The Advocate's Ex Parte (The Advocate Series Book 5) Read Free Page A

up to that?”
    Matt nodded his head. “Whatever you need.”
    “As you know, we have an uphill battle here,” Sabre said. “Your alibi is weak and the murder weapon—the baseball bat they found in the bushes in the park with blood from both victims—belonged to you.”
    “I know it’s my bat, but it’s been missing for a while. It was stolen at the baseball game. Someone walked off with it that night. I looked for it after the game, but I couldn’t find it. The equipment had already been loaded in the van so I just figured someone put it in the bat bag and I’d get it at the next practice. You can ask my coach.”
    “I have an appointment to speak with him on Saturday,” JP said. “And I’d like to verify your alibi, but I need to know the name of the friend you told Ms. Brown you were playing video games with.”
    Matt shrugged. “Just a friend. That’s all I’m saying.”
    “We’re going to need to know his name so we can corroborate your alibi.”
    “I don’t want to get him involved.”
    Sabre cut in. “You understand you’re on trial for murder, right? We need all the help we can muster.”
    “I didn’t do it, so I don’t need an alibi. You’ll see.”
    JP and Sabre were silent for a few seconds and then Sabre proceeded with another line of questioning. “Can you tell me what happened earlier that day in the cafeteria between you and the victim, Hannah Rawlins?”
    “What do you mean?”
    “There are witnesses who say Hannah humiliated you last week in the school cafeteria.”
    “It wasn’t that big a deal. She left when I sat down beside her. That’s all.”
    “She left the cafeteria?”
    “No, she went and sat somewhere else. Do they think I killed her because she wouldn’t eat lunch with me? That’s ridiculous. I didn’t kill her. Someone must have set me up.”
    “Was anyone with you?”
    “No, I was by myself, but there were lots of students there.”
    “I’ll follow up,” JP said.
    Sabre removed a photo of the crime scene from her briefcase. She held it up to the glass and said, “I’m sorry you have to look at this, but I need you to focus on Hannah’s arm. Do you recognize the blue wristband she’s wearing?”
    He glanced at the photo. “It looks like one I had, but I can’t read it so I don’t know for sure if that’s mine.”
    “Did you give a wristband to her in the cafeteria?” Sabre asked.
    “Yeah, she had given it to me a few months back when we were hooking up. I tried to give it back to her.”
    “You tried? What does that mean?”
    “I offered it back to her, but she said, ‘No thanks.’ So I dropped it on her tray when she started to walk away.”
    “Please look very carefully. See if you can tell if it’s the same one.”
    Matt looked at the photo, from top to bottom, covering every inch of it with his eyes. “I’m not sure,” he said. He continued to stare at the dead body. At first, Sabre thought he was anxious or upset having to see Hannah’s body, but then she saw what appeared to be admiration or even pride. His eyes almost twinkled and his lips parted, turning up ever so slightly on the edges. He closed his eyes for just a second and licked his lips. Sabre set the photo down and turned it over. She didn’t show him the rest of the photos.

Chapter 3
     
    The Durham Case
    Child: Matt Durham, Defendant
    Type: Delinquency case
    Charges: Two counts of First Degree Murder
    Victims: Hannah Rawlins & Mason Usher
    Facts: Double homicide. Two teenagers bludgeoned to death with a baseball bat.
     
    “That was disturbing,” Sabre said when she and JP had reached the balcony once again.
    JP shook his head. “Very. He was getting excited just looking at the photo of the dead body.”
    “At least I know not to put him on the stand to testify.”
    “Are you going to continue to represent him?”
    “As long as he stays in juvenile court, I will. He’s a kid, he needs help, and he’s obviously very sick.”
    “He's not sick. He’s just