“Judge, I object to the introduction of this surprise evidence on the grounds of —”

Eunice Franklin stops him with an upraised hand. “I’ll hear argument in my chambers.” She stands in her black robe and looks down at me. “Mr. Cage, this had better not be desperation grandstanding.”

“The tape will speak for itself,” I assure her, praying that Jenny knows evidence when she hears it.

“Counsel in my chambers,” says Franklin. She points at Jenny. “You too, young lady.”

CHAPTER 41

We stand like human islands in Judge Franklin’s chambers, an archipelago of attorneys situated around the mainland of her mahogany desk. Blake Sims to the left. I’m in the center with Jenny behind me. Livy stands to the right, apart and alone, reading the spines of the books in Franklin’s shelves.

“Ms. Sutter, are you with us?”

Livy half turns to the judge but doesn’t come close to eye contact with me or Jenny. “Yes, Your Honor.”

The judge looks up at me, her eyes hard. “All right, Mr. Cage. What exactly is on this tape?”

Blake Sims is shaking his head, but he doesn’t speak.

“I haven’t heard it myself, Judge. But this woman claims that it refers directly to the murder of Del Payton, and I have reason to believe she’s telling the truth.”

Franklin transfers her glare to Jenny. “How did you come by this tape, young lady?”

“I worked for Clayton Lacour. The lawyer who made the tape. I went to work for him to try to find out the identities of my birth parents. I’m an adopted child, and I knew that Lacour had handled my adoption.” Jenny glances at Livy, who is pointedly ignoring her. “While working for Lacour, I found out Leo Marston had been involved in my adoption. When I quit that job, I took all the files and tapes pertaining to Judge Marston with me.”

“You mean you stole them?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Judge Franklin looks like she wants a cigarette or a drink, and probably both. “I don’t understand. Why were there tapes at all?”

“Mr. Lacour taped most of his phone calls. He was connected with the Marcello family in New Orleans. You know, Mafia. He was seriously paranoid.”

Franklin sighs and holds out her hand. “Let me have the tape.”

I hand over the cassette. The judge studies it for a few moments, then speaks without looking up. “Did you learn who your birth parents were?”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“Who are they?”

Livy goes rigid beside the shelves.

“At least one of them is in this room right now, Judge. Do you want me to say more?”

Franklin shakes her head in amazement. “Not at this time.” She looks up at me. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on behind this lawsuit, but I don’t appreciate having my court used as an arena to play out private vendettas. Is that clear?”

“Absolutely, Your Honor.”