Chapter 43: Joel Benoit, 57, Presiding Judge...

At the station, a mortified, and stark naked, Jared Arceneaux lunged into his mother’s arms, sobbing. Kitty was touched, and a little troubled that he was suffering that much. But she reminded herself — it’s all for the cause.

One of the uniforms was standing guard; not that anyone expected the cowed boy to try anything. Jared was standing in the middle of what Rémy called the pen. A dozen people, most in uniform, were sitting at desks, on phones, filling out forms, milling around, walking in and out.

The overhead lights were bright and unflattering, and one buzzed and flickered on and off. Jared stood with his hands behind his butt, as instructed. No covering up. About a third of the officers were women — whom Rémy had instructed to openly eyeball the hugely embarrassed boy. He had been fingerprinted with an electronic scanner. The mug shot had been in front of the lineup board with different heights painted in. Front, back, both sides.

Rémy brought Kitty and Jared into his office and closed the door.

“Kin I get dressed?”

“No.” No explanation.

The chief turned to Kitty, “It’s gotten worse. The presiding Judge — Joel Benoit — has a granddaughter in Mimi’s class. If this goes before him...”

Kitty, “Oh, God.” Then, “What would happen?”

Rémy sighed, “Your son won’t be breathing free air until he turns 18.”

Kitty, still underplaying it, backed into a chair and sat down. Jared’s lips were quivering.

“Look, Jared seems like a nice enough kid. An’ I don’t really want to send him to Juvie for two or three years. But my hands are tied.”

“Oh, God. Chief, is there anything I can do? I mean anything.”

Jared stared as the man pondered. “I’ve done everything I could, Kitty.” He paused, “However, there is a ... a precedent for ... hmm, for creative leniency. Once before, it was last year, the Mayor intervened.”

Fifteen minutes later, Jared was staring at Gigi Fontenot with a look of desperate hope in his eyes.

Gigi, “Chief, if I issued a midnight pardon, I would need some assurance that Judge Benoit would never find out.”

“I understand. The Arceneaux family would be forever grateful. But Jared might get careless and mention it to a pal. Or Kitty is thick as thieves with June Roberts. It wouldn’t happen right away, but she might overshare.”

Kitty, “I wouldn’t, Chief! Neither will Jared! That’s a mother’s promise.”

Jared watched the give and take, his head swiveling like he was at a tennis match.

Gigi shook her head, ‘I know you mean it, Kitty. And you and Jared probably would keep quiet. But if word leaked out...” She shook her head again, ‘I could be recalled.”

Hardly. Joel Benoit was a frequent guest at Miss Kitty’s, and had paid more than one backroom visit with Gigi.

Kitty hit her mark, “Madam Mayor, I will do anything to save him. And I mean anything.”

Gigi folded her arms, titled her head, and gazed at the woman with interest. “Anything? Really?”

“Yes ma’am. You tell me to an’ I’ll go out there and fuck the whole police department.”

“Well, I don’t want that. But it gives me an idea. Will your son also do anything to save his butt? And I mean anything.”

“Yes ma’am! Won’t you, Jared?”

He raised his palm like he was taking an oath, “I swear, I promise on a thousand bibles. Ma’am.”

Gigi gestured to Rémy and they conferred in whispers. Kitty and Jared stared.

Rémy stepped back, “That would insure their silence, Madam Mayor. They’d be committing felonies. And you’d have it on tape.”