The Perfect Alibi (Robin Lockwood #2)(55)
“What about my reputation? Everyone is going to think I killed Frank and got off on a technicality.”
“I thought of that. Paul has agreed to hold a press conference. He’s going to apologize to you publicly, and he’s going to tell everyone that there is no evidence that you killed Frank.”
“Getting fired isn’t enough punishment for what Kellerman did to me.”
“Agreed, but getting your life back on track and putting this behind you might be better for your peace of mind than seeking revenge.” Robin squeezed Doug’s forearm. “You hired me so I could give you objective, unemotional advice, and that’s what I’m doing. Go home, take a shower, eat a good meal, and get a decent night’s sleep. Then call me. We’ll talk about what to do with Kellerman when you’re calmer.”
Doug sighed and the tension left him. “You’re a really good lawyer, Robin. I’m going to follow your advice. Especially the part about the shower and the decent meal. The food in this place is awful.”
Robin laughed. Marsha hugged her. Then Marsha and Doug walked out of the jail, into the sunlight. Robin headed back to her office, praying that she could head off Doug before he did something that would force Rex to reveal his affair with Marsha.
Freeing an innocent man from prison was the greatest reward a criminal defense attorney could receive, but freeing Doug and saving his marriage were something she was going to work hard to achieve.
PART FIVE
SOMETHING ODD
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Vanessa Cole waited until she had shut the door to her new office before breaking into a huge grin. She still could not believe the surprising turn of events that had made her the district attorney for Multnomah County. It all started with Rex Kellerman’s startling resignation and his declaration that he had no plans to run for Paul Getty’s seat. Two weeks later, Paul suffered a stroke and announced that he was retiring. Then, yesterday, the governor summoned Vanessa to tell her that she was going to follow Paul’s recommendation and appoint her to the post.
Vanessa wondered if she would miss trying cases and how she would feel about being an administrator. She knew she would enjoy instructing her fellow prosecutors on the ethical standards she would demand that they follow—lessons Rex Kellerman could have used.
Vanessa detested Kellerman and was ecstatic when she learned he was leaving. Rex was smug, egotistical, condescending, and rude. Several women had complained that he’d made sexual advances or harassed them. What was far worse—though she could never prove it—was Vanessa’s belief that Rex had manufactured evidence to gain convictions. Everyone knew about the Henderson case, and Vanessa was certain that Henderson wasn’t the only time Kellerman had ignored the discovery rules; it was just the only case where he had been caught.
Vanessa didn’t know the story behind Kellerman’s rapid exit, but there were rumors galore. Paul had personally dismissed all the charges against Doug Armstrong the day after Rex quit, so Vanessa was pretty certain that something had happened in Armstrong’s case.
Vanessa had inherited Paul’s secretary. She told Vanessa that Robin Lockwood and Rex had met with Paul on Kellerman’s last day, but she had no idea what was said in her boss’s inner sanctum. She did say that Rex had looked like a death row inmate who was walking the last mile when he left the meeting.
Vanessa had a ton of things to do, but thoughts of Rex Kellerman kept distracting her. She worked through lunch. When the page she was reading began to blur, she told her secretary to hold her calls. Then she put her head back and closed her eyes, but visions of Rex Kellerman danced in her head like demented sugar plum fairies.
* * *
Paul Getty was convalescing at his home in Portland Heights. After work, Vanessa drove there for a one-on-one seminar on how to be the Multnomah County district attorney. Paul’s wife, Sheila, greeted Vanessa with a warm hug and congratulated her on her new job. Then she led Vanessa to the sunroom, where Paul was reading in an overstuffed armchair.
“I see you survived your first day on the job,” Getty said.
“Just barely. How are you feeling?”
“Much better. I went for a mile walk this afternoon, and I’m still here.”
“Good. You had us all worried.”
“The doctor says that stress was partly to blame for the stroke. Let that be a warning to you. If the job starts getting to you, back off. I wish I had.”
“Well, now you can be a bum and forget about protecting an entire county.”
“Yeah. I’m resigned to spending the rest of my days eating bonbons and watching daytime TV.”
Vanessa smiled. “Somehow I don’t think I see that in your future.”
Paul grinned back. “Shall we get down to business? Sheila’s preparing a gastronomic feast for you. I’m going to get the healthy, tasteless crap my doctor has prescribed.”
* * *
Vanessa waited to talk about Rex Kellerman until Sheila told them that dinner would be ready in twenty minutes.
“Thanks for the crash course,” she said.
“My pleasure.”
“Can I ask you about something that happened in the office recently?”
“Sure.”