Without standing—things were quite relaxed in Youth Court—Theo said, “My friend Woody Lambert is on the docket.”
“Oh, I see. Well, let’s bring him in.” Bailiff Trench opened a side door. Woody and Tony were escorted in by a policeman who removed their handcuffs. Both boys looked at their mother and shook their heads. Daisy fought back tears. Bailiff Trench herded the boys to a spot directly in front of the bench. They looked up at His Honor, who looked down at them with a frown and said, “Okay, this is a first appearance for Mr. Tony Lambert, age seventeen, and Mr. Woodrow Lambert, age thirteen, both charged with armed robbery, along with Mr. Garth Tucker, who is eighteen and thus will be dealt with over in Circuit Court.”
He looked at Daisy and asked, “Can I assume you’re their mother?”
“Yes, sir,” Daisy said, wiping her eyes.
“These are very serious charges and I don’t see an attorney present, other than, of course, Mr. Theodore Boone, who is a pretty good lawyer but a bit too young to be admitted to the bar. Do you plan to hire a lawyer, Mrs., uh, Mrs.—”
“Lambert, Daisy Lambert,” she said. “I can’t afford a lawyer.”
“Okay. Without a lawyer, I’m not going to ask these boys any questions right now. The public defender’s office will provide lawyers for them and that will be done today, if possible. Given the seriousness of these charges, I’m not going to proceed until they have lawyers.”
Without thinking and without hesitating, Theo stood and said, “Your Honor, if I may, do you mind if I say something?”
Judge Pendergrast glared down over the top of the reading glasses perched halfway down his nose. “Why aren’t you in school, Theo?” he asked.
“I have a pass signed by Mrs. Gladwell, Judge. Can I say that I know this family very well? Woody is one of my best friends. We’re in the same grade, same class, same Boy Scout troop. We’ve been close friends for years. Just like you, I don’t know what happened last night but I can promise you that Woody and Tony Lambert had nothing to do with an armed robbery. Right now they are innocent until proven guilty. That’s the way our system works, right, Your Honor?”
“Where are you going with this, Theo?”
“They have the right to bail, to get out of jail while everything is sorted out. Frankly, at least in my opinion, they don’t need to post bail because bail just makes sure they will show up in court when they are supposed to. I can promise you that Tony and Woody will always show up in court.”
“You want me to just release them?”
“Yes, sir. Why not? They’re not criminals. They’re not guilty, I can assure you of that.”
“Do you know the facts, Theo?”
“Not really, but I know these two guys, especially Woody.”
“I’m sorry, Theo, but it’s too early for that. Let’s wait until they have lawyers and then we can discuss the issue of bail. You may sit down.”
Theo sat down slowly and mumbled, “Thanks.”
Judge Pendergrast continued. “Let’s get all the paperwork straight and let me talk to the prosecutor and police. In the meantime, the public defender’s office will get involved and we’ll meet back here as soon as possible. Bailiff, please take these two back to the jail until further orders.”
Theo and Daisy watched the officer slap the cuffs back onto the wrists of Woody and Tony. As they left, Woody turned and said over his shoulder, “Thanks, Theo.” When they were gone, Daisy began sobbing quietly.
“Nice job, Theo,” Judge Pendergrast said. “But from now on let’s wait until you pass the bar exam and get a license to practice law, okay?”
“Yes, sir. And thanks, Judge.”
“You’re excused and I suggest you find your way back to school real soon.”
“Yes, sir.”
Theo and Daisy quickly left the courtroom and found a seat on a bench in the hallway. Theo glanced around to make sure no one was listening and asked, “Do you know where the jail is?”
“Are you kidding? I just spent the night there. I wish I’d never seen the place.”
“Okay. Let’s get over there and try to meet with them.”
“Thanks, Theo.”
Along with the judges and lawyers, Theo knew most of the policemen in Strattenburg. He arrived at the station first and went straight to the desk of a captain named Rick Pruitt. Theo’s mother had handled an adoption for Captain Pruitt and Theo knew him well.
The captain was plowing through a stack of paperwork and was surprised to see his young friend. “Well, hello, Theo. Shouldn’t you be in school?”
“I’m excused until noon. Important business. My friend got arrested last night and he’s back there in the jail. His mother has not been allowed to see him or his brother, and I need your help.”
“What’s his name?” Pruitt asked as he picked up the daily arrest sheet.
“Lambert. Woody and Tony Lambert.”
“Armed robbery?”
“Yes, sir, but it’s a big misunderstanding, at least I think so. We just need to see him, me and his mother.”
“And underage drinking?”
“Not so sure about that, but Judge Pendergrast wouldn’t set a bail this morning, so they’re still locked up. We just want to visit them and see what’s going on.”
Pruitt frowned at Theo for a few seconds, then stood and said, “Follow me.”
They went down a hallway, then down the stairs to the jail. The waiting room was filling up with relatives checking on other inmates. Pruitt pointed to some chairs and said, “Have a seat.”
Theo sat down and within minutes Daisy arrived. In a whisper, Theo explained what was going on. A few minutes later, Pruitt returned and said, “Wait here. It’ll take a few minutes.”
“Thanks, Captain,” Theo said, and Pruitt disappeared.
They waited half an hour before a jailer called Daisy’s name. She and Theo followed him to a holding room where he unlocked the door and waved them in. Woody and Tony were seated at a table, without handcuffs, and when they saw their mother both jumped to their feet. The jailer closed the door and waited outside.
After a round of hugs and tears, all four pulled chairs around a table.
Woody and Tony told their story.
When Theo had heard enough, he decided to leave the family alone and run a quick mission. On his bike, he raced back to the courthouse and went to the Office of the Public Defender on the third floor.
The head PD was a lawyer named Don Montgomery, but everybody called him Monk. To the other lawyers, judges, policemen, and courthouse clerks he was simply Monk. Theo had seen him in the courtroom on several occasions and no one used his real name. It was “Yes, Monk” and “No, Monk” and “Your turn, Monk.” Of course when juries were present and things were more formal, he became Mr. Montgomery, but that was rare. On one occasion the Boone family had bumped into him and his wife in a restaurant, and both of Theo’s parents addressed him as Monk.
He had a difficult job, one that few lawyers envied. His office represented men and women charged with serious crimes but not enough money to hire lawyers. And since the Supreme Court had ruled that every defendant is entitled to a lawyer, Stratten County had created, long before Theo was born, the Office of the Public Defender.
Monk’s operation was always swamped with too many clients and not enough staff to serve them. Every year Monk asked the county for more money, and it seemed, at least to Theo, that he was never satisfied with the support he received. According to Woods Boone, Theo’s father, most PD offices in the country were run on thin budgets. Politicians gave them a low priority because they didn’t like to spend money on criminal defendants.
Theo hesitated before going inside. He paused and sent a text to Mr. Mount. Found Woody. He’s still in jail. Charges seem silly but still serious. Be back soon.
A secretary sat behind an old desk that was covered with stacks of files. Metal cabinets lined the walls. She was typing and paused long enough to frown at him, and without a smile she said
, “Yes?”
“Hello, I’m Theodore Boone and I’m looking for Mr. Montgomery.”
“Why aren’t you in school?”
“I’m excused for a few hours. You see, my friend got arrested last night and his case will be assigned to this office. It’s a Youth Court matter and I would like to see Mr. Montgomery.”
“He’s in a big trial in the main courtroom, Judge Gantry. Youth Court matters are handled by Rodney Wall.”
Theo did not know that lawyer. “Okay, could I please see Mr. Wall?”
“He hasn’t come in yet.”
“When might he come in?”
“I don’t know. I’m not in charge of his schedule. Look, son, I’m very busy. You can check back later.” She returned to her keyboard and resumed typing. Theo backed away and left the office. He walked down to the second floor and went to the office of Judge Henry Gantry, the senior Circuit Court judge and a pal of Theo’s.
When he was dreaming, which seemed like several hours each day, Theo wanted to be a respected courtroom judge like Henry Gantry, a man of great fairness and wisdom.
Judge Gantry’s secretary was Mrs. Hardy, a sweet lady who was always happy to see him, unlike that woman upstairs in Monk’s office.