A Matter of Life and Death Phillip Margolin (novels to read in english .TXT) 📖

A television was sitting next to the wall. Roger pressed Play on the remote he was holding. Weaver watched the screen intently as Lattimore and Ortega fought. Then Ortega was down, and Lattimore jumped up and yelled something. Moments later, Dr. Knowland knelt beside Ortega and examined him. Bash and the doctor talked for a few minutes, and Knowland left.

“Here’s where it gets interesting,” Carrie said.

On the screen, Joe handed Bash his hand wraps. Soon after Joe left the barn, Bash stripped naked, rewrapped Lattimore’s hand wraps around his knuckles, and rained punches on Ortega.

“I’ve seen enough,” Weaver said.

“I don’t blame you,” Carrie said. “I almost puked while I was watching.”

“There’s more, Max,” Roger said. “We have a witness who can testify that Mr. Bash sent the man who murdered Betsy Carasco. Joseph Lattimore is facing the death penalty for that murder. Once Mr. Bash trades places with him, he’ll be looking at spending what’s left of his life on death row.”

“Can I have a moment with my client?”

“We’ll wait outside,” Carrie said. “Take all the time you want.”

Carrie turned to Bash. “Be smart. Listen to your lawyer. You have a small window to cut your losses. If you play hardball with us, we will charge you with aggravated murder for Ortega and Carasco, we’ll go after you for running the illegal fights, and we’ll charge you for every traffic and health code violation we can dig up.”

Twenty minutes later, the door opened, and Max Weaver walked into the corridor.

“What would you offer if Kevin told you the name of the person who killed Mrs. Carasco?”

“We know his name,” Roger said. “We have an APB out for him. What we need is the name of the person who told Mr. Bash to have Elizabeth Carasco murdered. We want the big baddie.”

“What’s your wish list, Max?” Carrie asked.

“You can see that Ortega was in really bad shape after Lattimore got through with him. He might have died anyway. Dr. Knowland probably told you that. So, manslaughter for the case with Ortega.”

“The Ortega case is the least of your client’s problems,” Carrie said.

“Take death off the table and put on life with the possibility of parole and Kevin can tell you what you want to know.”

“He’ll tell us who hired him and testify for the State?” Carrie asked.

Weaver nodded.

“We’ll take your offer to Vanessa. She has the final say. But we’ll need a proffer. Who does Bash say ordered the hit on Elizabeth Carasco?”

“Her husband, Anthony Carasco.”

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

When Harold Wright walked into the anteroom of his chambers at twelve thirty, he found Vanessa Cole, Robin Lockwood, and Carrie Anders waiting for him.

“What’s up?” the judge asked Vanessa.

“Let’s talk in chambers,” the prosecutor replied.

The judge studied the attorneys and the detective. They looked grim. He frowned. Then he led everyone into his office.

“Okay, we’re in chambers,” the judge said when everyone was seated and the door was closed. “Why does everyone look so serious?”

“I’m going to dismiss all of the charges against Mr. Lattimore,” Vanessa said.

The judge sat up. “I didn’t see that coming. Do you want to tell me why?”

“He’s innocent, Judge. He was set up. Late last night, Detective Anders phoned me. She’d just finished raiding the barn in Washington County where Mr. Lattimore engaged in an illegal fight with Carlos Ortega. I believed that Mr. Lattimore had killed Mr. Ortega based on a YouTube video that showed the fight. A cooperating witness has provided my office with the full video. It shows a doctor examining Mr. Ortega. We’ve interviewed the doctor. He told us that Mr. Ortega was still alive after the fight. A man named Kevin Bash organized these illegal fights. The full video shows Mr. Bash beating Mr. Ortega to death after Mr. Lattimore leaves the barn.”

“Where is Mr. Bash now?” Judge Wright asked.

“In custody. We’re finalizing a plea deal with him. What’s relevant to the case before you is the section of the video that shows Mr. Bash taking Mr. Lattimore’s hand wraps and wearing them while he’s beating Mr. Ortega to death. The wraps were a major piece of evidence in our case.

“The cooperating witness who gave us the recording of the fight told Carrie that a man named Sal Benedetto dropped the hand wraps in a garbage can on the Carasco property after he beat Mrs. Carasco to death. The cooperating witness will also testify that he brought Mr. Lattimore to Mrs. Carasco’s house after she was dead and abandoned him there to frame him for the killing.”

“Do you have Benedetto in custody?”

Vanessa nodded. “The California Highway Patrol picked him up a few miles from the Mexican border.”

“Has he admitted killing Betsy Carasco?” the judge asked.

“He’s refusing to talk, and he’s requested counsel. If he resists extradition, I’ll send someone to interview him in California.”

Vanessa paused. “There’s more, and you’re not going to like this. Mr. Bash will swear that Anthony Carasco paid him to have his wife killed.”

“You’re shitting me!”

“I wish I were,” Vanessa said. “But that’s what our witness says.”

“Is there anyone who corroborates his story?” Wright asked.

“No.”

“What does Anthony say?”

“I would tell you if I knew, but the judge has disappeared.”

CHAPTER FIFTY

As soon as the meeting in Judge Wright’s chambers ended, Robin rode up in the elevator to the courthouse jail.

“I have wonderful news, Joe. The police have questioned the doctor who was at the fight. He says that Carlos Ortega was alive when you were hustled out of the barn. We have the full recording of your fight with Ortega. What’s on it confirms what the doctor said. It shows you giving your hand wraps to Kevin Bash. Then Bash puts them on and kills Ortega. So, your conscience is clear. You didn’t kill Carlos Ortega. Vanessa is dismissing the manslaughter indictment.”

For a moment, Joe looked relieved. Then he sobered. “What about Mrs. Carasco?”

“That’s the other piece of good news. Those charges are going to be dropped