State's Evidence: A Beverly Mendoza Legal Thriller Read Online Free PDF Page B

Crawford has
undoubtedly made more than his share of enemies over the
years.”
    “But it was the timing of the attack,”
Beverly said. “What if someone acting on behalf of Suzanne Landon
decided to take out their revenge on her conviction by killing the
judge who presided over her trial?” Even while saying it, Beverly
realized that since the penalty phase had not yet taken place,
there seemed little point in killing the judge beforehand. Unless
the killer believed it would somehow make a difference in
sentencing.
    “I didn’t get the feeling that Suzanne Landon
had much of a fan club,” Grant voiced dismissively. “Besides, if
she wanted to get anyone, it would be the people who convicted her
of first degree murder!”
    He favored Beverly with narrowed eyes, as if
to point the finger at the two of them. The notion left her
slightly unsettled.
    “My point is that Landon is probably not
behind Crawford’s death.” Grant’s brow furrowed. “That doesn’t make
it any less disturbing.”
    Beverly agreed. So who hated the judge enough
to want to kill him? Could be anyone who ever came into his
courtroom, she decided.
    Danger lurked at every turn for those who
worked in the criminal justice system. It came with the territory.
She herself had come face to face with death as a result of a case
she had worked on. The most recent time was last year when a serial
rapist on trial and out on bail actually cornered her in a bank
parking lot. He had managed to threaten her with bodily harm and
may have actually put words into action had a bank employee not
come to the rescue.
    Since then Beverly had carried a loaded .40
caliber Glock in her purse, and was prepared to use it if she had
to.
    Surely the judge must have had a gun, given
the routine threats he probably received. Obviously he never got
the chance to use it.
    Beverly cringed and gazed up at Grant. “Were
you friends with the judge?” she asked curiously.
    He shook his head. “Not really. I’ve played
racquetball with him on occasion while talking shop unofficially,
but never socialized much outside of that. Why?”
    “No reason.” She twisted her lips musingly.
“Just thought since you were here, you might have some inside
information on why the judge was attacked.”
    Grant favored her steadily. “Yeah, I wish it
were that simple. I don’t know any more than you do. I came to try
and stay ahead of the curve in learning just what happened at the
judge’s house tonight and how the D.A.’s office might approach
it.”
    Beverly considered Judge Crawford’s wife for
a moment. They had never met, but she had heard that Maxine
Crawford was a good deal younger than her husband. And gorgeous.
Might the attack have been directed towards her?
    “It was a good idea to see what we can learn
before everyone else does,” she said.
    “I thought you would agree.”
    They watched as Detective O’Dell walked
toward them. He was pushing forty, tall, and had dark Rastafarian
locks.
    “Hello, Joe,” Beverly greeted him.
    He nodded politely. “Beverly. Nunez. You here
to interview the judge’s wife?”
    Grant pursed his lips. “Not exactly. That’s
your department, isn’t it?”
    O’Dell smiled slightly. “It is. I suppose
Judge Crawford has high friends in high places.”
    “Not friends,” Beverly pointed out. And not
at high as the judge was before being brought down to earth. “Just
friendly observers.”
    “I see.”
    “So what have you got on this one?” Grant
asked.
    O’Dell scratched his brow. “It appears that
Judge Crawford was shot to death at point blank range with what
looks to be a small caliber handgun. Half his face was blown away.”
He paused, glancing uneasily at Beverly and back again. “He and
Mrs. Crawford were in bed having sex at the time. Not sure if the
judge ever knew what hit him.”
    Beverly swallowed. She had seen enough
horrific crime scenes to last her a lifetime. But the thought of
death occurring under such intimate,