Chapter Nine

Howie was as good as his promise. He was at the sheriff’s station within the hour. Delores and Andrea said their goodbyes so that Hannah could have privacy with her lawyer, but not before they’d promised to come back the next day. Rick let Howie inside the cell. Howie didn’t seem to mind when Rick explained that he’d have to lock him inside the holding cell with Hannah, and Hannah surmised that this sort of thing had happened to Howie before.

“This is ridiculous, Hannah,” Howie said, sitting down on the cot beside her.

“Then why did Judge Fleming issue a warrant for my arrest?”

“Judge Fleming didn’t issue a warrant for your arrest. He’s on vacation and Judge Colfax from Stearns County is filling in for him. He’s the one who issued the warrant.”

Hannah began to frown. “I don’t know Judge Colfax.”

“Believe me, you don’t want to know him. Cross your fingers that this is the one and only time you ever have to appear before him.”

“What’s wrong with Judge Colfax?”

Howie gave a little laugh. “Let me see. Where do I start? Number one, he’s hard of hearing and he won’t wear his hearing aids. Number two, he’s old. And just between you and me, he wasn’t that good when he was younger. Number three, rumor has it that he pulled some strings and got drug charges against a state senator dismissed, and that’s why he got his judgeship in the first place.”

“He sounds awful!”

“That’s putting it mildly, but for some strange reason, he likes me. And that worked to our advantage. I called him right before I came over here and I managed to convince him to arraign you early on Monday morning. That should be really good for us.”

“Early is fine with me. The sooner I can get out of this cell, the better it’ll be for me. But why would a later arraignment be bad?”

“Because Judge Colfax sleeps through most of the cases he hears in the afternoon and he gets testy when the bailiff wakes him. He’s better in the mornings, especially if I make sure he’s got a big cup of mocha java in his chambers.”

“He’ll give me bail, won’t he?” Hannah voiced her biggest fear.

“I’m almost sure he will. The only reason he signed the warrant for your arrest in the first place is that Chad Norton is his nephew.”

“And Chad Norton is the assistant district attorney?”

“That’s right. You ran into a string of bad luck, Hannah. This never would have happened with Judge Fleming on the bench, but he’s gone. And if Chad Norton’s boss wasn’t in Atlanta for his daughter’s wedding, it wouldn’t have happened either. The only reason it did is because Chad Norton needs the publicity prosecuting you will bring him.”

“So I was railroaded?”

“You could say that. At least Judge Colfax will be long gone when your case comes to trial. If it comes to trial.”