Enemy Mine

Chapter 71

Outside the courtroom window, snow fell in large flakes, highlighted by the streetlamps as they blinked on, but it was the gold lapel pin that held everyone's attention as it sat on the table in front of Marco.

"We were just talking about your father's pin not an hour ago," Adamo said, holding Vincent in an accusatory gaze. "You told me it never turned up."

"It didn't just turn-up," Vincent explained. "I asked for it and it was given to me."

"Who gave it to you?" Boris said as he pointed a meaty finger at the object in question.

"I have promised my source anonymity, as they value their life and the life of their family," Vincent said firmly. "But my source asserts they witnessed Marco with the piece and became suspicious. When I shared my suspicions of Marco's crime with this source, they agreed to procure the object for me as further proof Marco murdered Roberto Valentino and took the pin as his prize."

"That's impossible!" Marco roared, shoving his seat back as he stood to address Vincent, chest to burly chest. "Your allegation is absurd and unfounded."

"Magister Bourdain! Please, conduct yourself," Adamo said, gesturing for Marco to sit down. After a moment of shared hatred between Marco and Vincent, Marco complied. "Vincent, you're offering us something that is completely based on your word. The fact that Roberto's token was even on him when he died is pure speculation." He glanced around the table at his fellow magisters and every head bobbed in agreement, even George, but they were right. Vincent was winging this part. "I am afraid we have to throw that out as unsubstantiated evidence."

Vincent clenched his jaw, but he maintained his poise as he leaned heavily over Marco's shoulder and scooped up the pin. "You're right. I have little evidence to back my belief that Marco is responsible for my father's death. I didn't want to believe it either. I wanted to keep blaming a name without a face, but it took the word of a rogue demon, with nothing to gain or lose by his disclosure, to open my eyes."

Vincent started to pace as he prepared to elaborate, and rather than stop him, Adamo seemed content to indulge him. "We can know a lot about a man just by his nature. I interact every day with humans. I read them like an open book. If they're happy with their job, or their mate, or if they aren't dealing with anything and hide behind a mask. Of course, gollums are trained in that, sniffing out the good from the bad. The lies from the truth."

At this point in his speech, Vincent looked pointedly at Marco. "The truth remains, whether or not the evidence does. I suspect the Barad's have petitioned for a full hearing regarding your infidelity and twenty-five year cover-up. That should keep you busy for a while."

"Can I assume from that well-executed discourse that you are dropping the murder allegations on Magister Bourdain," Adamo asked Vincent.

"For now, yes. Thank you for giving me audience." Vincent met the eyes of every jury member, including his grandfather, but there was no connection there. Just dead air.

"Well, then. I move that a paternity test be conducted within the next thirty-six hours," Adamo said. "Barring any weather delays."

"I second," said an overly-tanned magister who didn't have a problem staring at me whenever I looked his way.

A chorus of ayes concluded the hearing, and Adamo appeared to be ready to dismiss the courtroom when Deidra stood up to address the table.

"We still have my petition to discuss," she said, narrowing her eyes at the robed assembly. Was that a faded bruise on her cheek hiding under her makeup? Did I do that?"

"We do not conduct full hearings to discuss petitions, Deidra," Adamo said. "Let us do that later at the party."

"This is a serious matter, and you're treating it like some request to change the soap in the bathroom," she argued. "Gollum protocol specifically states that I am in my rights to sequester Vincent for twenty-four hours in an attempt to secure him as a mate."