First To Fall

‘Yes, of course.’

‘You got family, Mr. Connelly?’

‘Yes, a wife and daughter.’ Aiden’s reply clearly pleased Edmond. ‘And please, call me Aiden,’ he added.

‘Well Aiden, how old is your little ray of sunshine?’

‘Meegan turns two next month.’

‘Two, how wonderful! My grandson Grant was two just last week. Lovely age. Well, I suppose I need to stop smacking my gums with you and get down to working. We are starting to sound like a couple of hens with our cackling!’

Aiden could feel himself warming towards the old man. You couldn’t help but like him.

‘But first things first, you cannot work without coffee.’ Edmond pressed the intercom on his desk. ‘Betty, my dear.’

‘Yes, Mr. Cope.’ Her response came back crackly through the machine.

‘Can we have two coffees?’ To Aiden he whispered, ‘You do drink coffee, son?’ Aiden nodded. ‘Yes, two coffees please, Betty.’

‘Right away.’

‘Thank you, my dear.’

After Betty has bustled in with two steaming coffees and a plate of biscuits, Edmond handed Aiden a thin brown file. On the front it read:

White, Brandy

Case no. 2315

Aiden assumed it was a routine DUI and was about to read the notes when Edmond stopped him.

‘Now that there is an unusual case. It is pretty much open, shut, not much to be done. I’m giving it to you as I thought you would have experience in that sort of thing, and being new to town, folk might not want you delving into their personal matters quite so fast.’

Intrigued, Aiden opened the file.

‘A murder case?’ He could not conceal his shock. A shiver of excitement ran down his spine. He was prepared to deal with domestic disputes, unruly neighbours, but a murder! This was legal gold!

‘Don’t get too excited there, Aiden. Like I said, open, shut. Mrs.White is a resident here in Avalon, we represent her as an obligation, not through choice. She has already confessed to the crime and is awaiting sentencing over at Eastham Ladies Penitentiary, about twenty miles east of here.’

‘I see,’ Aiden muttered, his eyes scanning the records before him.

‘She murdered her husband in cold blood, terrible matter. Shook the town to its core. He was a beloved town hero. She must have been possessed by the devil himself to do such a thing.’

‘When is the hearing?’

‘Three weeks from now. You just need to go over, give her legal support, explain what will likely occur after her guilty plea.’

‘So, she is down for first degree murder?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘So under state law…?’

‘It will be the death penalty, son. No messing about here.’

‘My God, she’s only twenty-four.’

‘It ain’t pretty, son. Murder never is. If you feel this case is a little too heavy for you, just say. Personally, I knew Brandon and know his father well, we go to the same church. It wouldn’t feel right representing Mrs. White myself. I’m sure you understand.’

‘Yeah.’

‘That is the downside of working in such a small town. You know pretty much everyone who walks through them doors and it is hard not to be attached or emotionally involved. Especially this case. Everyone round here is still reeling from it all.’

‘Any idea why she did it?’

‘None at all. As her lawyer I guess it is your job to suss that out. That’s if you want the case?’

‘Yeah, yes, of course! I dealt with a lot of murder suspects in Chicago so it is not a problem at all.’

‘Well then, I most heartily welcome you to Cope and May Solicitors at Law. May we enjoy a long and prosperous working relationship together.’ Edmond raised his coffee mug in celebration, as did Aiden. In his mind, Edmond was all too aware of the bottle of sweet, sweet liquor nestling just inches from him but reasoned it was too early on in his relationship with Aiden to break it out, even when a toast was in order. Besides, it was only half past nine in the morning. To drink before noon was something only winos did.

Aiden spent the rest of the day researching the Brandy White case. Edmond had been right when he had said that it was open, shut. Mrs. White had confessed to the murder of her husband almost immediately, in fact she had been the one who had dialled 911. He had seen this kind of thing before, domestic argument gotten out of hand. They had only intended to fire a warning shot. The police report made for chilling reading: Mr. White had been stabbed in the chest six times. Mrs. White was apparently covered in his blood and hysterical when police arrived at the scene. Aiden made a call to Eastham to arrange a visit for the following day.

It was early afternoon and Aiden felt that he was all wrapped up with his work and prepared for his visit to Brandy the next day. Edmond must have sensed this as at 2pm he looked over from his desk. He had been typing furiously at his computer pretty much all day, apart from the occasional call to Betty for coffee.

‘Fancy calling it a day, Aiden? I’ve got Mr. and Mrs. Johnson in here this afternoon to discuss setting up a will so I’ll be needing the office to myself anyways.’

‘Only if you are sure?’

‘Yes, its fine. There are no strict hours here, just get the work done. So you are popping over to Eastham tomorrow?’

‘Sure am.’

‘I like your style, just dive right in. If you could pop by on your way back, just to report in and that?’

‘Of course.’

‘Wonderful. Betty has some directions to Eastham in her desk, I’m sure she won’t mind fishing those out for you.’

Aiden said his goodbyes, gathered up his briefcase and jacket and went out to talk to Betty. Left alone, Edmond felt that he more than deserved the small drink which he was already pouring for himself.

‘Terrible business.’ Betty was shaking her head as she riffled through her drawer looking for the directions. ‘He was a lovely young man, so handsome. And she…well, beauty clearly is more than skin deep. Ah, here it is.’ She handed Aiden a crumpled piece of typed paper with a faded map on the back. ‘I’m sorry it isn’t very clear, dear. We rarely have the need to visit the Ladies’ prison you see. Usually the men making all the trouble, no offence.’

‘None taken.’

‘If you get stranded just give me a call, I’ve lived here all my life and know my way around Avalon like the back of my hand.’

‘Thanks, I will.’