Lindsay Dole sat alone at an table inside
one of the interogation rooms. It was where they
grill suspects, while on one side of a one-sided
mirrors a small crowd generally watched; the suspects
lawyer, other cops, some expert on body language.
Lindsay felt strange, as a defense lawyer she was
rarely on this side of the table. At that moment she
could feel the mounting fear she assumed most people
felt when they sat on this side of the table, waiting
for someone to come in and talk to her. The waiting was
the hardest part. It seemed like it was taking forever,
though an occasional glance at her watch, one that Bobby gave her, told her it had only been a few minutes since she had been in the room.
Lindsay took a sip of the ice water one of the lieutenants had brought in for her. Her mouth was feeling very dry. Everytime she thought of why she was there, and what they wanted her to say her mouth dried up. It was almost like her mouth was lined with cotton batting, the kind you put in pillows or quilts.
She clasped the cup with one hand. It would be a few more minutes before someone came in to talk to her. She decided she had some time to run over the events of the last two weeks in her head before they came to talk to her. She squinted as she looked at the mirror, she could almost see the motion by the people in the other room that was concealed by the one way mirror. She thought she might have seen a familiar face, but with the thickness of the glass it was hard to be sure. She sat back against the cold steel folding chair and closed her eyes as she started to play back the chain of events in her mind, and what lead her to be in the police station.
Two Weeks Ago
December 29
Lindsay sat at her desk preparing for a case when Lucy Hatcher, who was basically the receptionist to the entire firm, knocked on her door. Lindsay waved her in.
"Hi, have you got a minute?" Lucy asked.
"A very short one, whats up?" Lindsay asked.
"I forgot to tell you when you came in this morning, you got a message." Lucy said handing over a slip of paper. "From the state prison."
"Another client?" Lindsay moaned. "I have enough to do, and with Hinks and everything."
"I know, but the caller seemed very insistant on seeing you." Lucy said putting the slip on her desk after Lindsay didnt take it. "She said something strange too,'Remember Nantucket'."
"Remember Nantucket?" Lindsay said out loud. "Whats that all about?"
"You tell me." Lucy said. "Jimmy and Ellenor have already started a office pool on the meaning. If you remember tell me first. They promised me 50 bucks each if they lose." Lucy said whispering to her.
"You'll be the first to know." Lindsay said.
"All right!" Lucy said. She walked out the door,and closed it behind her. "All right, free lunch baby!" Lindsay heard her shout.
"Ohhh shut up!" Ellenor Frutt replied. "I oughta know better than to bet with her." She walked by the door. She waved. Lindsay waved back. She got up and picked up the yellow paper and read the name on it. Something flashed in the back of her mind. Ariana Peterson? Why does she need a lawyer, and most curious of all, why me?
Someime Later
At the prison, Lindsay waited patiently while they ran her over with a metal detector. She left her keys and other items she could not take in with her with the desk sargent. She then signed a form or two. This was a familiar routine, she could do it inher sleep, and with some of the early morning visits she had paid to the prison-she practically had done it in her sleep some days. A guard came from the office.
"Come with me please." She said opening the main gate leading into the cell block. Lindsay nodded and went through the open gate. The gate door slammed behind her as another guard appeared to take her to one of the visitor rooms. After a short walk by some empty holding cells they finally arrived. The guard opened the door to the room and Lindsay entered. The door had a large round window in it so the guards could keep an eye on went on in the visiting room. Lindsay looked at the guard as she closed the door.
"You have an hour Mrs Dole." She told her before it finally slammed shut. Lindsay nodded and turned. The visting room was grey colored and wall to wall with booths. The booths had two sides, separated by a pastic partition between the visitor and the prisoner. There were four large booths for a larger amount of visitors and five smaller ones, generally used for attorney-lawyer conferances. Lindsay quickly gathered the fact that she was the only one visiting that day. Thinking no one else would be in, she helped herself to one of the larger booths near the side wall. At least she would have room to write. She sat down on one of the brown plastic folding chairs. She looked around at her surroundings, the door the prisoners came out was to the left of her. Whoever she was meeting would come out of that door, she reasoned. She sat there for a few minutes doodling various shapes and squiggles. After about ten minutes she heard the sound of footsteps echoing in the hallway outside the heavy metal door. She watched as she could see the shadows of two people approaching the door. She could see the guard, she was the same as the ones she met at the front door, but with a slightly different uniform. After the guard moved, she could see the back of the other woman that was with her. She had light brown colored hair. It hung down limply to her shoulder. She must have just showered, Lindsay reasoned, suddenly wishing for one herself. She came directly from the courthouse.
The woman had her back to her. The guard turned her around and Lindsday could finally see her face. It all came back to her. The womans name was familiar to her when she read it off of Lucys note in the office, but it wasnt until she saw her face that it all slammed home for her.
"Ariana Peterson." Lindsay thought. "It's her."
Ariana, Lindsay remembered, she was in the same high school she was in, but they never really traveled in the same circles. They had a lot of mutual friends though, and thats how Lindsay knew of her. She was very shy, and never talked much, especially after the incident. In their senior year she was dating a guy named Dirk Gottfried, a new guy who moved there from Worcestor. He was seeing Ariana. No one knew much about him, but Lindsay could tell that Dirk treated Ariana badly, mentally and physically abusing her. No one could get her to call the police on him or even admit that something was even wrong with her boyfriend, but in May of that year, everything seemed to be going for the better. He even invited Lindsay and her current boyfriend Scott Gibson to his parents house in Nantucket for the weekend...Nantucket...Thats what the note meant by Remember Nantucket, Lindsay realized. That weekend Ariana and Dirk had a horrible fight. It was almost frightening the way he screamed at her, but this time she screamed back for the first time. He stormed out of the house in the middle of the night and that was the last he was seen....alive anyway. Hours later his body turned up on the shoreline. He had been clubbed from behind. When he was found his whole body had been swollen from being beaten virtually all over. Ariana was immediately a suspect considering the fight. After lengthy investiagation and a short trial, the death was somehow ruled accidental, and Ariana was free to go. Lindsay never saw her again after graduation that year, in fact this is the first time she saw her in years. She had been to a high school reunion, Ariana was mysteriously, and somehow undertandably absent.
Ariana plunking down in front of her in her chair pulled Lindsays attention back to reality. Ariana was wearing a pale blue prison uniform. Her hair had been longer in the past, but she looked like she had it cut recently. Her eyes had faint dark patches underneath it. According to Lindsays information supplied to her by the desk guard, Ariana had been there less than 48 hours. She must have had a sleepness night. The first night in prison was always tough.
"Hi Lindsay." Ariana said. She had the soft voice she remembered. She looked down at the table. Lindsay wasnt even sure she could see her. Ariana picked up the phone reciever on her side of the barrier. Lindsay did so on her side.
"Ariana." Lindsay nodded.
"How have you been?" she asked her.
"I'm a lawyer, as you know, I'm married and I have a baby on the way." Lindsay said making an unconscious gesture to her stomach. "What about you?"
"I'm here." Ariana said. "I am married."
"I didn't know."
"I should say was married." Ariana corrected herself. "My husband was found dead this weekend."
It suddenly occured to Lindsay she hadnt looked at the case file yet. She opened it up. Inside there was Arianas mug shot. She was wearing a plaid shirt and a cordoroy pants. Her face was splattered with blood. It looked fresh. Her expression was dead and emotionless. Her eyes had a glassy look to them, almost like someone had sucked the life out of them. She turned the photo over and saw crime scene photos. Arianas husband, identified as Wade Peterson, was black and blue. There were impressive welts all over his body. He was barely recognizable. He was covered in blood. Lindsay couldnt stop herself from gasping. The ghastly pictures triggered her memory of the nantucket incident. Her reaction did not unnoticed by Ariana.
"Horrible, huh?" She asked.
Lindsay looked up sharply.
"Naturally they think I did it." Ariana said.
Lindsay continued to flip through the file. There were reports of domestic assault. The police reports filed by friends and neighbors brought back more memories of Nantucket. Apparently Dirk and Wade had something in common, utterly violent tempers, and they both took it out on Ariana. They both met similiar fates.
"We don't have much time left." Lindsay said. "So tell me what happened that night."
"I'm sorry I took so long to get here. I was in the shower. If you don't shower by a certain time, you have to wait till tomorrow." Ariana apoligized. She took a deep breath. "It all happened Saturday night." She started.
Lindsay stopped her and started her tape recorder. "Do continue."
"We had had a fight." Ariana said. "I was going to leave him, but he said that would be over his dead body." She sighed. "Funny, that dead body ended up to be his." She laughed uneasily. "They found me near the body. No sooner than I was revived, I was arrested."
"Tell me what happened that night." Lindsay said. "I mean the events leading up to it."
A guard poked his head in. "Five more minutes Ms Dole."
"We'll have to pick this up after the new year." Lindsay said packing her stuff away.
"Wait, I have to know if you'll take my case." Ariana said.
"I will." Lindsay said. "I'll make sure you get out of here."
"Thank you." Ariana said. She went over to the door and banged hard. A guard came to it and opened it. "You won't regret this."
Lindsay waved and went out the other door. She picked up her keys at the door and went out to her car wondering what she could have gotten herself into.
Sunday December 31, 2000 11:55
Lindsay was at a New Years party with Bobby. The party was being held at Helen Gambles house. She had a lot of food, shrimp, sub sandwiches and salads. Lindsay was contantly amazed by Helen. She could wolf down a twelve inch sandwich and not even show it the next day. The others from the firm were there, Lucy:who by the way was still hinting at the answer to 'Remember Nantucket', Jimmy Berlutti,Rebecca Washington, Eugene Young Ellenor and some of the other attorneys that Bobby knew from various court cases. There was music and dancing. Everyone was having a blast. Everyone except Lindsay.
She stood on the balcony of Helens apartment deep in thought. The others were watching the countdown to the ball drop on tv. The case was on her mind a lot since she left Ariana in the prison the other day. How was she gonna defend her? She had no strategy even though its only been a day since she had seen her. She didnt even seem to remember committing the alleged crime. That was going to be hard to figure out. She was going to have to talk to her more after the holiday was over.
Lindsay was so deep in thought she didnt hear someone enter the balcony behind her. She felt someone touch her cheek lightly. She looked up, a bit startled and saw her husband Bobby.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Bobby asked. "It's new years eve."
"I know, but I got something on my mind." She said turning to him. "I'll tell you about it at the office on Tuesday."
He had a glass of champange with him, and a glass of orange juice for her. He handed her a champagne glass half full of orange juice. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." He said. "Its time for the ball drop. Any last words for the year 2000?"
"Freedom and justice for all." Lindsay said after thinking a moment. The clinked glasses together. Their attention was turned to the crowd inside.
"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!" They counted down together. Lindsay looked at Bobby after they said "1." "Happy New Year."
"Happy New Millenium." Bobby responded. They kissed each other on the lips and then drank from their glasses. They kissed again. Inside everyone ran to the opposite side of the apartment. "Hurry, or you'll miss the fireworks." Lucy said to Bobby and Lindsay. They didn't hear her.
"I'd say the fireworks have started already." Helen said smirking at the scene. They left them aloneof the balcony bythemselves, the fireworks going off in the distance.
Tuesday 8:00 a.m.
Lindsay got to the office early that morning. Lucy was there as always making coffee for the firm. She always made extra because the firm had their daily meeting ina few minutes. Bobby liked to be ket basically up to date on all the cases that his firm would be handling. Today, Lindsay decided to tell him what case she was starting on that week. Arianas case. He had asked her all weekend, but she promised he would know by Tuesday morning. They all had Monday off because of the New years holiday. Lindsay and Bobby were newlyweds, she couldnt remember whether or not or not they even left their room! Happy new year indeed.
Slowly the office began to fill with her colleagues. Helen, Jimmy, Ellenor came through the door at the same time. Bobby was close behind. Now all they had to do was wait for Rebecca and Eugene then the meeting can be underway.
"Do you need me in the meeting this morning?" Lucy asked.
"Just for coffee, Lucy." Bobby responded. "We all have a full plate this morning." He said looking at Lindsay. "You will tell me whats on yours, right?"
"Absolutely." Lindsay said.
"Keeping secrets already?" Helen asked. "This marriage is going great."
Lindsay glared at her. "Sorrry." Helen said. She went into the main meeting room and sat down. Eugene and Rebecca came through the door and joined her. Everyone filtered into the room and took a seat. Lucy went around and served coffee.
"So do we have any news?" Bobby asked. "Lindsay?"
Lindsay dug out her file. "I have a new case. Its an old friend of mine from my hometown. She is accused of murdering her husband." She opened the file to get something. Lucy stood behind her as she poured her cup of coffee for her. She casually looked at one of the crime scene photos.
"Wow!" Lucy exclaimed. "Looks like someone opened up a whole can of whoop-ass on someone!"
"Lucy!" Bobby said sternly. Lindsay covered the photo.
"Sorry." Lucy said.
"Are you done?" He asked.
"I need coffee." Eugene said holding his cup aloft. Lucy went over to fill it under Bobbys critical glance.
"Ariana Peterson..." Lindsay continued. "was an old friend of mine. She has no police history beyond the fact that she was accused of murdering her boyfriend in Nantucket." Lindsay said. "When she got arrested for alledgedly murdering again, this time her husband, she asked for me. She sent me the message Remember Nantucket." She said.
"Oh so thats what it meant." Ellenor said. "So this means..."
"I won!" Lucy said. Everyone glared at her. "Come on, you know who you are, you got in on the bet!"
"Lucy, we can do this LATER." Bobby said.
"Okay." Lucy said. she took her coffee jug and left.
"Anyway Ariana needs to be defended. I've decided to take the case." Lindsay said in a "long story, short version" way.
Bobby got up and looked at her file. He stood there for a few minutes looking at it. He finally made a decision. "It looks like it could get a lot of media attention." He determined.
"Yes." Lindsay said as Bobby returned to his seat. "Her husband was an important business person. Computers and technology stocks."
"I think it would be wise for you to have a second chair." Bobby said. He looked around the room. "Helen."
Helen almost gagged on her drink. "What?"
"You be second chair for Lindsay?" He semi asked.
"But I'm a prosecutor." Helen pointed out.
"Good, then you will be able to tell her what you would do if you were the DA on this case."
"Oh I can already tell." Helen said. "I'd fry her ass without so much as a second look or regrets." She deadpanned. "I have a full docket."
"Not according to this." Eugene said reading over her shoulder. "You get two verdicts today."
"Eugene....don't help." Helen said.
"Its settled." Bobby said. "Anything else?"
Everyone else quickly talked about their cases. Their meeting was over in ten minutes. Lindsay took her file and went to her office. Helen groaned loudly as Bobby looked at her. She sighed, got up and went to Lindsays office. She stood in the doorway.
"Hello Helen." Lindsay said not looking up.
"Wasn't Bobby a little hard on Lucy?" Helen said as she looked at Bobby talking with her.
"Not really." Lindsay said. "Its his pride. Its a little embarressing to lose a bet to a secretary!" She explained as Helen watched Bobby count out fifty dollars. Lucy thanked him and went to Ellenors door. Suddenly Lindsay wanted to be the fly on the wall in her office for that discussion.
"What can I do?" Helen asked.
"We won't start today, but it would be a good idea if you got a little background." Lindsay said holding the file out to her. "These are extra copies. I had a feeling Bobby would want me to work with someone so I made these early this morning. We talk to our client tomorrow. She will be brought here around noon, which we both have free."
"Great." Helen said looking through the file. "Want to guess what we might plead?"
"I want to say insanity but I will need a longer talk with her. But we ought to get the psychiatrist that we had for Hinks ready just in case." Helen nodded.
"Not recalling murdering not one, but two people now hints at a head case." Helen added.
"You've very subtle Helen." Lindsay said. "No one wonder why Bobby wanted you to do this case with me."
"Indeed." Helen smirked. "I'm gonna go read this. You know where I am."
Lindsay nodded.
Wednesday 11:30
Both Lindsay and Helen caught a early lunch. Being a lawyer was unique, the two could look over crime scene photos at lunch, something that would make people with weaker stomachs choke on their tuna macaroni. Helen and Lindsay had seen so many photos of various crimes, it was sad to say, they were on the razors edge of being desensitized.
"Hmm." Helen mumured over her roast beef grinder. She then took a huge bite. Lindsay had barely touched her food.
"Hmm what?" Lindsay asked.
"Nothing." Helen said. "You gonna eat that?"
"Knock yourself out." Lindsay said passing over her salad which Helen attacked with the fury of a hungry she-wolf. Helen swallowed a few large bites. As she chewed noisily she looked up at Lindsay. "What?" Seh demanded.
"Never mind." Lindsay said. "It's almost time to go."
"I'll be done in a second." Helen said.
"I'll believe that." Lindsay nodded. She looked at Helen again, where does she put all that food? Helen wiped her mouth as she finished. She smiled with a satisfied look on her face.
"Let's go. I want to meet the Nantucket terror." Helen said.
"Nantucket terror?" Lindsay asked.
"I looked up the old articles about the murder. That was her nickname at the time. Course now it could be Boston Bludgeoner." Helen said paying the bill on the way out, despite Lindsays weak attempt at a protest. "It's on me." She picked up a napkin and wiped off her mouth. "Ok, its not anymore."
12:00 Helens Office
Linsdays phone rang. A policeman was escorting Ariana into the building. She wouldthen be brought into one of the private meeting rooms where lawyers usually talked to their clients.
"Ok." Lindsay said and hung up the phone. "They're ready for us."
"Let's go." Helen said. They grabbed their files and headed to a small room near Lindsays office. The door had a glass window in it. There was a police guard standing outside of it. Lindsay and Helen looked into the door. Ariana sat at at the table in a different outfit than her regulation prisoner gear. Her hair was held back with a clip. She wore a dress suit, possibly on loan to her from someone she knew, it was pinstriped and very sophisticated looking. Lindsay was about to open the door to go in when Helen stopped her.
"Thats her?" She asked incredulously.
"Yeah." Lindsay replied. "What?"
"Shes the one who did what the pictures show?" Helen asked looking again. "I don't believe it. Shes even tinier than that Ally McBeal runt across town."
"Well maybe you can share an oreo later, ok?" Lindsay said remembering a line that Helen had at one time exchanged with Ms McBeal. "Can we go in?"
"Okay." Helen said.
They entered together and stood in front of Ariana.
"Ariana Peterson." Lindsay introduced her to Helen. "This is district attorney Helen Gamble." Helen smiled slightly. She still couldnt believe the sight in front of her. Then she had to remind herself that murderers, guilty or innocent, came in all shapes and sizes.
"District attorney?" Ariana asked confused.
"Don't worry." Helen said. "I'm on your side."
"Ms Gamble will be second chair to me." Lindsay explained.
"Oh like an assistant." Ariana said understanding.
"Right." Helen nodded.
"Okay." Lindsay said. There was a knock at the door. It was Lucy.
"Lindsay, you have an urgent call on line one." Lucy said.
"I'm with a client." Lindsay pointed.
"I'm way sorry but they wouldnt let me take a message." Lucy apologized.
"Thats ok." Helen said. "We'll be fine."
"Okay, I gotta take this call." Lindsay said. "Ariana why dont you tell Ms Gamble everything you told me in the prison a couple of nights ago?"
"Yeah, I'd really appreciate that." Helen said. Maybe it would shed some light on why this micro-midget was accused of murder.
"All right." Lindsay said. She walked out the door and got the phone.
Minutes later, Lindsay remembered as she sat in her chair at BPD, that she had no idea what went on in the metting room after she left. But when she returned she noticed a visible change in the room. Where Helen normally would have been cocky and self-assured, she was as quiet as a mouse. She was pale white. It was like someone walked on her grave.
"How did things go?" Lindsay asked while she looked Helen over. She had a wide eyed look about her.
"Fine." Helen said. "I think we have everything we need for now."
"We do?" Lindsay asked. She had not been away for that long, she knew.
"Yeah, we have a few people to call, for witnesses. For character witnesses." Helen said quietly. Lindsay could barely hear her.
"All right." Lindsay said. "Ariana, we will need to have a psychological evaluation of you, to make sure you are competent for trial."
"Okay." Ariana said brightly. A little too brightly.
"We will do that on Thursday. Tomorrow, Wedsnesday we'll talk again. This time with the DA." Helen got up and opened the door.
"I'll see you then Lindsay, Ms Gamble." Ariana said. Helen turned and looked at Ariana. "Okay." She responded. She then turned and went to her own office. The guard that came with Ariana came in and put Arianas handcuffs on. She was slowly led out of the room and out of the office. Lindsay was about to leave the room herself when she noticed Helen had left her pile of files on the table. Lindsay gathered them up with hers making a note to drop them off in Helens office when she had a chance. What was it that spooked her so much that she practically ran out of the meet room, and without her files? Lindsay would soon find out.
Wednesday
Wednesday and Thursday went by like a blur. Wednesday Helen, Lindsay and Ariana met with the man who would be the district attorney on the case, Richard Bay. He was the prosecutor who as of late had been involved in a lot of the firms cases, especially that of one William Hinks; a creepy serial murderer. Helen was very quiet during the meeting where Richard had offered a plea bargain, which was strange since Ariana hadnt even had her psychological evaulation yet: it was scheduled for Thursday. Lindsay turned down the plea bargain, it was too soon to settle anything for any reason yeet, she had determined. That night Bobby had appealed to her to let Helen take the heavier part of the case workload, as she will have her baby in two months. She turned him down, promising that this was the last big case she would have before her maternity leave.
Friday
Friday morning Helen and Lindsay waited for Ariana outside their conferance room while the psychologist met with her. This meeting would determine whether or not they plead insanity or not.
Lindsay watched Helen read a week old magazine. She sat with her legs crossed, one foot tapping against the floor. She seemed to have something on her mind. Normally Helen would have tons of input on where to go with this case, but she has been as quiet as a churchmouse. On some cases, where she had been overbearing at times, this would be a welcome vacation from her normal behavior. But for some reason it struck Lindsay as very strange. Helen would be all over this case as either defense or prosecution, why was she acting so strange?
She couldnt take it anymore. It would be another half hour or more before the evaluation was done, she judged by looking at her watch.
"Helen?" Lindsay said her name. Helen looked up sharply.
"What?" Helen asked.
"Would you like some coffee or something to drink?" Lindsay said getting up slowly from her seat.
"Sure." Helen said tossing the magazine aside. She seemed a little jittery. Maybe coffee was a bad idea, Lindsay thought as they went to the coffee room.
"Helen." Lindsay said as she filled her cup for Helen. "I want to know what the hell is going on, and I want to know right now." She said intently. Helen took the cup with a little hesitation.
"Whats going on?" She looked at Lindsay. "What makes you think somethings going on?"
"The way you were acting after you talked with Ariana the other day. You looked like someone walked over your grave." Lindsay said. "What happened in there? And why arent you telling me anything?"
"Okay." Helen took a long sip from her cup. "Ariana Peterson is the creepiest woman I have ever had the displeasure of defending."
"What?"
"You heard me." Helen said. "She may have acted all chuckles and sunshine when you were in the room, but when you left, she started talking bout stuff so morbid, so terrifying, that would make even Dr Kevorkian run screaming."
"What did she say?" Lindsay said not buying it.
"She asked me what it was like to kill someone." Helen said. "I shot George Vogelman." She reminded her, as if she needed to remind Lindsay of Ellenors dentist client. "But she asked me if I knew what it was like to pummel someone over and over and over again. To feel their blood spray all over you. To hear their pleas for mercy, for help, but yet completely and totally ignore them. To stand there and watch them breathe their last breath, moan their last words with an agony known to no man alive." Helen said. "I am pretty unshakable at times, but this woman rocked me to my foundation."
"I don't believe you!" Linsday said. "You looked at her, and you yourself couldnt believe that she committed the crimes she is a accused of."
"Seeing is seeing, hearing is another thing altogether." Helen said.
"Look, if you want off this case, all you had to do is say so and not make up some ridiculous story." Lindsay shook her head.
"Linds..." Helen shook her head.
"I can't believe you would do this." Linsday said controlling herself. She felt a kick. She placed her hand on her stomach. She took a deep breath.
"I still want to be on this case." Helen said. "But coming from a prosecutor, what did you expect to hear?" She said softly.
Lindsay looked at Helen, ready to say something else when the shrink Ariana was talking to appeared at the door.
"How did it go?" Lindsay asked.
"Great." She said. "I have never had a better patient." She handed a paper to Lindsay. "She, in my opinion, is more than competent enough to face a trial."
Helen looked at Lindsay with a shocked look on her face. She moved to say something when Linsday thanked the shrink and left.
"She thinks shes sane, then shes crazier than I thought she was." Helen said after the shrink left.
"We have to go by what she said." Lindsay said pointing to the door. "Not by your first impressions."
"Great." Helen said.
"Like I said Helen, you can walk out that door anytime you don't want to be on this case anymore." Lindsay said. Helen kept quiet. "Good. Now we have to get started on our new defense."
"What would that be?" Helen asked.
"Not guilty." Lindsay said flatly. She got her coat and headed for the door. "I'm getting tired. I'm gonna take a nap at home."
"Okay." Helen said. She watched Lindsay leave, then she thought for a minute. Then she grabbed her own coat and headed for the door herself. She had a hunch, she needed to follow up on it or she was gonna go crazy.
The next few days were full of small hearing concerning venue change, because of the of the nature of the case, the usual business for any court case, Lindsay remembered. She also knew that Helen went missing for two whole days. When she finally returned she wouldnt say where she was or what she was doing. Bobby was predictably miffed at the stunt she pulled but nothing was done about it. She went back to helping Lindsay prepare her case with her. Helen said nothing about her trip. It drove Lindsay crazy. She decided to ignore it, if she was going to tell her anything, she would in her own good time. Finally on Wednesday of the next week the trial started.Prosecution was the first to present their case.
Richard Bay began his opening statements by holding a little demonstration on the courtroom floor. He held up an evidence bag. It contained the weapon that killed Arianas husband wade. It was an blunt object, much like a blackjack but cruder like if it been handmade.
"This, ladies and gentleman of the jury, was the object the defendant used to bludgeon her husband to death." Richard held the bag aloft. "Now you may look at the defendant and think, there is no way that a small woman like this could commit the crime you will see in the pictures we have in evidence." Richard continued pointing at a docile looking Ariana. "No way that such violence could be committed by such a innocent looking woman. Permit me to demonstate something."
Lindsay popped up. "Objection! Shouldnt this be done AFTER the opening statement?"
The judge, looked at Richard.
"I'll humor him, but you cannot use the defendant in your little play acting exercise."
"But thats who I intended to use." Richard said. The judge glared at him. "All right I will find a volunteer to do it." He picked up something from a satchel. "This is a physical representation of the weapon." He said. He squeezed it tightly. It squeaked. "With obvious exceptions." He went to the defense table. "Helen?"
Helen took a drink of water. "What?"
"Please, be my assistant." Richard said. "I want you to bash my head in."
"Is this a dream?" Helen responded.
"Don't actually hit me." Richard said.
"All right, if you want to ruin the fun." Helen said. Helen went up to him. Richard got down on the floor. "All right. Pow, wow." She said swinging it. "Is that all right?"
There was a sudden gasp in the court room. Helen heard quick steps behind her. She didnt even have a chance to turn when she was knocked to the floor. She rolled over and saw Ariana holding the evidence bag with the blackjack in it over her head. She heaved it over her head. She she swung at Helens head. Helen could feel her throat tightening up. She couldn't breath, much less scream. She winced as she imagined the blackjack hitting her in the face. She felt a breeze as the blackjack stopped inches in front of her. She opened her eyes.
"Is THIS what you mean Mr Prosecutor?" Ariana asked.
"YH-Yes." Richard said reduced to a stammering ninny.
A guard grabbed Ariana and attempted to pull her away. She put up little fight. The judge yelled "order in the court" in the background.
"Shes not hurt, right? No worries Ms Gamble?" Ariana asked looking her dead in the eye. Lindsay helped Helen sit down in her chair. Ariana was put inside a small booth surrounded by plastic walls.
Lindsay looked at Helen. "Are you all right?"
"Just dandy." Helen said.
Later - around 6 pm
Helen and Lindsay sat in Bobbys office. They were watching a small tv. The reason they were watching it was because there was a news report about what went on in the courtroom that afternoon. Since the case was so high profile, every little thing that happened was headline news. It didnt surprise Lindsay a bit. Helen though couldnt stop staring at herself on tv. They kept showing footage of Ariana being lead outside then of Helen close behind. She was as white as a sheet.Lindsay couldnt be seen, and that was a smart move on her part. She had waited for the sea of reporters to leave before she left the courthouse. Plus she had some lastminute things to take care of before she left.
Bobby walked in on the two. He kissed Lindsay on the forehead and smoothed her hair with his left hand. He handed her a large glass of orange juice, which she accepted gratefully.
"Thanks honey." She said.
"What? Nothing for me?" Helen asked as Bobby took his seat. He reached over and turned the tv off. "I'm the one who almost got clobbered."
He ignored her. "After today, I think we ought to talk about what we are going to do with this case. The incident in the courtroom did nothing but bring more media attention to it and we don't erally need that right now."
Bobby said. Lindsay agreed.
"We never got to the offcial plea yet." Lindsay said. "We might have to change it since the incindent."
"Is insanity an option?" Bobby asked.
"Not right now." Helen said. She rubbed her head from where she hit it on the floor. "We have an evaluation that said she was competent."
"We might need a second opinion on this one." Bobby said. "In fact we'll get one tomorrow."
"Okay." Lindsay said.
"Helen could you leave us alone?" Bobby said as Lindsay drank her juice.
"Gladly." Helen said. She left the room. Bobby came from behind his desk. He sat down next to her.
"Lindsay, considering the events in the courtroom today, I think you ought to consider letting Helen do more of the work on this case."
"What?" Lindsay asked.
"I'm worried about you." He said. "With you in the condition you are in..." He paused. "I am so scared about the fact that could have been you in the courtroom today." He said clasping her hands. "Scared to death."
"I promised this would be the last case before my leave." Lindsay said.
"I know, but if this had ben any other case I would be happy to oblige. This is different though." Bobby said. "Even though she passed a psych evaluation, Ariana proved to me with that courtroom demonstation that she could be very volatile." Bobby said. "Just like that she snapped." He snapped his fingers. "Who knows if, no not if, but when she will do it again." Bobby said. "Don't make me pull rank on you, as both a husband and your boss." He uneasily chuckled.
"I'll think about it." Lindsay said slowly rising.
"Please do." Bobby said. "I'll be home late tonight. Please get home before I do."
"I will." Lindsay promised with a smile. Bobby kissed her on the cheek. She closed the door behind her and went to her office. There was something nagging at her. Hopefully Helen hadnt left yet. Helen, herself and Bobby were the last to leave for the day.
"Helen." Lindsay said as Helen was heading for the door with her coat. Helen turned.
"Oh for god sakes WHAT? I want to go home." Helen complained. "I'm exhausted, I'm going to be cranky and bitchy."
"You'll just have to put that aside for a few minutes." Lindsay said to her. "I want to talk to you about something."
"Fine." Helen said. She tossed her coat on a chair and followed Lindsay into her office. Helen closed the door. "So what?"
"I think if we're going to be working on this case together, I think we should have no secrets between us." Lindsay said.
"Meaning?" Helen asked. She quirmed a little bit, she hid it badly. She sat down.
"Where did you go?" Lindsay asked.
"What?"
"You went somewhere a few days ago. You never told anyone. You basically vanished. Then you were back, ready to work on the case, and you never told anyone where you went. What you did. Who you talked to." Lindsay said. "If we are going to work together, I want to know where the hell you went and what you did."
Helen looked her in the eyes. "You really want to know where I went?"
"If I didn't I would not ask." Lindsay said.
"I'm surprised Bobby hasnt approached me about it yet." Helen said. She sighed and shook her head. "All right, I'll fess up."
"Good."
"But tomorrow, Linds." Helen said. "I am exhausted, besides the stuff that accompanies what I will tell you is at home." Helen stood up and went to the door. "Come in early tomorrow. I will tell you what I have found."
"All right." Linsday said.
"Night." Helen said as she left. Lindsay mumbled a goodnight. She sat there for a moment. Then she turned the lights off and locked the front door.
It all came to a head a few days later, on January 10. Everything happened so quickly. Helen hadn't even shown Lindsay her information yet. The search for a psychologist willing to make an unbiased examinaton of Ariana was long and difficult. What made it harder is the fact that Ariana had already been judged guilty as chargde by the media. The so called all knowing media had taken a five minute incident in the courtroom and made it the symbol of the entire trial. And they had just barely gotten past the opening statements. Since no one else would even consider talking to the "Boston Bludgeonder", Lindsay had to settle with the first and only psychologist that came to talk to them. They had set up a session with her. Then disaster struck. In the midst of tranporting Ariana from her temporary cell at the Boston Police department to the firms offices, she somehow overpowered a guard and escaped. It was all over the news but they couldnt find her. Helen kept thinking it was an elaborate joke, but it was no laughing matter. Helen was in her office when Lindsay came in again, asking to see what Helen discovered on her mysterious trip.
"Okay, fine." Helen said sliding a file across the desk to Lindsay. She picked it up and read it. "I got a hunch. Ariana does not seem like your normal crazy person. I had a question or two so I went to the one place I thought would have an answer." Lindsay looked at her. "Nantucket." Lindsay said. "I found this in the archives of the local library and the police station. The one thing that didnt come up, and I don't know if you knew this but Dirks family was rich." Lindsay looked at her.
"I knew his family was well off." She shook her head."When he died, there was a thing that came up over a will but nothing came of it."
"Thats right." Helen said. "Some money would have gone to Ariana. But since she allegdly murdered him, that money never went to her."
"I don't understand." Lindsay said.
"Wade had a lot of money too." Helen said. "Ariana stayed out of jail the first time by claiming not to murder Dirk, that she didnt remember doing it."
"Like she did here." Lindsay said.
"Right." Helen said. "Only this time, shes off her rocker for real, but she is so convincing at pretending to be sane/crazy, she might end up getting no jail time." Helen concluded ."Awfully complex dont you think?"
"Yes." Lindsay said. "But the case is officially closed, right since she escaped."
"She will get caught." Helen said. "That is almost certain."
Lucy stuck her head in. "Lindsay, phone call."
"Thanks." Lindsay said as she ran to her office. She picked up her phone. "Hello?"
"Remember Nantucket." The voice said and then hung up.
"Ariana." Lindsay thought. She must be nearby though, she could hear the fourth street bridge come down. She grabbed her coat and headed for the door. Bobby and Eugene cut her off.
"Where do you think you're going young lady?" Bobby kidded her.
"Uh, out."
"Just out?" Eugene asked. "I didn't know pregnant women went cruising."
"Its a girl thing." Lindsay said.
A policeman came from behind Eugene. "We tracked a call to your office Ms Dole. Would you care to tell us what Ariana Peterson had to say to you?"
Lindsay stared at the trio. She had nothing to say. Her old friend was clearly insane but at the same time she had hoped that somewhere in that woman her old friend remained.
She chose in the end to say nothing. The police led her downstairs and into a squad car. Shes been at the police station ever since.
As Lindsay went through her memory, she remembered they were there all night talking about various things, but she hadnt been in this interrogation room till now. No one had talked to her. An intimidation method? She'd seen it used before.
A police officer named Morrison came in.
"Hello Ms Dole." He said. "Comfy?"
"Quite."
"Are you ready to tell us who that was on the phone?" He asked. He gave her a fresh cup of water.
"It was a hangup call." She said. "I wasnt on the phone long enough to say anything besides hello."
"I see." He said. "I think Ariana Peterson called you and you were able to tell her where she was."
"It was a hangup call." Lindsay said. "I don't see how you can hold me here. I am pregnant. Arent you afraid of harming my child?"
Morrison looked at her. "You're right." He said. "You can leave. You don't seem to want to help us out any here."
"I can't help because I know nothing." Lindsay said as she left the room.
Bobby came to her and held her tightly.
"Easy there Bobby, my spinal cord." Lindsay chided him.
"Sorry." Bobby said.
"Why did they question me?" Lindsay asked.
"Cause they think Ariana called you." Bobby said. "Because they found the phone where she called you."
"They did?" She asked.
"They caught her. They wanted to know if you were on the same page as they were." Bobby said. "Between you and me, did you know?"
"She only said Remember Nantucket." Lindsay said. "I knew she was nearby."
"Yes." Bobby said.
"I didn't tell them because I thought that maybe for a minute that maybe she hadnt gone totally crazy. That she hadnt killed her husband for the reasons that Helen showed me in the office." Lindsay said. "I think it goes back to something, I dunno what."
"That maybe the people we knew in school are never the people we think they will turn out to be?" Bobby asked.
Lindsay nodded. "I think thats it."
They went out to the car. He opened the door for her.
"What will happen to her?" She asked.
"She will have an another evaluation." Bobby said. "For 30 days this time."
"I hope she gets better." Lindsay said. "That whatever is wrong with her is fixed."
"I do too." Bobby said. He started up his car and they drove away from the police station. Lindsay watched the station disapear in her rearview mirror. There was nothing left to do but pray and be a mother.
