Bluegrass State of Mind (21 page)

"Oh, I don't know if this is a good
idea," Kenna said as she took the glass. "I have court in the
morning."

"Trust me, if you show up at all,
you'll be a point ahead in the game. By now, everyone knows, even
Judge Cooper. I’m sure he'll think you're off crying your eyes out
and couldn't possibly make court. Just watch. I'll make sure you
get there, even if I have to drag you." Paige gave a salute with
her glass to Kenna and took a big swig as Montgomery Gentry made
their way out onto the stage to the deafening cheers of the
fans.

Paige and Kenna immediately started
dancing. They laughed at Mo and Ahmed as they stood still, giving
each other a curious glance.

"Come on guys, don't tell me you've
lived here this long and haven't gotten into country music? I have
lived here for just a couple of months and I'm hooked." Kenna
grabbed Mo's hand and tried to get him to dance.

"It's not that, you see. I have been
taught how to dance since I was four years old. However, I was
taught how to dance at formal functions where I was representing my
country. I can waltz with the best of them. But I don't know how to
do this." He said pointing to the people dancing below.

"Oh, it's easy. It's just not
structured like a waltz. Something I had to learn too. Just find
the rhythm with your foot. Tap it along and then start moving your
hips. Before you know it, you'll be a foot stomping country
dancer!"

After trying for another thirty
minutes to teach Mo how to dance, Kenna felt she accomplished a
great feat by just having Mo swaying to the music. Paige had had
more luck with Ahmed, which was enough to have Kenna cracking up.
Mo and Ahmed were being good sports though and seemed to be truly
enjoying themselves. The band was great, the drinks flowed, and
Kenna had more fun than she could remember dancing and laughing
with her friends. All too soon, the band stopped and they had to
make their way back out to the limo. Kenna glanced at her watch as
Paige's head fell onto her shoulder. It was already one thirty in
the morning. Court started at eight thirty. Kenna groaned, knowing
she'd hate herself tomorrow. But she couldn't quite feel guilty
over the fun she had tonight.

The limo stopped at Paige's first, and
Ahmed helped her to her apartment. He returned shortly after and
had the driver go to Kenna's. Mo helped her out of the car and
walked her to the door. "Do you know that you, and now Paige, are
the only female friends I have ever had? I am too much of a 'catch'
in the international royalty marriage market that I have never been
able to just enjoy friends of the opposite sex. I know we were
supposed to be cheering you up, but I wanted to thank you for
showing me some fun too. I want you to know that means a lot to me.
If you decide you need me, just call. I will always answer the
phone for you. Especially if you want me to seduce you," Mo gave
her a wink.

Kenna felt the tears start again and
swiped at her eyes. "What are you trying to do, make me into a
blubbering idiot?" She rose to her toes and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you."

Bright and early the next morning,
Kenna pulled her Lacoste sunglasses down to shield the glare from
her bloodshot eyes as she stepped out onto the front porch. Miss
Lily made sure she got up and showered. She also supplied her with
coffee and a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit with a side of aspirin
to help the hangover. The throbbing and spinning had stopped, but
the headache was killer.

As she walked to the courthouse she
waved to the neighbors and tried not to process the remorseful
looks they were throwing her. She thought about the docket for the
morning and knew it would go until lunch by the amount of cases on
it. It was her day to handle domestic violence. After her encounter
with Chad, she didn't think she'd ever look at the issue the same.
She reminded herself that because some men were assholes, it didn't
mean they all were. It was her job to make sure the guilty were
punished, but the innocent cases were dismissed.

She got off the elevator and by-passed
the line. Today, Deputy Noodle wasn't there. But a man no more than
twenty two was checking bags and keeping the victims separate from
the accused. He gave a slight wave, indicating he wanted her to
wait. After he informed a man that shirt and shoes were required in
order to enter the courtroom, he came over to her.

"Hiya, Ma'am. I'm Dinky, Noodle's
partner. Today is my day in the courtroom and I wanted to introduce
myself." Kenna removed her sunglasses and put them into her
briefcase. "Geez almighty, Ma'am! You okay?" Kenna touched her
puffy, bloodshot eyes and winced at the bright overhead
light.

"It's nice to meet you, Dinky. Can you
make sure I have water in the courtroom?"

"Sure, Ma'am. He's not worth it you
know."

Kenna couldn't help but laugh and then
grabbed her head to stop the throbbing it caused. "I won't ask how
you know about my relationship, or lack thereof, with Will. I am
assuming everyone knows?"

"Yes Ma'am. There was a pool going
that you would be in too delicate of condition to come in this
morning. Martha is sitting in the courtroom waiting to find out,
collect the money, and then call Tom to fill in this
morning."

"Where did you put your
money?"

"I put a twenty in that you would not
only show up, but be able to work." He gave her a broad smile that
even managed to bring a little smile to Kenna's face.

“
I'll let you in on a
little secret, the bloodshot eyes are from drinking too much at
Classic's last night. But, I think I better go put on a good show
for the gallery, don't you think?" With a wink to Dinky, she put
her head down grabbed some Kleenex out of her purse, and started
the slow downtrodden walk into the courtroom.

As soon as she entered, she stopped
and blew her nose. Looking out at the occupants in the courtroom
from underneath her eyelashes, she saw everyone take note of her
and some hung their heads in defeat. Others bragged about their
soon-to-be winnings. Kenna gave one more breathless sob and dabbed
her eyes again. Holding onto the benches, she slowly made her way
to the front table where Martha sat with a look of disgust. Kenna
took the seat next to Martha and let out a shuddering
breath.

"Well, it appears I better call Mr.
Burns to come down and cover for you. You are obviously in no
condition to do your job." Martha turned the office chair away from
Kenna and was about to stand when Kenna put both hands on Martha's
shoulders and laid her head on Martha's shoulder as if needing the
support.

"Appearances aren't always what they
seem. Where did you place your money?" Kenna said in a soft
confident voice with a hint of her own displeasure in
it.

Martha went still, as if caught with
her hand in the cookie jar. "You know about the pool?"

"Of course I do. You think anything
can stay secret around here. I'm just giving everyone a show for
their money. Seeing who supported me and who thinks I am too weak
to go on. I have, at quick glance about fifteen who thought I
couldn't handle a tough relationship. I want you to organize the
cases in the following order so that I can wipe those smug little
smiles off their faces. I am also guessing you bet against me. For
that, you get to stay here and handle all the paperwork. And tell
everyone who bet against me, never to do so again." Kenna let out
another sniffle and slouched back into the chair. She looked over
at Martha and saw she still hadn't moved. Kenna fought back a
smile. Today she was going to be the victor.

Dinky called the court to order and
Martha called the first case. The attorney handling the matter was
as smug as they came. It was clear he thought he could take
advantage of Kenna’s downtrodden spirits to get the case thrown out
against the boyfriend. The boyfriend was a twenty one year old thug
involved in the prescription drug trade coming in from Eastern
Kentucky. He was skinnier that Kenna, but wore XXL sweat pants that
only stayed up if he kept his legs a yard apart. Tattoos covered
his pale arms and were easily seen since his sleeves on his once
white t-shirt had been torn out. Kenna knew they were building a
case against him for drug trafficking, but it wasn't complete.
However, if his girlfriend would testify against him, then he would
be locked up for decades. Kenna stood in between the boyfriend and
girlfriend. It was customary for both lawyers to stand between the
accuser and accused. But Mr. Sleazebag Attorney wanted to scare the
girlfriend, so he put his client as near to her as possible. Kenna
faced the victim, her bruises still fresh on her face and arms,
while Mr. Sleazebag made his case that the boyfriend would never do
anything like this. He blamed the bruises on an ATV accident in
which she was thrown from the vehicle.

When the boyfriend spoke about how
crushed he was his girlfriend would do this to him, Kenna saw the
tears trying to escape from the girlfriend who was shaking so hard
now her teeth were chattering.

Judge Cooper turned in his chair to
Kenna, "State's witness."

Kenna immediately straightened and
turned aggressively toward the boyfriend. "Do you actually think
anyone would believe your story? I move to introduce into evidence,
the security footage from the Keeneston Road First
Bank."

Caught off guard, Mr. Sleazebag could
not come up with an objection fast enough and the security footage
was played. It showed the couple walk up to the ATM and try to
withdraw money. The ATM was either broken or, more likely, there
wasn't enough cash in the account. Instead of trying a different
bank, the boyfriend grabbed his girlfriend by her arms and slammed
her face into the ATM. He grabbed her hard enough around the arms
to bruise. When she fell back from the ATM, he punched her in the
face one more time before walking off leaving her there.

"Does your client have anything more
to add before I make my ruling?" Judge Cooper gestured to the video
frozen on the huddled and bloody form of the girlfriend.

"Yes, your Honor. We move for a recess
to discuss a plea with Ms. Mason."

At the request, the boyfriend let out
a scream and launched himself at his girlfriend, "You BITCH!"
Before anyone had the opportunity to move, the prongs from a stun
gun were implanted into the back of the flying boyfriend who was
given a nice long jolt by Deputy Dinky. Everyone stared at the
twitching mass laying on the ground and then with awe at the quick
draw of Dinky.

"You need a new nickname," Kenna said
to him as he leaned down to cuff the inert body. Dinky just smiled
as some more deputies ran into the courtroom. "Your Honor, the
State has no intention of setting this matter with the Respondent
and we ask the Court to enter its judgment now."

Mr. Sleazebag’s complaints fell on
deaf ears as his now drooling client was carted off to jail for
five years while his girlfriend promised to go with Martha to give
all the evidence necessary to put him away for even longer on the
drug charges.

Kenna pushed through the docket
efficiently and ruthlessly. Today there would be no plea bargains.
She even moved for sanctions against those that falsely filed
domestic abuse reports to improve their case in a custody or
divorce matter. It was becoming all too common for a spouse to
claim abuse during a divorce to obtain a better settlement from the
other in exchange for them dropping the abuse claim. These people
made her so mad. She not only asked for sanctions, but lectured
them on the abuse of the system. Towards the end of the docket,
those who thought her too weak to stand a break-up, were scurrying
out of the building as fast as they could.

Henry Rooney approached the bench and
asked for a quick conference. "Well, I was hoping for some mercy
for my client, but it seems today is not the day to ask for
it."

"Sorry Henry, domestic abuse is not a
matter I will ever bargain on. Tell your client tough luck. If he
did it, he'll go to jail."

"She. It's a she."

"Doesn't matter. If she did it, she's
going to jail."

"You won't even hear my
offer?"

"Nope. Not in domestic abuse cases. If
there is something exceptional it will come out during the hearing
and I will move to reduce charges or sentencing."

Henry let out a breath. "Okay." Henry
looked into the benches and shook his head at his
client.

Kenna was already up to the podium
calling the case. She heard Henry and the accused stop at the
opposing podium. She skimmed the file and saw that the wife had
attacked the husband with a frying pan that resulted in a 9-1-1
call and stitches to his head. Should be pretty cut and dry. She
looked over her shoulder to motion the victim to stand closer and
had a moment of 'what the…' She was expecting a 20-40 year old, not
an octogenarian! His white hair was neatly trimmed and slicked back
showing the scar from the stitches. He was dressed in a suit that
was probably older than she was, but still clean and pressed. He
had a slight stoop to his back, yet seemed to be pretty spry. She
waved him up and then turned to the frying pan wielding wife. She,
too, looked to be in her eighties with tightly permed gray hair.
She wore a floral print dress and had a purse clutched between her
hands.