“I… There was Miss Stark’s testimony.”
“True, but the case boiled down to a ‘he said, she said’ situation with Miss Stark admitting that she had a grudge against Mr. Hastings and her lawsuit giving her a reason to present false testimony. It’s clear to me that it was the DNA evidence that tipped the scales in favor of a conviction. Can you convince me otherwise?”
Kellerman started to say something. Then he stopped and shook his head. “I can’t disagree in good conscience with your analysis, but the fact is that the DNA in Miss Stark’s rape case matches Mr. Hastings’s DNA.”
“I can’t accept that as a fact, given what I heard today,” the judge said. “There’s a real scientific mystery here, and I’m going to give you time to solve it by setting a hearing on Mr. Kreuger’s motion for a new trial for a month from today. In the meantime, I am going to release Mr. Hastings on one million dollars’ bail.”
Blaine Hastings didn’t move a muscle until the judge left the bench. Then he leaped to his feet and pumped Les Kreuger’s hand. “You were amazing! I can’t thank you enough for getting me out of that hellhole.”
“We’re not out of the woods yet, Blaine,” Kreuger cautioned. “All the judge did was set bail. It will take a lot more to convince her to give you a new trial.”
Before Blaine could say anything else, Blaine’s father and mother swarmed Kreuger.
Vanessa Cole had been sitting in the back of the courtroom. Robin followed her up the marble steps to the DA’s office.
“What’s going on, Vanessa?”
“I have no idea. Rex and I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon talking to some of the top scientists who deal with DNA, and they’re all stumped. All they could say was that we were describing something that was not possible and that one of the tests had to be in error.”
“Do you have any idea which one?”
“Not at this time. But if it’s the test from Blaine Hastings’s case, your client could be in a lot of trouble. So, I suggest that you try to figure out why Blaine Hastings’s DNA and Ray’s DNA are identical.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
As soon as Robin was back in her office, she called Randi Stark, who put the call on her speakerphone so her mother could hear.
“There’s been a development in your case,” Robin said.
“What happened?”
“Blaine Hastings is free on bail.”
“How could that happen?” Maxine shouted. “He’s supposed to be locked up.”
“A woman was raped while Hastings was in jail. The rapist didn’t use a condom, so they found his sperm and tested it for DNA. The DNA in the rapist’s sperm is a match for Blaine Hastings’s DNA.”
“So, this other rapist has the same kind of DNA. What does that matter?” Maxine said.
“That’s impossible, Mrs. Stark. Except for identical twins, no two people can have the same DNA.”
“I don’t understand,” Randi said. “I know Blaine raped me, so it has to be his DNA.”
“There’s been a suggestion that you had intercourse with someone else before you went to the party,” Robin said. “That it was this man named Ray, the man who raped this other woman.”
“They’re calling my Randi a liar?” Maxine spat out.
“No, but everyone, including the forensic experts, are very confused. This has never happened before.”
“I did not lie,” Randi said forcefully. “And I did not have sex with any man that night before Blaine.”
“I believe you, but everything is up in the air until the scientists figure out what’s going on.”
“Are we going to get police protection while that animal is out?” Maxine demanded.
“The police don’t protect citizens unless there’s something concrete like a threat or an assault.”
“So, my Randi has to be brutally murdered before the police will act?” Maxine asked belligerently.
“I don’t think it will come to that,” Robin said. “Hastings knows he’ll be right back in jail if he calls Randi or comes near her. But you should be on your toes. Record any calls you get and call me if you see someone suspicious hanging around.”
“Blaine is smart. He won’t do anything himself,” Randi said. “He’ll get someone else to hurt me, someone like Marlon Guest.”
Robin knew Randi was right. She’d seen Hastings’s hair-trigger temper in court, and she’d saved Randi when Marlon Guest attacked her. Hastings was violent, and he’d want revenge on the person who put him in prison.
“I can talk to Vanessa Cole about protecting you, but I want to be honest. The police don’t have the manpower to assign someone to Randi twenty-four hours a day.”
“And meanwhile, that animal is free and we’re in danger,” Maxine said.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Doug Armstrong had just flown in from Seattle, where he’d negotiated a very favorable settlement in a difficult case, so he was in a great mood when he walked into the reception room of his law office at five thirty on Tuesday evening. Doug would have been in a great mood even if the case hadn’t brought the firm a terrific attorney fee. His law practice was prospering and, more important, his marriage was on the mend.
Doug remembered how depressed Marsha had been after her miscarriage and the dark days when he’d been banished to their guest room because she didn’t want to make love anymore. But, miracle of miracles, Marsha had asked Doug to come back to her. The lovemaking had been tentative at first, but it hadn’t been a one-time thing and he had high hopes that they would be able to rekindle the passion that had ignited the early years of their marriage.
Kate Monday, the firm’s receptionist, was getting ready to leave when Doug walked in. “Welcome back,” she said. “How did it go?”
“Fantastic. I can’t wait to tell Frank. Is he back from the Big Apple yet?”
“Yes. He got in this afternoon. He’s in his office. He wanted to see you if you got back before he left for the party.”
“What party?”
“Did you forget? Chad is getting married this weekend, and there’s a party.”
“Damn, I did forget. Where is it?”
“The Monaco steak house.”
Doug walked down the hall to his office. His good mood continued until he answered a voice message from Vanessa Cole.
“Blaine Hastings is free on bail,” Cole said as soon as they were connected.
“How is that possible?”
Vanessa explained what had happened at the bail hearing. “Judge Redding is holding off on deciding if Hastings should get a new trial until we get a handle on how the two DNA samples could match. But I thought you’d want to know what happened.”
“Thanks. I have to admit that I don’t feel safe with Hastings on the street. He threatened me when the trial went south.”
“Do you think you’re in danger?”
Doug thought about Cole’s question for a few seconds. “Probably not,” he answered. “Hastings is a mean son of a bitch, but he was probably just blowing off steam.”
“If he gives you any problems, call me immediately. I might be able to get the judge to revoke his bail.”
“Will do. And thanks for the call.”
Doug hung up and stared out the window of his corner office. Below, the lights of Portland were starting to wink on, and the high hills that loomed over the city were beginning to fade into shadow as the sun set.
Was he really in danger? Blaine Hastings Jr. was not someone to take lightly. Despite the question raised by the DNA tests, Doug was convinced his former client was a vicious sociopath. But Hastings wasn’t stupid, and he had to know that attacking an attorney could only work to his disadvantage. No, Doug decided, he was probably safe.