Page 35 of The Right to Remain

“Can you say with equal certainty that the handwriting belongs to your husband?”

It felt like a trick question, unfair to say the least. But there was only one way to answer it. “No. I can’t say it with one hundred percent certainty.”

It seemed to be all the prosecutor wanted the grand jurors to hear.

“Thank you,” said Weller. “I have no further questions.”

Chapter 12

The air-conditioning repairman left around lunchtime, and by midafternoon, Jack’s office was finally cooling down. Bonnie interrupted him with a light rap on the door frame. Jack looked up from his desk.

“Elliott Stafford is here,” she said.

“Does he have an appointment?”

“No. But he says it’s important.”

“Then he should have answered my texts and phone calls, which he hasn’t done for the last two days.”

“Do you want me to tell him he’s no longer your client, or should I show him in?”

It took a lot to justify firing a client on the brink of a grand jury appearance. “I’ll see him.”

Jack moved to the armchair in the sitting area. Bonnie returned with his client, showed him to the other chair, and left them alone. Jack didn’t rise to greet him or say a word. He waited for Elliott to explain his strange behavior since Jack’s meeting with the state attorney.

“I see you fixed your AC problem,” said Elliott.

“Lucky for you, if you’re going to insist on wearing a suit and tie every time you visit.”

“It’s my look,” said Elliott.

“Really? The last few days, I would have guessed you were more of a ‘cloak of invisibility’ kind of guy.”

“I’m very sorry about that. It wasn’t my intent to ignore you.”

“I don’t think it’s possible to ignore someone without intent.”

“If I was ignoring you, it was more out of fear.”

“It’s normal to be afraid of testifying before a grand jury.”

“There’s more to it than that.”

Jack appreciated the honesty—finally. “My meeting with the prosecutors did not go well. But it sounds like you knew that much without me having to tell you.”

“I know the system is stacked against me.”

“The system? Or the facts?”

“Which facts?”

“Let’s start with all the facts you neglected to tell me. The fact that you were convicted of a class-one felony as a juvenile. The fact that Elliott Stafford is a new name.” Jack waited, but Elliott said nothing. “I don’t hear a denial,” said Jack.

“Those are true statements,” Elliott said softly.

“Okay, what do you say we reintroduce ourselves. Hi, I’m Jack.”

“I’m Elliott.”