The Veiled Cage (Lady Lawyer Series Romantic Suspense Novels Book 1) (2 page)

“
PSC engage, audio only, record on. Law office, Ruby Miller speaking
.
”

A woma
n’
s voice slurred over the connection
.“
I need to speak to a lawyer
.”
Image blurred by the jai
l’
s cheap video connection, the caller struggled to finger-comb her auburn hair while cuffed.

“
Yo
u’
re doing so. Call me Ruby. And you are
?
”

“
Veronica Epstein. Vera. Thank God you answered. Yo
u’
re my first choice. The officer gave me a tablet with all these lawyers. You looked the friendliest. And you were the only woman pictured. So I called you
.
”

“
Yes,
I’
m certainly both. W
e’
re not allowed much time, Vera
.
”

“I’
m rambling. Sorry. I
t’
s just that
I’
ve never been here before. I have no clue what to do. The officer was telling me about bail this and impound that. You must know this is
n’
t like me at all.
I’
m head of the PTA for Go
d’
s sake
.
”

“
Vera, you called the right place. How many kids do you have
?
”

“
Two
.
”

“
How old are they
?
”

“
Sixteen and fourteen. I dread them finding out that their mothe
r’
s locked up like a common criminal
.
”

“
Le
t’
s focus on the present, Vera. Their father
?
”

“
My husband, Carter. We celebrated our twentieth anniversary last weekend. And did we ever throw a festive affair.
I’
d understand them hauling me off if
I’
d tried to drive that night. But tonigh
t
—”

“
Congratulations on your twentieth, Vera. So the officer brought you in for driving under the influence
?
”

“
Yes,
I
—”

“
W
e’
ll get to the specifics, Vera. Let me tell you wha
t’
s going to happen. Once we disconnect, the officer will ask your permission to test your blood-alcohol content by collecting a blood or urine sample
.
”

“
What about a breath test? I thought you had to blow into a machine
.
”

“
After a decade spent litigating the reliability of various devices they finally wised up and eliminated that option. If yo
u’
re offered an archaic breath test, any results could
n’
t be used against you. Make sense
?
”

“
Yes
.
”

“
How many drinks did you have, Vera
?
”

“
No more than usual. I did
n’
t get blasted, as the kids say
.
”

“
Vera,
I’
m not asking as your judge.
I’
m asking as your lawyer. I need all the facts, even the uncomfortable ones
.
”

“
Well, I had a star bright before we teed off. And another during play. I
t’
s a fruity vodka drink I discovered when we streamed over to Fiji for a second honeymoon last month
.
”

“
Two star brights. Anything else
?
”

“
Nothing out of the ordinary. I had my usual martini at dinner, and another to celebrate my personal best round. And there was that lemon twist Roger made me
.
”

“
Roger
?
”

“
H
e’
s the bartender at the club. Yo
u’
d adore him. H
e’
s so well-mannered, and provides excellent service. Sometimes I wish my Carter would be more like Roger. I swear that Roger is telepathic. No sooner do I think of a drink than it appears. I
t’
s really Roger that landed me in this predicament
.
”

“
I predict they wo
n’
t press charges against Roger. What did you eat during this time
?
”

“
These little cana
pé
s. The
y’
re quite delightful. And a strawberry endive salad.
I’
m on the new Tyrone diet. I had to give up the buckwheat bread
I’
m so fond of. Javier would make it from scratch
.
”

“
Javier
?
”

“
The chef at the club. He is all male, and very French.
I’
m sorry. Alcohol loosens my tongue.
I’
m usually reserved
.
”

“
We have a lot to discuss. And w
e’
ll do so during our visit. The timing of that visit will depend upon the blood-alcohol results. Kaye County has the technology to run the sample on site. I
t’
ll take about thirty minutes
.
”

“
What do you think the results will be
?
”

“I’
ve input your food and drink consumption into my BAC application. I
t’
s imperfect, but it gets us close. It shows point-one-two-one. The legal limit is point-oh-six
.
”

“
I thought it was oh-eight
.
”

“
Not since the latest national safety push. That threshold is low. Your star bright likely tipped you over. If you do hit point-one-two tha
t’
s a gross misdemeano
r—
one step under a felony. W
e’
re talking plate impoundment, an automatic thousand-dollar fine, and three days jail
.
”

“
I cannot survive in these atrocious conditions for three days
.
”

“
Please focus on the present, Vera. That will come later, if at all. If you refuse to test, then the
y’
ll charge you with a gross misdemeanor, and the minimums are lowe
r—
an automatic five-hundred-dollar fine, one day jail, and no plate impoundment
.
”

“
That does
n’
t make sense
.
”

“
My explanation or the law
?
”

“
The law
.
”

“
I ca
n’
t claim the laws are always consistent or logical. But the
y’
re what we have to work with. I suspect, but cannot guarantee, yo
u’
re on the border between a misdemeanor and a gross misdemeanor. A misdemeanor would involve a three-hundred-dollar fine, and no forfeiture. The
y’
d cite and release you to return at a later date for court. If you test at a gross misdemeanor, the
y’
ll hold you for the morning bail calendar.
I’
ll check in with Kaye County within the next hour or two to see if yo
u’
re still there. If you are,
I’
ll arrive at the courthouse early to meet with you before your hearing. Otherwise,
I’
ll call you tomorrow to arrange a meeting. Do you have any questions for me, Vera
?
”

“
What would you do if you were me, Ruby
?
”

“
Vera,
I’
ll do all I can for you. I ca
n’
t make this decision for you, or influence it by answering that question. This decision is yours. Do I have your permission to contact Carter and others, and discuss your case as I deem necessary to represent you
?
”

“
Yes, of course
.
”

“
Do you have anything on your calendar tomorrow
?
”

“
Yes, I have a volunteer commitment. I
t’
s not pressing, but
I’
d feel badly missing it. Carter will know what to do
.
”

Ruby entered data into the stationary supercomputer on her desk
.“
I see Carte
r’
s phone number is
n’
t in the public directory. What is it
?
”

“
I
t’
s six-one-three-two-two-two-eleven-sixteen
.
”

“I’
ll see you soon, Vera. W
e’
ll figure this out together
.
”

“
Thank you, Ruby.
I’
m so glad you answered your phone
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re very welcome, Vera
.
”

Using her PSC, Ruby disconnected the call and started her coffeemaker. While she waited for her liquid energy to brew, she tapped notes on her client conversation, saved them, and sent an update to her paralegal. She rose, stretched, and made the short walk from her makeshift office to her cramped kitchen to grab a steaming mug.

Wrestling down memories of ebony hair and pleading eyes that threatened to immobilize her, she directed herself to take her own advice.
Focus on the present
, she thought, and gulped black coffee.

Fortified, she grabbed her PSC, and did what came next in the Epstein case.

A groggy male voice answered, visual blocked
.“
Hello? Who the hell is calling at midnight
?
”

“
I
t’
s well past midnight. My apologies, but this is urgent.
I’
m Ruby Miller. I must speak with Carter Epstein. Are you Mr. Epstein
?
”

“
Yes, wha
t’
s this about
?
”

“I’
ll get right to it.
I’
m Ver
a’
s lawyer
.
”

“
Her what
?
”

“
Vera is safe. Currently, sh
e’
s held at Kaye County Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence
.
”

“
Sh
e’
s where? Christ
.
”

Ruby sipped coffee, and waited for the news to sink in.

“
She often comes home late from the club. I figured she stayed to mingle. When I talked to her at eleven everything was fine. Now yo
u’
re telling me sh
e’
s in a goddamn jail cell
.
”

“
Yes, I know i
t’
s a shock. I wish she were at home instead of in jail. But sh
e’
s there, and sh
e’
s hired me to handle her case. I want wha
t’
s best for her. She needs your help. Can Vera count on you, Carter
?
”

“
Yes, absolutely
.”
He cleared his throat
.“
What do you need
?
”