Tribal Court Read Online Free PDF Page A

jackass who took your parking space. Sorry about that."
    Talon still just stared at him, but Freddy jumped up to commence the introductions.
    "Talon Winter, this is Dave Brunelle. He's a King County homicide prosecutor. Dave, this is Talon Winter, she's—"
    "I," Talon interrupted, "am going to kick your ass." For the first time her face showed an emotion other than stunned contempt. There was a gleam in her eye and a smile hidden in the corner of her mouth. She looked down at Brunelle's still-extended hand just long enough for him to know she wasn't going to shake it.
    Brunelle lowered it finally. He'd have to work harder for physical contact.
    "Nice to meet you too," he answered. "You represent the murderer, I take it?"
    A little needling to see how she'd react.
    "I represent Mr. Quilcene," she corrected. Then she extracted some papers from her shoulder-strapped brief case. "Which is how you will refer to him as well. At least in open court."
    Brunelle nodded slowly, acknowledging the statement but not agreeing to it. He managed not to give voice to his simple thought: complete shrew.
    "We'll see about that," he replied. He pointed to her pleadings. "Are those your motions in limine already? Most defense attorneys I know wait until the last minute to file all their motions to limit what I can or can't say."
    "I'm not most defense attorneys," Talon hissed. "And you don't know me."
    Brunelle felt a rush of conflicting emotions as he considered wanting to know her. "We haven't even had the arraignment yet," he pointed out.
    "I'm always several steps ahead. You're going to learn that, Mr. Jackass."
    Brunelle realized that wouldn't be the last time she called him that. Such was his reward for trying to be funny.
    "Be careful," he warned. "Several steps ahead is fine—unless the bridge collapses under your feet."
    Talon narrowed her eyes and cocked her head. It sent her hair swinging in a silky waterfall against her shining blouse. Brunelle cinched his own eyes against the intoxicating sight, and turned instead to look at the judge, who was sitting quietly, enjoying the show.
    "So, Mr. McCloud said we're having a status conference?" Brunelle asked the judge.
    "'Mr. McCloud'?" Talon laughed. "Listen to your big shot partner, Freddy. He thinks you're a real lawyer."
    Freddy kept his smile plastered to his face, but it left his eyes. Brunelle was about to say something in his defense when the judge finally decided to take control.
    "Yes, Mr. Brunelle. This is a status conference. I want to discuss all preliminary matters before formal initiation of the criminal case."
    Brunelle shrugged. It wasn't what he was used to, but he could see the value in it. "All right, Your Honor." He sat down in one of the two chairs opposite the judge. "Where shall we start?"
    Talon waited a moment, then pulled the other chair a few inches away from Brunelle and sat down. Freddy leaned against the wall.
    Talon handed Brunelle and LeClair each a copy of her pleadings. "These are my initial motions in limine . They outline how the case should proceed," she explained, as if she were the judge, not just one of the litigants. She extracted more papers from her bag and shoved them at Brunelle and the judge.
    Judge LeClair simply started a stack on top of the thin file folder he had centered on his desktop. Brunelle let them lay where Talon set them. He would look at them as the judge might instruct him to.
    Freddy, though, leaned in long enough to grab the top document off of Brunelle's stack and start thumbing loudly through it.
    Talon listed the titles of her pleadings. "Motion to suppress identification. Motion to suppress physical evidence. Affirmative defenses. Motion to dismiss…"
    After several more, Judge LeClair lifted his hand to stop her. "Thank you, Ms. Winter. I shall review these right away. The arraignment will take place tomorrow morning. That will give our officers time to transport Mr. Quilcene to our court."
    "I might need one more day,