Hayley - Kathryn Shay Page 0,41
people the Feinsteins betrayed who didn’t come forward.” She raised her chin. “Yet.”
She let that hang a moment. Let them wonder what she was going to say.
“But that’s up to you. I’m not here to ask for damages or reimbursement. The lawyers of the plaintiffs will do that in lawsuits already filed. I’m asking for a verdict of guilty to malpractice and fraud for two people who—and this isn’t exaggeration—committed crimes against humanity.”
There was a rumble through the courtroom, as she held her head high and walked back to her seat.
When Paul got up, he buttoned the coat of his suit, and went to stand in front of the jury, too. Sick of the case, destroyed by what his father had done last night, he had to rise to the occasion. “ADA Casella would like you to believe the Drs. Feinsteins are monsters. But if you recall from our character witnesses, Dr. Debra Feinstein has a degree from Johns Hopkins, as does Dr. Barry Feinstein. He also taught there. They both worked in Doctors Without Borders, right after medical school. Now, I ask you, why would two reputable doctors with a track record of helping others, who have the capacity to earn large salaries, engage in the activities ADA Casella alleges? The simple answer? They wouldn’t.” He turned and crossed to the prosecution’s table. Stared directly at Hayley, who held her head high. “She would also have you believe they would intentionally hurt the people who testified.” He pivoted to the defense table and tried to appear like he didn’t loathe the defendants. Then he walked back to the jury, closer to the box. “Finally, those who came forward are sick people, people in pain searching for a complete cure, which has been impossible for them. Think about that.” He waited. “I rest my case.”
Paul sat down, not knowing what kind of job he did, and not caring as much as he should.
The judge instructed the jury and the day was adjourned.
Barry Feinstein scowled. “I hope that was an adequate defense, Mr. Covington.”
“It’s the best I could do, given the circumstances.” Paul’s tone was curt but he didn’t care.
“Call us, when the jury returns.”
The couple walked down the aisle and left the courtroom. His self-esteem in the toilet, Paul wanted to rage at the world for deciding to take this case. Only one thing would cheer him up. At that moment, he decided he wasn’t going to defend scumbags like this ever again even if he had to leave his firm.
Hayley came up to him and touched his arm. “They were awful.”
He gave her as much a smile as he could. “Yes, they were.”
“I’m sorry you had to go through this.”
“I’m sorry, too. I was assigned it, pressured into defending them because of my recent notoriety. But I had a choice and I took the case. I’m unhappy with that decision and with the firm right now.”
“You should be.” She checked her watch.
He stilled. If she ran out of here, he didn’t know if he could take it, he was so raw. “Am I keeping you?”
“What? Oh, no, no. I was wondering, I mean I feel bad and you feel bad—worse than me. Other than the case, is something else wrong, Paul? I had a feeling about you Sunday morning that there was.”
“Yeah, it happened Saturday night.”
“Must be bad.”
“You have no idea.” He could barely get the words out.
“Would you like to go for a drink?”
“God, Hayley, I’d love to. Being with you will blunt what I’ve just done and make me forget everything else. Where to?”
Her green eyes were full of warmth. “Down the street?”
A well-known hotel was close to the courthouse and lawyers often hung out in the bar. “Let’s go.”
Outside, it was still bright at five o’clock. They said little as they walked over, but occasionally bumped shoulders. And he eased her in front of him with his hand at her back when passersby made them go single file. He held the door for her, then followed her inside.
The huge lobby was modern, with mostly chrome and glass as its decor. A winding staircase led to the first-floor rooms. The bar was to the left and already music and noise filtered out. The registration desk faced it on the right.
Hayley stopped. Looked at him with an expression in her emerald eyes he couldn’t decipher. “Hold on a second.”
He watched as she crossed to the desk. Got something out of her wallet. A credit card? When she returned,