The Lawyer's Lawyer

CHAPTER Fifty



Jack returned to Ron’s condo in town after Felton’s death. Henry arrived the next evening. They didn’t get to talk much until the following morning over coffee on the patio.

“You did a real good thing there, Henry, taking care of Danni’s daughter.”

“Can it, Jack.”

“What?”

“I’ll listen to that kind of stuff from other people but not you. This is what we do. I didn’t tell you that you did a great job hanging out in the woods until you caught Felton, did I?”

“No, but you were about to.”

“Hell I was. It was what I expected you to do just as you expected me to do what I did. Now let’s get to the real stuff. What’s going on with you and Danni?”

“Absolutely nothing.”

“C’mon. Danni told me you guys were together the day Felton was shot.”

“We were because I went to her house to check on her, that’s all.”

“So nothing’s going on in the romance department?”

“Nope, and it looks like it won’t ever be going on.”

“Never say never.”

“We had a good long talk. She was very honest with me. She told me she just couldn’t sustain another relationship after her marriage. She said it’s like hitting a brick wall.”

“Well, you hadn’t seen her in two years anyway. Now you can at least put it behind you completely.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“So what’s going on with this investigation into Felton’s death? Danni tells me they were looking for Felton’s gun or something.”

“Yeah. When I saw him in the woods, I yelled at him to stop, and he turned and I’m almost certain he had a gun but I’m not positive. That’s why I shot him. Now they say they can’t find the gun.”

“Are they going to try and charge you with something?”

“I’m not sure. That’s why I’m staying in town.”

“What could they charge you with potentially?”

“I don’t know—manslaughter maybe. I think Sam Jeffries still has it in for me. Part of me even thinks he took the gun out of Felton’s hand.”

“Really? It seems like a big risk for the police chief to set you up for something like this. I mean, Felton was a serial killer. You told him to stop. He didn’t. You thought he had a gun. You shot him. What jury is going to convict you under those circumstances even if there wasn’t a gun?”

“I don’t know, Henry. But I wouldn’t discount Sam Jeffries. He’s lost his wife and now his daughter and I think he’s dangerous. I also think he’s got some things up his sleeve that we don’t know about.”



Jack’s hunch turned out to be right. One week after his conversation with Henry, on a Monday afternoon, he was served with a subpoena to appear before the grand jury.

“I wouldn’t go,” Henry told him when Jack showed him the subpoena.

“I’ve gotta go.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say a word. That’s a kangaroo court run by the prosecution. You need a lawyer, Jack.”

“I am a lawyer.”

“With a fool for a client. Who’s the best criminal lawyer in Miami?”

“I don’t know. Dez Calderon probably.”

“Do you know him?”

“I know him to say hello to. I don’t know any of those criminal guys that well. Remember, I did civil cases most of my career.”

“Give him a call. Tell him the situation. Put yourself in his hands as you’ve had your clients do with you.”

“All right, but I’m inclined to go to the grand jury and tell my side of the story.”

“And they just might use it against you. You’re not thinking objectively, Jack. You’ve seen enough of this stuff. You think just because it’s you, you can do it differently. That’s exactly why you can’t represent yourself.”

Jack called Dez Calderon that very afternoon but did not get to talk to him until the next morning when Calderon called him back. Jack filled him in on all the details.

“When are you scheduled to appear?” Calderon asked.

“Next Wednesday.”

“I’ve got to reschedule some things, but I’ll fly up Tuesday afternoon and we’ll go over everything and make our decisions. Okay?”

“Sounds good,” Jack said, but it really didn’t sound good or bad. Calderon didn’t give him any assessment of the case at all. He didn’t even talk about a fee. Jack was totally in the dark about a potential strategy.

I’m beginning to understand how a client feels, Jack thought.



Dez Calderon arrived at Jack’s condo in a limo the following Tuesday afternoon. Henry was there with Jack. Calderon was a smallish man, about five foot eight, with fine features. His short gray hair was groomed to perfection and his dark blue pinstriped silk suit was tailor made. He was all business as he set his briefcase on the dining room table and shook Jack’s hand. Jack introduced him to Henry, and Dez immediately asked Henry to leave the premises.

“You understand. I need to talk to my client in private.”

“No explanations necessary,” Henry said. “I know the drill. Jack, I’ll see you later.”

Once Henry left, Calderon gave Jack his assessment of the case.

“I read my notes of our telephone conversation on the way up and I had my secretary prepare a little synopsis of the Felton case, which I read on the flight. You would think everybody in this town, especially the chief of police and the state attorney, would want Felton dead. I don’t know why they’re prosecuting you.”

“I’m not sure either,” Jack said. “But Sam Jeffries—”

“That’s the chief?”

“Yeah. I think he might hold me responsible for Felton’s getting out of prison and killing his daughter.”

“The strongest motive in the world—revenge. Well, if they’re out to get you, you’re not going to help them. I’m going to call the state attorney right now and tell him you’re not going to testify. We’ll see if we can work something out so you don’t have to show up at all. Sometimes, if you just tell them you’re going to take the Fifth, they won’t require you to come in. He’ll probably want something in writing signed by you and me, but that’s fine. I’ve already prepared the document.”

“Wait a minute. I think I should testify. I mean, I already admitted I shot the man. I can explain to the grand jury exactly what I saw and why I was there.”

Dez Calderon just looked at Jack for what seemed like the longest time.

“I know you’re famous for your death penalty stuff,” he said finally, “but I also know you’re not a criminal lawyer, so let me be brief. Whatever case they have against you right now, it’s because of what you’ve already said. They’re going to get an indictment, you and I both know that. It’s just the way this world works. If they are out to get you, talking some more will just lock you into your story and give them more information to twist into a coherent case against you. I know you’re no boy scout, Jack, even though the newspapers make you out to be one. You know what I’m talking about. Bottom line—if I’m representing you, you’re not testifying. Got it?”

“All right.”

Calderon opened his briefcase, which was lying on the dining room table, and took out a piece of paper. “This is a written assertion of your Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. I want you to sign it and I’ll sign it and then I’ll call the state attorney.”

Jack read the document quickly and signed it while Calderon called Robert Merton on his cell phone. By the time Jack had finished writing his name, Calderon was done.

“It’s all settled. Merton said they’ll probably be done today, which means you will be formally indicted probably tomorrow. Be prepared to be arrested in the next day or so. Are you with me?”

“Yeah.”

All the time Calderon was talking, he was packing his briefcase. By the time Jack gave his brief answer, Calderon was headed for the door.

“I’ve gotta run. I’ll be in touch with you in the next couple of days. Don’t worry about a thing.”

Jack was worried though. He followed Calderon and his silk suit out to the waiting limousine.

“Did he say what they were charging me with?”

“He did,” Calderon said as the driver opened the limo door and he got in.

“What is it?”

Calderon lowered the backseat window.

“First-degree murder.”

“What?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it. I gotta go.”

The limo driver took off for the airport and Dez Calderon’s private jet, leaving Jack standing dumbfounded in the parking lot.