Private Vegas (Private 9)

“Okay, Mr. Sutter. We’ll get back to that question later. Did you see Mr. Del Rio go into Ms. Carmody’s house?”

“Yes, like I said the last time, I was across the street making a pickup. I saw Del Rio go in, and I saw Vicky close the door.”

Caine asked, “And did you see Mr. Del Rio leave Ms. Carmody’s house?”

“Yes. About fifteen or twenty minutes later.”

“Then what happened?”

“After Del Rio left, I rang Vicky’s doorbell and she opened the door. I told her I was just making sure she was okay, and she said she was fine. I pushed her in, went inside with her, and locked the door.”

Sutter looked into space, touched his nose. Seemed lost in thought.

Caine said, “You went inside the house with Ms. Carmody. What happened after that, Mr. Sutter?”

Sutter came back to the moment.

“I beat her until I thought she was dead.”

The crowd in the gallery gasped as if it had taken a collective gut punch. The gasp was loud. It echoed.

The jury, too, looked severely shocked.

Caine paused to let Sutter’s testimony sink in. He did a half turn, looked at the jury, then turned back to Sutter. He said, “Why did you brutally assault Ms. Carmody?”

Sutter said, “Look, I didn’t do it for fun. I did it because I was between a rock and another rock. I was in debt to some sharks who were threatening my family. There’s a guy I knew from rehab who has a hate-on for Del Rio.

“We talked about Del Rio sometimes. So, anyway, I told him Del Rio was back in Vicky’s life, and he made me an offer. He said it right out. He would pay off my debt if I killed Vicky and made it look like Del Rio did it.”

Caine said, “And you agreed.”

“I had to. I snorted a little coke to get me going. Then I beat the crap out of her. My debt went away.”

“And so I’ll ask you again, Mr. Sutter. Who paid you to kill Vicky Carmody?”

“Look. I’m testifying to show good faith. But, on the advice of counsel, I refuse to name the guy who hired me until my family is in witness protection and I’ve got a deal. In writing. And that’s all I’m going to say.”

Chapter 92

I WATCHED AS Caine turned the witness over to assistant district attorney Dexter Lewis, who sneered for the jury’s benefit. Then he walked over to the witness stand, kept one hand on his hip, his body language saying, This witness is full of crap.

Sutter cradled his bad arm. Looked to me like he was bracing himself for a grilling.

Lewis said, “That’s an interesting story, Mr. Sutter. So, if I understand you, you lied when you testified last week saying you didn’t see Mr. Del Rio leave Vicky’s house. Is that right?”

“Yeah, obviously. I lied.”

“And so now the court is supposed to believe you when you say Mr. Del Rio didn’t assault Ms. Carmody, that you did it. How do we know Mr. Del Rio didn’t pay you to say this?”

“Why would I confess to assaulting Vicky if I didn’t do it? She could die and I could get nailed for murder. No, I’m trying to get out from under this. My life is in danger. My wife’s life is in danger. My six-year-old girl is in danger too.

“All I’ve got going for the Sutter family is that I know who paid for a hit on Vicky. That’s worth something.”

Lewis shook his head, skeptical. He was flustered, expressing his disbelief not like an attorney but like a man on the street. He said to Sutter, “And so you—what? Went to the cops and turned yourself in?”

“Yeah, as a matter of fact, that’s what I did.”

Caine stood, said, “Your Honor, Mr. Sutter is already under arrest for the assault on Ms. Carmody. The defense moves that the charges against Mr. Del Rio be dismissed and that he be released immediately.”