Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117752 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
“Ms. Macrae, our police have enough to do without you making their jobs harder. Have you got anything to say for yourself?”
“Yes, I f… Yes, I do, Your Honor.”
Diamond covered the microphone so those sitting in the courtroom couldn’t hear what she said to Crazy Bitch.
“Mrs. Richards-Bates we’re waiting.”
“Yes, Your Honor. I’m sorry. Go ahead, Anna-Kate.”
From where he was sitting, Calder could see the warning look on Diamond’s face as she pulled her hand away from the microphone.
“I was just about to say that I have been falsely accused.”
“Of which charge? Resisting arrest?” the judge asked.
“No, I did that,” she admitted.
“Destroying police property?”
“No, I did that, too.”
Diamond put her hand over the microphone again. This time, Calder could hear the women arguing without the microphone.
“Do you want out of here? Shut up!”
“I’m going to tell the truth. You’re supposed to tell the truth and swear on a Bible, aren’t you?” Crazy Bitch whispered loudly.
“Do you see a Bible?” Diamond hissed back.
“No.”
“Then shut up!”
“Okay.”
The women turned back to the judge.
“Are you ready to explain which charges you have been falsely accused of?” The judge pushed his glasses back up his nose.
“I’m trying, but she keeps interrupting me.” Crazy Bitch nodded her head sideways at Diamond.
“So, are you guilty of striking an officer?”
“Not technically, no.”
“What do you mean, not technically? Either you did or you didn’t.”
“He was a police officer. And may I state for the record that I do admire and thank them for the job they do, but he stopped being a police officer when he pulled me over without just cause. I stopped at that stop sign, I didn’t have a light out, and I wasn’t speeding. When he put me in the back of his car, he admitted it to me, so when I kicked that metal cage, I wasn’t hitting a police officer. I was hitting a kidnapper.”
The longer Crazy Bitch talked, the more the judge’s face took on a ruddy hue.
Calder wanted to bury his hands in his hair, but his neck hurt too bad.
“So, you’re saying you were falsely accused of running the stop sign?”
“Yes, Your Honor, and the pills. They weren’t mine. Do you have a CSI to test the baggie for fingerprints? Mine are on file if you want to match them.”
“Ms. Macrae, we don’t have a CSI.”
“That sucks. They wouldn’t find mine if you did.”
“Ms. Macrae, I don’t find that reassuring. With your history—”
“You see any drug charges on that record?”
“Ms. Macrae, remain silent until you’re asked to respond.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The judge’s jowly face shook as he pointed a finger at Crazy Bitch. “I’m setting bail at full cash, three-hundred-thousand-dollar bond.” The judge started to pound his gavel down.
“Your Honor, Ms. Macrae is a hairdresser. She has nothing of value to meet that bond. She’s isn’t a flight risk—”
“Your Honor, I don’t have any family to run to. I’ve only lived in Jamestown. I’ve never been out of the country, unless you count the time I went to Mexico to rescue Fat Louise, and I came right back. I have to feed my cat. He gets lonely without me. The only friends I have are in this courtroom, and they can’t afford that bail.”
“Ms. Macrae, you should have thought about that before you struck an officer.” The judge slammed his gavel down then left with a swoosh of his robe.
Calder went to the wooden barrier as Crazy Bitch turned to leave at the deputy’s urging.
“Hot thang! You’re back!” She tried to shuffle toward him. “I was going to make you dinner.”
The deputy took her arm, leading her to the side of the courtroom.
“I missed your smiling face, so I came back early.”
“Awe. I might need to start calling you sweet cheeks,” she said, blowing him a kiss. Then she gave him a water-filled smile. “Wait for me!” she yelled dramatically as the deputy tried to push her through the door. Then she tried to hop up so she could see him. “Don’t let those sluts at the club get you to stray. Remember, you’re mine!” she howled as the door swung shut.
“Jesus.” Diamond fanned her face with her folder before she went to the row of seats where Sex Piston and Stud were sitting. “I’m pregnant, and that woman makes me want a stiff drink.”
“I have five thousand in my checking account.” Calder took out his debit card.
“I have twelve thousand, give or take.” Sex Piston opened her purse, taking hers out.
“I thought you’re broke?” Stud asked, dropping the hand he had been holding.
“It’s my emergency money in case our marriage doesn’t work out.”
“We’ve been married for six years.” Stud reached for his wallet. “I have four thousand. I’d have more, but you’re always telling me you’re broke.”
Killyama reached in her back pocket. “I brought a check for fifty thousand.”
“Next time, you’re buying lunch,” T.A. said, taking an envelope out her purse. “Here’s seven thousand in cash. The brothers, me, and Fat Louise put in. I tried to convince Cade, but he’s still mad at Crazy Bitch for not letting Fat Louise tell him about Sam. How much is that?”