She hated that she had to hide away while Frank went and rubbed shoulders with the men just to get some information. The again, she knew it was absolutely the right thing to do. If she went with him and let her emotions get the better of her, she’d ruin any chance they had of getting the information they needed.
So she went out to the same car they’d used earlier, sitting in the passenger seat and waiting for Frank to come back. It gave her some time to sort her thoughts, to try to see things from the police department’s perspective. She was well aware that for an officer who did not know the ins and outs of the case, it was indeed a very obvious case—a case where Carter Epps had attacked wealthy businessman Monty Lincoln behind a club. It was the picture that had been painted and it was rather clear. From a professional standpoint, she supposed she couldn’t fault them for such a decision. If it was that cut and dry, why not push the process along and have the minor trial carried out as soon as possible? Get the criminal in jail and free up the holding cell.
But on a human level, Ava knew better. She felt very deeply that Carter was not the killer. One step further, she didn’t think that anyone they’d yet met was the killer. She had no evidence to support this; it was just a gut reaction based on the little bit of time they’d spent questioning everyone.
Roughly ten minutes after she’d arrived back at the car, Frank came hurrying out of the rear exit. He looked rushed flustered, and ultimately very unhappy. When he came to her door rather than hurrying back behind the wheel, Ava started to get a very bad feeling.
“I was right,” he said. “They took him out about half an hour before we arrived and his trial is set to start in about an hour or so.”
“Do you know where?” Ava asked.
“Yes.”
“Then let’s go.”
“I can’t. I think Minard anticipated that we’d react this way. So he’s tasked me with something else—heading over to a bank where a man shot two people and then killed himself. Someone else got involved and there’s a small hostage situation. It’s a mess, and they need more men over there.”
“Then I’ll go,” Ava said, defiantly.
“Yeah, I figured you’d say that. Flag down a cabbie and head over to the courthouse on Eighty-first Street. You should have plenty of time to get there. And…I don’t have to tell you how important it is, do I?”
She shook her head. No, she knew exactly what was going on. Today’s hearing would be the decision-maker as to whether or not Carter would officially go in front of a jury. And if that happened, Ava knew his fate was basically sealed.
Ava got out of the car, feeling an acute anger rising up inside of her. It truly did seem as if this had all been designed to keep them out of the loop. Had they spent more time out with Leon, they may very well have missed the opportunity to even know there had been a trial.
“Just be smart about it, okay?” Frank said. “There are certain people in this city who have taken a liking to you, one of the very first official female detectives. I’d imagine a few of those types would be in the courtroom. So don’t go in there showing yourself.”
“You don’t think I know how to behave?” she asked, taking his hand in hers.
“Based on past experience, it’s hit-or-miss at best. You’re sort of an unpredictable dame, you know that?”
She leaned up and kissed him on the mouth briefly—the first time she’d ever done such a thing so close to the precinct. “Yes. I know.”
That said, she left Frank behind at his car, her eyes already scouring the streets for a cab to take her to 81st Street.
***
The courthouse was a well-maintained but clearly older building. There was a sheen to it, the sort of place Ava often associated with stuffy men and leather-bound books. She walked in through the front doors and found a single policeman standing as a guard just inside the door. He nodded to her, gave her a polite “ma’am,” and allowed her to enter without any hassle. Apparently, Minard hadn’t sent word out to keep her away. Not that she thought he would. He was a tough enforcer but Ava had also always felt he had a semi-hidden soft spot for her. Every move he’d made toward her had seemed overly strict but, in an almost veiled way, had also empowered her a bit.
The courthouse only offered a single courtroom, with several smaller offices. She located the courtroom easily enough, as it was the largest room in the building, situated in the center. As she stepped through the partially opened doors, she saw another policeman escorting Carter to a seat near the front. A judge of abut fifty ort sixty years of age sat at the front of the room, looking down at Carter as if he were nothing more than a bug to be squashed.
“This is Epps?” the judge asked.
“It is, Your Honor,” the cop said. Ava noticed that the men didn’t even respect Carter enough to allow him to confirm that this was indeed his own name.
“And this is to be the preliminary trial to lead up to a larger trial based on the alleged murder of one Monty Lincoln, correct?”
“It is, Your Honor.” The policeman by Carter’s side was starting to sound a lot like a parrot.
Ava had heard enough. She made her way to the front of the room, passing by two people sitting on benches, a bored-looking bailiff, and the man she assumed was passing as the state-appointed lawyer who would be assigned to Carter.
“Excuse me, Your Honor,” she asked, “but is there any reason you aren’t directly asking these questions to the defendant?”
Everyone in the courtroom turned in Ava’s direction, including Carter. The look of confusion on his face was almost comical. It may have even garnered a laugh out of her if she’d not been under the heavy scrutiny of the judge. The policeman standing next to Carter made a move in her direction, but the judge’s voice stopped him.
“And who might you be, young lady?” the judge asked.
“Detective Ava Gold, NYPD,” she said. “My partner and I are currently working this case, and seeing as how we’ve not come to a fitting conclusion to it, I’m confused as to how Mr. Epps is already on trial.”