Constance wanted him out as soon as possible, but she knew that wasn't likely. "We're going to find out about bail at the hearing. But it's not looking good. Prosecution wants a million dollars bail because of the nature of the case. I'm going to argue for less. I expect they'll settle for a half million."
Nick shook his head. "I haven't got that kind of money. Can I use a bail bond service?"
"Bail agents charge you ten percent. So even a half-million-dollar bail will cost you fifty thousand dollars to post."
Nick shrugged. "Like I said, I'm staying here."
Bail him out. She could afford it. But it would be a very unusual thing to do and could damage her impartiality. As if she had any left. But the fact was, she had to be neutral and leave him in jail.
"Listen to me, Mr. Veseli. . ."
He cut her off. "Please. Call me Nick, I need someone here who treats me like a person."
She wanted, more than anything, to treat him like a person. A good person, who was innocent of these serious charges. She would be crushed if her dream man turned out to be a dangerous criminal. But so far, her instincts told her that he wasn't.
She smiled at his request. "Fine with me, Nick. And you can call me Constance when we're here in conference. But when we're in a courtroom, please remember to call me Ms. Westerley."
Somewhat buoyed by the personal moment, she returned to business. "Now back to your case. Assuming that we can't get anything more from the drug company, we have to work with the current evidence against you. And the good news is that it's not very strong. None of the pictures have your fingerprints on them. Plus, you have no criminal record and a solid job as a school principal. I feel comfortable taking this case to trial because I think I can cast enough doubt to avoid a conviction. On the other hand, we can explore deals with the District Attorney's office that will avoid trial."
Nick inhaled noisily. "Of course none of those pictures has my fingerprints. I never touched them. I never even saw them. I'm innocent."
Constance spoke softly. "I believe you, Nick." At this point, she was almost completely sure of it. And as her doubts about his innocence melted away, her erotic dreams started to play again in her mind. Could he really be the man from her dreams?
She tamped down her excitement and resumed her professionalism. "Today's court appearance is just a preliminary hearing. It will go fast, and no conclusions will be reached. Just plead not guilty and we'll work from there."