Speak of the Devil Read Online Free PDF Page B

blouse, long-beaded necklace, and black pencil skirt. Her dark hair hung in a chic bob. Carla was senior enough to transcend the black-pantsuit uniform of junior prosecutors.
    “Anna got engaged,” Grace announced.
    “Congratulations!” Carla smiled warmly at her. “Who’s the lucky man?”
    “Jack Bailey,” Anna said.
    “Oh.” Carla’s smile disappeared. Carla and Jack had a notorious rivalry, always competing to get the best cases and prosecutors for their two sections. The ongoing turf war between Homicide and Sex Offense was infamous in the office. Carla recovered with a polite nod. “My best wishes to both of you.”
    Anna thanked her boss, wondering what history lay behind that cool facade.
    “Jack’s gorgeous!” said a secretary.
    “No wonder you got that Capitol case last year,” said another prosecutor, only half in jest.
    Anna sighed. The snarkiness was part of the reason she’d kept their relationship secret for so long. In many ways, the office was like high school, with a hierarchy based on seniority and laced with gossip. The rotation system—where lawyers moved through ever-more important sections of the office—stoked competition, making everyone talk about who was getting promoted faster. Anna wanted people to appreciate her lawyering on the merits, not see her as a little hussy sleeping her way to the top. Even though she wasn’t in the Homicide unit, and Jack didn’t supervise her, she knew that people would talk—and that not all the talk would be generous.
    Carla held a manila file in her hands. “One of your warrants came in last night, Anna. If you have time, I’d like you to paper it.”
    “Of course,” Anna said. Senior prosecutors typically papered their own cases.
    The rest of the women took the cue, murmuring goodbyes and shuffling out of Anna’s office. Anna took the file from her boss and glanced at the information written on the front of the jacket:

Defendant:
Jose Garcia, aka “Psycho,” DOB 3/17/93
Lead Charge:
First Degree Murder while armed (machete) (Jaime Lopez), Felony Murder (B-1), Attempted First Degree Sexual Assault w/a (machete), B-I w/a (machete)
Holds Requested:
B(1)(A) - Dangerous crime / crime of violence
Stay Away/No Contact:
Tierra Guerrero, Ricardo Amaya
Prior Convictions:
Simple Assault (2012), B&E (2012), Simple Assault (2011)
    Anna grimaced as she skimmed the PD-163, which described in broad strokes what had happened last night. Flipping to the next form, she recognized the warrant she’d signed for Hector Ramos. It obviously hadn’t gone the way Hector had planned.
    “Do we know if the sexual assault was completed?” Anna asked. According to the paperwork, the prostitute had been so distraught, she hadn’t made much sense when talking to police on the scene.
    “It’s not one hundred percent clear, but you can drop the ‘attempt’ and go with straight sex assault if you get a more solid statement from her.”
    “Sex kit?”
    “Yes, last night.”
    “Where is she now?”
    “Still at Howard University Hospital. She had some pretty severe injuries. Not clear how she got them.”
    “I’ll go talk to her after the initial appearance.”
    “Good. Focus on finding the two who got away. There’s a Use of Force investigation, so don’t be surprised if the officers won’t talk to you for a while. Tavon McGee’s your lead. He’ll fill you in.”
    A few minutes after Carla left, McGee ambled into Anna’s office. He carried a McDonald’s bag in one hand and tipped his black fedora with the other.
    “Good morning, madam prosecutor!”
    “McGee,” Anna smiled at the big detective. She adored him. Her first big domestic violence trial was with him, and he’d looked out for her ever since. He was also a good friend of Jack’s. “You probably didn’t get much sleep last night.”
    “Haven’t slept yet.” He flashed his gap-toothed smile at her, then lowered his big frame into a chair. His eyes glanced down at her hand. “Did you