The Child Comes First Read Online Free Page B

purpose.”
    Jayda spoke up. “Tiffany’s young, but she’s extremely smart. You don’t have to talk to her as if she’s a toddler. She’s a big fan of L.A. Law reruns on TV. Just try not to speak in that legalese her previous lawyer used and we’ll both be able to understand you.”
    â€œI know all about the people in the courtroom,” Tiffany said, sitting up a little straighter. “Besides the people you mentioned, and the judge, there’s also defense counsel, a bailiff and a stenographer and…”
    Jayda reached out and patted Tiffany’s hand, putting an end to the list.
    â€œI get the picture,” Simon said. Tiffany seemed to be an exceptionally intelligent child. And it made sense to him that she was happiest when she was talking about academic things she knew about. There’d been times when he hadn’t wanted to stay focused on the real world, either. But she had to know what was coming, no matter how frightening it might seem. “Okay, I’m going to give it to you straight.”
    He paused and looked hard at the girl. She held his gaze, waiting, probably resigned to a fate no eleven-year-old should have to imagine. “The prosecutor is going for second-degree murder. A guilty verdict could mean thirty years in prison.” Tiffany took this in without a quiver. Simon didn’t dare let his gaze drift toward Jayda. They both knew that a prison for adults—where she’d go if convicted as an adult—would make the juvenile detention center seem like Disneyland. He just went forward with the information. “If we go all the way to trial, I’ll make sure the judge gives the jury the option of manslaughter, too. If you were found guilty of that, it would mean two to ten years. Worst-case scenario would be about five years served.” Tiffany stared at him, wide-eyed and pale. Surely she’d heard this before, but maybe he’d been too blunt.
    This time, he couldn’t keep himself from glancing at Jayda. She wore almost the exact same stunned expression as Tiffany, even though this couldn’t have been the first time she’d thought about the girl serving time in prison. He gave them a few moments to process the information.
    â€œWhat do you mean, if we go to trial? Do I have a choice?” Tiffany asked.
    He remembered Jayda had been adamant that the girl should not cop a plea. But he wanted to hear what Tiffany would say. “The prosecutor will probably offer you a plea bargain, to save the government the expense of a lengthy trial. It would likely be a good deal, too, because no one wants this case reported in the newspapers any more than it has been already. The victim was very young and you’re pretty young yourself. He’ll decide it’s better not to drag this case through a trial, if he can avoid it.”
    She thought about this. Then she asked, “Would I have to agree that I killed Derek?”
    Simon exchanged a glance with Jayda. “Yes. You’d have to admit guilt.”
    She squinted her eyes at him and he glimpsed the stubborn, hardened side of her that was otherwise hidden by her sweet outward appearance. “But I didn’t do anything wrong,” she insisted. “I don’t know why he died.”
    â€œWell, there’s no evidence that anyone else could have hurt Derek, so the prosecutor may be able to convince the jury you did it on purpose, even if you say you didn’t.”
    She scowled at him. “I’m not just saying it. I really didn’t do anything to Derek that should have killed him. He fell over by himself. It’s not fair that my two choices are to go to prison or to pretend that I killed a little boy.” She began to nibble on the fingernail of her left pinkie. The action made her appear smaller, younger, more vulnerable.
    Jayda sat forward then. “There are more choices than that, Tif. That’s why we brought Mr.