Julia felt a surge of pride in Susan, who looked mad as hell. The gallery burst into excited chatter.
“Your Honor, she shouldn’t be behind bars! I know her, she’s innocent!” Susan didn’t stop shouting even when the bailiffs reached her, took her arms, and started moving her backward. “Judge, you need to look into this! There’s a conspiracy to cover up whoever killed Kay!The local police are in on it! Chief Glushenko is, and probably the district attorney, too!”
Wilson reddened. “Get that crackpot out of here!”
“How dare you!” Susan shot back, trembling with anger. “You’re supposed to serve the public! You should be spending your time finding out who killed Kay! It certainly wasn’t her granddaughter, and you know it! You don’t fool me for one minute! You think I was born yesterday?”
Crack!Judge Ericsson banged the gavel. “I’ll have order in my courtroom!”
“Judge, you can’t do this! Judge! Judge!” Susan shouted as the bailiffs hustled her out the double doors of the courtroom.
44
The arraignment ended, and Courtney had been taken back into custody, teary and frightened. It had been all Julia could do not to cry, and Paul was stricken. They left the courtroom as a threesome, descended the stairs, and exited the courthouse, just as Bennie got a phone call, which she took in the lobby.
Julia and Paul lingered at the entrance waiting for her. Susan and Mona were nowhere in sight, and Julia texted Susan to ask if she was okay, with three applause emojis.
Bennie ended her call, coming over with a frown. “Sorry, I have to get back to Philly right away. I wish I could have done more inside, but the law was against us. I hate to go because I know you guys are in the thick of it right now. I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t have to.”
“We understand,” Julia answered, for them both.
“Julia, I gave Courtney your message before they took her away.”
“Thank you,” Julia said, but she didn’t know if Courtney could take any comfort in the words.
Paul hesitated. “Bennie, Courtney wasn’t wearing her engagement ring or wedding band. Did she say anything to you about that?”
Julia blinked. She hadn’t noticed.
Bennie shook her head. “If they had stones, they would’ve been confiscated. Rings with stones aren’t allowed in prison.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.” Paul’s relief was evident, and Julia felt for him, wondering whether he still had a marriage.
Bennie stepped closer to them, lowering her voice. “Let’s talk about the plan for today. Paul, you should go to the prison and wait there. It might take all day, but be patient. Sooner or later, you’ll get a visit with her.”
“I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
“Good.” Bennie turned to Julia. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about what you told me last night, about that reenactment today on McGlinchey’s Plateau. Are you still planning on going?”
“Yes. I want to see what I can find out. The guy who makes plastic muskets has to be the guy who makes ghost guns.”
Bennie frowned. “I really don’t think you should go. If they followed you last night, they’re sending a message to back off.”
“But it’s such a good lead.”
“I agree, and that’s why I have my investigator moving this case to the front burner. He’ll be here Monday. He’s former law enforcement. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Why can’t I just go and look around?” Julia couldn’t let it go. “I’m not going to sit on my hands, after last night.”
“Fine.” Bennie pursed her lips. “If you insist on going, don’t ask a whole lot of questions. Don’t draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Just observe and document. That’s it. Understood?”
“Got it.”
“Are you going to listen?”
No.“Yes.”
“Julia?” Bennie narrowed her eyes. “You remind me of me.”
