Chapter 34

“Julie!”

David’s eyes searched frantically for her, as the police handcuffed him.

Julie dug in her purse, and found the scrap of paper on which she had scribbled a name and number.

Jacob Goldman (305) 438-5253

She ran out the door, Rolly right behind her. “Don’t worry, David!” she yelled to him as they ducked him into the back of the cruiser. She waved the paper. “I’ll get Jake Goldman! We’ll be there soon!”

The cruiser pulled away with David looking back at her, a picture of distress.

Brushing past Rolly, Julie ran back in the house and grabbed the phone. Hurriedly, she punched in the number.

“Goldman Law Firm,” a woman’s voice said. “Can you hold, please?”

“No, I can’t! I need to speak to Jacob Goldman right away! Tell him David Harris has just been charged with murdering Marc Solomon!”

“And who am I speaking to, please?”

“My name is Julie O’Hara, and I’m calling about David Harris.”

“Just a moment, please,” the woman said in a maddeningly calm voice. And then Julie was on hold…waiting and waiting.

“I better go, Julie,” said Rolly. “I’ll call you later.”

Julie nodded, still on hold, listening to inane music. Suddenly, it ended. “Hello, this is Jake Goldman,” said a deep, authoritative voice.

“Mr. Goldman! I’m Julie O’Hara. I’m a friend of Joe Garrett in Orlando. He said for David Harris to call you, if he needed an attorney. The police have just been here and arrested him for murder! Can you meet him at the Key West police station?”

“Yes. I’m just finishing with a client. But I’m in Key Largo, near Miami, Ms. O’Hara…it’ll take me a couple hours to get there.”

“Thank you so much,” she said. “I’m going there now. I’ll tell David.”

Julie saw the keys to the VW on the kitchen counter. She snatched them up, along with her purse, and ran out the front door. There were some neighbors outside who had just witnessed poor David’s ignominy. Julie asked one of the men if he knew where the police station was located. He gave her directions, and she thanked him and took off.

When she got there, reporters were milling around outside. It looked like they were setting up for a press conference. She went inside the crowded station and up to the desk. Explaining who she was, she asked to see David.

“Sorry, Miss. Not right now. You can wait out here if you want.”

“But I want to let him know that his lawyer is on the way,” she said.

“When his lawyer gets here, he can go in. Sorry.”

Julie knew there was nothing she could do.

“Officer? Do you happen to know the attorney, Jacob Goldman?”

“Yeah, I know Jake Goldman.”

“He’ll be here in about two hours,” she said. “I plan to be back here waiting for him, but I’ve never met him. Will you point him out to me when he comes in?”

“Sure.”

Julie drove directly to the nearest bar with a TV, and ordered a scotch and soda. Sure enough, at the top of the hour, David’s arrest was on the local news channel. She sat there, astonished at the suddenness of the police department’s action. Apparently, they felt they had enough circumstantial evidence to move forward with a murder charge!

She shook her head, knowing that David had no alibi.

•

Jake Goldman arrived about an hour after Julie came back from the bar, and the officer signaled her up to the desk. The attorney appeared to be in his fifties with hair like steel wool and dark rimmed glasses. He’d set his briefcase on the floor and was talking to the officer when Julie walked up.

“Mr. Goldman, I’m Julie O’Hara. I called you.”

“It’s Jake. Nice to meet you, Julie,” he said, shaking her hand. “It’s a good thing you did. I better get in there. No point in you waiting here. He’ll be here at least overnight. I’ll tell him you were here. He should be able to call you.”

And with that, he was gone. The man’s brisk, all-business manner was reassuring; he wasn’t wasting any time. Julie made her way out through the crowd, and went back to the house to wait for David’s call.

It was 10:00 pm when he finally did.

“Julie, it’s David.”

He sounded tired, beaten down.

She hit the mute button on the TV remote.

“David! I’m so glad to hear from you! I tried to get in to see you,” she said. “Have you seen Jake Goldman?”

“Yes, thank God. Thank you for calling him. An arraignment is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Jake said that ‘I shouldn’t worry’. As if! Anyway, he expects that I’ll get bail, because I have no record and long ties to the community.”

“Should I be there to pick you up?”

“No. Jake said once bail is arranged, the police will take me home. They’ll make me wear an electronic ankle cuff.” He sighed.

“This is a nightmare, Julie.”

“I know. But Jake’s right, don’t worry,” said Julie. “Do you know Joe Garrett, the private investigator in my office building? He’s helping you, too, David. He’s following up on a lead right now! And Jake Goldman has an excellent reputation. You’re in good hands…and I’ll stay right here at the house with you.

“Their case has to be flimsy, David. They can’t prove it, because they’ve got the wrong man. It’s going to be all right. I’ll be waiting here for you when you get home.”

“Thank you, Julie. I’m so grateful. I have to hang up now, bye.”

Julie wished that her confidence would catch up with her acting.

At midnight, she went to bed, sick of the hyper television coverage.

•

Julie tossed and turned, checking the illuminated clock every half hour.

She was desperate to get some sleep! At two o’clock, in the soft light from the pool patio, she crossed the house to the master bedroom. She went to the medicine cabinet in the adjoining bath to look for something to help her sleep.

Fortunately, David had a prescription for Xanax and she took one.

Julie shuffled back through the silent house to the guest room, climbed into bed and was soon fast asleep.

She never noticed the date on the prescription.

* * * * *