Long Range (Joe Pickett Book 20)(69)

Beran leaned over the table so close to Nate that Nate could breathe in his aftershave lotion.

“That was just for show,” Beran whispered. “And so is this.”

With that, he strode across the room and his hand shot out and thumped the mirrored glass that dominated the east wall.

“Clear the observation room,” he shouted directly into the mirror. “There’ll be no spying. Do you think this is my first rodeo?”

Then he turned to the closed-circuit camera that was mounted high in the corner near the ceiling and he approached it with a sneer. “The same goes for you, Sheriff,” he said. “Turn it off and make better use of your time. Maybe hold another press conference or something.”

With that, he winked at Nate and sat down.

“They’ve been put on notice,” Beran said. “You’d be dismayed to find out how many local yokels listen in on attorney-client meetings. It happens all the time.”

“What happens now?” Nate asked.

“As tough as this is going to sound to you, you need to have patience. We’ve both got all the time in the world. So we’ll wait for the deputy to unlock you.” He opened his briefcase and placed a fresh yellow legal pad on the tabletop. “Then we’ll start the process to get you the hell out of here.”

Nate said, “I was hoping Governor Rulon would show up.”

Beran winced at that. “He handles civil law in our firm. I do criminal. I’ll keep him apprised of the case, because he has a very keen interest in it, as you might have guessed. But Rulon would be the first to tell you that a criminal courtroom is not where he shines. In fact, Rulon’s best work is done behind the scenes. I can’t even recall the last time he was before a judge. Criminal defense is my bag at the firm. At times I might scare you and I’ll sure as hell cost you a fortune,” Beran said, “but you’re in good hands.”

“I’d better be,” Nate replied.

The door opened again and Woods came in with the keys. Nate said nothing as the deputy opened the locks on his ankles and wrists.

“Sorry,” the deputy whispered as he did it. “Boss’s orders.”

Nate nodded.

When Woods retreated and closed the door again, Beran used a low whisper to say, “I met Sheriff Kapelow before I came in here. He’s a piece of work. He’s all full of himself now that he thinks he’s caught the killer.”

Beran said the word “killer” with derision.

“There’s nothing worse than a small-time sheriff who’s full of himself,” Beran added. “Except maybe a judge who thinks he’s God.”

“We’ve got ’em both,” Nate said.

“Yes, and it poses a bit of a procedural issue,” Beran said, leaning in, in case someone was listening to their conversation. “In fact, we’ve got problems on top of problems with this situation.”

Nate responded by raising his eyebrows.

“First,” Beran said, “you’ll have to spend at least tonight in jail, I’m afraid. There’s nothing anyone can do about it.”

“I don’t like jail,” Nate said. “I found out in federal custody that I’m not built for it.”

“I heard you were some kind of nature boy,” Beran said. “But nobody likes jail except creeps.”

“I’ll do anything to keep out of a cage,” Nate said. “I’ve done all the time I’m ever going to do and it doesn’t suit me.”

Beran shrugged. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do. Like I said, we’ve got problems on top of problems. Tomorrow should be your preliminary hearing where bail is set and we could get you out of here, but Judge Hewitt isn’t returning calls and the court has postponed any hearings of any kind for the rest of the week while he mourns.”

Nate nodded. He’d anticipated that hurdle.

“Even if he does come back to the bench,” Beran said, “we’re talking about a judge presiding over a procedural hearing where the accused is there for killing his wife. Even Judge Hewitt will have to recuse himself in this case, which means we need to go before another judge. It might take days to find one who will hear the case, and we might encounter even more delays, because judges tend to protect their own. No Wyoming judge wants to be the one who frees the alleged killer of Judge Hewitt’s wife.”

“How long are we talking about?” Nate asked.

“I don’t know,” Beran said. “These are special circumstances. I’m already seeking a bond hearing date to get you out on your own recognizance until we can get a new judge or a new venue, but there’s nobody to rule on the motion.”

Nate scowled.

“I’m going to get with the county prosecutor as soon as I can,” Beran said. “I don’t know him, but I’ve heard he’s reasonable. My hope is that we can bypass Judge Hewitt and hold the preliminary in front of another judge, maybe Judge Hartsook-Carver over in Shell County. If I ask her, she’ll take a pass, believe me. But if Duane Patterson asks her, she might consider it. I left a message at Patterson’s office and I hope he calls me back first thing tomorrow.”

Nate said, “I need to get out however I can.”

“Of course you do,” Beran said.