Chapter 51

Devlin was doing laps in the pool at the Athletic Club on Monday afternoon when she heard Denise O'Connor call her name. She started treading water and shook the water out of her eyes. Denise was standing by the side of the pool, looking fashionable in cream slacks, a navy blazer and a white blouse.

"Aren't you afraid I'll splash water on you?" Devlin called by way of greeting. She paddled over to the edge and looked up.

"It didn't even occur to me," Denise said, hastily backing away.

Devlin grabbed the side of the pool and pulled herself out. "What's up? Hungry?"

"Well, that was the idea," Denise said. "I thought you did your swimming on campus."

"They're doing water safety classes there this weekend," Devlin said. "I'm all nerves today, and swimming seemed the way to take care of those."

"Why? The trial's not until Tuesday."

"Evan," Devlin said. "His team's playing in the AAA World Series."

"Ah. And he's pitching?"

"No, that was the night before last." Devlin bent over and wrung the water out of her hair. "He'll be in the bullpen tonight. He called me last night after the game. The manager said they'll have the entire off-season to rest, so everyone but the starter from last night will be available for duty if they need them. And if you asked him, I bet last night's starter would be willing to face a batter or two if the team needed it."

She didn't add that she hadn't followed the standings, and so was surprised when the Rivercats made the play-offs. She'd listened to every game, and spent an hour each day logged on to the internet checking the box scores and reading accounts of the game.

Denise laughed slightly, relaxing. "You really like him, don't you."

"He's coming here next week, but only for a couple of days. I'll introduce you."

"I'd like that. You know, when I saw your car in the parking lot I thought something else was going on."

"My life is a lot more straightforward and mundane than you think, Denise." She had been with Danny, but she wasn't going to tell Denise that.

"Mundane, except for one little area."

"Except for one little area," Devlin confirmed. "But aside from that, it's fairly boring."

"You could come over to our place to listen to the game. My husband's on a run and won't be back until tomorrow evening. I could use the company."

"The game's not being broadcast on the local radio stations," Devlin said. "I've been listening to them over the Internet."

"That's all right. We have a computer at home. And we have an Internet connection."

Devlin nodded. It beat staying at the library, listening to the game in a study carrel. "You talked me into it," she said. "Let me go get dressed first, though."

"So, how are classes going this term?" Denise asked a few minutes later when Devlin emerged from the shower and started dressing.

"I think I'm in much better shape this year than I was last year." Devlin chuckled as she pulled on her sweater and shook her hair out. "Of course part of that might be because I'm a junior and have a bit more maturity than last year."

"That's probably a lot of it," Denise said. "You know how to pace yourself and manage your time better."

Devlin put on her shoes and grabbed her coat and purse. "There. All set. Where did you want to go? Any place in particular?"

"Not really," Denise said. "What do you feel like?"

"Food," Devlin laughed. "I didn't realize I was hungry until you mentioned lunch."

"I wasn't looking forward to getting anything here," Denise said as they walked up the steps to the main floor. "But any other place will mean going out into the rain."

Devlin pulled her umbrella out of her pocket. "There's a place not too far from here," she said. "Good food without being too expensive."

"Sounds like my kind of place."

A few minutes later they were settled at a table in the restaurant. "So, how's business?" Devlin asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Brisk," Denise said. "But that always happens when the students come back. So do the people who prey on them."

"You must be doing a good job," Devlin said. "I don't see anything in the paper."

"City paper? Or student paper?"

"Either one. I read them both."

"Most of it doesn't make it past the police blotter," Denise said. "Which is a shame. Some of them make terrific stories." She leaned forward and dropped her voice. "We had this one only last week, I can't go in to too many specifics, but..."

They talked until Devlin had to leave for class. She thought about Denise's stories as she sat through her two afternoon classes. People away from home for the first time got up to the most amazing things. She'd pay more attention to the police blotter in the future. There were some interesting stories that happened every day and nobody was paying attention to them.

Her afternoon classes were a drag. She ate early, did some homework, then, about 7:30, followed the directions Denise had given her.

The house Denise and her husband had was a modest rambler on the southeast side of Bloomington. Devlin looked around, recognizing the neighborhood. There was a small swinger's group that met at a house a couple of blocks from Denise's. Devlin drove by that house, noting the number of cars parked out front. She smiled to herself. It was a very good bet the neighbors didn't know what was going on inside.

"Let me see your set-up," Devlin said when Denise showed her to their computer. She checked things out quickly, feeling a lot more confident around one of these things than she had even a few months before. The PC was a Compaq Presario, model 2286. "All right, who is your ISP?"

"AOL," Denise said. "Here, let me log on." She did so, spent a couple of minutes answering E-mail, and then stepped aside. "Here you go."

"Okay," Devlin said, settling in front. She carefully typed the URL she had memorized, www.minorleaguebaseball.com, and hit <ENTER>. From there she followed the prompts, entering her userid and password. After a minute or so they heard the broadcaster. "That's the announcer for the Rivercats," she said, recognizing the voice. She looked at the clock. "Still about 15 minutes before the first pitch."

"Have you eaten?" Denise said. "I did when I got home, but I can fix something."

"I had supper on campus," Devlin said.

"How about popcorn? I can fix some in the microwave."

"That sounds good. I brought a couple of things, too." She walked back into the kitchen and opened the bag she'd brought. "Soda pop, chips, dip, cheese, all the junk food associated with baseball except hot dogs."

They settled on the couch in the computer room. "So, how did you meet Evan?" Denise asked as she tucked her legs under her. Then she laughed. "Forgive me, my curiosity bump makes me keep asking questions."

"You're forgiven," Devlin said. By now she'd told the story so many times it was smooth. "We met in Florida. Krissi and I went down there during Spring Break. She had some friends in the Keys, and we stayed at their place. One night we went to a party in the cabana of this resort. That's where I met him. We got to talking, we danced, we talked some more, we danced some more..." She hugged herself. "We took a long walk in the moonlight on the beach. It was nearly dawn when we finally parted."

"So he swept you off your feet," Denise said with a tender smile.

"Only partly. We saw a lot of each other over the next ten days. He was recovering from an appendectomy, and was living nearby; he's from the Keys, but his family lived at the other end of the chain of islands, and the coach he was working with lived practically next door to where he was staying. That happened to be near where Krissi and I were staying, so I got plenty of opportunities to see him. We saw each other every day, and the last couple of days we were pretty much inseparable. When I got back to campus he called me. We ended up talking two or three times a week. And we wrote letters to each other, a lot of letters.

"When Evan's team played a four-game series in Des Moines, Krissi and I drove over, along with Krissi's fiancé. Krissi had some book signings, they wanted time away from everyone else, I got to see Evan, and so it all sort of worked out. I saw him again when his team played in Oklahoma City, and a couple of other times as our schedules intersected."

"And he proposed, and you accepted."

"Not yet, but things are headed in that direction. This Thanksgiving I'm going down to the Keys to meet his parents. That's the next step. Frankly, that scares me a little."

"I hope it works out for you," Denise said with a wistful smile.

"It'll be difficult," Devlin said. "If he makes it to the majors, he'll be on the road a lot." She shrugged. "If he stays in Triple-A he'll be on the road a lot, too."

"You're a pretty self-sufficient girl," Denise said. "Oh, sounds like they're giving the starting line-ups."

The game proceeded in its usual fast-slow pattern. In the sixth inning, with the game tied, Evan came in from the bullpen. There were runners on first and second, with nobody out. The catcher was caught flat-footed on the first pitch as both runners advanced on a double-steal. Evan had the next batter at 1-2 when the guy squibbed one back to the mound. The hit and run may have been on, the runner on third broke with the pitch. Evan charged the ball, made an off-balance underhand throw to the plate, and the catcher blocked the plate, emerging from the collision still holding the ball for the out. On the play the runner on second advanced to third.

"Could have been worse," Devlin muttered. "1st and 3rd with one out."

"That was close," Denise agreed. They'd finished the first bowl of popcorn and were working on a second.

Evan got the next batter on a called third strike with his monster curve ball. And Bo made a spectacular diving catch of a little pop fly in left field that should have dropped for a hit that would have scored the runner from third.

"That's some baseball," Denise said. "First and second with nobody out, and they get out of the inning without letting a run across."

Devlin shook her hands. "I was squeezing so hard I almost cut myself with my nails," she said. "That was close."

A new pitcher came on in the eighth, but he couldn't hold the Charlotte Knights down. He walked the second batter he faced, and the man scored on a long fly ball to right and a throwing error. Their closer came in for the ninth, and it ended 3-2 with Charlotte advancing.

Devlin felt almost too exhausted to say anything. She was a little surprised to see the time.

"I didn't realize it was after midnight," she said. She automatically began to clean up.

"Don't," Denise said. "I'll get it."

"I should be going."

"You can stay," Denise said.

"No, Evan will call. He calls about an hour after the game is over."

"You're sure you'll be all right?" Denise asked.

"I'll be fine," Devlin said. "I'm not tired, I don't drink, and..." She smiled. "And the cops in this town are pretty good if you obey the laws."

"Be careful, though," Denise said. "Call me if you have any problems."

"I will," Devlin promised.

After all of that, the drive back to the dorms was anticlimactic. She had no sooner gotten to her room than the phone rang. It was too early for Evan. Curious, she picked up the phone.

"It's Denise, just checking that you got home."

"Yes, mother," Devlin laughed. "Seriously, though, I appreciate the call."

"Just my civic duty," Denise laughed. "You'll have to introduce him to me when you can."

"I will," Devlin promised. "I will." She glanced at the time. "I'd love to talk some more, but he should be calling in a few minutes."

"I get the hint," Denise said. "I'll see you tomorrow for the trial."

It somehow seemed fitting that the weather didn't cooperate for the trial. It was drizzling by the time the sun came up. It matched Evan's description of playing in Tacoma, a steady drip from the sky that made everything look gray. The radio didn't promise any relief, either. The clouds extended back over Iowa and the weather forecast was predicting rain off and on for the rest of the week.

Devlin had agonized over exactly what to wear. The first day of the trial had been jury selection, a boring process of people being questioned by the two lawyers and the judge. There were six of them, an even mixture of men and women. She hadn't had to testify, but figured that she would on the second day. On the first day she'd worn a conservative business suit: black skirt, black blazer, and her dark red, long-sleeved blouse, the one that fastened all the way up to the neck. She planned on dressing down for her testimony, just like the Judge had suggested.

On Wednesday she winced as she squeezed into her minimizer bra. She had ordered it with today in mind. It was guaranteed to squeeze her down at least two sizes. It felt like what she imagined the old-time corsets had been like, squeezing her hard enough she felt like she was being cut in two.

The rest of her outfit was very conservative, a dark blue blouse with long sleeves, but open at the neck where she showed a strand of fake pearls that matched her earrings, a black A-line skirt with the hem just at her knees; it flared just a little from the hips, drawing attention away from her legs, and black pumps with a gold clasp and a moderate heel. She left her blouse pulled out so her body wouldn't be highlighted by any tight clothes.

She'd gotten her hair cut at Marie's on Tuesday evening. Now she brushed it out and clipped it into place with a barrette.

She gave a final check of her make-up; thank God for waterproof mascara. "There," she said, turning from side to side, modeling for her roommate. "How do I look?"

"Like a professional businesswoman," Sarah replied. "If I didn't know better I'd swear you weighed 15 pounds more than you do. How did you come up with this look?"

"Well, when you're selling to other women, the bimbo look doesn't cut it." Devlin glanced at her watch. "Plus I had somebody give me some very direct advice about dressing for a jury.

Sarah nodded. "Good luck. Tell me how it goes."

"I'd rather be in class."

"I know what you mean."

The walk across campus made her wish she'd worn her boots. Her legs got wet, and she wondered what it was doing to her shoes. She shelved that thought when she got to the courthouse. Her mother was there, and after a quick hug, and a quick word with Trisha, the company lawyer, they got settled in the courtroom.

"Yesterday was so boring," Devlin told her mother, remembering the advice Judge Judy had given her. "It's not at all like on television."

Trisha nodded at that. "Justice can seem slow, but that's because they want to get it right." She smiled. "I got hooked on reruns of Perry Mason and those other lawyer shows. The reality was quite a shock, and somehow disappointing, which may explain why I do corporate law."

Devlin looked around. Denise was seated in the next row, along with the police officers who had been present during the ill-starred fitting. Across the aisle Jeff and Miss Pureheart--his wife she'd been told--were sitting together looking a bit apprehensive. Miss Pureheart was wearing a dark blue jumper with a white blouse. She was clearly pregnant. Devlin counted briefly. They had split up at the end of February. If they were married at the beginning of March, and if she got pregnant right away, which was certainly probable, then she should be nearly 6 months along. That meant Jeff hadn't been in her life for 6 months.

Jeff's mother came in and had a seat on the defendant's side of the railing. She looked, Devlin decided, like someone who had decided to suck a lemon and wasn't anticipating the experience with any pleasure.

Devlin caught Denise's eye. She motioned slightly toward Jeff's mother, and raised her eyebrows. Denise got up and walked over.

"She's not a defendant, is she?" Devlin asked.

"She is," Denise said. "She was served with a bench warrant at the end of May. She's been named as a co-conspirator in this case."

Devlin rocked back in her seat. "Did she... did she put them up to it?" That would explain who was paying them, but still left the question of why. She knew Jeff's mother hadn't really liked her, but she didn't think it went this far.

"That's what we're alleging." Denise shrugged. "We'll see if the jury buys it. I think they will, and so does the Prosecutor." She patted Devlin's shoulder and went back to her own seat.

Krissi slid in next to her, with Steve on the other side. "Some show," Krissi said, excitedly.

Devlin felt better with Krissi there. She gave her friend a smile. "You didn't miss much yesterday. I know it was necessary, but it dragged. It was a good lesson in civics, though. I think today will see the meat of the trial."

"You're testifying, aren't you?"

"That's what the Prosecutor said."

Krissi leaned over to whisper something to Steve. Devlin saw Danny and Sue enter the courtroom. Sue's pregnancy was obvious, now. Sue and Danny sat in the row right behind her.

"I didn't think you were going to make it," Devlin told Sue as she turned around.

"I got my check-up moved up to yesterday," Sue said.

"How are things going?"

"My back is holding up fine, and the baby's doing great," Sue said. "Nervous?"

"A bit."

The Bailiff entered and brought the jury in. When they were settled he made his announcement of the Judge. Everyone rose until the Judge got herself settled. After a series of preliminary remarks, the Prosecutor rose.

"Your Honor, the City will establish two things," she said. "First, what the situation was at the time of the break-in, and second, that the participants in these lingerie fittings had reasonable expectations of privacy. As our first witness we call Robert Soleit, Operating Manager of the Bloomington Athletic Club."

Mr. Soleit was of medium build, with a receding hairline and dressed in a smartly tailored gray suit. After establishing who he was for the record, the Prosecutor got right to the point.

"Does the Athletic Club rent rooms for business and sales meetings?"

"Yes it does. That is one of our major sources of incomes."

"Even for something like intimate apparel fittings?"

"Even that," he said. "We have rented rooms for that purpose for several years. We try to guarantee privacy for our members and their clients in matters like this. Obviously we failed this particular time."

"Do you rent the rooms on the upper floors, or are there other rooms you rent for something as intimate as this?"

"We used to rent rooms just off of the Women's Locker Room," he said. "But due to expansion of our facilities four years ago, we made the decision to rent the general purpose rooms. Because of what happened we have reversed that policy."

"Are there any special precautions you take to assure privacy?"

"We have special keys we issue for these rooms. We have two Master Keys in the Manager's Office. One will open every room but the three we have set aside for things like this. The other will open just those three. Further, the interior door in the room that turns it into a suite is sealed shut and the latch disabled."

"Is room 403 one of those rooms?"

"Yes it is."

"At the time of the break-in who was it rented to?"

"We have a year-long lease with Good Foundations," he said. He looked at Devlin. "We have issued one key to them, to their local sales and account representative."

"Is that person in the courtroom?"

"Yes, she is."

"Can you point her out?"

"Right there in the second row," he said, pointing at Devlin.

"Let the record show that he is indicating Ms. Devlin McCabe," the Prosecutor said. "Thank you, no further questions."

"No questions," the Defense Attorney said.

"The City would like to call Devlin McCabe."

Devlin swallowed. Krissi patted her hand as she got up. She was duly sworn in and settled in the witness box. She could feel her hands sweating. She noticed the little things around her: the modesty screen in the front of the witness box; the dark brown of the jury box and the judge's bench, the people staring at her from all around the room. She noticed that Jeff's mother was staring at her intently, and so was Jeff. She crossed her legs and tried to smile.

"Ms. McCabe, did you hold lingerie fittings in Room 403 of the Bloomington Athletic Club?"

"Yes, I did."

"Why did you pick the Athletic Club?"

"It was recommended to me by my company," she said. "Normally I do sales in someone's home, but with the hospitals here, and the colleges, the Athletic Club was a central location that everyone knew and could get to. My company had contacted the Athletic Club about leasing a room, and arranged all of the details."

"Are you satisfied with the privacy there?"

"Up until we were interrupted," Devlin said. "The staff at the Athletic Club had gone over the locks and things with me, and I was satisfied with the efforts they made."

"Do you normally lock the door before starting your fittings?"

Devlin nodded. "Yes I do. There are two locks on the door, the ordinary one, and a deadbolt. And I always made sure the door was closed and both of them were thrown."

The Prosecutor nodded. "Have you had many fittings at the Athletic Club?"

"Over the last two years I've had more than a dozen," Devlin said. "I have the exact number and dates in my appointment planner, if you care to see them."

The Prosecutor conferred briefly with the judge. "Does it include names of your customers?" the Judge asked.

"No, your Honor. There are things I have to do for one of these sessions, refreshments to get, signs to get made, fliers to put up, forms to order from the company. All of that is in my appointment book. The only time I record the customer's name is when I place an order, and I don't do that in my appointment book, I do that on the order forms."

"Would you explain further?" the Judge asked.

"I get their name, address and credit card information on an order form, they fill all of that out for me, then send that in, plus what they're ordering, as an electronic copy to the home office. There is a service with a secure communications link about a block from here that I use for that."

"Does the Athletic Club have something like that?"

"Not that I know of," Devlin said. "If they did I would use it. It would save the trip."

"Would you get your appointments planner?" the Judge asked. Devlin got it out of her purse and handed it to the judge. The Judge flipped through it, and then motioned the Defense Attorney and Prosecutor over.

After they looked at it for a bit the Judge turned back to Devlin. "Is there anything in here that is... customer sensitive or personal?"

"Other than my phone number in the dorm, and my mailing address, no."

"We would like to introduce this as Prosecution Exhibit #2," the Prosecutor said. "With the Court's permission, we will have a certified copy made."

"Go ahead," the Judge said.

The Prosecutor handed the appointment book to the Bailiff. "All right," she said. She glanced at the Defense Attorney. "What sort of lingerie do you sell, Ms. McCabe?"

"Mostly brassieres for woman with medical problems," Devlin said. "Most of my customers, maybe three out of every four, have had surgery or some other medical condition. We can fit a brassiere specifically to them. Most of my other customers cannot find a brassiere that fits them due to other problem."