Page 47 of Framed in Death (In Death #61)

Judge Gerald McEnroy entered, beefy in his black robes, his hair tightly curled around his wide, deep brown face.

Eve let the preliminaries go by, focused on the defendant and his mother.

She studied Jonathan’s profile, his body language as McEnroy informed him of his trial rights.

Not nervous, Eve concluded. Pretending to be, a little, but not nervous.

Smug. To her eye, he came off smug.

His mother kept her hands clasped together tightly on the knee of her crossed legs. Some nerves there, Eve thought. She carried them for her baby boy.

Jonathan’s shoulders hunched a bit when they read the charges against him, outlined the probable cause.

But not nerves, Eve concluded. Insult.

“Mr. Ebersole, do you understand the charges against you?”

He started to speak, then the lawyer with the silver hair leaned toward him, whispered something.

Jonathan rose politely. “Yes, Your Honor.”

“How do you plead?”

“Not guilty, Your Honor. Thank you.” And sat.

Reo rose. “Your Honor, the prosecution believes the charges against the defendant are heinous and show a disregard for human life. We contend, and have substantial evidence to prove, that Jonathan Harper Ebersole intended and planned to continue his killing spree.

“In addition, the defendant has access to great wealth. His family owns property and homes in several countries. He has access to private shuttles, and poses a serious flight risk. We request he be remanded until trial.”

“Your Honor.” Kopeckne rose. “The defense contends denying bail until the trial is concluded would be undo punishment. It will take several weeks for his legal representatives to mount a defense given the unwieldy and circular route law enforcement employed to the arrest of my client.”

“Your client took an unwieldy and circular route to murdering three people and attempting to murder another,” Reo snapped back.

“We’re not trying the case today, Ms. Reo.”

“Your Honor, the Harper Group is a multibillion-dollar company with global arms. The record of the arrest clearly shows the defendant threatened Aaron Pine with a weapon, the same weapon he attempted to attack Lieutenant Eve Dallas with in his attempt to escape arrest. This shows a propensity for violence.”

“It shows,” Kopeckne argued, “a young man shocked and frightened when his home is invaded.” He held up a hand. “Or so he believed in the moment. He has never exhibited violent behavior. He has no criminal record. He has his family’s emotional support, and deep ties to New York.”

“Your Honor—”

McEnroy slapped his gavel. “Just hold on, both of you. I repeat, we’re not trying this case today.

This is a hearing regarding bail. The defense is entitled to build that defense.

Due to that, and the court calendar, this trial would begin…

” He checked his calendar, nodding, frowning. “On February eighteenth of next year.”

He sat back. “While I understand the prosecutor’s desire for remand, I am disinclined to incarcerate a defendant for six months before that defense can be given.

“Ms. Reo.” McEnroy held up a finger before she could protest. “During this period, and throughout the trial, the defendant will be confined to his home. He is not to step foot outside those walls, and will submit to wearing a tracker to ensure same. He will surrender his passport. Bail will be set at fifty million dollars.”

“Your Honor, that’s an egregious sum.”

McEnroy lifted his eyebrows at Kopeckne.

“I believe it’s well within the means of the defendant to post, and will serve as a deterrent against flight.

Mr. Ebersole, do you understand the terms of your release on bond, and that said bond will be revoked, and you remanded to jail if you break those terms? ”

“I… I… Yes, Your Honor. Thank you.”

“The prosecution could not object more strongly.”

“Understood, Ms. Reo. But we are still a court that adheres to innocent until proven guilty.”

“In addition, the residence in which the defendant lives, rent free, where the prosecution and the evidence contends Mr. Ebersole murdered three people, is still being processed. It’s not possible for him to enter those premises.”

“Your Honor, the defendant’s family owns another property in New York. An apartment in a secure building, which the defendant may use until his own home is cleared.”

“Very well. State the address for the record.”

McEnroy nodded his way through that. “Mr. Ebersole, do you agree to the terms of house arrest at this location?”

“Yes, sir. Yes, Your Honor.”

“So ordered. This hearing is adjourned.”

“All rise,” the bailiff announced.

Jonathan sprang up and all but fell into his mother’s arms.

Eve heard him say, “Mommy.” And though he made sobbing noises on her shoulder, he sent Eve a smug smile.

Gonna wipe that off your face, she thought. And real soon.

She didn’t speak until she and Peabody left the courtroom.

“It’ll take time to post the bond, then he’ll need to go to Central, pick up his personal effects. We’ll have him tailed until he gets to his new home.”

“Jesus, Dallas, you know he’s going to run.”

“Yes, I do.”

She waited for Reo, who came out steaming.

“Goddamn it, I hope McEnroy can live with it when that murdering asshole gets somewhere we can’t touch him. I hope he can live with it when he kills someone else. Fuck that, no I don’t. I hope he can’t live with it.”

“Nadine’s going to be outside, on the steps. She’ll want to talk to me. She’ll want you, too.”

“Just what I need.”

“After she does what she does, I need you in my office.”

“Dallas, I don’t have time to—”

“Yes, you do. I figure at least two hours, maybe more. Peabody, book a conference room. There’s not enough space in my office. Let’s get going. It’ll take me a chunk of that two or three hours to explain.”

“Start now,” Reo demanded as they walked to the elevator.

“No. Stay pissed. It’s a good look.”

“I don’t know what the hell you plan to pull out of your sleeve, out of your hat, or out of your ass, Dallas, but it better be good.”

“It’s the best I’ve got.” As they rode down, Eve turned to Reo again. “Tell me this. If he breaks the terms of his bail, will Kopeckne’s firm still represent him?”

“I don’t know.” Weary, Reo ran a hand over her hair. “Their rep is sterling. I can’t see them being any part in aiding him to rabbit on this. And I think if he does—and he damn well will—they’ll be as pissed then as I am now.”

“Good. Mommy’s going to have to find new fancy lawyers.”

As expected, Nadine waited on the courthouse steps. Not alone, Eve noted. Plenty of other reporters lined the way.

Ignoring them, she walked to Nadine.

“I heard. Tough one,” she said to Reo.

“You’ve got five minutes,” Eve said. “Five with me, five with Reo.”

“Hey.”

“Then you need to stay ready.”

Nadine’s cat’s eyes narrowed. “For what?”

“Keep your camera on call” was Eve’s answer. “Make sure you have good transportation. And be ready. Take your five.”

Nadine signaled to her camera, rolled her shoulders, brushed at her camera-perfect hair.

“This is Nadine Furst on the steps of the New York City Criminal Court. I’m speaking to Lieutenant Eve Dallas, the arresting officer of Jonathan Harper Ebersole.

Mr. Ebersole is charged with three counts of murder in the first, as well as other charges.

Lieutenant Dallas, how do you feel about Judge McEnroy’s decision to set bail at fifty million, and ordering Mr. Ebersole to house arrest? ”

“The New York City Police and Security Department gathered substantial evidence, which led to Ebersole’s arrest last night for the premeditated murder of three people, and on record, the attempted murder of another individual.

We believe we took a dangerous and violent man off the streets.

My personal feelings regarding Judge McEnroy’s ruling don’t matter.

We did our job, and will continue to protect and serve the people and the city of New York. ”

She answered more questions, keeping it dispassionate and very restrained, before stepping aside. Reo’s responses held a great deal more passion and fire, and Eve thought that was just fine.

Eve checked her wrist unit.

“That wraps it. Reo, you should ride with us. Nadine, stay ready. Keep your camera on call,” she repeated.

“Tell me something,” Reo insisted as they walked down to the sidewalk. “I need to tell the boss something.”

“I’m going to go through it once, all together. But I’ll tell you, I’m not letting that sniveling, slimy, snickering son of a bitch out of New York. Not today, not tomorrow. Not until he’s on his way off-planet to Omega.”

She waited until she got into the car, got behind the wheel.

Then banged her fists on the wheel.

“The judge is a fucking moron!”

In the back seat, Reo threw up her hands. “Finally!”

“And he’s going to look like one. The Harper Group could piss fifty million in a bucket and not miss it. She won’t wait. She’ll make her move today. She’ll already have everything set up.”

“Who?”

“Mommy,” Eve said, and pulled away from the curb.

“I really want to hear this.” Then Peabody grabbed the chicken stick as Eve hit lights and sirens again.

In the garage, Eve didn’t bother with the elevator, but headed straight up the steps, then out to the glides.

“How about a hint?” Peabody asked. “A clue?”

“You’ll get the whole shot in a few minutes. Tag Feeney. I need an e-man, and now. Bullpen.”

As Peabody made contact, Eve stuck her hands in her pockets.

She believed in the system, but sometimes the system needed a kick in the ass.

“It’ll take some time for them to deal with the paperwork, then he’ll need to come here, get his stuff, then get to the penthouse. She’ll be with him every step for that.”

“If she’s going to help him run, why go to the penthouse at all? And yeah, she’s going to help him run,” Peabody added. “But they’ll have to ditch the tracker.”

“That’s why the penthouse first.”

“I won’t say they’re a hundred percent effective,” Reo began. “Nothing is. But they’re damn close.”