Patricia Cornwell – Scarpetta11 – The Last Precinct

I flip off the hallway lights, throwing us briefly into dark­ness as we approach the first set of stainless steel doors.

“Some years agoin law school, I’m told,” she continues, “Rocky changed his last name to Caggiano. A final rejection of the father he despises, I suppose.”

I hesitate, facing her in deep shadows. I don’t want her to see the expression on my face, to detect my sense of utter un­doing. I have always known that Marino hates his son. I have entertained many theories about why. Maybe Rocky is gay or a drug addict or simply a loser. Certainly it has been clear that Rocky is something of an anathema to his father, and now I know. I am struck by the bitter irony, the shame of it all. My God. “Rocky so-called Caggiano heard about the case and volunteered?” I ask.

“Could be. Could also be that the Chandonne family’s or­ganized crime ties have led him to their son, or hell, maybe Rocky is already connected to them. It may be a combina­tionpersonal and Rocky’s own connections. But it does smack a little of throwing father and son into the Colosseum. Patricide in front of the world, albeit indirectly. Marino won’t necessarily be testifying in Chandonne’s trial in New York, but it could happen, depending on how this all unfolds.”

I know how it will unfold. It is all so clear to me. Berger came to Richmond fully intending to insert these cases into the one in New York. I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t somehow manage to get the Paris cases included, as well.

“But regardless,” she says, “Chandonne will always feel like Marino’s case. Cops like him care what happens. And Rocky’s representing Chandonne puts me in an unfortunate position. If the case were in Richmond, I would go marching up to the judge ex parte and point out the very obvious con­flict of interest. Probably get thrown out of his chambers and reprimanded. But at the very least, I might be able to get the His or Her Honor to request a co-counselor on the defendant’s legal team so son doesn’t actually cross-examine father.”

I push a button and more steel doors open.

“But I would create a storm of protest,” she goes on. “And maybe the court would rule in my favor, or if nothing else, I’d use the situation to get sympathy from the jury, show what bad guys Chandonne and his counsel are.”

“No matter how your case unfolds in New York, Marino won’t be a fact witness.” I see where she is going with this. “Not in the Susan Pless murder. So you aren’t going to have any luck getting rid of Rocky.”

“Exactly right. No conflict. Nothing I can do about it. And Rocky’s poison.”

Our conversation continues into the bay, where we stand in the cold by our cars. The starkness of the bare concrete around us seems a symbol of the realities I now face. Life has turned hard and unforgiving. There is no view, no way out. I can’t imagine how Marino will feel when he finds out that the very monster he has helped apprehend will be defended by Marino’s estranged son. “Clearly, Marino doesn’t know,” I say.

“Maybe I’ve been remiss in not telling him yet,” she replies. “But he’s a big enough pain in the ass already. I thought I’d wait and drop this bomb tomorrow or the next day. You know he wasn’t happy about my interviewing Chan­donne.” She adds this with a glint of triumph.

“I could tell.”

“I had a case with Rocky several years ago.” Berger un­locks her car door. She leans inside to start it and get the heat going. “A wealthy man on business in New York is accosted by a kid with a knife.” She straightens up and faces me. “The man struggles and manages to wrestle the kid to the ground, bangs the kid’s head on the pavement, knocking him out, but not before he stabs the man in the chest. The man dies. The kid is hospitalized for a while but recovers. Rocky tried to turn the case on self-defense but fortunately the jury didn’t buy it.”

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