>>> Monday, August 26th
Superman had had a busy day already. He’d foiled a early-morning convenience store robbery, stopped a runaway car on the Interstate and held the terrified eleven-year-old driver until the police and her parents arrived, put out a fire in an abandoned warehouse and rescued four homeless men who’d claimed it as their shelter for the previous night, and directed traffic at Clinton and Fidelity when the signal lights went dark halfway through morning rush hour until he’d been relieved by a pair of police officers, one of whom was effusive in his thanks for the super-help.
So getting to Constance Hunter’s office by nine-twenty-seven was a major achievement for him. He opened the outer door and stepped into the otherwise vacant reception area.
“Hello? Anyone at work?”
A voice called through the closed door to the inner office. “Back here, Superman.”
He opened the door and stepped in. Connie and Blair were both wearing jeans and short-sleeved cotton shirts. Blair’s hair was askew and Connie’s was pulled back in a pony tail that was coming loose. Each of them sported dark circles under their eyes. Newspaper clippings and computer printouts littered every inch of table, desk, and sofa space in the office.
Superman smiled at the scene. “Looks like somebody had a serious temper tantrum in here.”
Connie looked up at him with bleary eyes and pushed her glasses back on her nose. “We’re building a case file of your exploits before and since the night Bill Church died. We plan to enter it as evidence of your benign intentions.”
Blair straightened and rolled her shoulders to loosen them. “I already knew you were a hero, Superman, but I’d never realized just how much you’ve done for us in the past five years.” She pointed to a stack on the end of the sofa. “That’s the news reports of accidents you’ve helped at just here in Metropolis. There’s another one almost as big on the table on natural disasters like earthquakes, tidal waves, forest fires, and droughts you’ve worked on.” She gave him a tired but sincere smile. “If I was the least bit indifferent about you before, I’m not now. Thank you for all you’ve done for all of us.”
Superman was surprised. “I don’t know what to say except, you’re welcome. And thanks for the kind words. Say, how long have you two been going at this, anyway?”
“I’m not sure. Connie?”
“We started about five yesterday afternoon. Blair went around the corner and brought back some takeout for dinner about nine, I slept for a couple of hours sometime after two, and I think Blair’s been awake all night.”
His eyes widened. “Wow.”
Blair rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Now that you mention it, I think I’ll need a nap before too much longer.”
Connie smiled at her. “You’ve earned it. We’re almost done with this part of it anyway. All we have to do is put this in folders, tie them off, label them, and take them to court on trial day.” She lifted several papers on her desk. “Blair, where’s the brief?”
Superman tried to stifle a laugh and it came out as a snort. “Sorry. It was the idea of calling this much paper a ‘brief.’”
Blair walked to the desk. “I agree with the sentiment. Is this what you’re looking for, Connie?”
Connie took the clear binder from her and held it up for the hero to see. “Yes, thanks. This is the actual brief, Superman, about four double-spaced pages. The rest is supporting documentation.”
“I see. Again, I’m sorry about the laugh.”
“Don’t worry about it. Non-lawyers don’t understand all that lawyers do, anyway. I suspect that the rest of us have no idea how you do what it is that you do, either.”
“You’re probably right. So, what do you need to see me for?”
“Ah! That’s right. We need to talk about strategy for the trial.”
He tilted his head to one side. “What strategy? I thought we were just going to tell the truth.”
She blew out a tired breath. “The statute says you’re not guilty of second degree murder if you were operating under extreme emotional distress at the time of the death, like a homeowner shooting an intruder at night who’s already threatened his family. Since Jack hasn’t added manslaughter to the indictment, the jury can’t acquit on murder and convict on manslaughter, so it’s second degree murder or nothing. If we show how level-headed you are in emergencies and make sure the jury knows you’re not prone to emotional outbursts, then they’ll be more likely to see Bill Church as an aberration brought on by the pressure of the situation.”
He twisted his lips. “I don’t want to get off on a technicality.”
“We aren’t working technicalities. That’s the way the law reads. But we still need to decide how we present our case. We have to tell the truth in such a way that the neither the jury nor the public think we left out anything important.”
He frowned slightly. “What are you talking about?”
Blair answered from behind him. “We’re not dealing with computers, Superman, we’re dealing with human beings. Humans feel very strongly about certain things, and those feelings will usually override their brains. Even if Connie were inclined to lie for you, which I’m sure she’s not, I won’t do it. If we tell the truth and make you sound like an overbearing, arrogant, power-mad strong man with delusions of grandeur, you lose even if you’re acquitted. Understand?”
He crossed his arms and nodded once. “Actually, yes, I do.”
“Relax, okay?” Connie put her hand on his arm and pulled until he lowered them. “That’s one of the things you’d better not do in court. That pose looks heroic at an emergency, and I’m sure it helps calm the victims and scare the bad guys, but under cross-examination it will look like defiance or avoidance.” She turned and stumbled wearily towards her desk. “That’s what we mean when we say the word ‘strategy.’”
He quirked one side of his mouth upwards. “Okay. Anything else I need to learn?”
“Lots, but Blair and I don’t have the energy right now.” She flopped into her chair. “How do you feel about going to trial quickly?”
He shrugged. “I’d rather get it over with as soon as possible.”
“Good. We can get our stuff together fairly soon. No sense letting the DA dig up something else on you.” She held up her hand to forestall his objection. “I know, there’s nothing else on you, so there’s no reason to wait, is there?”
“Not to my knowledge.”
“Good. Blair, when do you think we can get in front of a judge?”
Blair sat down on the edge of the table and crossed her arms. “Case like this, DA probably wants to fast-track it. I’d say we could be in jury selection in five weeks, maybe less, especially if we don’t file for continuance or release a flurry of motions.”
Superman frowned. “I thought we wanted some motion here.”
Blair chuckled wearily. “No, I mean file a lot of motions intended to delay the trial. Every motion we file has to go before a judge and be ruled on. Takes time. If we don’t file any, there’s less delay.” She yawned noisily. “Oh, ‘scuse me! Anyway, we don’t file motions, we don’t slow down the wheels of justice.”
He nodded. “Sounds good to me. For a number of reasons, I’d like to get this trial finished as quickly as possible.”
Connie lifted her eyebrows. “A number of reasons, eh? Any of them personal?”
“Yes.”
“Ooh, I hope you don’t do that in court.”
He frowned in confusion. “Do what?”
“Your arms were down, but your voice had that ‘hero posture’ sound. You shouldn’t sound like good ol’ buddy Gomer, but you can’t come across like Nixon insisting you’re not a crook, either. You should sound serious about the situation, but willing to submit to the judgment of the court.”
He sighed. “I suppose we’ll have to work on that. Anything else?”
Blair shook her head and yawned again. “Naw, not from me.”
“Just one thing more, Superman.”
“Yes?”
Connie stood and put her hands on her desk. “Jack Reisman is a good man. I believe he truly wants justice to be done. But he’s also human. If he convicts you, he could use this case to step up to the national stage in politics. He wants to be governor someday, and he might make it, but if he puts Superman away he could grab for a Washington office. This isn’t going to be fun for any of us, but if we lose, Reisman could win big.”
She paused and rolled her shoulders. “I just thought you should know what we’re up against.”
He nodded. “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind. Now, I think you ladies should get some sleep. You’ve earned it.”
“Right. Oh! Wait!”
He stopped and turned. “Yes, Ms. Hunter?”
“I think I already know the answer to this question, but I have to ask it anyway.”
“Okay, go ahead.”
She pushed her long dark hair back with both hands. “Understand that this is part of the process and not, in any way, an accusation of any kind.” He lifted an eyebrow but didn’t speak. She sighed deeply. “Superman, I need for you to be totally and completely honest with me. No shading the truth, no deft little misdirection, no holding back, not on anything. Can you do that?”
He stared for a moment. “You do realize what you’re asking me, don’t you?”
She nodded. “I do. I also have to know that you’re being straight with me.”
He held her gaze for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. Anything about this case, I’ll be totally and completely honest with you.”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I asked you.”
“I know.” They locked eyes again.
Blair stepped forward. “Connie, maybe you better define your terms.”
“What? What terms?”
“He’s thinkin’ you want to know every tiny detail of his life, including all the personal little tidbits nobody wants to publicize.” She turned to Superman. “Am I right?”
He nodded shortly. “Yes. Is that what you mean, Ms. Hunter?”
Connie took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. “No, of course not. I’m sorry, I’m still thinking in lawyerese. I don’t need to know about your personal life except where it impacts our case, and frankly I don’t want to know anything beyond that. But about everything else, you have to be totally honest with me. Can you promise that?”
He locked eyes with her again. “Ms. Hunter, I promise that I will not withhold any information you request, except for some personal details which don’t have anything to do with this case.”
She smiled. “Thank you. Like I said, I thought that was what you’d say, but I needed to hear you say it.” She turned to her cohort. “Blair, I think you’ve just earned your per diem for today.”
Blair smiled. “All part of the service, ma’am.”
“Thanks anyway. Now you and I need to get some sleep. I still have to call Lois Lane before this evening, and I don’t want to talk to her while my brain feels like wet cotton.” She sketched a salute to Blair and Superman. “Good night, all.”
*****
She snatched the phone from its cradle and it barely remained intact. “Lois Lane, Daily Planet.”
“Ms. Lane, this is Constance Hunter, Superman’s lead attorney. Are you aware that the DA has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday morning?”
“Not personally, no, but I’m sure my people are on top of it. Why do you ask?”
“You don’t know?”
“Ms. Hunter, it’s nearly six-thirty on Monday evening, I’ve been meeting with auditors and employees all day and I missed lunch and I’m late for dinner with my mother, so this needs to move along.”
“Very well. We know you’re on the DA’s witness list. We’ll have to have a meeting and go over your story and see how it fits in with the other information we have. It also means that the DA’s office will be in touch with you about your testimony. Neither of us wants any surprises in court.”
“Okay. Is that what this call is about?”
“No. On Wednesday morning, the DA will officially announce that Superman’s trial for second degree murder in the death of William Church Senior will begin jury selection on Monday, September 22nd. This will be a media frenzy, and I’d like for you to be there, along with as many reporters and photographers as you can spare.”
“We’d do that anyway, Ms. Hunter. Why the call?”
“I think the DA is going to ask Superman whether or not he has another identity, an alter ego, another name he operates under. That, in and of itself, isn’t illegal, but I don’t think a revelation like that would help my client’s case one bit. I can’t, of course, tell you what to print, nor would I ever try to do so, but I’d like to suggest that such inquiries shouldn’t be part of this trial. I’ll do what I can with the jury and in the courtroom, of course, but this question won’t go away if Reisman smells blood. I don’t want to distract from the essential issues of the case, and I don’t want my client to be put in the position of either revealing some deeply personal information or lying on the stand.”
“Ah. Yes, I – you make a good point.”
“Thank you. I assume I’ll see you Wednesday morning?”
“You’ll not only see me, Ms. Hunter, you’ll feel my presence.”
“That’s what I thought. Have a nice dinner, Ms. Lane. Good-bye.”
>>> Tuesday, August 27th
The barely suppressed chaos hit Lois in the face as soon as the elevator door opened. She hadn’t made it to the coffee machine before she was greeted with what she considered excessive enthusiasm, considering the early hour of the day.
“Good morning, Lois!”
“Hey, Jim. You get those shots of the Star Labs fundraiser on my desk?”
He saluted jauntily. “Awaiting your professional eye.”
“Good. I’ll pick two for the afternoon edition and we’ll see if you picked the same two.”
“Five bucks says yes.”
She smiled ever so slightly. “You’re on.”
“Great! Oh, Catharine wants to see you as soon as possible. Something about the page two summary for the afternoon edition.”
“Send – never mind, I’ll call her. Dombrowski here yet?”
“Yeah. He’s at his desk finishing up that piece on the State Board of Health meeting.”
“Good. If you see him in the next few minutes, send him my way.”
“Gotcha. Oh, and there’s a thermos of Starways coffee on your desk.”
She stopped in mid-stride. “Jim! Thank you. That’s very thoughtful.”
He shook his head. “I wish I’d thought of it, but it wasn’t me. Clark’s in there with it.”
At the mention of Clark’s name, her eyes grew wide and her smile almost split her face. She all but sprinted the rest of the way across the newsroom. She knew Jim was quietly laughing at her, but she didn’t care. Clark was waiting for her.
The door opened just as she reached for the knob. He caught her as she stumbled, off-balance, and took her coat to hang it up.
“Good morning, Lois. How was your day yesterday?”
She grinned through her morning haze and threw her arms around his neck before he could step away. He returned her electric kiss for a long moment, then backed up and grinned at her from two inches away. “Maybe we should shut the door first?”
She looked into the newsroom and realized that almost all activity had stopped and nearly every eye was fixed on her. From across the room, she could see Catharine giving her an enthusiastic thumbs-up, while Jim tried to hide a knowing smile. Nearly everyone else, however, was stunned into silent immobility.
Time to publish the news, Lois thought. She stepped to the doorway and snarled, “Get back to work, people! This is a newspaper, not a junior high lunchroom! Move it!”
Her speech had the desired effect. Everyone turned away from the office and began moving at high speed, trying to look busy and evade the boss’s wrath.
She shut the door and turned to see Clark laughing quietly. She crossed her arms and lifted one eyebrow. “And what’s so funny, Mr. Kent?”
With a supreme effort, he regained his composure. “Funny? Nothing, Ms. Lane, nothing at all.”
“Good. Now, where were we? Oh, yes.” She put her arms around him again, taking time for another long, gentle kiss.
Their lips had just parted when someone knocked on the door. She smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Clark. Business.”
He nodded and smiled back. “I remember what it’s like.”
She patted his arms and called out, “Come on in!”
Ron slowly opened the door and peeked around the doorjamb. “Is it safe to enter?”
Lois put her hands on her hips. “No, but come on in anyway.”
Ron stepped in gingerly and handed Lois a folder. “Here’s the story.”
She flipped it open. “State Board of Health, right?”
“Not after they read this. They’ll feel downright unhealthy.”
“Cute.” She put the folder on her desk. “Ron, have you met Clark?”
Ron extended his hand. “Not formally, but I’ve seen him around. Hello, Clark.”
“Good to meet you, Ron. You came over from the Standard a couple of years ago, didn’t you?”
Ron took his hand back and flexed it. “Yep. Lois showed us what a real editor could be and I was smart enough to follow her back over here.”
Clark lifted his eyebrows. “Oh.”
Lois grinned. “Ron’s on the beat you and I used to have, Clark, doing investigative reporting. He’s almost as good as you were.”
“Really? Is almost as good as you were, too?”
She shook her head. “Of course not. I was always the best, remember?”
Ron and Lois shared a smile. Clark tried to force one but failed. He also failed to shield his discomfort from Ron, who apparently decided that discretion was the better part of valor. “Sorry, Clark, but I have to get back to work now. Are you moving back to your desk any time soon?”
Clark frowned slightly. “Why do you ask?”
He backpedaled. “Hey, Lois is always going on and on about how effective you two were together. To hear her tell it, she was holding the paper just above sinking until you came and helped her just enough to pull it back from the brink.”
Clark looked at Lois and nodded. “I see.”
Ron headed for the door. “See you later, boss lady. I’ll send you the story on the LAN, too, along with a couple of ideas I’ve gotten lately.”
“Thanks, Ron. Close the door, would you?”
He did. Lois crossed her arms and returned Clark’s baleful stare. “You need to stop doing the jealous boyfriend thing, Clark. There’s no one else in my life and hasn’t been for quite some time.”
Clark returned the stare. “You mean since Luthor? Or maybe Clay?”
Her expression hardened slightly. “Luthor’s dead and Clay’s married.”
“But Ron’s still available.”
Lois’s eyes narrowed and she leaned forward slightly. “I don’t know what bug crawled up your butt, mister, but you’d better cut it out right now.”
He matched her stare for a moment, then seemed to deflate. He turned to her desk and picked up a thermos bottle. “Coffee?”
Lois nodded shortly. He poured the still-steaming liquid into her mug and handed it to her.
She took it and turned away, then took a careful sip. “Good. Good and hot.”
Clark slowly replaced the cap on the thermos and turned to stare at the window. He sighed deeply. “I’m sorry. I’m not sure what got into me.”
“Stress, maybe?”
He snorted. “I’ve faced stress before.”
“Not like this. This kind of stress doesn’t go away, not ever. It’s there when you get up in the morning, stands beside your bed as you go to sleep at night, and dogs every step you take during the day.”
He turned to look at her profile. “Sounds like you know what you’re talking about.”
“I do. I’ve lived it for several years.”
“You don’t seem stressed out.”
“Like Perry used to say, if you can fake sincerity you can fake anything.”
He tried to chuckle, but it came out like fizz from a soda can. He took a step towards her. “Lois?”
“Not right now, Clark.”
“Huh?”
“I mean I’m not your Lois right now. I’m more than a little ticked off.”
He nodded. “At me, I’d guess.”
“You’d be right.”
He sighed again. “I’m sorry, Lois.”
She turned to look at him with granite eyes. “Sorry for what? For stomping my heart every time we get together? For insulting me? For being jealous of the men I work with? For crying out loud, Clark, you might as well accuse me of having an affair with Ralph as insinuate I’d take up with Ron!”
“Ron’s that nasty, huh?”
She slammed the empty mug down on her desk. “Stop it!” She stomped once and stepped back from the desk. “I’ve waited for you to come around for more than three years, Clark. I’ve turned down a marriage proposal and two really nice job offers to stay here and wait for you. I’ve given you all the space you asked for and more. But you keep getting offended at the smallest things! We can’t even talk for ten minutes without getting angry with each other!” She turned to one side and put her fists against her mouth. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take!”
Clark didn’t answer for a long moment. He finally crossed his arms and leaned against her desk. “You’re right, Lois. I’m too sensitive, I don’t listen to you, I don’t pay attention to your feelings, I take things the worst way possible, I’m self-centered, I’m prickly, and my glasses are smeared.”
She didn’t laugh. He tried again. “I’m sorry. I can’t excuse my behavior. All I can do is try to explain it.”
She dropped her arms, then turned and faced him. “So?” She took a step towards him and gestured with both hands. “Explain away.”
He avoided her gaze. “For the last three years, I’ve been alone. By my own choice, I know, no one abandoned me. Still, I haven’t had to deal with people on any long-term intimate level. Except my parents, of course, and they’ll overlook almost anything from me.”
“Did they overlook what happened with Bill Church?”
He sighed. “No, of course not. Every time I was home, at least one of them would make some kind of indirect comment about living up to my legal and moral responsibilities. And usually they’d be more direct than that. They want me to be happy, they want me to be Superman, but they also want me to take responsibility for my actions. As stressed as I am by this trial, they’re actually glad that I’m doing what they think I should have done in the first place.”
Lois stepped towards the desk and sat on the opposite corner from Clark, so that he had to turn slightly to face her. He sighed and shook his head. “You know I tend to be a bit melodramatic anyway, and so much time alone has almost ruined me for decent company. I saw Lana and Pete last month in Smallville and I didn’t know how to talk to them. It was as if I’d forgotten how to communicate with regular people. I found myself wishing I was in the suit so I’d have an excuse to fly away in case things got sticky.”
“Are Lana and Pete married? Like, to each other?”
“Huh? Oh, no, Lana’s still single. I think Pete’s divorced or separated or something. I had driven the pickup to town to buy some feed for Dad and they came walking at me from different angles. Totally unplanned, a chance meeting of old friends. I almost panicked before I realized they weren’t out to get me.”
“Do they know?” He looked at her quizzically. “Do they know about – “ she made a wavy motion with her hand.
“Ah. The, uh – “ he copied her motion and nodded. “Lana knows, of course, and I think Pete suspects, but he’s never said anything, at least not to me.”
Lois sat very still and looked at him for almost a minute. Clark tried to force himself not to squirm under her gaze, telling himself that her interest, though intense, was benign, not hostile.
“You’re not worried about either of them revealing your secret, are you?”
“No, of course not.”
“Are you concerned that someone might wonder where Clark Kent is while Superman is on trial?”
“A little. I’ll have to work on that one.”
She leaned forward slightly. “Are you worried about me somehow?”
“You? No, Lois, no! I have complete confidence in you, both as a friend and as an editor.”
She looked into his eyes. She saw something else there, something he was trying to hide, something she didn’t particularly like.
“Clark? There’s something else you haven’t told me, isn’t there?”
He tried to look away but failed. “Yes.”
“What is it?” He didn’t respond. “Clark, you can tell me anything. Anything at all.” Except goodbye, she added silently.
“I’m – not sure I can articulate it.”
Her voice softened. “I’m willing to let you try.”
He opened his mouth but said nothing, then abruptly closed his eyes and hugged himself tightly. “I’m – I’m scared.”
She wanted to hold him, to love away whatever he was afraid of, but she forced herself to stay put. “What is it that scares you, Clark?”
He stood suddenly and faced her. His voice was low but intense. “I have to know, Lois.”
She still didn’t move. “Know what?”
“If people blame me. If people are afraid of me. If I can still function as Superman, if I can be around regular people who respect me but aren’t terrified that I’ll explode into a murderous rage at any moment.” He waved his hands aimlessly. “I feel like I’m on hold, like nothing but this trial matters right now. Until I know how people think about me, until I find out if the people of Metroplis can trust Superman again, I can’t move forward, I can’t make plans, I can’t be there for you.”
He turned away and crossed his arms. “It isn’t fair to you, I know, and I’m sorry, but right now I just can’t be who you want me to be, who I want so much to be. I can’t be – I can’t let you depend on me. Not until this is over.”
“I’m not asking you to commit to anything, Clark. I only want the best for you.”
“Thank you. And I want the best for you.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “But right now I’m not sure I’m the best thing for you.”
“I see.” She paused and waited, hoping that her world wasn’t about to end. “Does this mean – are you telling me you’re leaving?”
He shook his head without turning around. “No. It just means I – I don’t want to disappoint you again. I don’t want to give you any expectations that I can’t fulfill.”
“Okay. I think I can live with that.” She finally relaxed her posture slightly. “Did you know that there’s a news conference tomorrow about Superman’s trial?”
Dryly, he replied, “It did come to my attention, yes.”
“Would you like to cover it? As a freelancer, of course.”
His face slackened in surprise as he turned to face her. “What?”
“Well, you’re in town, I’m sure you could use the work, and we need an outsider’s viewpoint. I’ve already got an editorial in the works for tomorrow’s edition, Ron’s going to cover it with Jim as a straight news story, but we need some of that touchy-feely stuff you do so well. Maybe you could even get an exclusive interview with Superman.” She stood and crossed her arms. “What do you say?”
She watched as he stopped and thought for a few moments. She suspected that his first inclination was to get mad again and reject her offer, but he appeared to remember that she was, after all, the editor of the Daily Planet. This was business, and it was the kind of thing he’d been so good at when he’d worked here. She needed the story and he needed the exposure, whether he wanted it or not.
“Connie did advise me – actually, she advised Superman – that he ought not attend the news conference. Something about not being too much in the public eye.” He straightened and smiled. “I’ll do it.” He winked. “I think I might even be able to get that interview, too.”
She beamed. “Good! Now, Clark, I’m thrilled to see you any time, and you’re more than welcome in my office, too, but we do have a newspaper to publish, so – “
He lifted his hands in surrender. “I know, I know. How does lunch sound to you?”
Her smile faded slightly. “It sounds wonderful, but I’m having a business lunch today with Franklin Stern and a bunch of other people. We have to go over next year’s budget figures. I don’t suppose you’d like to go in my place, would you?”
“Of course! I love giving away other people’s money.”
“Huh. In that case, bub, you stay away from me for the rest of the afternoon.”
“Oh, okay. I’m deeply disappointed, of course, but we’ll get together later. I’ll have those items for you tomorrow afternoon.”
“Two o’clock deadline for the afternoon edition, six o’clock for the next morning. I’d like to put the interview in Thursday’s morning edition.”
He nodded. “No problem. You just have my check ready.”
She swatted him on the upper arm. “We’ll put it in the mail by Friday, as usual. Still using your parents’ address?”
“Yes. I don’t have a place in Metropolis any more.”
She leaned in and gave him a peck on the lips. “We’ll have to see if we can change that situation.”
Despite his best effort to keep his expression smooth, not to show the fear he felt at her offhand statement, not to stiffen under her touch, she knew she’d once again pushed him in a direction he didn’t want to go, at least not yet. She wondered if her life was once again about to take the off-ramp to Heartache Hotel.
It was a place she seemed destined to know all too well.
>>> Wednesday, August 28th
The tall brunette knocked on the DA’s office door, then opened it and stuck her head in. “Jack? It’s almost five till ten. You ready?”
Jack turned from the mirror and hissed like a leaky tire. “I really ought to be smarter than to put on a brand-new tie for the first time six minutes before the biggest news conference of my career.”
She smiled. “Why don’t you let me help?”
He turned and dropped his hands to the side. “You might as well. I’m not having any luck.”
She tugged, wrapped, tugged again, and settled the knot against his collar button. “There you go, all nice and neat.”
“Just a little tighter and you can strangle me with it.”
She laughed. “I’ll let the press take care of that.”
“Oh, they will, I promise. Am I all handsome now?”
“You’re as fine-looking as you ever are.”
“Thanks, Melanie. I’d better look good for this one. The press is going to rip me to pieces no matter what I do.”
“Well, Jack, you are the man who charged Superman with murder.”
He slid his coat on and headed towards the door. “Second degree, no less.”
He had his hand on the doorknob when she said, “Jack?”
The serious tone of her voice stopped him. “What?”
She hesitated, then took a short step towards him. “Do you really want to win this case?”
“You mean, do I want to be the man who sent Superman to jail?”
She ducked her head and lowered her voice. “Yeah, that’s what I mean. Do you?”
He sighed deeply. “No, not really. I’d be just as happy if the jury finds him not guilty.”
“The National Whisper ran an editorial yesterday that said you could be elected governor if you win this case.”
Jack frowned. “The Whisper is good for bird cage lining and wiping off dirty headlight lenses and not much else. Don’t believe everything you read.”
“Is that why the only charge is murder two?”
He quirked one eyebrow. “What we say in this office stays in this office. No one else will ever hear about it. Understood?”
“Of course.”
He hesitated, then continued. “I don’t know if I can get a murder conviction, Mel. I probably could get a manslaughter conviction if I tried really, really hard and pushed right up to the point of being disbarred.”
“So why not file both charges? The jury could convict on the lesser charge even if they acquit him on the murder two charge.”
“Because I don’t want Superman to be in prison. He can serve humanity better as a free man than as a guest of the state for a couple of decades.”
“Are you telling me that you think Superman was right to do what he did?”
He sighed deeply. “No. I don’t think that. But, at the same time, I don’t think that what he did was necessarily wrong, either. If I’d been in the same situation – well, let’s just say that I’m glad it wasn’t me standing in front of the worst mass murderer since Stalin. I doubt I could have held myself back, either.”
She looked into his eyes. “Then why pursue it? Why try this case at all?”
He put his hands in his pants pockets and twisted his mouth into a parody of a smile. “Because the grand jury returned the indictment.”
Still speaking softly, she said, “But you presented the case to them in the first place.”
“I know.” He shrugged. “I expected a no-bill. No charges, no arrest, no harm, no foul, end of story. The DA did his job, the grand jury did theirs, and Superman is as good as acquitted. Legally, he’s free to move on with his life.”
“What happened?“
He shook his head. “I did my job altogether too well. I went in there that day determined to give them a case they’d almost have to throw out. I asked for the harshest charge and the harshest punishment the law allows in this situation. I fully expected them to warn me about trying to hog the spotlight and pursuing headlines instead of going after real lawbreakers. Instead, they gave me an indictment. At that point I had no choice.”
She stepped closer and took his hand tenderly. “Does this mean you’re going to go easy on him?”
He squeezed her hand gently. “I can’t throw any case, Melanie, not even this one. Especially not this one. I’ve got to push as hard as I can, both ethically and legally, or I leave myself open to charges of favoritism. Besides, Superman wants this trial too. Do you know how many motions Connie Hunter has filed?”
She squinted slightly. “Only the one that I know of, the motion to suppress the videotape.”
“That’s exactly how many she’s filed. How odd is that? Especially with the combined financial resources of the Superman Foundation and Franklin Stern funding his defense?”
Her eyes popped open. “That’s very odd.”
He released her hand. “Yep. It means they want to go to trial as soon as possible and get this whole thing over with. So do I. And I’m in favor of working the evidence to death on this one. Can I count on you to help me?”
She gave him a ‘look.’ “No end runs around the judge or the jury? No surprise witnesses or evidence? No tricks or sleight of hand in court?”
He held up his hands, palms forward. “I promise, Mel, scout’s honor. No tricks, no dealing from the bottom of the deck, nothing like that. Connie’s playing it totally straight on this one and so are we.”
She kept the ‘look’ going. “The Whisper also wrote – don’t roll your eyes at me, buster! They said you were going to ask Superman about any other names he uses.” He didn’t answer. “Are you going to ask him that?”
He shook his head. “No. He was wearing his super-suit when he killed Bill Church. He surrendered and went through arrest, booking, and arraignment as Superman. He’s coming to court in the red-and-blue clown suit. I don’t have any reason to ask him what else he calls himself when he’s not saving lives and preventing property damage.”
Melanie sighed and nodded. “Okay. Thanks, Jack.”
Jack glanced at the clock on the wall. “Wups! Almost time for the show.”
“They can’t start without the star attraction.”
He frowned slightly. “Superman is probably already there, Melanie. We’re just the supporting players.” He opened the office door and gestured for her to precede him. “Shall we?”
She nodded and stepped through the doorway. “Of course. Beauty before age, right?”
He put his hand over his heart and mimed taking a blow. “Oh! You really know how to hurt an attorney.”
*****
Jack pushed open the front door to the courthouse and stepped through in front of Melanie, hoping to protect her from the snarling fourth estate. She followed behind him at his shoulder. He made brief eye contact with Connie Hunter as he strode to the temporary podium, then he stood behind the bank of microphones until the noise from the reporters died down to a dull roar.
A distant bass rumble drew his eyes skyward for a moment. Thunderstorm out over the ocean, rolling in from off the coast, he thought, and it looks like a rough one. Appropriate weather for this kind of announcement.
“Good morning. I’m Jack Reisman, District Attorney for the city of Metropolis, New Troy. We’re here to announce the upcoming trial of Superman and take any questions you might have. I assume Ms. Hunter will also answer questions, although she surely isn’t required to do so by law.”
A few of the reporters chuckled, fewer than Reisman had hoped. A reporter for LNN lifted his hand and Jack pointed to him.
“Mr. Reisman, when will Superman’s trial start?”
“Jury selection is scheduled to begin on Monday, September 22nd. We intend to begin the actual proceedings as quickly as we can after the jury is seated.”
A woman from the Metropolis Star was next. “Will the jury be sequestered? And will they have conjugal visits from their significant others?”
Jack lifted an eyebrow. “That’s up to the judge. And it’s a little early to be talking about that.”
One forceful brunette woman shouted louder than the rest. “Mr. Reisman? Lois Lane, Daily Planet. Can you explain exactly what Superman is charged with? And what sentence are you asking for?”
“Of course. The charge against Superman, in the death of William Church Senior, is murder in the second degree. This felony carries with it a sentence of twenty-five years to life imprisonment.” He hesitated and glanced at Melanie. She smiled slightly and nodded. “We are asking the court to assign the maximum punishment in this case.”
Later, Melanie told Jack that she’d never seen that many people drop their jaws to the ground and gasp in unison. As it was, the sudden reduction in air pressure almost sucked Jack over the podium.
Lois Lane recovered first. “Maximum – ! You no-good bum, you know what Superman’s done for this city! You know how bad the crime rate was before he came! You know – “
“And I know how much it went up when he went away for nearly three years! I also know how much he’s helped us and others in the past few months since he returned from his self-imposed exile. Ms. Lane, I freely acknowledge what Superman has done for us, but that is not the issue! We plan to show that Superman deliberately and with malice caused the death of William Church, Senior. We intend to ask for the maximum penalty according to law.”
“According to law? You moron! How many criminals have you failed to convict in the last three years? How many have you let off on some technicality? How many – “
“Thank you for your thoughts on the matter at hand, Ms. Lane. Perhaps our friends in the press would like to ask Ms. Hunter some questions.”
Connie glared ice daggers at him as she stepped past him. “Friends in the press, eh?” she muttered as she passed him.
He murmured back, “Be thankful you’re a smaller target.”
She almost grinned, then moved to the microphones. “I have a brief statement first, then I’ll take questions.” Blair handed her a sheet of paper. “This statement is from Superman, who unfortunately was unable to attend this morning due to an emergency. I quote: ‘I am completely willing to submit myself to a jury verdict in this case. I am confident that justice will be done, and that the facts of the case will guide the jury in making their decision. Whatever happens, I will abide by the decision of the court in regard to the outcome and any sentence which may result. Thank you.’” She folded the paper and put it in her jacket pocket. “Questions? Yes, the lady in the purple blazer?”
“Annette O’Toole, ABC news. Does this mean that Superman is changing his plea from not guilty to guilty?”
“No. The plea of not guilty stands. Next? Yes, you, sir.”
“Thank you. Walter Chow, Hong Kong Daily Persuader. Will Superman be restricted to Metropolis until the trial actually starts?”
“That’s not my call, Mr. Chow. You’d have to ask Mr. Reisman. Yes, you in the back, the lady in red.”
“How about after the trial starts?”
“Uh, how about what after the trial starts?”
“Will Superman have to stay in Metropolis during the trial? No matter what emergencies may be happening?”
“Again, that’s not my call. The trial judge will make that decision.”
“Who’s the judge?”
Connie smiled indulgently. “I hadn’t recognized you, Ms. Lane, but the judge assigned to this trial is the honorable Charles Walter Fields. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Judge Fields, he’s a veteran of over twenty-three years on the bench, and he has a reputation for honesty and patience with every attorney I know. I’m confident that Judge Fields will conduct a trial whose end will reveal the truth and whose result will exonerate Superman, because that will be the proper ending for this ordeal. One more question and then I must leave. You, sir?”
“Clark Kent, Daily Planet. How long do you think the trial will last?”
Connie ignored the turn of attention to her questioner. “I don’t know, Mr. Kent, but I hope not more than three to four weeks, if not fewer. We don’t want some year-long trial to turn out city inside-out.” She smiled and lifted her hand. “I’m sorry, but I have to go back to work now. Thank you all for coming.”
She turned and gathered Blair with her eyes. They walked away without speaking to Jack or Melanie and left in a waiting cab. The prosecution team beat a hasty retreat back into the courthouse.
As they got into the elevator to take them back to their office floor, Melanie said, “I think that went well.”
Jack exhaled in a whoosh. “It could have been a lot worse. For a minute, I thought the Lane woman was going to pull my arms off and beat me to death with them.”
She tweaked his ear. “She might still, if she can catch you. Just keep one step ahead of her, okay?”
He grinned. “Okay, Mel, okay!. You know, you could lighten up on me a little. It wouldn’t kill you, you know.”
She laughed musically and put her hand through his arm as the doors opened. “And give up teasing my big brother? Not a chance!”
Thunder boomed outside the building and echoed in the old structure. They both jumped. Jack looked at his little sister, the girl their mother had made him promise to look after, who was now a grown-up woman with a career and a husband of her own. As a child, she’d been afraid of thunder, and she gripped Jack’s arm with surprising strength.
She forced herself to breathe evenly. “That was a bad one, Jack. I guess Lois Lane was even madder than we thought.”
