"Roberts, Nora - Stanislaski 03 - Falling for Rachel" - читать интересную книгу автора (Roberts Nora)

"No. Mr. LeBeck, I'd like to get your hearing set as soon as possible so that we
can arrange for bail. Unless, of course, you prefer to spend your nights in
jail."
He shrugged his thin shoulders and tried to look unconcerned. "I'd just as soon
not, sweetcakes. I'll leave that to you."
"Fine. And it's Stanislaski," she said mildly. "Ms. Stanislaski. I'm afraid I
was only given your file this morning on my way to court, and had time for no
more than a brief conversation with the DA assigned to your case. Because of
your previous record, and the type of crime involved here, the state had decided
to try you as an adult. The arrest was clean, so you won't get a break there."
"Hey, I don't expect breaks."
"People rarely get them." She folded her hands over his file. "Let's cut to the
chase, Mr. LeBeck. You were caught, and unless you want to weave some fairy tale
about seeing the broken window and going in to make a citizen's arrest…"
He had to grin. "Not bad."
"It stinks. You're guilty, and since the arresting officer didn't make any
mistakes, and you have an unfortunate list of priors, you're going to pay. How
much you pay is going to depend on you."
He continued to rock in his chair, but a fresh line of sweat was sneaking down
his spine. A cell. This time they were going to lock him in a cell—not just for
a few hours, but for months, maybe years.
"I hear the jails are overcrowded—costs the tax-payers a lot of money. I figure
the DA would spring for a deal."
"It was mentioned." Not just bitterness, Rachel realized. Not just anger. She
saw fear in his eyes now, as well. He was young and afraid, and she didn't know
how much she would be able to help him. "About fifteen thousand in merchandise
was taken out of the store, over and above what was in your possession. You
weren't alone in that store, LeBeck. You know it, I know it, the cops know it.
And so does the DA. You give them some names, a lead on where that merchandise
might be sitting right now, and I can cut you a deal."
His chair banged against the floor. "The hell with that. I never said anybody
was with me. Nobody can prove it, just like nobody can prove I took more than
what I had in my hands when the cop took me."
Rachel leaned forward. It was a subtle move, but one that had Nick's eyes
locking on hers. "I'm your lawyer, LeBeck, and the one thing you're not going to
do is lie to me. You do, and I'll leave you twisting in the wind, just like your
buddies did last night." Her voice was flat, passionless, but he heard the anger
simmering beneath. He had to fight to keep from squirming in his chair. "You
don't want to cut a deal," she continued, "that's your choice. So you'll serve
three to five instead of the six months in and two years probation I can get
you. Either way, I'll do my job. But don't sit there and insult me by saying you
pulled this alone. You're penny-ante, LeBeck." It pleased her to see the anger
back in his face. The fear had begun to soften her. "Con games and sticky
fingers. This is the big leagues. What you tell me stays with me unless you want
it different. But you play it straight with me, or I walk."
"You can't walk. You were assigned."
"And I can get reassigned. Then you'll go through this with somebody else." She
began to pile papers back in her briefcase. "That would be your loss. Because
I'm good. I'm real good."
"If you're so good, how come you're working for the PD's office."