Caray, Caray!

• Juan and Fernanda shared a romantic moment after his mother had retired to her room.
  
  
  
• The following day Juan José Durán handed Leticia an envelope with prescription information and a report from his psychologist, per her earlier request. She skimmed the report, noting that he had been diagnosed with depression caused by frustration and an inferiority complex. She planned to make the argument that this made him vulnerable to fraudulent advertising. She gave him documents to read before they go to court.
  
  
  
• Carlos and Alan were on their way to the hearing to get El Ciego out of jail. Right up to the moment they were still in conflict over this client and what this would mean for their future. Both knew that they would have to face the press at some point, perhaps that day. Carlos claimed never to be mistaken and that Alan should trust him. Alan was not so sure.
  
  
  
• Leticia told her client that she would first have to go to the courthouse to see if their case was viable. Señor Durán was hoping for this because he felt deceived and had paid out large sums of money for no result. Leticia told him that they would need to prove that the advertising was deceptive. Also, that she would keep him informed and that her compensation would be a percentage of any judgement won. He was satisfied with this, saying he was glad she took his case. He signed the documents and rose to leave. He grinned at Leticia as he shook her hand and continued to do so as he backed out of her office.
  
  
  
• If he had only written to Dear Abby or Dear Prudence he could have saved himself the trouble. Surely they would have told him that a new wardrobe, better grooming, and better manners could be the answer to his problem.
• Olivia entered Leticia's office with a file just as the client left. Olivia told Leticia she should have asked Alonso's opinion before taking him on as a client. Leticia resented this, angrily saying that they had always had differing opinions on cases and prodecures.
  
  
  
• Nicolás told Roberto about Astrid, which amused him. There actually was a woman who could say “No” to his father! He advised his father to accept this rejection. That did not appear to be his usual way of things and he said he needed to find a new strategy. As they parted company for the day it was obvious whom Roberto learned his seductive ways from.
  
  
  
• Carlos spoke to El Ciego through the bars of the holding cell, telling him not to react to anything and to leave it all to him. The court clerk called the room to order as the judge was arriving. Juge Marrufo took his place behind the desk, announced that he would hear the case of Aureliano Martínez, aka El Ciego, and looked at the accused. He politely told him to remove his glasses. When he failed to comply the first time the judge shouted this as an order. At his hesitation the judge closed his file and told him he had the choice of taking off his glasses or the case would be postponed. Carlos nodded to his client. El Ciego complied, but with an attitude. He knew that Carlos had been watching him. Carlos stood and presented his case. His client had been arrested on an assumption, without proof, and everyone had the right to a presusmption of innocence. El Ciego looked up at the proceedings. The judge watched both men.
  
  
  
• This all began to sound like Al Capone being arrested for tax fraud after many failed attempts at making other charges stick. Sometimes even honest judges allow such things.
  
  
  
• Astrid was reading a book at one of the garden tables when Nicolás arrived with a single perfect red rose. He presented it to her in the hope she would change her opinion of him. She was unimpressed. In fact her reaction was of such cold annoyance that he may have dug himself in deeper. She got up, saying she was going to find another place where she could read in peace. A nurse appeared in her wake and Nicolás told her that his attempt at peacemaking didn't work. He asked whether the nurse knew what Astrid liked. The nurse told him that Astrid liked classic movies and chocolates. Nicolás said that no woman had ever been able to resist him and that Astrid would not be the first. He handed the rose to the nurse and asked her to put it in water and leave it in Astrid's room.
  
  The nurse agreed to do this, amused by his determination.
  
  
  
• The prosecution called a policeman as a witness. After he was sworn in the prosecutor asked about the arrest, which was at the edge of the city. The accused was in a car that didn't have license plates. There was another person with him. The firearm was found upon inspection of the car. Carlos asked if he could ask the witness a question and the judge allowed him to. He asked in what part of the car the gun was found. He replied that it was in the trunk. The next question was whether the car was registered in the accused's name and the officer did not remember. There was no force. Carlos let the witness go and then said that the car didn't belong to his client and that his client's fingerprints were not on the gun found in the trunk. He therefore didn't know why they were there. This was an abuse of authority. The prosecutor brought up the suspicion that the accused was connected to nacotics trafficking. Carlos siad that this was not proof and that there was no proof of a link to the gun. The prosecutor said that this was the first time they had been able to arrest El Ciego. Carlos accused the prosecution of holding his client until they could charge him with something big. Both done, the judge declared a brief recess so he could review. Carlos and Alan looked at each other.
  
  
  
• Ricardo was getting increasingly impatient for results. Leonardo came in to tell him that there was no news yet on whether any of the three frat boys had been arrested. He speculated that they had possibly left the country. Ricardo couldn't take this. How was he going to face Alexa and tell her that her attackers were free?
  
  
  
• The judge declared El Ciego innocent and ordered his immediate release. He then adjourned the court and left. The prosecutor went up to Carlos and said “You have no idea what you just did.”
  “If I have an idea, it's Justice.”
  As the room cleared out Carlos walked up to the holding cell and his very happy client who said “This is the beginning of a good friendship.” and a little more in that vein.
  Alan still looked apprehensive.
  
  
  
• Carlos should have had a very bad vibe from this entire proceeding, but since he has consistently failed to see that Alejandra is no longer enamored of him perhaps he had begun slipping in his professional instincts as well.
  
  
  
• Ricardo's blood was boiling over this case. Leonardo told him he had to be patient about it, knowing that Ricardo hadn't had a case like this before. He was afraid of failing. He already imagining that the rapists' families wou;d hide them. Leonardo told him that whatever they do, the guilty will pay.
  
  
  
• Alfredo Cervantes of La cuidad entered the courtroom and asked Carlos why he got involved with a narcotics dealer. Carlos played his own false arrest and prison cards by way of explanation, one he had made (too) many times. He is doing for others what Roberto Morelli had done for him. He was becoming a broken record.
  
  
  
• Jaime visited Alejandra at her office and they talked about how she felt about working there. She told him that it was a good place to work, Alonso was a great boss, and she felt that her opinions were respected there. However, he knew that there was a reason she had called him. She told him that Carlos had sold the apartment and given her a check for half the money. She wasn't sure what to make of all this. She was hurting from everything that happened.
  
  
  
• Tatiana called Juan to tell him she was ready to talk about Patricia. She invited him to come to her apartment. He agreed. She looked very happy about that.
  
  
  
• Alejandra told her father that Carlos had hurt her very badly. He also had been changing since his release from the prison. She was thinking about what an effort this must be for him. Jaime understood all of this. Prison does change people and he understood her pain. However, despite Carlos taking on pro bono cases and starting a foundation for abused women and giving her space to make up her mind, she could not forgive him his infidelity. Jaime told her she should not feel bad about this because Carlos did hurt her very seriously. She was afraid of having been too hard on him but Jaime told her that maybe she was rushing this. She was the only person who could decide whether to forgive him or not. She was to be the author of her own happiness, nobody else. She had to take all the time she needed to decide. She thanked him and told him she loved him. He smiled and asked her what she wanted to do with the money.
  
  
  
• Nicolás was playing the upright piano when the orderly came in. He approached him to ask for help on a new project, a new reading group. He asked for author recommendations.
  
  
  
• Victoria and Ricardo talked about the case. She was incensed, saying that she would be calling the police every day for updates. She wished she could do more because of what they had done. She offered to help by talking to Alexa and getting the right therapist for her. She knew a specialist. Ricardo told her he would talk to Hugo. Victoria then said that although this was neither the time nor the place she had to talk to him about Alejandra. He said that he was keeping his distance because things had been going well between her and Carlos.
  
  
  
• Carlos and El Ciego walked out together and the press was outside waiting for them. They shoved microphones at them and asked questions. Carlos took all the responsibility and talked about the inefficiency of the justice system and arrests without proof, finally emphasizing that everyone has the right to a good defense.
  
  
  
• Juan arrived at Tatiana's apartment She told him that Alan had arranged the bachelor party. She had met him once before in a threesome with Patricia prior to his request to entertain at a bachelor party. When they heard that Carlos Ibarra would be the honoree they anticipated being paid very well for the evening. Since Patricia's death there hadn't been much money coming in. Juan asked what had happened. She answered that when they arrived there was quick chemistry between Patricia and Carlos so they left them alone when Alan suggested it. The other girls were all from various clubs. Since that time she had offers for similar solo jobs but turned them down. They all left on their own, leaving Carlos and Patricia together. She went to a room with Alan and later fell asleep. When she woke up she decied to see Patricia and the door to her room was open. She went inside and found her in the bed. She tried to wake her up, assumed she was passed out from too much alcohol, then felt under her nostrils and detected no air. She called for help and was told Patricia was dead.
  
  
  
• On their way out of Alejandra's office they ran into Ricardo, who was happy to see his professor. Gladhanding and congratulatory comments happened when Jaime talked about Alejandra's praises of the firm and Ricardo commenting on how talented she is. They decided to visit Alonso and off they went to his office.
  
  
  
• Tatiana cried as she told Juan she spoke with the police. He asked if there were any dangerous clients or enemies. She told him that all Patricia's clients liked her and she was a likeable person. She was, however, going to stop working because she was getting married.
  
  
  
• The three went into Alonso's office and Jaime commented that his days are less hectic now because all he does is teach. Alonso made comments about “students today”. Ricardo and Alejandra then left them alone to catch up.
  
  
  
• Juan asked about Patricia's relationship with her fiancé. Tatiana said that it was strange. They always met out on the street. He was never told what she did for a living. If she had to work she would tell him she had a previous engagement with friends or something like that. Patricia seemed afraid of something. Tatiana was never told of any violence in their relationship but the last time she saw Patricia she appeared to be having doubts that her fiancé would be able to support her in the manner to which she had become accustomed. There was no big money. She herself had never met the man in person and had only seen photos. She only knew his first name – Pedro – and that he lived in the city after having come from Acapulco, but nothing else.
  
  
  
• If Tatiana was telling the truth Patricia could have been doomed because of that lie of omission. If she was not, what else was she hiding? And where were those photos?
  
  
  
• Alejandra and Ricardo walked down the corridor talking about her father and Ricardo brought up the subject of their relationship. Before they could start that conversation Leonardo ran toward them with good news: One of the rapists has been arrested in Aguas Calientes. Ricardo said he would go with him to the station. Leonardo ran to get his briefcase. Aleandra went back to her office.
  
  
  
• Juan entered Roberto's office and delivered the interesting information about Patricia's engagement. Roberto wasn't too quick to believe it because Tatiana had been so nervous through all this. Why would that be if she had nothing to hide? Juan looked as though he felt very foolish.
  
  
  
• El Ciego and his henchman arrived at Carlos' office. After the standard Mafia greeting El Ciego sat down as his flunky put two briefcases on the desk, both filled with cash.
  
  One was Carlos' fee and the other a gift “in the name of friendship.” It was meant to be an ofer Carlos couldn't refuse in exchange for becoming his lawyer from that day forward.
  “I hope that you don't get into any other problems,” Carlos said.
  El Ciego laughed, as did his flunky. He pointed at Carlos. Carlos began laughing, too. It was hard to tell what he was really thinking at that point. El Ciego talked about wanting his people to be able to work in peace and having a lawyer who can handle things well.
  
  As he was getting ready to leave Carlos looked as though the prosecutor's question was top of mind.
  
  
  
• Ricardo and Leonardo went down to the police station. One of the rapists was being brought in, already accompanied by his lawyer. Ricardo confronted him, demanding to know why he did this and telling him he will pay for his crime. The little punk just looked at him as though he were a nobody he could just step on.

Labels: ley

Permalink posted by Urban Anthropologist @ 11:04 PM