Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

"Mrs. Griffin," Matthew Raynor appeared from the corner of the reception desk, "your husband has just passed away, so there is really no need to come to me in such a hurry. Mr. Conte's case can wait for a while." "I'm not here to talk about the Conte case. Can we come to your office?" A look of curiosity and concern flashed across Renault's face.He led Abby down the hall and into the office. As soon as she sat down, Abby hurriedly asked, "Can you tell me something about Chuck Gaddis?" Renault didn't ask Abby why she wanted to inquire about this person, but just took a good look at the woman in front of her while she was refreshed.She was still beautiful, with a string of pearls around her neck, but looked worn out.She sat stiffly, with her hands crossed on her chest, and her face was tense, as if she would collapse if she moved and let go.

"Chuck Geddis is a pretty smart and dedicated guy, if a bit hard-tempered. As long as the case goes as he expects, he's going to do a great job and do his job skillfully; But as long as there is a slight deviation and a mistake, he will not be able to bear it. "About four years ago, the District Attorney in La Kundi asked someone from the Attorney General's Office to assist in a complex and difficult murder case. Come and meet me. However, when he found out that his case was about to lose, he became a little stubborn, chattering, and vulgar. I had a feeling at the time, as if he thought I was in court. All the speeches were directed at him on purpose.

"Two years later, we met again in John Day. He was aggressive at first, questioning every detail, and even a little too paranoid. In the end, my statement was completely out of control. The key evidence he presented was suppressed, so the case was withdrawn. Not long after, I found that he did not notify me of the testimony of the witnesses in accordance with the regulations. So I was very impressed with him at that time : When this person is under pressure, he will do whatever it takes to win the lawsuit." "So he's a very ambitious man?" "That's right. Now, may I ask," he peeked at Abby through his glasses on the bridge of his nose, "why are you suddenly so interested in Mr. Geddes?"

After such a question, Abby showed an irrelevant expression on her face, and slowly lowered her head to sort out her emotions.When she raised her head again, her expression was serious, pretending to be calm. "I now need a lawyer to represent me." "What kind of case?" "Geddis came to my house yesterday and asked me many doubts about the cause of Robert's death. They listed me as a suspect." Renault sat up in shock. "He has a search warrant from the court and also claims to have witnesses against me in this homicide." "Who is that witness?"

"They didn't tell. Guedes treated me like a prisoner." Abby's heart was racing and pounding so hard that she had to stop and take a deep breath before speaking again, "I think sooner or later they will arrest...arrest me." "It's unreasonable. Have you talked to Jack Stein?" "Jack has resigned from this case. Geddis is the prosecutor specially assigned to handle this case. He is fully responsible for the investigation and interrogation." "I can introduce you to some pretty eminent lawyers to assist you." "No! I want you to be my surrogate."

Renault stared blankly at Abby.She seemed to be aware that the man in front of her was in a mental and emotional battle. "I'm really flattered, Mrs. Griffin. But I really don't understand how I can represent you when you're suing Jeffrey Conte?" "Don't worry! I've been suspended. The Conte case has now been taken over by Dennis Heka." "Jack Stein suspended you?" "At first I was angry. No, I'm still angry. I'm really mad about it. But Jack didn't have a choice because I was a murder suspect and his men were being investigated. Suspension is unquestionable under any circumstances."

"Then why did you pick me?" Matthew asked. Abby's expression was grim, "Because you're the best, Matthew. If I'm being charged, I'm going to have to get the best advocate. They wouldn't have come all this way to search for me if they weren't serious House..." Abby shook her head helplessly, "Guedes will not take action lightly unless there is absolutely enough evidence of a crime." "Are you really guilty?" Abby stared straight at Matthew. "I didn't murder my husband!" Her tone was angry and firm. Matthew looked at her, and said slowly, "You are a lawyer yourself."

Suddenly, the determined expression on Abby's face disappeared like fog being evaporated by the sun. Her shoulders slumped and her body paralyzed, and her whole body suddenly looked like a deflated ball, "I'm afraid you won't Ken do me this favor." "why?" "Because...I don't know...lawyer...actually, I'm just a prosecutor." "Okay! You are a man in a lot of trouble now, and I will do everything in my power to protect you." "Thank you, Matthew. You have no idea how much this means to me." "This also represents a change in our relationship. First, we are no longer hostile people. From now on, we must work together. Second, in the current relationship, I am still a lawyer. , but you are not; you are my client. This will make you feel strange, especially when you have been in charge in the past, but from now on, I will take care of everything. Can you accept this? "

"Of course. But I'd like to be helpful anyway. I'm going to be involved in the defense of my own case." "Must have your share. Only, you can't participate as a lawyer. That's useless. I'm sure you've seen many instances where defendants have defended themselves. Get too involved and you can't be objective." "I understand that, but..." "If we're going to work together, you've got to trust me completely. Can you do that?" "I... I don't know, I've never been used to relying on others." "I'm not asking you to rely on me, but to trust me. From now on, your case will be the most important thing in my firm. Do you believe that?"

Matthew's bright blue eyes sparkled with passion, making his otherwise expressionless face brighten up.Abby had seen the same look on Matthew's face the last time he was in the Supreme Court asking the justices to do justice to Jeffrey Contor.Suddenly, a sense of calm overwhelmed her. "Yes, I believe you." "Okay, let's start now. First, I must explain to you the relationship between a lawyer and a client." "I know..." Abby just opened her mouth, and Matthew quickly raised her hand to stop her from continuing. "Can you also believe that I will respect your intelligence and ability as a lawyer?"

"I can." "I don't mean to offend, but I'm trying to help you. I know you've never been in a position like this. But now that you're my client and a murder suspect, I must make it clear to you You give every detail of your advice, just like I treat other parties. Therefore, I will not rashly make assumptions and make mistakes because I respect your professional ability." "OK." "Abby, I will keep every word you say as a secret; and, I will guard everything you say. You know, now I am the only one in the whole world who will keep your secrets and will not Report the matter to anyone the investigator knows. "I don't mean to offend you with what I'm saying below. I'm a criminal defense attorney and many of the inmates I've represented have lied to me. I don't get mad when they lie because I know that when people When they are in a stressful situation, they will behave differently than normal. So, if you deliberately deceive me, I will not be angry, but it will make me put you at a disadvantage. Unless you truthfully Only then can I make a decision in your favor." Abby sat up straight in the chair, staring into Matthew's eyes, "I will never lie to you, Matthew." She said solemnly, "I promise!" "Okay, now you start to explain why Chuck Geddis said that you killed your husband? What was the cause and motivation?" "We're separated. If that's what you're calling the cause." A blush crept across Abby's cheeks. "Is your breakup peaceful and rational?" "no." "Who proposed to break up first?" "Me!" Abby's tone was extremely firm. "So Judge Griffin still wants to keep the marriage going?" "Rob wants to live a good life," Abby replied, still unable to hide the deep pain hidden in her heart, "but the judge's salary alone is not enough for him to squander." "Isn't he quite rich himself? I always thought that before he became a judge, he had a good career as a lawyer." "Rob is smart and charming. But, he's not a good lawyer. He's so lazy that he doesn't care much about his clients. He's always saying how stupid those guys are, always bragging about how much he charged them. But it didn't take long for his clients to discover all his bad habits and complain to other partners in the firm, so Robert gradually lost his clients. He had He did make a lot of money for a while, but he spent it even more. As I said, Robert was really addicted to material comforts. He wanted to be a judge mainly because he wanted to make a name for himself. Come, he will not only be fawned on by others, but also live more freely." "Since Judge Griffin is so notorious, why did the government appoint him to the important position of judge?" "That's not how it works. Most people see Robert in his Wheeling Meadow office, find his name in the most prestigious law firm in all of Portland, and be seen in high society." I met him in the company of my friends, and he always looked radiant when he appeared in these places. "However, the reason why he became a judge was also achieved through artificial operation. The government asked the firm to recommend a lawyer with the most contribution to serve as a judge, but his firm took the opportunity to kick him out. In fact, in all fairness Well, he's not a bad judge either. He's very clever, and for a while he was good at it. Robert's not exactly such a fame-seeking evil as himself." Matthew took notes while listening, and then asked: "If the divorce is finalized, who will benefit?" "Rob. My lawyer says he wants two million in alimony." This number really surprised Matthew.He never expected Abby to be such a rich woman. He always thought that Rob was the rich one, because when Abby was the district attorney, he also used to be a law firm with a good reputation. One of them, he knows that it is very profitable to be in it. "Can you afford the money?" Matthew asked. "Okay. It's worth the money to get him out of my life." "Two million is a good motive for murder, though." "He actually doesn't need this amount if he wants to settle down, but I can use this to get rid of him and live a quiet and good life. Even if it costs so much money, I won't hesitate." "It's just that most of the jury members may find it hard to believe that you don't care about the two million yuan." "This is real." "I'm not saying that's not true, Abby, we're talking about human nature, what the average person would think about such a large amount of money." Abby thought for a moment. "Where did you get your money from?" "When I was young, my parents died in a car accident and left me with a healthy insurance policy. Aunt Sarah raised me and invested the money effectively." "Can you talk about your aunt?" "Aunt Sarah has never been married, and I am her only family member. Before I moved in with her, she ran a small business in her own home to maintain her expenses. But her business grew stronger and stronger. By the time she was fifty, she was the head of a national chain with multimillion-dollar revenue. I was seventeen at the time, just out of high school, so we spent a year together Traveling around the world. It was really the happiest year of my life. Aunt Sarah passed away five years later and she left me all the money she had and the money she helped me invest, so I was rich." "I think you must be very close to your aunt." "I love her very much and love her as if she were my own mother. She raised me up, made me independent, and taught me that I don't have to be afraid of being alone." Abby paused for a moment, calmed down, and then said again: "I really hope she is here at this time." Raynor looked down at the table, slightly embarrassed by Abby's sudden expression of her emotions.However, when he raised his head again, he still had a serious expression on his face. "You'll never be alone, Mrs. Griffin. I'll help you, as will everyone here. We're not only good at what we do, but we're good at what we do. You have to believe that. We will do everything in our power to free you from that horrific indictment." Stan vacated a room in the Multnomah County District Attorney's office for Chuck Gaddis to fill in.This room has a good view. Looking out from the room, you can see the busy shopping center across Fifty Avenue.With the window open, Guedes could hear the low hum of the city, lullaby-like to his drowsy mind, until he was jolted awake by a thought that popped out of nowhere. Guedes sat up straight, clutching the file in his hands.If Neil Christensen can find evidence to back up his new thesis, that evidence could not only put Abijill Griffin in jail, but seal her away, never to be seen again. Turn over the day.When Guedes finished taking notes, he immediately went to the Supreme Court in Sharon City to find Neil Christensen and asked him to come to his office as soon as possible. During the waiting period, Guedes repeatedly marveled at his intuitive judgment ability.Geddis showed a complacent smile—there are many good prosecutors, but how many lawyers like him are truly "great"? Guedes was dazed in a complacent thought, until the phone rang, and he was pulled back from the excitement. "Guedes!" he yelled into the microphone, stunned by the sudden call. "Mr. Gaddis, this is Matthew Raynor." Guedes flinched.This guy, whom he hated deeply, made him feel defeated and humiliated in the courtroom confrontation twice in succession.However, he would never reveal the slightest bit of these feelings in front of Matthew, so as not to arouse the arrogance of the enemy. "What can I do for you, Matthew?" Guedes's tone was utterly darlingly hypocritical. "Not yet. The reason I'm calling you is because I know you're taking over Judge Griffin's murder case." "That's right." "And I have just been entrusted by Abijill Griffin to become her attorney. I want to let you know first. If you or other government personnel can stop bothering her, I will appreciate you Yes. If you really need to talk to her, please give me a call first and I will do my best to assist you. I have sent you a letter explaining this request in detail, please do not Forgot to put it in the folder." Listening to Renault giving orders to him, as if he was treating him as a secretary, Guedes was about to fly into a rage, his teeth itching with hatred.It's just that, facing this Abby's lawyer, he couldn't reply in this way. He suppressed his anger and answered calmly. "I'll do it, Mr. Reynolds. Thank you for calling too. But I really don't understand why Mrs. Griffin is so poor and nervous. You all know that when the husband is killed, the wife is of course listed as one of the suspects." One. I'm sorry to have to provoke her so soon after her husband was buried, but we treat her as an equal with other suspects, and we don't specifically identify her as a murderer." "Oh, so you have other suspects on hand?" "Now, you'd better make it clear that the investigation process is not public." "I understand." Renault said calmly, the purpose was just to let Guedes know that he was not in the mood to play riddles with him, "I won't bother you." "Nice to talk to you." Neil Christensen walked in just as Guedes hung up. "Yeah, yeah!" said Guedes thoughtfully, then grinned again, "If we need any further evidence that Abijill Griffin is guilty, we just got one more evidence." "What kind of evidence?" "She got Matthew Raynor to be her lawyer." Christensen was expressionless, unable to smile. "Is something wrong?" Guedes wondered.Why did Christensen not respond to his joke at all. "I think we need to slow down our investigation. I always feel like something is wrong." Guedes frowned. "Be more specific." "First Dim; he's a terrible key witness, actually. Now add Matthew Raynor; the guy is very difficult to deal with. You can imagine how a lawyer like Raynor can fix it in a cross-argument courtroom." Tim? God! He has an absolute motive for lying, because Griffin put him on death row; as the prime suspect." "That's a good point, Neil. But think about it, is Dim an idler?" "Of course! Not only is he extremely smart, but he is also a deranged mental patient." "In that case, why would he kill Judge Griffin with the same bomb that killed Harlins? Does that make sense? Or, is there someone who knows how Dim makes bombs and who knows how the demolition team works?" People will quickly associate Griffin with Dim, so deliberately emulate it to frame Dim?" "This point of view is indeed fully acceptable, Chuck, but I really don't trust that guy. Why did he show up for no reason? And why would he want to help the police solve the case without paying?" "The reason is simple, he hated Griffin who put him on death row, and revenge is one of the most primitive motives of a man. "Don't forget the metal piece, and her inability to come up with an alibi. And, about what she said, you wouldn't believe that she was asked to meet in the Rose Garden, would you? Otherwise, we'd make an appointment too. We'll find out when we meet up there." Guedes laughed out loud at his own joke.But Christensen still looked stiff, "So, what about the attack at the beach? Griffin said that the man might be Dim." "If that's the case, think about what Sheriff Delaide said yesterday when you went to him. Let's assume that the attack actually happened, so you think that when a woman was almost killed a week ago When raped or murdered, would she dare to go to such a remote place alone in the middle of the night to meet a man she had never met? So, does Griffin's argument make sense? No, it doesn't make sense at all. Neil, this woman is full of nonsense .Not only will I not buy her, the jury will never believe it." Christensen frowned deeply, "Your words make sense, but I still..." Guedes looked rather annoyed, "Neil, Griffin's involvement is unquestionable. She is definitely guilty, and I won't let her go unpunished. I need a competent investigator to keep an eye on Griffin's every move. If If this job makes you feel uncomfortable, just tell me, I can hire someone else." "I did not mean that." "That's good, because I have great admiration for your ability to get things done." Guedes turned his chair to one side and looked out the window, "You know what, Neil, I'm not going to be in this position forever." He paused, "Gary Graham is not going to run again The next Attorney General." "I've never heard of it." "Not many people know about this matter, so don't spread it anymore, okay?" Gaedes turned the chair back again, facing Christensen, with both hands on the table, and his body slightly turned Leaning forward, "If I want to keep this Attorney General, I have to beat Matthew Raynor in this Supreme Court justice's murder trial. Then I get a bond, Neil you." Guedes let his statement hang in the air for a moment before speaking again, "At that time, I need someone who is capable and caring, someone I can really trust to be my right-hand man. You Do you know what I mean?" "Yes, Chuck, I'm listening to you." "Just listening to me is not enough, Neil, I need your unwavering loyalty. How about it, can you give it to me? Are you willing to help me wholeheartedly?" "I am absolutely loyal to you, Chuck." Guedes smiled. "Very good, because I just figured out how to give this case a fatal blow. Pull up a chair and listen to me." Christensen sat down.Guedes fell back in his chair, resting his hands on the back of his neck. "I always believe that if you want to deal with a criminal, you must first understand his criminal motives." Geddis said arrogantly: "So, what is Abby Griffin's motive? We all know that, from here She will lose a lot of money in the wedding. However, she is very rich, and this amount is not a problem for her. So, I kept asking myself, does she have other motives? Then, I thought The way Judge Griffin was murdered." Geddis shook his head, "That method of killing is quite violent, so it can be concluded that the murderer who murdered Judge Griffin must have a deep hatred for him and wanted to use this method to completely kill him. annihilate him. "So, what caused that hatred? Neil, it was sex, greed, and jealousy. This reminded me of the divorce of the Griffins. Why did their marriage collapse? This must be inseparable from sex. Either the woman cheats on the man's girlfriend, or the man cheats on the woman and engages in extramarital affairs: this is my current conclusion." Geddes stopped dramatically, and Christensen, accustomed to his boss's hyperbole, didn't react. "Lola Resty, Neil, it's all about Laura Resty. It's clear." This sentence aroused the detective's interest. "Have you seen her, Neil? I have. The Supreme Court clerks usually have their buffet in the basement of the judge's office, and I once had lunch there with her and Judge Griffin. Look at the two of them The way they looked together inspired me to think this way. "She's a charming girl, 'very' charming, a typical Italian girl, with fair skin and stunning eyes. I think the judge must have liked her appearance." Guedes paused again— Next, "They definitely had sex." "Wait..." Neil finally spoke. Guedes held up his hand to stop him, "Listen to me. That's just a hypothesis, but it makes sense. Abby Griffin is a beautiful woman too, but maybe she's as cold in bed as she is in court Therefore, we boldly assume that because of the frustration at home, the judge pointed the finger at his secretary. And you can naturally imagine what happened next, and of course the two people got better." "We don't know that, do we?" "Is that so?" Guedes replied self-righteously: "I did a little research on my own. Before I called you, I called up the Supreme Court to speak to Griffin's secretary, Rose McCarthy. I asked her, before Laura was killed. , did she notice something unusual happened between Resty and the judge. Guess how she responded? On the day Laura was killed, she ran to the judge's office in a very emotional state. McCann Although the wife couldn't hear what they were talking about, when they came out afterwards, the tears in the corners of Laura's eyes were still wet, and the judge's anger was still there." Listening to Guedes spouting his conjectures, Christensen couldn't help but also began to feel that there was something strange about it. "First Griffin's secretary was killed, and then Griffin himself." Gaddis continued, "What a coincidence, Neil! I think Abby Griffin must have found out about Laura Rae Sti was having an affair with her husband, so he decided to kill them together." As soon as Matthew Raynor hung up on Chuck Gaddis, he told his secretary to keep an eye on the phone for him, and then he went upstairs and nestled in his private corner. Dreams are finally coming true.He told himself that every time he took a step.Sometimes the great wishes we hold do come true. Matthew went into the study and locked the door.He didn't even glance at the chessboard.The scorching sun at noon swept across the room, and the dust danced in the beams. He took the brown paper bag from the bottom drawer of his desk and scattered photos of Abigail Griffin across the table.These photos do not capture her entity.However, she is even more beautiful in real life than in the photos.How perfect!Now, she is his.