CHAPTER 46

“Still no decision?”

Barry Lockett looked at Hennessy. “Mate, this is the worst part of a trial. It’s been two days and they still haven’t decided on the verdict.”

“I hate it too,”

Hennessy nodded as he rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows. “But it means there’s conflict in that courtroom. At least one person doesn’t agree with everyone else.”

Lockett flipped the two large tenderloin steaks on the grill.

The yard at the rear of the Lockett household was large, a sea of lush green grass. A breeze blew off the nearby river, bringing with it the smell of magnolia blossoms and the salty tang of the pluff mud.

Lockett’s grill under the back porch was an impressive set up. The grill had six burners and was next to a smoker and a pizza oven. He often said he loved to be outdoors and would take any opportunity to be outside, including cooking.

“This is the perfect Monday lunch,”

Hennessy said. He had spent the morning in the office drafting motions in his other cases when Lockett called and offered lunch. Hennessy couldn’t say no.

Being Australian, Lockett was known for his straightforward approach to grilling, or barbequing as he called it. He often said that a great cut of meat needs nothing more than a sprinkling of salt and the quick burn of a hot flame. Don’t overcomplicate perfection, he said.

“I’ve got a surprise for you,”

Lockett smiled as he wiped his hands on his black apron. He walked inside his house and returned with a small plate of brightly colored red meat. “I’m going to cook this for the family tonight, but I thought I’d give you a quick taste as an entrée for lunch.”

“What is it?”

“Roo.”

“As in… kangaroo?”

Lockett smiled. “That’s right, mate.”

“You eat your national emblem?”

Lockett laughed. “It’s one of the lowest-fat meats in the world. When it’s cooked right, it’s a dream.”

He took the steaks off the grill and rested them on a plate, covering them with aluminum foil and letting them simmer in their own juices for at least five minutes. He placed two thin strips of kangaroo meat on the grill, sizzled it for a moment, and then flipped it. He pressed it hard with his tongs, letting the juices sizzle onto the open flame. He removed the kangaroo and placed the two small pieces on a plate and handed it to Hennessy.

“Go on,”

Lockett smiled. “Taste a bit of Australia.”

Hennessy shrugged and speared the thin strip of meat with his fork. He took a small bite, chewing before nodding in approval. “It’s very gamey—almost like venison.”

“Tasty,”

Lockett said as he picked up the second piece with his fingers and dropped it into his mouth. “Hmm. The taste of home. One of the best.”

“I still can’t believe you eat kangaroo.”

Hennessy shook his head. “They’re such beautiful creatures.”

“Did you know Ernest Hemmingway was part kangaroo?”

Lockett smiled. “No joke. He had a car accident in the 1930s, and they repaired one of his tendons with a kangaroo tendon. That makes him part Australian. We welcome everyone in Australia, mate.”

Lockett unwrapped the two steaks and served one to Joe. They sat at the outdoor table, and under the warm South Carolina sun, they ate in silence, enjoying the flavor of the tender steaks. They occasionally made sounds of approval and nodded to themselves.

“Life is good,”

Lockett said after he finished his steak. “How do you think they’re leaning?”

“Hopefully not guilty,”

Hennessy confirmed as he wiped his mouth. “Juror five looks like he was convinced there wasn’t enough evidence to convict Palin, but if you’ve got eleven people arguing against you, it’ll wear you down.”

“If it’s a hung jury, think they’ll retry it?”

“It’s too high profile now. The prosecution wanted this trial to be a big news story, and they got their wish, but it might come back to bite them.”

“And Tilly and Fisher? What happens to them?”

“If Palin is found guilty, we’ll appeal based on Judge Clayton’s decision to reject the motion for a mistrial. If a new judge grants us a new trial, Tilly and Fisher won’t come back for it. It’ll be too dangerous for them.”

“And if Palin is found not guilty?”

“Then the prosecution is going to look like a group of fools. They’ll want a conviction for at least something related to this crime, and I imagine they’ll pressure Tilly and Fisher. If that’s the case, they’ll want to be as far away from Charleston as possible.”

Hennessy’s cell phone rang. He looked at the number. It was Jacinta. He answered the call, listened for a minute, and confirmed his understanding. After the call was finished, he placed his cell on the table and leaned back in his chair.

“They have a decision,”

Hennessy said. “It’s time to find out whether or not that scumbag walks away.”