Court Day

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Chapter 7

Two days later, Amanda was up early. She hadn't slept well that night. Images of how gently Carisi's hand had grazed her cheek lingered in her mind. These moments of intimacy seemed to be occurring with more frequency, and she didn't know if it was a good or bad thing. But she had liked the caress, right? But then there was also Laura McMasters...

'WaaaaaaaAAAAAAH!'

Jesse's cry could be heard coming from the nursery, bringing her back to reality. Sitting up and pushing her hair away from her face, Amanda threw off her covers to tend to her daughter. Her mornings were really too busy to ponder frivolous feelings; she had real life to deal with! Mornings meant feeding and changing her baby in addition to getting herself ready for work. She barely had time to breathe!

Twenty minutes later she multitasking; feeding Jesse while listening to the news on TV. Still half asleep, she had finished feeding the baby and was now putting Jesse over her shoulder to burp him.

BUZZ! BUZZ!

The sound of the cellphone ringing.

Tiredly sighing, she reached for her remote, turning off the TV, and repositioning Jesse. She next grabbed her phone to look at its screen. The ID name of "Carisi" popped up. She pushed the button to make it a conference call so she would have her hands free.

"Yeah, Carisi, what is it?"

"Hey, you on your way yet?" he asked as she lightly patted Jesse's back.

"On my way to the precinct?"

"You're kiddin' right?" he rhetorically asked, "Did you forget? This mornin' is Laura McMasters' arraignment!"

She had forgotten.

"No, of course I didn't forget!" she fibbed.

"You plan on being there, right?" his tone sounded wistful.

Jesse was fidgeting on her shoulder, her daughter's head going one way and then the other.

*burp*

Amanda smiled and patted her baby one last time.

Good girl, Jesse.

"Rollins?"

Carisi was still on the phone, waiting for her response.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be there," she informed him.

Getting up, Amanda was now walking into her bedroom with the cellphone in her hand while holding a gurgling Jesse with the other hand. She was smiling. Happy Jesse always made her mornings!

But now it was time to compartmentalize and think about work. She looked in her closet. Court day meant she'd have to wear a skirt, which meant extra time getting ready. Grrrr. Putting the cellphone on the bed, she placed Jesse lovingly down in her infant seat and searched the closet for her skirt. Where is it?

Carisi's voice over the speaker reminded her that she hadn't hung up yet, "Rollins, you still there? Is there a bad connection?"

She sighed.

"I'm on top of it, Carisi! As we speak, I'm heading out the door and on my way to the sitter's right now," she fibbed again. She scowled in frustration as she realized that her black skirt was at the cleaners.

Carisi sure didn't hear the door opening. All he heard was some rushing back and forth.

"Yeah, sure you're rushing out the door," he sarcastically responded, obviously knowing she wasn't telling the truth, "I'll see you later and hopefully not way later."

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And as expected with new mothers, Amanda was late to court.

Arraignment court was already humming with confusion by the time she had arrived. Random defendants and their lawyers were scattered throughout the courtroom as they waited for charges to be announced as well as pleas that needed to be entered.

She was glad Carisi had saved a seat for her. Unfortunately, she had to squeeze herself past him in order to get there. The back of her legs skimmed his knees and Carisi reacted to the contact by sitting up straighter. Amanda sat down they exchanged awkward nods.

Judge Elana Barth hit the gavel, a signal that arraignment court was to begin. Her red hair was tied in a professional low bun. Attired in the usual judge's robe, she had a no-nonsense demeanor about her.

At last the bailiff announced the docket number for the McMasters case.

Rafael Barba stood on the prosecution side, looking well-dressed as always, down to his coordinating tie and hankerchief. Amanda often wondered how he could dress so well just working as a public official. On the other side for the defense, stood rotund defense lawyer John Buchanan, his suit slightly rumpled and not as expensive looking, along with his client, Laura McMasters.

She looked her usual scared and overwhelmed self.

As Amanda watched she was also aware of how close she was sitting next to Carisi. It was the first time she noticed that, although she had sat next to him numerous times in court. The outer part of his left leg was almost touching her right outer leg and she hated how it made her pulse race thinking about that image.

Carisi was also aware of Amanda He liked that today she had on a black and white floral print skirt. It made her look young, sophisticated and Spring-like. He was also enjoying the fact that there was that wonderful fragrance of gardenias surrounding her again.

After the lawyers identified themselves, the Judge looked up from her folder. She looked rather stern and imposing.

"How does the defendant plea?" Judge Barth asked for the millionth time in her courtroom.

Buchanan nudged his client, letting her know to address the Judge.

"N-Not guilty Your Honor," Laura McMasters declared, her voice slightly shaky.

Judge Barth turned to Rafael, "Mr. Barba?"

"The people are seeking remand for the defendant, due to the heinous nature of the crime," Barba respectfully began, "Laura McMasters is charged with the cold and calculated murder of her husband, Jack McMasters. The people feel the defendant poses a flight risk, due to her easy access to her family's wealth. Laura McMasters would have no qualms about fleeing the vicinity, knowing that her children will be well cared for by her Mother."

"Your Ho-nor," rebutted Buchanan, sounding exasperated, "Mr. Barba has about the weakest reason for remand I have ever heard in all my years as a defense attorney! He makes it sound as if it's a crime to be wealthy! Mrs. McMasters has no intention of fleeing from this or any jurisdiction. She is a model citizen with no criminal record, not even a parking ticket! When the jury is presented with the facts of the case, they will see that my client is as much a victim as her husband! If it pleases the court, we request you release her on her own recognizance. She poses no threat to society. Laura McMasters has very strong ties to the community. She volunteers in her children's classrooms and takes an active part in their outside activities. To say she would abandon her daughter and son is absurd, due to the fact that my client is the sole caretaker for her children!"

"...that's only because she murdered their father, Your Honor..." Barba snarkily interjected.

There were a few snickers from the courtroom as the Judge banged her gavel as Buchanan looked at Rafael with disdain.

"-whatever happened to the notion that a person is innocent until proven guilty?" Buchanan rebounded, "Your Honor, I have spent time with my client and can attest to the fact that Laura McMasters is a devoted mother who would do anything for her two children, even to the detriment of her own life! My client is absolutely devastated by the charges leveled against her and she is wholeheartedly innocentof killing the father of her children!"

Barba had to force himself not to roll his eyes.

"Mr. Buchanan seems to be fluent in two languages: English and theatrical adjectives, Your Honor," Barba dryly stated, "and if we are to take the defense counselor at his word that Laura McMasters would do anything for her children, that could also include fleeing the jurisdiction to protect them...being the devoted mother she is,as Mr. Buchannan so eloquently stated earlier."

"Your Honor!" Buchanan indignantly shouted out, "Mr. Barba is making a mockery of-"

But the Judge banged her gavel.

"Enough with the back and forth, Counselors! Save it for the actual trial!" she rendered her decision, "In this instance, I have to agree with Mr. Barba," the Judge stated as she looked at the defense lawyer, "and save the drawn out dramatics for the stage, Mr. Buchannan, this is a courtroom...Defendant is remanded back to prison until the start of the trial..will both sides be ready to present their cases in two days?"

"Absolutely, Your Honor!" Buchanan enthusiastically exclaimed.

"Most assuredly, Your Honor," Barba confidently stated.

The Judge nodded approvingly and then banged the gavel hard, "Next case!"

The Bailiff was already announcing the next case while another prosecutor took Barba's place. Rafael had turned to Carisi and Rollins and gave them a nod as if to say, "Well, I've done my part!"

Meanwhile a defeated-looking Laura McMasters was led away by two guards. She turned to give Carisi one last hopeless look before leaving court for jail.
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Now Carisi and Amanda were in the hallway of the courtroom, along with the gallery of people who seemed to be milling about.

"Looks like the case is going to trial sooner than expected," Amanda stated the obvious.

"Yeah," Carisi looked concerned, "I had hoped that-"

He was interrupted by a shrill voice bursting out of the courtroom doors.

"Detectives!" Ruth Huntington called out to Carisi and Rollins as she hurriedly strode towards them, anger showing on her face.

"Mama's bear's back," Amanda murmured to Carisi, "and she'snotfull of honey and sunshine, either!"

In no time Laura McMasters' mother stood facing them, her lips pursed in anger.

"Mrs. Huntington," Carisi respectfully greeted her.

But Ruth Huntington was not in a friendly mood.

"I hope the two of you are happy with yourselves!" she sardonically asked them, "Due to your sloppy detective work, my daughter will be facing charges of murder!"

"We're still working vigorously on this case, Mrs. Huntington," Carisi patiently assured the mother, "and if she's innocent, we'll find the culprit."

"If?" Ruth Huntington repeated the word in an incredulous tone, "of coursemy daughter is innocent! You two are just incompetents! I may just have to hire a private investigator since you two obviously don't know how to do your jobs!"

Amanda looked unconcerned, "You do what you gotta do, then, Mrs. Huntington."

"Don't worry...I intend to!" Ruth Huntington then shook her index finger at Carisi, "and you, Detective... I'll be keeping a VERY sharp eye on you!"

"Really? I can't imagine why," he tried to sound respectful but it was getting hard.

"Don't think I don't know what you're trying to do!" she exclaimed, "low-paying public servants such as yourself will latch on to anyone who has money!" Ruth Huntington gave him a despised expression, "And if you think I'd let you take advantage of my daughter just because she comes from a well to do, respectable family, you've got another thing coming!"

Amanda immediately defended Carisi, "You might not want to make such an accusation to an officer of the law who is trying to help your daughter!"

Ruth Huntington narrowed her eyes, "Don't youdare talk to me that way!"

Carisi tried to reason with the mother, "Look, Mrs. Huntington...we may be the only people between your daughter and prison, so you may want to be more cooperative!"

"Humph!" Mrs. Huntington gave the detectives a haughty look before she abruptly turned and walked down the hallway, the familiar clacking of her heels could be heard.

Carisi and Rollins exchanged amused looks.

"I may look calm and collected on the outside," Amanda simmered, "but inside? I just want to punch that lady! Three times!"

"Yeah, she's like clouds in the sky," Carisi observed, "when they disappear, the day is brighter!"

Amanda gave a half-smile, "Did you just make that up?"

"I'm not sure if I just made that up or I just heard it on the weather channel," Carisi straight-faced.

Amanda smiled. At least Carisi didn't seemed to be that bothered by that pushy, snobbish mother.

"Where to now?" she asked.

Amanda had earlier observed the look of guilt on Carisi's face at the end of arraignment court. She hoped he wasn't going to say that he wanted to visit Laura McMasters in prison.

Instead, his response surprised her.

"I'm actually kinda hungry now," he truthfully stated, "Frustration does that to me. You free for lunch?"

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