“No. We were there all night. I didn’t know what to do; the detective made it sound like he could really get me in trouble.” Talia turned so she was facing Alexandra. “I’m sorry I lied to you.”
Alexandra brushed off her concern. Intimidating a young, scared girl whose boyfriend was facing serious charges? She’d have lied, too.
“Who was the detective?” Alexandra wrote down the name, putting a visit to the asshole on top of her to-do list. “I’m going to fix it. I promise.” There was no other option. She wouldn’t be able to look these two in the eye if she didn’t get Corey out of jail for these charges. The justice system was run by people and therefore subject to the same human fallacies as anything else, but they would not get this wrong. These two were not going to be victim to the same system. “But I need you to tell me everything. I don’t care if it’s something you feel is a miniscule detail and don’t think it’s relevant. It’s all important unless I say it’s not.”
“Okay.” Talia went through their entire day, elaborating when Alexandra asked follow-up questions. It took them about an hour to go through all the information, but when they were done, Talia appeared more confident than when she came in. The tears were dried and a definitive set of her shoulders signaled her willingness to fight. “So, what happens now?”
“You’re going to go home, because Corey should be out any time now on bond. I’m going to check into some aspects of your story and get back to you guys. I don’t want you to worry about it; I just want you to worry about you and the baby. You got it?”
Talia nodded. She gave Alexandra a hug, squeezing as though her life was in danger and Alexandra was her only lifeline. In some ways, she was, since these two had little resources and she was the last stop on the disillusionment express.
“Two more things,” Alexandra told Talia as she walked her out. “If the detectives want to talk to you again, say nothing and call me, because you can’t go into another meeting without a lawyer.”
“But I…” Talia stopped, gulping before starting again. “There’s no way we can pay for that.”
“You aren’t paying. Consider it a twofer since I’m working with Corey. Call me if you need anything.” Alexandra handed her the card with her information. “Last thing. If you lie to me again, I will make what just happened in there look like child’s play. You got me?”
Talia exhaled, her eyes wet. “Yes. Sorry about that.”
Alexandra put her arm around her, rubbing her back. “Not a problem. You’re not the first person who’s lied to me, and you won’t be the last. But that better be the last lie I hear from you about this case. I’m on your side, I need you to work with me, not against me.”
“Are you a bitch in the courtroom?” Talia asked before pressing the button for the elevator.
Alexandra chuckled. “I could lie and say no, but who am I kidding? Lucky for you guys since I’ll be ruthless in my defense of Corey.” She winked, waving goodbye as Talia stepped into the elevator.
She was working on a post-Talia high, especially once Karen confirmed most of the information Talia had given was true; they were just waiting on three people to get back to them. It still didn’t exonerate Corey, since he and Talia were the only ones who could vouch he stayed home after the doctor’s appointment, but it was a start.
If her meeting with Franklin was as productive she’d be thrilled, but he’d been cantankerous every time she’d spoken with him so she wasn’t holding her breath.
Speak of the devil. Alexandra was eager to get this meeting with Franklin Williams over and done with so he’d be out of her hair until trial, so she asked Karen to lead him to the conference room. Most of their conversations were over the phone about the case, but she needed to make sure he was going to be able to hold up in court if she had to call him on the stand. It was the only reason she’d agreed to the meeting in the first place. Just as she grabbed the folder containing the information about his case, her office door opened and Franklin Williams burst in as though he owned the place. What the hell?
He focused on her while his smile overtook his face. It reminded her of a villain in a superhero movie, with the flashy teeth and smile stretched too wide before he gutted you with a knife. “I hope you don’t mind, but I don’t want to meet in the conference room. I prefer the intimate setting of an office.” He sat down in front of her, propping his left leg on his opposite knee and folding his hands back behind his head. Something was off about him. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she didn’t trust him. He was too polished, too charismatic. She put the folder back on her desk, pulling out the legal pad with the notes for his case.
“Mr. Williams, I called you because I wanted to go over the information for your case next week one more time.”
“I don’t care why you called me; I know you’ll handle it. You are Marcus Kane’s daughter, after all.” He leaned forward, his hand on the picture of her parents before she realized, studying the photo. His finger caressed the glass while he stared at it like a creeper.
“Mr. Williams, I’d appreciate it if you would put the picture down.” He blew out an exaggerated breath and slammed the frame down with more force than necessary. Alexandra jerked back at the bang. His eyebrows arched at her reaction but she ignored him, choosing to straighten her frame instead.
“Did you know I knew your father? He was one of my best friends once upon a time. It’s why I knew I had to come to you. The Kanes are the best, and I couldn’t wait to work with you.”
Heat rose on her neck. There was no purpose for him bringing up her father. “I’m sorry, Mr. Williams, but we’re going to have to stick to the issues at hand.”
Something flickered in his eyes, gone so quickly she wondered if she’d imagined it. “Do you not like talking about your father? You worshipped him at one time, couldn’t get enough of him. And he always talked about his little doodle bug.” Her heart raced at the old nickname. She hadn’t been called “doodle bug” in over twenty years, and no one except her family knew about it. The only one allowed to call her by the nickname had been her father. She needed Williams gone.
“Mr. Williams, I’m sorry, but I forgot I have another meeting in five minutes. I’ll call you if I need any more information, but I believe we’re all set.”
“You sure? I can always stick around.”
“No.” She shook her head. “Everything is great.”
He stood, knocking on the desk in a hauntingly familiar pattern. “Tell your mother I said hello.”
***
Alexandra walked into the corner bar where she wouldn’t be noticed, looking for one thing. After the meeting with Franklin the day had gone downhill, particularly when Henry questioned whether she had what it took to become partner. Franklin had tattled to Henry that she’d thrown him out of her office, resulting in a thirty-minute verbal smack-down from her boss. It had been a bad day, and she needed to get lost. The light was spotty, reminding her of the hallway in Club Valentine, but just high enough to tell her she would get what she needed. She sat at the bar, gesturing for the bartender.
“What can I get you?” He smirked, the invitation for more than a drink.
“Just a Lemon Drop for now, but I’ll let you know if there’s something else.”
“Suit yourself.” He made the drink, setting it in front of her with a flourish. She let the tart sweetness of the drink coat her throat. As much as she loved her job, days like this got to her. It was difficult watching a young woman struggle between saving either her boyfriend or herself and her baby, especially when no one should have been threatened in the first place.
Then Franklin came in acting strange and asking questions about her father. Dad would’ve been proud of her, carrying on his tradition of excellence, and Franklin said as much, but when watching a sobbing and distraught Talia break down, sometimes she doubted her choice. Not about being a lawyer, but going into corporate law like her father. He had been partner, and all she wanted to do since his death was follow in his footsteps. She made a promise years back to him that she would continue the legacy he wasn’t able to, working to achieve both their dreams.