"Mr. Blumberg?"
"I believe the evidence speaks for itself, Your Honor. The District Attorneys own witnesses have exonerated my client."
"Mr. Blumberg, I believe you are correct. Your motion for dismissal of charges is granted, with prejudice." He turned to the DA.'s table. "Ms. Chu, I believe you and the police may wish to speak further with Mrs. Walters." He rapped his gavel. "Mrs. Calder, you are free to go, with the court's apologies. Court is adjourned."
Arrington stood and turned to Marc and Stone. "What does with prejudice' mean?"
"It means the DA. can't bring these charges against you again. You're a free woman."
"If it's all right," she said, "I'd like to leave by the front door."
"I'll tell Manolo to bring the car around front," Stone said.
She grabbed Stones hand, and they made their way through the crowd of press. He passed Dino. "Follow Manolo in your car," he said. Dino nodded and, with Mary Ann, made his way from the courtroom.
"Mrs. Calder will have a statement on the front steps of the courthouse," Marc shouted over the din, and the press dutifully followed them outside. Microphones were set up on the steps, and Marc shouted for silence.
He faced the reporters, apparently relishing the moment. "Justice has been done," he said. "Arrington Calder is a free woman, and I only wish the police and the District Attorney's office had done their work earlier, instead of waiting for us to do it for them. Now Mrs. Calder would like to say a few words."
Arrington stepped up to the microphones. "I want to thank my attorneys, Marc Blumberg and Stone Barrington," she said. "But I have no thanks whatever for the media, who have made my life a living hell these past weeks. These are the last words I will ever speak to a camera or a reporter. Good-bye!" She stepped back.
Suddenly, a reporter in the front of the group held up a tabloid newspaper. "Mr. Barrington!" he shouted.
Stone, who had been about to lead Arrington away, turned and looked at the paper. What he saw was himself and Betty Southard quite naked, covering half the page. Both were looking at the camera, and black bars covered strategic areas of their bodies.
"Oh, shit," Stone said, involuntarily.
Chapter 61
Arrington took one look at the paper and stalked off. Stone followed her as quickly as he could, with reporters shouting questions at him from both sides. He got Arrington into the rear seat of the Bendey, but before he could climb in, she slammed the door and hammered down the lock button. Stone was left on the sidewalk, surrounded by cameras and screaming reporters.
Marc Blumberg grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the curb as Dino and Mary Ann drove up in the Mercedes station wagon, and they both got into the rear seat. Dino drove away, while reporters scattered from his path.
"You can drop me at the garage entrance around the corner," Marc said.
Dino glanced back at him. "Congratulations; you sure nailed Beverly Walters. How did you know she and Vance had an argument?"
"I figured he dumped her. Everybody dumps Beverly, sooner or later, and I figured she didn't like it. At least, she admitted to an argument." Marc turned to Stone. "By the way, I had a call early this morning from my attorney friend in Milan, about the possibility of divorce."
"And?" Stone asked.
"The news isn't good. In order to get a civil divorce in Italy, the two of you have to appear before a magistrate and mutually request the action."
"Can't I sue?"
"Yes, but in a contested divorce, you'd have to subpoena her, and you can't do that in the United States. You'd have to serve her in Italy."
Stone winced. "Good God."
The car stopped at the entrance to the garage, and at that moment, there was a ringing noise.
; Marc took a small cellphone from an inside pocket. "Yes?" He smiled broadly. "Sure, I'll see her. I'll go right now." He closed the phone and stuck it back into his pocket. "That was my office," he said. "Beverly Walters has been arrested for Vance's murder, and she wants me to represent her."
"Are you going to?" Stone asked.
"Sure, why not? Since the charges against Arrington were dismissed with prejudice, there's no conflict. Anyway, it's an easy acquittal."