Steel City Confidential by Anne Hagan
Hear Steel City Confidential by Anne Hagan @AuthorAnneHagan narrated by Ann Etter @jacesdill on this episode of Book Clips, the mini podcast that gives listeners a taste of a book.
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Steel City Confidential by Anne Hagan
Publisher Jug Run Press LLC
Synopsis
Clients hide things from their lawyers all the time. Pam Wilson makes it an art form.
Pam’s been on the run from the law for years and she was getting away with it. The statute of limitations ran out on most of her crimes. For her spouse Charlotte? Not so much. Though they were aging, they looked forward to enjoying their golden years and, hopefully, forgetting about the past.
Life got complicated when Charlotte became gravely ill, their daughter got pregnant with the child of a married man…a married man someone took shots at from a rare motorcycle Pam happens to own. When the man was shot again and killed in his office at Pitt a couple of weeks later, the police found all signs pointing to Pam.
Rochelle ‘Ro’ Rabinowitz, a second-generation Pittsburgh lawyer, and her little firm take on Pam’s case pro-bono. Ro thinks it’s a slam dunk for the defense and hands the case off to her new associate and – she hopes – her future partner in the firm, Dominique, to get her feet wet in a courtroom. Clients are never completely honest with their lawyers and Ro and Dominque soon learn this one is no exception.
Slam dunk? More like a pipe dream…
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Transcript
please note this transcript has not been edited and is automatically generated meaning certain words will be incorrect.
you are listening to book clips a mini podcast in which authors and erasers do readings from novels check out the show notes for the synopsis and buy links for this book
Steel City confidential an excerpt by Anne Hagan narrated by Ann Etter chapter one Monday July 2nd 2018 Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas Rachelle Rabinowitz wrote to her family and friends put her hand on her clients shoulder half turning her she looked her in the eyes and reminded her one last time you don’t have to do this you can still take the fifth Pamela Wilson broke the eye contact and looked down as she tugged at the sleeves of her jacket I know but it’s the only way she rose and walked on steady feet toward the witness stand please raise your right hand and repeat after me the bailiff intoned I swear that the evidence that I shall give shall be the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God a lump formed in her throat she swallowed hard and repeated the oath then hands on the rail sat down and perched on the edge of the witness seat row rows at the defense counsel table and addressed her client please state your name for the record Pamela Wilson objection forgetting all courtroom to quorum row world on a heel and shot the prosecuting attorney Declan powers a bewildered look mr. powers the judge was confused is there something I should know counsel asked the witness her name Your Honor the witness is not telling the truth counsel approach row side and started to move around the edge of the table it’s all right judge your Pamela interrupted I swore to tell the truth and I will she swallowed again positioned herself a little deeper into the chair and prepared to tell the story she’d been hiding for 28 years Rowe nodded to her client to the judge and then took her seat she knew Judge mercy Leo was as intrigued as the jury sitting up in their chairs all eyes glued to the witness box she wasn’t going to be needed for at least a couple of minutes my real name is Thelma Dickinson most people everyone who knew me back in my former life thinks I died in a fiery car accident in 1991 when me and my best friend drove in her car over the rim of the Grand Canyon I didn’t I didn’t die that is Here I am I didn’t die that day and I didn’t commit this crime I’m being objection sustained stick to the questions being asked MS Dickinson is it Thelma nodded yes speak up for the record please yes Thelma Dickinson I I apologize your honor her eyes started to row what was the question Rolle got back on her feet I request a recess to confer with my client objection powers called out counsel has had plenty of time to confer with Miss Dickinson the witness is speaking of her own free will counsel approach both of you Marci Leo turned on the white noise machine and watched as both attorneys came toward him Rabinowitz as always was imposing in her whatever she wore today it was a navy blue skirt suit he’d been away from the bench for a while but he wasn’t surprised to see a little had changed he wondered if she knew she always wore that suit on the day she expected a defendant to take the stand he could read her like clockwork such nice she thought too bad power started to spout off as soon as they reached the bench mercy leo held up a hand to steal him his eyes narrow accusing he directed his first question to RO did you know about this she knew it was better to be upfront with him yes I found out a couple of days ago and you told opposing counsel no your honor that would be a breach of attorney-client privilege might I remind you a murder is in question here and now I find out your client has been living outside the law for apparently quite a number of years who knows where this rabbit hole is going to lead us powers nodded his head throughout the judges tirade ever the yes-man I’m well aware of all that Your Honor no matter her real name or how she came to be using an assumed one my client is innocent and I intend to prove it I admire your chutzpah Ms Rabinowitz I’m not so sure about your common sense however you might want to consider asking for a continuance or I don’t know his tone became haughty seeking a mistrial maybe pleading her out you’ve got a jury sitting over there looking at her like she’s a piece of steak row resented the insult to her knowledge and skill par for the course with these guys my record speaks for itself she wasn’t worried about the jury if everyone is ready I have a witness on the stand she told them it’s your grave Declan hissed at her under his breath as they walked away from the dice chapter two late summer 2017 north rim Grand Canyon National Park Hal took off his hat and mopped his brown with a bandana he pulled from his day pack he stuffed the bandana in his pocket dusted the hat against his leg and replaced it below him the trail snaked along a few tourists had passed during the day now casting a glance that way a couple a man and a woman were picking their way off the trail coming toward him he watched them for a few seconds longer than he’d normally give up precious time – there were still several hundred yards away it would be another 15 minutes before they picked their way up through the rock debris to reach him he shook his head damn nosey tourists stay away leave me be turning back to the rock face he scanned the surface in front of him set a hook and attached a piece of string he marked the location of the tiny hook with a piece of red cloth that done he I bawled a meter of length and set another hook to his right then repeated the process moving further to the right adding a piece of red cloth every four or five hooks by the time the couple were within easy shouting distance he’d mapped out the uppermost portion of the grid squares he intended to search that week hey old-timer the man called out Hal sneered at the term but didn’t turn to the man you okay up there you lost names Hal and I’m fine he glanced over to his left to see both hikers inspecting his string line don’t mess with that he warned them that’s some kind of guideline the woman asked she was somewhat younger than her companion and she had a sweet voice Hal turned sideways then and gave her a half smile you could say that it’s a starting point starting point for what the man asked nosing and again it’s hot out here too hot for you just what kind of game are you playing old man old man now I told you the name is Hal he looked the man up and down how old are you 44 I’m George people call me Geo I’ll bet they do short for George short for geodes my hobby you won’t find any of those out here Hal said he looked at the woman she was more perceptive than he would have given her credit for that you’re wondering how old I am when he didn’t answer she said I’m 22 his eyes flickered back to George he hopes they registered his disgust she’s my daughter George said just graduated from college we’re taking a little walking tour of her future laboratory I was a geology major just got on with the Park Service good for you wish you the best of luck Hal said he even meant it she doesn’t look anything like you have you got permission to be out here setting hooks in the rock faces George asked as he butted back in Hal nodded yep permit null do this in this area same time every year almost every year anyway the woman stood back and inspected his line are you blocking off a grid use some sort of archaeologist I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name it’s actually in the nor but I go by Leah well Leah though I do say alike Lenore you’re right it is a grid but I’m not an archaeologist I’m a retired cop George’s eyes narrowed what’s going on Hal should we be concerned nothing’s going on not anymore George wasn’t about to back off then what are you looking for carcasses Leah was taken aback George thought he misunderstood the man a beg your pardon I said carcasses you know bone skeletons skulls that sort of thing like dinosaurs or something Leah asked Hal shook his head human natives dope outlaws two women wanted for murder Steel City confidential an excerpt by an Hagin narrated by an adder you have been listening to book clips check out the show notes for the synopsis and by links for this book if you are interested in showcasing your novel then check out the show notes for more information [Music]
