Page 139 of Resurrection Walk

“I don’t need to hear it,” the judge said, cutting Morris off. “I’m prepared to rule on the petition. I just wanted to give you gentlemen a heads-up. At two o’clock we will convene in the courtroom and I will announce my decision. That will be all for now. You may go.”

“You can’t do this,” Morris said. “The State strenuously objects to the court’s rendering of a decision before the State has presented its case.”

“Mr. Morris, if the State disagrees with my ruling it can take the matter up on appeal,” Coelho said. “But I think your appellate branch will look at the case closely and decide not to embarrass itself. We are adjourned and off the record now. I will see you both in the courtroom at two. In the meantime, go have a nice lunch.”

“Thank you, Your Honor,” I said.

I stood up. Morris looked paralyzed. He seemed unable to get up from his chair.

“Mr. Morris, are you leaving?” Coelho asked.

“Uh, yes, I’m leaving,” Morris said.

He rocked back, then forward, using the momentum to launch himself out of the chair.

This time I led the way back to the courtroom, and when I got to the door, I opened it wide for Morris to go through first.

“After you,” I said.

“Fuck you,” he said.

I nodded. I had seen that coming.

In the courtroom I checked the time and saw that I had a solid two hours before the hearing resumed and Coelho gave the ruling that I believed would end the case. Still, I didn’t think there was enough time for me to get over to MDC to prep Lucinda before they started procedures to move her to the courthouse. I texted Bosch and told him to pick me up out front.

I took the elevator down and saw Bosch in the Navigator when I stepped through the heavy lobby doors. I glanced along the front of the building to the designated smoking section on the north side. It was still taped off and I wondered whether the tape had just been forgotten or if there was still an on-scene investigation at the spot where Sanger was killed.

I opened the front door of the Navigator and jumped in.

“Harry, we just climbed El Cap,” I said. “Let’s go eat.”

“Where?” Bosch said. “And what’s that mean?”

“I told you about climbing El Cap. The judge is going to rule on the habeas this afternoon and she’s going to rule for us. Let’s go over to Nick and Stef’s and get steak for lunch. I always eat steak when I win.”

“How are you sure it’s a win? The judge told you this?”

“Not in so many words. But I feel it. My courtroom barometer tells me this is over.”

“And Lucinda is going to walk?”

“Depends. The judge could vacate the conviction and set her free. But she could also send the case back to the district attorney’s office and let them decide whether or not to take her to trial. If that happens, she could keep Lucinda incarcerated until the choice is made or until the AG’s office decides if they’re going to appeal. We’ll know for sure at two.”

Bosch whistled as he pulled the Navigator away from the curb.

“And all because you pulled a needle out of a haystack,” I said. “Amazing. We make a good team, Harry.”

“Yeah, well…”

“Come on, man. Don’t rain on the parade.”

“No rain. But I’ll wait till it’s official. I don’t have a courtroom barometer.”

“I gotta call Shami. She’ll want to be in court for this.”

“What about Silver?”

“Second-Place Silver can read about it in the news. I’m not doing him any favors. He cost Lucinda five years of her life.”

---