A Dangerous Affair (51 page)

"With all due respect, Your Honor, I ask that Mr. Sullivan be released on his own recognizance and ordered to fulfill the terms of his original parole under my supervision."

"Sit down, Mr. Varden. I can't allow you to address this court."

"Your Honor, if I may approach the bench."

"This is ridiculous," the prosecution objected. "Your Honor—"

The judge sat forward on the edge of his chair. "Your objection is noted, Counselor." He frowned at the courtroom crasher. "This is not a White House dinner party, Mr. Varden. I suggest you tread
very
lightly, or the next words out of your mouth will land you in contempt."

Varden handed the folded letter to the judge.

"Why was this not brought to my attention earlier?"

"I apologize for the miscommunication."

The judge reviewed the letter and the signature at the bottom of the page. He cupped his hand on the microphone for a moment of privacy and signaled for the bailiff to return to his post. "These are serious accusations, Mr. Varden. There's no evidence to suggest anyone murdered the former state attorney or that he had any nefarious connections with the Florida State Police or the late Sheriff Blanchart."

"On the contrary, Your Honor, the interim state attorney was also presented with eyewitness testimony to substantiate Sheriff Blanchart's involvement in this matter."

"That doesn't address my concerns about the content of this letter."

"Yes Your Honor," Varden acknowledged. "But with all due respect, your concerns fall outside the scope of this decree."

"
I
decide the scope of things, Mr. Varden. Whatever favors this cost you, I hope they were worth it." He folded the paper and shook his head. "Step away from the bench."

Varden looked back at Lloyd.

The judge uncovered the microphone and addressed the prosecutor's table. "Was the prosecution made aware of this?"

"No, Your Honor. We were not."

The judge squinted. His unibrow furrowed between his eyes. "Apparently your boss forgot to send a memo."

"Your Honor," Mr. Tabor started, "I would like to request—"

"Save it, Counselor. Mr. Sullivan, I don't know what lucky star you were born under, but you better pray you never set foot in my courtroom again. I hereby order you remanded to the custody of Sergeant Varden. Per the guidelines of your original sentencing, you are ordered to complete the remainder of your parole. I also remind you that you are still subject to the Florida sentencing guidelines, and that any violation of said guidelines will result in the reinstatement of your full sentence, which you would be required to fulfill. Do you understand these terms as I've explained them to you, Mr. Sullivan?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Well then, Mr. Sullivan, you are free to go. Bailiff, please uncuff this man."

Lloyd raised his arms to the bailiff and felt the shackles drop away.

Jamie ran up and embraced her man with open arms. Tears fell like rain.

Varden waited for the marathon hug to finish and gave a nod to Leslie Dancroft seated in the back row. "Mr. Sullivan..."

Lloyd reached an arm around Jamie and shook Varden's hand. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Jamie turned her head and forced a smile to extend her own gratitude.

Varden smiled inside but kept a stern face. "Do me a favor," he said to Jamie. "Make sure he stays out of trouble this time."

The End

Page forward for excerpts from Jason Melby's other titles

ENEMY AMONG US

WITHOUT A TRACE...

Excerpt from

Enemy Among Us

Special Agent Jim McLeary
endures a gauntlet of double-agents,

covert operatives, and a guilty conscience
to prevent an elusive

enemy from unleashing a silent weapon of mass destruction.

by

Jason Melby

Disillusioned, yet sober in his humble surroundings, he pinched a single bullet from the clutter of .45 caliber cartridges on the folding table. He pressed the fat, copper round in the empty chamber and closed the match-grade slide on the five-inch barrel with a left-hand twist. He held his life in his own hands, a power he both revered and feared. Despite his shortcomings, he'd done what he could for his boys, finding solace in the notion his sons would thrive without him.

Alone in his thoughts, he had a decision to make, perhaps the last decision he would ever contemplate. For what he'd failed to accomplish as a father, met with equal downfall in his marriage and career. Wracked with guilt and the ensuing doldrums from a life of solitude and lost resolve, he sought refuge the only way he knew how. In his mind, the scales of indignity and hope teetered back and forth, rising and falling with the slow, methodic rhythm of a large vessel's wake rolling through the low-rent marina.

He squeezed his hand around the gun's rosewood grip, his fingers pressed against the double diamond texture. He cocked the hammer and brought the loaded weapon to his head, squaring the Lasergrip sights at his temple. For the third time in two days, he crept closer to the rim of a rocky ledge, staring down at the cavernous void, prepared to take his final step from a life he would surrender in a violent discharge of expanding gas behind a two-hundred and thirty grain bullet capable of shattering his skull like a porcelain vase.

With his free hand, he slid a quarter off the table and sat upright, shoulders back, chest out—his right index finger resting on the gun's four-pound trigger.

He flicked the quarter with his thumb, launching the coin into the air, where it wobbled in a shallow arc before clanging off the teak-wood floor by his feet, bouncing and spinning until it settled on George Washington's head.

What Jim McLeary failed to decide on his own, fate had chosen for him.

Enemy Among Us

by

Jason Melby

~

To purchase

Enemy Among Us

from your favorite eBook Retailer,

visit Jason Melby's eBook Discovery Author Page

www.ebookdiscovery.com/JasonMelby

~

Discover more with

eBookDiscovery.com