The following morning Anya stood with Dan Brody in Judge Pascoe’s private chambers.
They expected him to excuse himself from the trial, even though the damage to his leg was superficial.
He sat in a brown leather chair, behind a walnut desk. He did not invite either of them to sit.
“I will not discuss the events at my home last evening. I believe they are irrelevant to this trial.”
Dan stood in a relaxed position, although from the way he was wringing his hands he was anything but comfortable. Anya wasn’t sure whether she was here to chaperone or act as a witness.
“In reference to the issue of your accusations, if you repeat your ridiculous claims I’ll sue you for defamation. You have no proof of nonconsensual activity, and DNA merely confirms relations took place, which I do not deny. This will be the end of the matter.”
“Well then, Your Honor, I formally request to be excused from this trial on the grounds of personal conflict.”
The judge placed his hands downward on the edge of the desk.
“I believe I just explained the situation. What possible grounds do you think you have?”
“Well, Your Honor, I believe you are the father of my late sister and that could be viewed as a form of nepotism. I therefore feel it’s unethical for me to continue.”
Pascoe slammed a book down on the desk.
“Nepotism? My boy, I could charge you with contempt of court. Your client has pleaded insanity at the time of the crime for which he is accused. If you lose, and the insanity plea is rejected, your client is entitled to appeal. Your duty is to comply with your client’s wishes, and defend him to the best of your ability. Anything less and I’ll have your arse in a sling. You will not be excused from this trial.”
Dan tensed and Anya thought he was about to strike the judge again. Thankfully, he seemed to have more control this morning and resisted the urge.
“Your Honor, I have advised my client against the insanity defense. I don’t believe it’s in his best interests; however, he insists that’s what he wants. My client is refusing my instructions, which are based on the best of my experience and knowledge.”
“In that case, you will represent your client by complying with all of his wishes. Do I make myself clear?”
Dan didn’t answer.
“Doctor Crichton.”
“Yes, Your Honor.” Her mouth was dry. This was worse than being in the principal’s office, not that she’d ever been in trouble at school. But a hostile judge could make her testimony in any trial detrimental to a case. Lawyers might then consider her too high a risk as an expert witness and her work would quickly dry up. Her pulse raced and she felt a rash develop on the back of her neck. She despised this man, for what he did to Therese Brody, to his wife, and for the way he dismissed Bevan Hart’s reasons for what he did. Right now wasn’t the time to show it, though.
“You will remain a witness and I’ll permit Mr. Brody to call on you if you have an expert opinion that is relevant to the case. Again, if you repeat the ridiculous allegations against me, by the time I’m finished with you, you won’t have either an ounce of credibility or a cent to your name.”
Anya felt the rash heat as her anger rose. This man was abusing his power to threaten her, even after she’d tried to save him last night. She felt even angrier that Bevan Hart had died in front of him, and he wouldn’t even make reference to it.
“Do we all understand each other?”
Dan and Anya exchanged glances and muttered through near closed teeth, “Yes, Your Honor.”
Outside the chambers and courtrooms, Dan remained remarkably calm, while Anya began to seethe.
“He’s a rapist and a wife-beater, and he threatens us on ethics and credibility. Can he do that?”
Dan rubbed his chin. “If you don’t want to be charged with going around to his home, threatening him and assaulting him, yep, he can.”
“But you hit him! I tried to stop you.”
Dan tried to place his hands on her shoulders, but she pushed him away. “He’s going to make damn sure the Harbourns get acquitted and it’s because of us. What’s that going to do to Sophie Goodwin and her family? God, it’s just like Bevan Hart said. This is criminal.”
“Let’s think for a minute. He’s making me defend Gary Harbourn, who wants to plead insanity. Why?”
“Because then his sentence is dependent on some psychiatrist saying he’s on medication and is no longer insane. Easy, soft option. He’ll get the sexual assault charges dropped, because he thinks every girl consents to sex with any group of strange men. Water down the charges and insanity quickly becomes a soft option.”
“Or does it?”
Anya stopped pacing and looked up at the lawyer. “What do you mean? You have that sinister look you get just before you go in for the kill.”
“Trust me. I’m going to do exactly what Pascoe ordered. Are you with me?”