Law & Order

[LUKA]

"Hello? Hello? That's strange." Luka stared at the telephone for a moment before putting the handset back.

"Luka!" Nancy called out to her as she weaved her way through the myriad of desks, walked up to her and sat at the corner of the table, laying her coat on the chair. "Hey."

"Hey Nanny." Luka replied with a depressing sigh.

"God! You look awful!"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah, I can see the lines all across your face."

"Really?" Luka immediately touched her face.

Nancy leaned in. "Kinda looks like a map now that I take a closer look actually."

"Oh shut up Nanny!"

The pair shared a good laugh before Nancy sat down on the chair across Luka.

"You headed out anytime soon?"

"That's a negative. I'm on the night shift this week, and besides, even if I went home I still wouldn't be able to get a wink of sleep."

"Is it the Chen case?"

"Yup."

"Well, part of me wished I was assigned that case, and the other part of me is glad I wasn't."

"Really? I saw everyone staring daggers at me the moment that case got assigned to me."

"Well of course they would! I mean if you solve this case, you're definitely getting a promotion, you know that right?"

"Please, the only reason part of you is relieved you didn't get it is cause of the pressure. You and I both know you don't like the heavy stuff." Luka squinted her eyes at her.

"Mmmm.... you got a point." Nancy grinned. "So who were you on the phone with?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I just had one of the strangest calls come through."

"Really? What was that all about?"

"No idea. I got connected through to a distress call, and the caller at one moment said that he needed help and the next that he'd call me back."

"That's it?"

"Yeah, that's it."

"You think it could be someone messing with the emergency line? It wouldn't be the first time you know?"

"Yeah I know. But I'm not so sure it was a prank call. Felt like he couldn't talk properly before the line cut."

"Well did you get an address?"

"Never got the chance."

"That's too bad, huh? Anyway, I'm headed home, to catch whatever sleep is left."

"Alright, I'll see you in the morning."

Nancy grabbed her coat, waved back at Luka and left.

_______________________________________

[Charles Chance]

"Hey, could you turn that up." Charles asked the cab driver to turn up the volume on the car radio.

"Sure thing man."

The reporter was delivering one of the stories making headlines. "...this was a fire that could have gone from bad to catastrophic in a matter of seconds. Once deputies and fire crews were able to get everyone far away from the flames and explosion, all they could do was try to protect nearby structures and wait for the fire to burn down..."

"My God!" Charles exclaimed to the driver. "Was that yesterday?"

"Naw man, I heard it happened early this morning. My cousin lives around those parts, he said he heard a couple of gunshots coming from a warehouse. It went quiet for a while, then BAM!" He slammed his hand onto the steering wheel for dramatic effect. "There was a large explosion, the night sky was lit up like a Christmas tree."

"Jesus Christ. Was anyone injured?"

"Injured? Bra, I'd be surprised if anyone actually walked outta that alive. Firefighters are still going through the burned wreckage, but if you ask me, more than a couple of bodies are bound to show up after what went down."

The cab finally reached it's destination, the court house. Charles got off, paid the driver and headed towards the court entrance. Quite a number of people greeted, waved or called out to him as he walked through the hallway, many of them unfamiliar faces. This was probably because of the pharmaceutical case he had previously handled, and won. Overnight he became a legal superstar. A small time lawyer beating one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the country? It had definitely put him on the map. Every newspaper, television and radio show wanted to meet him, law firms were sending him offers like a high-school girl sends letters to her crush.

He was attending to his new client's bail hearing scheduled at 09:30 a.m. before the Hon. Judge Abernathy in room 12 on the third floor. He checked his watch, it was 09:20. Quickly dashing towards one of the two the elevators, he plunged his arm through the doors just as they were about to close and got on. Once on his floor, he got out of the elevator, gave a nod to the court officer standing guard and promptly found his court room. Fortunately, the Judge was still presiding over another bail hearing, so he quietly sat down at the back of one of the public benches and waited for his case number to be called out.

"Next case." The Judge called out to her clerk.

The clerk pulled out a sheet of paper from one of the files stacked up and called out. "Case number 44736, The People v Vinny Goma."

Charles got up and walked over to the defence's table where his client was brought out and sat down. He turned to catch a glimpse of the prosecutor assigned to his case and almost turned pale. It was James goddamn Rhodes. James Rhodes was one of the best that National Prosecution Authority (NPA) had to offer. If the State wanted anyone behind bars, he'd be the one to get it done. The fact that they had him on this case meant that the NPA had an agenda. Just his luck.

The court clerk read out the brief facts and charges laid against Charles' client before the hearing started. The Judge then signaled for the prosecution to begin.

James Rhodes stood up and began. "In light of Mr. Goma's economic means and his potential flight risk, and the egregious nature of Mr. Bao Chen's death, the prosecution requests that bail be denied your Honour."

Charles also stood up. "Your Honour, Mr. Goma is a law abiding citizen, he is not a flight risk and this is his first alleged criminal offence. The prosecution has not obtained or presented a single piece of information or evidence relating to his involvement to the matter in question."

"Your Honour, we actually do have evidence against the accused. He had provided our detectives with a confession statement tying him to the involvement of the death of Bao Chen."

"A confession statement that was coerced your Honour! The rules of evidence are clear with regard to the admissibility of confession statements that are not made voluntarily!"

James motioned his arm towards Charles. "Then let him make that argument at trial. The nature by which the statement was obtained fully satisfies the legal requirements and we will have witnesses to testify as to the procedure that was followed as well as the subsequent pieces of evidence found as a consequence of the said confession. Considering the nature of the crime and the person who has been killed, it is more than a possible likelihood that the accused will flee the jurisdiction once he is given the chance, to avoid retribution."

"Your Honour, even if-"

The Judge banged his gavel to draw their attention. "You see these robes." He spread out his arms to give a clear view of his judicial attire. "They are not merely a costume. There's a reason why I'm up here and both of you are down there. Now, Mr. Chance makes a valid point, any confession statement obtained involuntarily is by law inadmissible. However, the nature by which the said confession statement was obtained can only be determined at trial. If the prosecution fails to prove its case, then Mr. Goma will be acquitted of the charges. Until then, bail is denied. Next case."

"Dammit!" Charles exclaimed under his breath as the bailiffs took his client away offering what little comfort and assurance he could to him.

"Charles Chance." James walked up to him as they were both leaving the courtroom. "How'd you end up being a defence lawyer? I thought criminal law wasn't up your alley."

"I thought I'd get my feet wet you know, just to see how the other half is doing."

"Well don't get in too deep. There're quite a number of predators on this side of the law, and your client is living on borrowed time."

"You don't say?"

"Look Charlie, can I call you Charlie?"

"No."

"Your client knows a lot more than he's letting on and he's just a small fry. The people we want are swimming in the deep end, and your client can help us get to them. But news travels fast, the longer he doesn't cooperate the sooner they're gonna come after him. Let us put him under witness protection."

Charles considered James' offer and answered. "I'll take the offer to my client."

"Sure, you do that. In the meantime here's my card." He handed Charles his card. "Feel free to reach out to me when you're ready, the sooner the better."

"Thanks."

James walked off and got onto the elevator, leaving Charles looking at the card in his hand. 'James Rhodes'.