me near the questionable criminal cases because they know I won’t send an innocent person to jail, they know I won’t put up with cops perjuring themselves on the stand, they know I care about my professional ethics, so the answer is, no, I’ve never sent anyone to jail who I didn’t, on some level, believe deserved it. So I get the bullshit cases, close them and they put up with me because I take good picture. I put up with it because I was born here, it’s my home and I love it and the old man won’t live forever and when he goes, I’ll be in a place to actually do something about things.”
She took a break and moved her hair out of her eyes. Slick really dug that motion of hers, so natural and yet so real and beautiful.
“I don’t play, I never have. If I find evidence of any officer of this town breaking the law, I’ll do something. They know that. That’s why they don’t like me, because I’m a huge pain in the ass and I refuse to fucking play! Have I made that perfectly clear for you? So now that I’ve established my bona fides, what about you? Why did you let them keep your phone?”
Slick gloried in the tantrum she just so elegantly threw at him. It was clean and clear and passionate. He liked this lawyer, and he rarely liked any lawyer, even his own. This one, though, she was a piece of work. He nodded.
“Okay. I hear you. I believe you. So let me ask you this. What are they afraid of?”
“Evidence. That you have recorded evidence that proves your innocence and their malfeasance. That’s why they kept your phone, right?”
“Right. Now, what are they afraid of?”
“I don’t know.”
“Exactly.”
“Exactly? What does that mean?”
“It means they thought they had it figured out, had me figured out, now they don’t have it figured out. Maybe I’m playing them, and you, or maybe I’m not. They don’t know. And fear of the unknown, it’s a real bitch, grinds at a person’s guts. Those boys, inside? They’re killing themselves right now, trying to figure out what I have over them. It’s gonna make for some sleepless nights. It’s gonna be fun.”
“So you are playing them?”
“Of course. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have bullets in the hole.”
“Bullets?”
“Bullets, it’s a poker term, stands for pocket aces. In the hole, that means cards they can’t see. Bullets in the hole, a pair of aces, in the pocket where they can’t be seen.”
“You’re holding aces then.”
“Maybe, maybe not. It wouldn’t be in my best interest to state one way or the other. They’ll have to go to court to see the cards in my hand and, personally, I’m looking forward to it. You may not like to play, but you’re at a gaming table whether you like it or not and if you won’t play, then I’m gonna have to.”
She considered that, took a deep breath and let it out.
“I believe that you’ve been wronged, and if I do come into evidence of such, you won’t find a bigger champion. However, let me warn you that if, in the course of whatever ‘game’ you think you’re playing, if you break any law, I’ll come down on you as hard as I’d come down on them.”
“I’d expect no less. Have a good day, Ms. Leon.”
Slick and Melvin left her there and went on their way.
8
“D on’t say it,” Slick said to Thumper, before he could go off, “I get it, I’m pissed off too, but all I want to do is eat some really good food and find my bliss first.”
Slick sat down at the table, grabbing a menu with one hand, holding his other out to the trooper. “Hi, I’m Jon but everyone calls me Big Slick.”
“Joe Stormcloud, everyone calls me Navajo Joe. Nice to meet you.”
“Damn those motherfuckers…” Thumper began, furious. Slick moved gingerly, like every muscle hurt, which it did.
“Dude, seriously, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but I’m fucking starving and all I want to think about is eating. Besides, I could hear you tearing those cops a new
She took a break and moved her hair out of her eyes. Slick really dug that motion of hers, so natural and yet so real and beautiful.
“I don’t play, I never have. If I find evidence of any officer of this town breaking the law, I’ll do something. They know that. That’s why they don’t like me, because I’m a huge pain in the ass and I refuse to fucking play! Have I made that perfectly clear for you? So now that I’ve established my bona fides, what about you? Why did you let them keep your phone?”
Slick gloried in the tantrum she just so elegantly threw at him. It was clean and clear and passionate. He liked this lawyer, and he rarely liked any lawyer, even his own. This one, though, she was a piece of work. He nodded.
“Okay. I hear you. I believe you. So let me ask you this. What are they afraid of?”
“Evidence. That you have recorded evidence that proves your innocence and their malfeasance. That’s why they kept your phone, right?”
“Right. Now, what are they afraid of?”
“I don’t know.”
“Exactly.”
“Exactly? What does that mean?”
“It means they thought they had it figured out, had me figured out, now they don’t have it figured out. Maybe I’m playing them, and you, or maybe I’m not. They don’t know. And fear of the unknown, it’s a real bitch, grinds at a person’s guts. Those boys, inside? They’re killing themselves right now, trying to figure out what I have over them. It’s gonna make for some sleepless nights. It’s gonna be fun.”
“So you are playing them?”
“Of course. But that doesn’t mean I don’t have bullets in the hole.”
“Bullets?”
“Bullets, it’s a poker term, stands for pocket aces. In the hole, that means cards they can’t see. Bullets in the hole, a pair of aces, in the pocket where they can’t be seen.”
“You’re holding aces then.”
“Maybe, maybe not. It wouldn’t be in my best interest to state one way or the other. They’ll have to go to court to see the cards in my hand and, personally, I’m looking forward to it. You may not like to play, but you’re at a gaming table whether you like it or not and if you won’t play, then I’m gonna have to.”
She considered that, took a deep breath and let it out.
“I believe that you’ve been wronged, and if I do come into evidence of such, you won’t find a bigger champion. However, let me warn you that if, in the course of whatever ‘game’ you think you’re playing, if you break any law, I’ll come down on you as hard as I’d come down on them.”
“I’d expect no less. Have a good day, Ms. Leon.”
Slick and Melvin left her there and went on their way.
8
“D on’t say it,” Slick said to Thumper, before he could go off, “I get it, I’m pissed off too, but all I want to do is eat some really good food and find my bliss first.”
Slick sat down at the table, grabbing a menu with one hand, holding his other out to the trooper. “Hi, I’m Jon but everyone calls me Big Slick.”
“Joe Stormcloud, everyone calls me Navajo Joe. Nice to meet you.”
“Damn those motherfuckers…” Thumper began, furious. Slick moved gingerly, like every muscle hurt, which it did.
“Dude, seriously, it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, but I’m fucking starving and all I want to think about is eating. Besides, I could hear you tearing those cops a new
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