-
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
She glanced at the note pasted to the front of the file folder. Not
another pro bono case. Natalie shook her head. I can hardly pay the
mortgage now. Pretty soon, I ll be working for nothing. I have a big
heart, Anne, but I do like to eat.
Anne laughed. If you don t take it, it will go to Legal Aid and God
love those guys down there, but you know how it is. They are
overworked and&
What is it? she asked. Why should I be interested in this
anyway?
It s the Brazil thing. Remember the two guys they brought back
from South America for attempting to fraud and poison that plantation
owner?
Oh yeah, right, Natalie picked up the file.
The one guy Hal Makin has a lawyer, a high priced one at that. He
has the money to pay. He would have made bail if the judge would have
allowed it. Marshall Calletti, his accomplice, does not have any money
that we know of, so it s Legal Aid for him.
Umm, Natalie opened the file. Why is this something I should
235
DJ Manly
care about, Anne?
Because it will remind you of a case we worked on almost ten
years ago to this day. Remember Daniel Coteau and his older brother,
Francois?
Yeah. I remember, she replied.
How could she ever forget? Daniel Coteau was manipulated into
shooting his parents. He got life. She had tried to get the sentence
reduced to temporary insanity based on the fact that Daniel was
psychologically dependent on Francois, but she had failed.
Weren t the parents abusive?
The father was emotionally abusive to Daniel because he believed
that he wasn t his real son. Francois was adored by his parents.
It all came back to her. That case had almost convinced her to
leave the legal profession.
Are you telling me we have another Daniel and Francois Coteau
here? Natalie began to skim the file.
In a sense. I m sure you will see some similarity. Thought you d
just like to look at it before Legal Aid gets its hands on it, Anne mused.
Oh, by the way, I swiped it so& , she held a finger to her lips and
grinned.
Natalie laughed& Thanks Anne, that s all I need& another case,
she rolled her eyes, and a partner I will have to defend on a charge of
theft.
Anne laughed. Let me know what you decide. I have to get that file
back soon. Someone will be looking for it.
I ll read it and take it back myself. Don t worry. I ll make
something up.
236
Arsenic and Rio
Chapter 67
ngelo wandered aimlessly around the plantation house, looking
A
for this and that. Robert watched him from where he sat on the
sofa. It looked like he was going to make a full recovery. He had been
very lucky, but he was still a little weak and he needed to rest.
Robert felt coming back here to this house was a mistake. It had
been just a little over a month since Angelo had been as near to death
as one could be without visiting the morgue.
Angelo had insisted, saying he wanted to get some personal
belongings. He had been very upset when he heard the news about
Marta and Cruz. Robert had a hard time keeping him in the hospital
during the funeral. He wanted so desperately to be there, but he was
far too weak to travel.
Richardo and Maria Hernadez had moved to Sao Paulo temporarily
to live with other family. The ordeal they had experienced had
traumatized them and Maria s health had deteriorated greatly.
Angelo had instructed Senior Cardoso to put the plantation up for
sale. Then Ricardo had offered to buy it. Cardoso advised Angelo to
hold out for a better price, but he d decided Ricardo should have it.
The plantation had been in the Hernadez family for three generations.
Angelo told Robert that in spite of the bad blood between them, he felt
good about putting it back where it belonged. He had never really been
one of them anyway.
Robert protested when Angelo told him he needed to come back
here. He needed some kind of closure, but he wasn t sure he was
going to get it.
Robert had insisted on coming with him. Angelo seemed a little
annoyed, telling him to stop fussing over him.
237
DJ Manly
Robert knew Angelo needed time alone, to think. He was in a lot of
pain, and he didn t seem to know what to do with it. Robert finally
understood that he had to let Angelo do what he believed he had to.
While he began to empty his bedroom closet of clothes, Robert
noticed how Angelo kept looking over at the bed. The pain appeared to
settle over him and cause him to take a gasp for air.
Robert watched him. When he said his name, Angelo jumped a
little.
We don t have to sleep in this house tonight, do we?
Angelo looked up at him as he placed some t-shirts in his suitcase.
It s a little late to go back to the city tonight.
Robert sighed. I guess it is, he walked back out of the room.
* * * *
A few hours later, they had dinner. Then Angelo disappeared. When he
didn t come back after a half hour, Robert went looking for him.
He knew what Angelo called saying goodbye was just an excuse to
relive the past, a past he should be putting behind him.
He found him out back, looking up at the night sky. He looked so
alone. He knew it was too soon to step in and fill the void. He would
wait a little while.
Robert smiled as Angelo began to point out some of the night stars.
It was fate that had brought them together again, and he was going to
do everything in his power to make it work this time. Back at the
university, they had been too young. It wasn t the same anymore.
Angelo would have to go to Canada to testify in the future. He would [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
- doc.pisz.pl
- pdf.pisz.pl
- zambezia2013.opx.pl