Chapter Nine:
…. they had the same thought simultaneously, "When did this happen?" ……
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The pressure that Tico had put on the Llanview District Attorney’s Office had worked. Antonio would be arrested for the murder of Angelina/Isabella any time now. He was a little miffed that it hadn’t happened on that Friday night, but Saturday morning would work just fine. He needed to get Antonio out of the way so that he couldn’t get the Santi money and wouldn’t figure out that he was El Tiburon. Only because Antonio was his blood brother, he didn’t have him killed. Tico was still worried about Sonia though. She just wasn’t showing her loyalty at all.
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As John and Evangeline walked into the station, Bo was standing there talking to one of the officers. It turns out that DA Colson had sent a beat cop to pick up Antonio for the murder of Isabella and the cop had just gotten back to the station with Antonio.
"What’s going on?" John asked Bo.
Bo told him, "Colson had Antonio arrested this morning before you made it in. I tried to stall, but you know how Colson can be".
"Why the rush?" John said. "What evidence do they have? That Butler’s story doesn’t ring true."
"I think Colson was pressured by the higher ups. That’s the only explanation for it" Bo said.
John asked, "Where is Antonio now?"
"He’s in a holding cell awaiting his bail hearing" Bo replied.
"Does he have a lawyer already?" John inquired.
"I don’t think so" Bo answered. "After all, he has his law degree. Maybe he’s considering representing himself".
At that point, Evangeline said, "That can’t be good. If Antonio’s in a bad place right now because of all that has happened to him, I can’t see him representing himself."
John and Bo just shook their heads in agreement with her.
Evangeline replied, "From what you’ve said, it sounds like he’s being railroaded. Would you like for me to talk to him?"
John said, "Would you? He’s always liked and respected you. I swear he didn’t do it. The time line doesn’t match up at all. There are witnesses that place him at the diner at the alleged time of the murder. I’d talk to him, but you know he’s shut me out."
"Don’t worry. I’ll go offer my services and see what he says." Evangeline said as she headed for the holding cells downstairs.
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Evangeline walked into the holding cell area to see Jessica and Sonia standing outside of Antonio’s cell. You could cut the tension with a knife between all of them. As she approached them, she said, "This is kind of a dejá vu situation Antonio. I’m here to offer my legal services again. I have no doubt that you did not murder Angelina/Isabella. Would you like my representation?"
Jessica and Sonia looked pleased that Evangeline was offering her help. Antonio looked suspicious. He said, "How can you have no doubt that I murdered Isabella? We haven’t talked at all. I only said 2 words to you the last time I saw you."
"John shared with me the evidence the police collected and there is no way that you could have done it" she told him.
"Tell John that I don’t appreciate him butting into my personal business", Antonio crankily replied.
Jessica said, "Antonio, stop it. Take Evangeline’s help. She cleared you last time and she can do it again".
Sonia said, "Take her help Antonio. You have nothing to lose".
After Sonia’s comment, Antonio said, "Okay, I’ll let you represent me".
Jessica was po’d. Why did Antonio follow whatever Sonia said? He was slipping away from her, and she didn’t understand it. Then, to add insult to injury, Antonio asked both Jessica and Sonia to leave him alone with Evangeline.
Sonia took it like a woman and just left. She said, "I’ll check on you later. Goodbye Jessica".
Jessica on the other hand, started to tear up and said, "Why do you want me to leave? I should be here to help you in your defense. Why are you pushing me away? Why are you keeping me in the dark?"
Antonio just said, "Jess, I don’t have time for this now, please, just let me talk to Evangeline".
Jessica turned and left in discuss.
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Evangeline was let into Antonio’s cell and she told him what she knew of the evidence so far. He filled in the rest for her. She said, "If we have to, we’ll call the Butler, Duke, Adriana and your Mom, I mean Carlotta to the stand to verify the time line. If all goes as planned, at the evidentiary hearing, we’ll get the charges dropped. If not, we’ll have to come up with other suspects that were at the house. My money would be on Sonia and Tico. Personally I don’t trust Sonia".
Antonio agreed with what she said, except for the part about Sonia. He said, "Sonia had nothing to do with it. I think its Tico, my so-called brother".
Evangeline pushed and said, "Why not Sonia? She’s been hanging around with RJ and the bookkeeper from that club of hers was murdered, not to mention that FBI agent, Kathryn. If any one is a suspect, it would be her".
Once again, Antonio said, "No, no, no, it’s not Sonia. Don’t even think about it".
Evangeline gave Antonio a discerning look and said, "What else do you know Antonio? As a fellow lawyer, you know I can’t defend you without all the information. Stop holding out on me. If you don’t tell me, I’m just going to push more to find out."
Finally, Antonio said, "You can’t tell anyone what I’m about to say to you, not even John. Especially not John for that matter".
Evangeline replied, "As your lawyer, I can’t tell anyone anything. I couldn’t tell John, even if I wanted to, which I don’t. Just spill it already. We’re wasting valuable time here".
Antonio told Evangeline that Sonia was INL and she’s been investigating the Santi’s for 7 years. He said that there was no way that she killed Isabella.
Evangeline looked shocked and said that they needed to call Sonia back down to his cell. The officer they sent to get Sonia caught her just before she left the station. Jessica overheard him say that Antonio and Ms. Williamson needed to see her back downstairs.
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Jessica had been upstairs in John McBain’s face trying to find out what was going on. As usual, he told her that he wasn’t going to tell her anything. He said that Antonio could tell her if he wanted to. John had walked away from her to talk to Bo. That just made Jessica more po’d and when she overheard that Antonio and Evangeline needed to see Sonia, she was livid.
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Sonia came back into the holding cell area and asked, "What’s up?"
Antonio said, "I told Evangeline that you are INL".
"What?!?!?!?!" Sonia exclaimed. "What were you thinking? Now she’ll tell McBain and Bo and my cover will be blown after all the years I’ve worked on this! How could you?"
"Calm down", Evangeline said. "Obviously, unlike you, I haven’t let the lines between my personal life and my professional life cross where I’d tell anyone lawyer/client confidential information. I will not tell anyone. However, I do have a question."
Sonia said, "Sorry, I shouldn’t have cast suspicion on your professionalism. What do you want to know?"
"Since you’ve been investigating him" Evangeline inquired, "Do you think that Tico could have killed Isabella?"
"No way!" Sonia exclaimed. "I’m sure it was an accident and that Isabella was weak and fell on that glass and cut herself. She just lost too much blood. Tico would never be a part of this".
Evangeline and Antonio looked at each other with a knowledge that neither one of them believed that Tico couldn’t be involved.
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Evangeline said she’d go find out when the bail hearing was and Sonia and she headed upstairs. On the way, Evangeline stopped Sonia and said, "I have two more questions".
Sonia said, "What?"
Evangeline said, "First, is RJ part of your Santi investigation?"
Sonia said, "He’s more for background information on the Santi’s, but he’s not involved now."
Evangeline then asked, "During the time you spent with RJ, did he ever say anything about having John McBain beat up?"
Sonia was caught off guard and said, "I thought you kept your professional and personal life separate?"
Evangeline said, "I do, but I just think RJ had something to do with it and I need to know."
Sonia replied, "RJ never said anything directly to me about having McBain beat up. He did say that he doesn’t like him, partly because he’s a cop and mostly because you left him for McBain".
Evangeline just nodded her head and said, "Okay, I won’t ask any more questions. I’ll let it go."
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The bail hearing was held and Antonio was let go on his own recognizance. The evidentiary hearing was set for Wednesday morning. Antonio left with Sonia, much to Jessica’s chagrin and John gave Evangeline a ride home.
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Tico Santi received a call on his cell phone saying that Antonio was out on bond. He was livid! "How did this happen?" he screamed.
The person on the other end of the line said that Evangeline Williamson had made a compelling argument and that the judge let him go on his own recognizance.
"Evangeline Williamson again!" Tico growled. "She’d better watch her step. She’s becoming a huge annoyance to me."
