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Blackout was behind Catherine now, his left biceps were a vise around her neck. He spoke softly, gently.Don’t fight me, Catherine. It’ll all be over soon. Shhh, shhh, I’ve got you.
He brought his right arm around and pulled on his left fist,tightening his grip around Catherine’s neck and pressing on it with his full weight as the baby wailed. All the life drained from Catherine.
Blackout picked her up, carried her in his arms with the crying baby still strapped to her chest. He crossed the street to his car. It was a gray Ford sedan but he didn’t look at the plates so I didn’t get a glimpse of a number or a letter or even if it was a California tag. His eyes were on the unlatched trunk.
He worked the trunk lid open with his foot and laid the dead woman into a nest of blankets. Little Josephina Fleet screamed. Blackout reached in to finish off the baby when a voice called out.
Blackout swung his gaze away from the woman and child and located the voice in the predawn light. Maybe fifteen feet away, just downhill from where Blackout stood at the rear of his car, was an elderly man in shorts and a tennis shirt, a phone in his hand.
“Pardon me. Do you need some help there?”
“Enter Jacob Johnston,” said Cappy.
The man’s expression changed from “Do you need help?” to understanding. He was witnessing a crime.
The video cut out.
My phone rang and I picked up.
Blackout’s distorted video voice came over my phone.
“Sergeant? How do you like it?”
“Why did you send itnow?”
“I wanted you to see, that’s why. My best video so far, I think. My homage to Burke. But look. I’ve already told you to release Burke in exchange for Cindy. Don’t make me say, ‘Or else.’ Aw shit. Or else, Sergeant. How badly do you want her?”
“Badly. Very damned badly, you fuck.”
He laughed. Then, “I could send you an email with the location for the swap.”
I had just started to say, “It’s not up to me!” when there was a click and then, I was yelling into a dead phone.
CHAPTER 80
YUKI WAS IN court on Friday morning for Lewis Sullivan’s sentencing. He had been found guilty of all charges, but the sentence for each of those charges was left to the discretion of the judge. Judge Froman, not the jury, would decide what punishment would fit the crime.
Yuki had been the first to speak that morning.
She had summarized her case to Judge Froman, saying, “Despite Lewis Sullivan’s apparent clean arrest record until the horrific final battering of his wife, he had been terrorizing her for years. She called the police but was too frightened of him to press charges. He threatened her in this courtroom, Your Honor, because he didn’t get his way. He has terrified his children. He wreaked bloody mayhem on his wife, crippling and blinding her for life, and was found guilty of attempted murder. We ask the court to sentence him to the maximum for all charges, and further, we recommend that he not be eligible for parole. Ever.”
Mo Switzer smiled when Yuki sat down. Then, he’d madehis case to the judge, the truncated version of the one he’d made to the jury. His principal points were that Lewis loved Barbara. That she had baited him until he snapped. Despite Barbara’s claims, there was no proof that he had beaten her before. And he has sworn never to do it again.
Switzer said, “Lew loves his wife and children and they love him. On behalf of my client, I am asking Your Honor to please show mercy to this flawed man. Give him the opportunity to get the therapy he needs, make peace with his family, and resume life as a free man in the near future.”
Judge Froman showed no expression, but she did drum her fingernails on the desk, an indication of impatience that no jury would see.
“Would Mr. Sullivan like to speak?” she asked Switzer.
“Lew?”
Sullivan stood and said, “Your Honor, I’m a broken man. I have admitted guilt. I have apologized, in writing, to my wife. I’m more remorseful than any words I can say. I understand that I must pay for what I’ve done, and I promise you, I will be a model prisoner. I can again be a productive member of society if given another chance.”
Froman said, “Thank you, Mr. Sullivan. Ms. Castellano, does Mrs. Sullivan wish to speak?”
“She does, Your Honor.”
Nick Gaines went down the aisle and navigated Barbara’s wheelchair through the gallery and into the well. He asked her if she was okay, and she said that she was. He stood with her as she spoke.
