out in the line of duty. Sloan Reynolds was a low life using his family’s money to fund his lifestyle of abuse and cruelty to women. I think we’ve got as solid a case as we need, sir.”

Silence falls over the conference room. The clock ticks slowly, and mentally I’m standing, spiking the ball, and doing the Harlem Shuffle all at once. On the outside, we’re as cool as the minute we walked in.

Earl sits back and sighs. “As you may know, no one has come forward to press these charges on behalf of Mr. Reynolds’ family or friends. Only one party seems genuinely interested in the possibility of a conviction.”

My insides are tense, and I sense Marcus preparing to hear him out. I can’t believe anybody would have anything good to say about Sloan.

“Mr. Reynolds’ company took out a sizable life insurance policy on him. The insurance company has been reluctant to pay because of the appearance that Mr. Reynolds might have somehow committed suicide, since he was alone and there was no recorded cause of death. In which case they do not have to pay.”

“Makes a difference,” Marcus says with a nod.

“On the other hand, if Mr. Reynolds were murdered, the company stands to get a double recovery under the policy.”

“Double indemnity.” Our attorney half-smiles.

“What is this?” I say.

“Don’t you know your classic movies, Stuart?” Marcus turns to me. “If Reynolds is murdered, his company gets double their money under the life insurance policy.”

“Correct,” Earl replies. “And I’ve got a company accountant looking to turn a zero-value policy into double recovery if I can get a murder conviction.”

“How much is the policy?” I ask.

“Two million dollars.”

“Listen,” I flash, “I can guarantee you if this case goes to trial, that company is going to get ten million dollars’ worth of bad publicity. We’ll show the world its CEO was a wife-beating rapist who was killed in the act of choking a prostitute to death. You can’t buy enough insurance to protect the company from that level of damage.”

Earl seems to notice me for the first time. “What’s your say in all of this?”

Sitting forward, I’m glad to have a say. “I’m here both to confirm everything Marcus has said, but also to stand in the place of Derek... Mr. Alexander.”

“You are?”

“Stuart Knight, founding partner of Alexander-Knight, LLC, and retired Marine. I was under the direct command of the defendant. He’s a good man of high character.”

“Semper fi,” Earl says, glancing down.

“Yes,” I agree, meaning every word.

“Well, gentlemen, I’m not interested in going out on a limb for a rich degenerate, who has no one particularly interested in his murder. Especially when it’s only to help a company that stands to profit from his death. Speaking of publicity, that’s frankly the kind of publicity that gets district attorneys unelected and prosecutors fired.” He pushes back from the table and stands, reaching across to shake our hands. “If Mr. Alexander will plead guilty to the misdemeanor charge of failure to timely report a homicide and pay a one-thousand dollar fine, I am inclined to dismiss the charges. I’ll speak to the judge and see if we can get the paperwork going to get him home today.”

For a moment, I feel like I’m back in a PTSD dream. I’m unsure if what just happened is real or if I imagined it.