Heat Wave

By Ayesha Haqqiqa

 

Sweat dripped down Jack McCoy’s face as he waited for the traffic jam to unsnarl itself.  He regretted taking his Yamaha to work; although it was only eight thirty, the temperature was already hovering around 80 degrees.  He lifted the visor on his helmet hand ran his shirtsleeve over his brow.  The stench of gasoline fumes nearly overwhelmed him, and he shut the visor quickly.  There had to be some way out of this mess.  Slowly, he eased his way between two cars, and towards the curb.  Once on the sidewalk, he turned off his engine and dismounted.

 

Walking the bike to work was a lot better than sitting in that traffic jam, he decided.  It was just as hot and sticky, but at least he was moving.  One block.  Two.  He was near Hogan Place now.

 

“What do you think you are doing?”  a voice said behind him.  Jack turned to see a uniformed cop frowning at him, ticket book in hand.  “You can’t operate a motor vehicle on the sidewalk!” 

 

Jack took off his helmet and rested it on the seat of his Yamaha.  “I don’t call pushing a motorcycle with the engine off operating a motor vehicle.”

 

“Yeah?  Well the statutes say different.”  The cop started writing.  “Name, please?”

 

“Jack McCoy.  Assistant District Attorney for New York Country.  And I believe you are wrong about the statute, officer—“ Jack leaned over and looked at the name tag—“Jenkins.  Is that Bob Jenkins or Harry?  I’ll want Lt. Van Buren to know.”

 

“Uh, sorry.”  The cop’s face had turned ashen as soon as Jack began his recital.  “Uh, you know, I think you’re right, it’s ok to walk a disabled vehicle here.  You go on your way—“ The cop turned and nearly ran to the corner.

 

Jack grinned.  Sometimes it was an advantage to be a DA. And sometimes it wasn’t.   He put his helmet back on and began pushing the bike towards Hogan Place, his mind on the workday ahead.  He had a meeting with Judge Wright at eleven, and he wasn’t looking forward to it.  He and the Judge rarely saw eye to eye on anything, but lately it seemed the man was deliberately baiting him. 

 

Oh well, don’t court trouble, as his mother used to say.  It will come soon enough on its own.  He reached the parking garage and went in.   He locked his bike and headed for the elevator.  Just then, the lights flickered and dimmed.

 

“Brownout.”  Simon Feldman, fellow EADA, said as he came from his car.  “Between the heat, the traffic, and the electrical problems, I’d say we’re in for an interesting day.”

 

“Speak for yourself, Simon,” Jack said as he stabbed the up button on the elevator.  “I have a feeling my day is going to be one from hell.”

 

“Well, you’ll have the temperatures for it,” Simon said as they waited.  “The radio said the high would be near 100, with about ninety percent humidity.  Wonder if the brownout affected the elevator.  It seems to be stuck.”

 

“It’s not coming down here, that’s for sure,” Jack said, viciously stabbing the button once again.  “I don’t need this today.  I have a meeting with Wright in his chambers at eleven.”

 

“My sympathy,” Simon said.  “You taking your new assistant along?  She might as well be initiated today.”

 

“Yeah,” Jack said.  “I have a feeling Serena’s opinion of His Honor will match our own.  This damned thing is never coming.  I’m taking the stairs.”

 

“I’m right behind you,” Simon said.  They opened the fire door and stepped into the stairwell and started climbing.  It grew hotter and hotter as they walked from the ground floor to the first, second, fourth…

 

“Thank goodness I need to do research today.”  Simon was puffing slightly and mopping his brow as they reached the sixth floor, where the law library was.  “I dread thinking how hot it will be by the time you get to the tenth.  Good luck today, Jack.”

Jack nodded and continued his journey alone.  It was getting hotter by the minute, and he longed to be in his office in the air conditioning.  But when he opened the fire door on Floor Ten, he was greeted with a blast of air no cooler than that in the stairwell.  Clerks were scurrying about, placing fans in strategic locations.

 

“What happened?”  Jack asked one of them as she went by.

 

“Brownout tripped something in our cooling system,” she said.  “We’re on fans for the duration.”

 

Jack walked to his office and threw his helmet on the shelf.  The air was stifling, so went down to Nora’s office.  Nora, in sleeveless dress, was directing her secretary on the placement of a floor fan. 

 

“Sorry, Jack,” she said.  “I’ve sent Crocker down to nab as many fans as he can.  He’ll bring one up to your room as soon as possible.  Meanwhile, the dress code is out the window.  Do whatever you need to do to keep cool.”

 

Jack nodded and rolled up his sleeves and unbuttoned three buttons of his shirt.  “Wish I could take it off,” he said.  The secretary looked at him and sighed as she left.  Jack looked after her and shook his head.  He turned to Nora.  “I’ve got a meeting with Judge Wright at eleven on the Crawford case,” he said.  “I’m taking Serena with me.  She might as well get initiated to the worst of the judicial system early on in her career.”

 

“Between the heat and William Wright, Serena will probably rue the day she left research and came upstairs,” Nora said. 

 

Jack nodded, and left.  He went back to his office.  Crocker hadn’t returned with a fan, and Jack found that he couldn’t breathe unless he left both his doors open.  So he took his suit trousers from the rack and went down the hall to the men’s room. 

 

There was no one there, and Jack slid out of his jeans quickly.  It was still very hot.  He unbuttoned his shirt, then took it off.  He filled the sink with cold water and splashed it over himself.  Then, on impulse, he plunged his head in.

 

That proved to be a mistake.  Water splashed on the floor, and Jack jumped back.  Water dripped down his body, and he used many paper towels to try and dry himself off.  He was only partially successful.  Cussing, he pulled on his suit trousers and shirt, which he left untucked and unbuttoned as he grabbed his jeans and strode down the hall.  He was hanging up his jeans when Serena came in.  Self-conscious, he hastily buttoned a few buttons as his new ADA pretended not to notice.

 

“I think I’m ready for the meeting with Judge Wright,” she said as he sat behind his desk.  “I have briefed every plea Arthur Gold has presented.”  She handed Jack a thick sheaf of papers.

 

Jack raised his brows.  “We’ll use these if we need to,” he said.  “Wright is known to be very hard on prosecutors.”

 

“Maybe he won’t be as hard if he sees me in this,” Serena smiled.  It was then that Jack realized she had on a sleeveless sundress.

 

“Knowing Joe Wright, it will be a good idea to wear a jacket over that,” he said.  “He’s a bully, and he’ll want to put you on the defensive as soon as possible.  The best thing you can do is to keep a low profile.”

 

“It seems to me that it would better to let Wright know I won’t be pushed around,” Serena argued.

 

“That may be so, but not today,” Jack replied testily.  “He’ll take it out on our case, and that’s what’s important, not our personal feelings.”

 

“But judges are supposed to be impartial!” Serena said.

 

“Welcome to the real world,” Jack answered.  He stood up.  “I’ve got to make myself presentable now.”  He began tucking his shirt in.  “I’m prepared to be uncomfortable if it means Gold doesn’t get his pleas granted.”

 

Jack mopped his brow with his handkerchief before he and Serena entered Wright’s chambers.  Jack was glad he was wearing his suit and tie, because as they came in, the judge was admonishing Arthur Gold, who was wearing a sports shirt and slacks.

 

“This sort of dress is not appropriate for my chambers,” Wright said as he rolled up his shirtsleeves.  “I expect a coat and tie when you come here.  I might let you take off the jacket, but never the tie.  Oh, hello counselors.  Glad to see you are properly dressed.  Sit down, and let’s get this meeting over.”  Wright made no move to give Jack permission to remove his coat, so he sat up straight on the wooden chair, keeping away from the back.  “Judge Wright, this is my new assistant, Serena Southerlynd.”

 

Wright looked her over.  “Just sit there and listen,” he instructed.  “You’re bound to learn something.”  He turned back to the men.  “All right, Mr. Gold, you say here that the gun should not be allowed in evidence because the search warrant was faulty.  I believe that it is well established that when a search warrant uncovers items that are illegal, those items are admissible as evidence, even if they aren’t specifically covered in the warrant.”

 

“But Judge, they just seized the gun.  They didn’t ask to see a gun permit, or—“

 

“And would they have found one?” Jack put in.  “Since your client is a convicted felon, mere possession of a weapon is a violation.”

 

“But it wasn’t his gun,” Gold persisted.  “It belonged to his mother!”

 

“Who had not lived at that address for over a year,” Jack replied.  “The apartment was in sole possession of her son, Juan Crawford, the defendant.”

 

Wright looked at Gold.  “He’s got you there, Counselor.  The gun stays in.  Next?”

 

“Mr. McCoy has on his witness list a Detective Morales.  He was my client’s arresting officer when he was found in possession of cocaine.  My client pled guilty on that charge, and served his time.  Anything Morales says will be irrelevant and immaterial to the present case.”

 

Wright looked at McCoy.  “Aren’t you running far afield with this, Counselor?  What can Detective Morales say that involves this present case?”

 

“Plenty,” Jack said.  “He can tell how Crawford swore he’d take his revenge out on anyone who helped put him in prison.”

 

“Wild talk of an angry boy, and it took place four years ago!  Besides, it’s hearsay,” Gold argued.

 

“Statement against interest,” Jack said.  “The threats were made, and the jury needs to know that.”

 

“But four years ago,” Wright argued.  “Surely you can find witnesses who heard the defendant make similar statements closer to the present day.”

 

“Doesn’t matter, Your Honor,” Serena cut in.  “People vs. Trask—“

 

Wright gave the ADA a withering glance.  “I am aware of People v. Trask.  It does not cover this situation.”  He looked at Jack.  “Mr. McCoy, find someone else.  This witness’s testimony goes too far back.  Words could have been forgotten, meanings misconstrued.”

 

“I wish you’d have listened and not talked,” Jack said as he and Serena left the building.  “Wright doesn’t like someone bucking him, and tends to rule against them.” 

 

Serena peeled off her jacket.  “Well, Jack, I don’t call you arguing with him over the use of psychological expert testimony meekly kowtowing to His Honor.”

 

“That’s different.  I know the man, and how far I can go with him.”

 

“Then that explains why he ruled for the defense in that motion,” Serena said.

 

 Jack glared at her, and then jerked off his tie and put it in his jacket pocket.  Then he took off the jacket and flung it over his shoulder.  “It’s too hot to discuss this now,” he said.

 

Serena wisely said nothing more, and they were soon back at Hogan Place. Without a word to Jack, she went to her desk as Jack continued on to his office. The air conditioning was still not working, but at least a large floor fan had been installed in Jack’s office, near his clothes rack. Sighing, he hung up his jacket, and then turned on the fan.  The air was warm, but cooler than the still, dead air had been.  He unbuttoned his shirt and held it out so that the breeze went over his bare chest.

 

“Looks like you’re finally cooling off,” a voice said from the doorway.  Jack turned to see Nora standing there.  She smiled as he pulled his shirt together.  “I hope that the meeting with Judge Wright went well.”

 

“Nothing to write home about,” Jack admitted.  Serena stood up to him, so we lost a motion.”

 

“Taking her cue from you, I’m sure,” Nora said as she sat down.

 

 Jack buttoned his shirt and sat behind his desk.  He ran his hands through his hair, leaned back, and sighed.

 

“The trouble with you, Nora, is that you know me too well,” he said.  “How long before the air conditioning is fixed?”

 

“They say tomorrow.  But the temperatures are still supposed to be in the nineties, so I won’t be surprised if we have another hot day.  I’m thinking of letting everyone leave early.  Why don’t you go home and really cool off, Jack?”

 

“I might take you up on that,” Jack said.  If he left now, he’d beat the rush hour.  He could go sit under his window air conditioner and forget the day.  “I’ve got to talk to Serena, and then I’ll go.”

 

“Good idea,” Nora nodded. 

 

Jack made his way to Serena’s desk.  Her head was down; she appeared to be studying some papers. 

 

“Really, you didn’t do bad today,” he said.  She looked up.  He cleared his throat and went on.  “Judge Wright deserves to know from the outset that you’re not the kind to be pushed around.”

 

“Thanks,” Serena sighed.  “Now if only it would get cooler!”

 

“Look, Nora said we could leave early.  You’ve got your work caught up?”

 

“Yes,” Serena looked at him, puzzled.

 

“Then let me take you home,” Jack said.  “You live on 35th Street, right?  Well, so do I—a few blocks further down.”  He laid the extra helmet on her desk.  “Care to go for a ride?”

 

“Well—“ Serena looked at the helmet, then at Jack.

 

“It’s just a ride,” he said gently.  “Whatever you’ve heard about my reputation--”

 

“Ok”, she said, after some reflection.  “Let me put away these.”  She scooped the papers from her desk.

 

Soon Jack and Serena were riding down the avenue, heading home.  The heat was still stifling, but at least the traffic was light.  Children were opening up hydrants and dancing in the water.  Jack shook his head.  He knew it was illegal, but that cool water looked tempting.

 

Just then, a dark sedan swerved to the curb, and a figure got out of the back.  He strode menacingly towards some children who were using wrenches to try and open another hydrant.  Jack slowed down to watch what happened, and pointed the scene out to Serena.

 

The man began arguing with the children, who ringed themselves around him.  He apparently didn’t realize that the wrench had been passed back to a couple of kids who stood near the hydrant.  The water burst forth, hitting him right in the middle.  He sputtered, and the children laughed and scattered.  Jack chuckled and gave the Yamaha some gas.

 

“You saw?”  he asked Serena when he let her off at her apartment.

 

“Yes,” she laughed.  “I thought I was going to fall off the bike, I laughed so hard.  I’d say Judge Wright got exactly what he deserved.”

 

“At least now he knows that a certain element of the public thinks his opinions are all wet,” Jack grinned. 

 

“Don’t you want to come in for some iced tea or something?” Serena said.

 

Jack thought, but then shook his head reluctantly.  “Better get home and get cool,” he said.  “Let’s hope the heat wave ends tomorrow.”

 

Serena watched as he rode off.  “In a way, I hope that heat wave never ends,” she said wistfully.

 

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