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Sky? Since when were they on a nickname basis? There was a lot to unpack here, but not now. Not when I was going to have to face Lena in twenty minutes.
Fuck.
I got to my feet with a start, throwing cash on the table. “I need to get to the courthouse. Pay up, will ya?”
Rob took his eyes off Skylar long enough to level me with a pointed look. “Sure. Good luck. And play nice.”
My grin was wry. “What’s the fun in that?”
**
Lena was already at the courthouse when I arrived, looking fresh and beautiful and not at all like she had been up most of the night with my dick in her pussy.
She barely looked at me as I approached. She was talking to my client, Danielle Cole, who was chewing on her thumbnail, looking nervous.
“Good morning, ladies,” I greeted smoothly, holding my hand out for Danielle to shake. I noticed her palm was sweating. I covered her hand with mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. “We have this one in the bag. You don’t need to worry,” I assured her.
Danielle relaxed slightly. “Thank you, Mr. Wyatt. I just can’t believe this is happening. I’m so angry with myself. If I had only called a cab—”
“This is your first offense, Dani. We definitely don’t want this on your record, not with your job with the town. It’s an open and shut case.” Lena put her arm around the short, middle-aged woman’s shoulders. Their ease demonstrated familiarity. Of course, Lena knew my client. She and her brother knew fucking everyone in this town. Sometimes it was annoying. But not today.
Surprisingly I didn’t feel put out or defensive at how she insinuated herself between my client and me. Or how deftly she made Danielle feel comfortable when I couldn’t. I watched Lena with a growing appreciation. She was capable and damn good at the softer side of the work we did so I relinquished the touchy-feely stuff to her gladly.
Plus, if her attention was on Danielle, she wasn’t throwing daggers in my direction.
Ten minutes later we were sitting in the courtroom waiting for Judge Radner. I was feeling clammy and more than a little sleepy. I sat up as straight as I could and took a few deep breaths, trying to focus.
“Here’s the file. You forgot it at the office.” Lena slid the manila folder toward me. She was sitting on the other side of Danielle, who provided a welcome barrier between us.
I really was off my game. I remembered leaving it behind because I had planned to debrief before heading to the courthouse this morning. If Lena hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have had it. I was definitely not firing on all cylinders.
“Thanks,” I said, offering her a smile, which she didn’t return. Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine, solidifying the discomfort I had anticipated, yet disappointing, nonetheless.
Judge Radner arrived a few minutes later and then we were off. The District Attorney’s office had sent a low-level minion, which should have given me a slam dunk. But it seemed good ol’ Radner was in a shitty mood and soon it became clear that everything I said was grating on the persnickety judge’s nerves.
“I’m not one of those judges that go lenient on someone simply because they’ve never offended before. What if Ms. Cole had killed someone because she had made the decision to get behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated?” Judge Radner demanded, his voice clipped and cold. I could feel Danielle practically sinking into the chair.
“Your Honor, Ms. Cole is an exemplary member of the community. She’s a deacon in her church. She’s the secretary of the rotary club, which you yourself are a member—”
“Are you trying to sway me through familiarity, Mr. Wyatt? If so, you should know that’s grossly inappropriate,” Judge Radner barked. The DA flunky across the aisle all but crowed in delight.
This was not going well.
I glanced down at the file, trying to buy myself some time.
“I don’t have all day, Mr. Wyatt,” Judge Radner snapped. Jesus, who pissed in his cornflakes this morning?
I felt a touch on my left shoulder. I turned to see Lena leaning back in her chair. “Let me take over,” she whispered.
I glanced at Judge Radner, who was scowling down from the bench.
“He looks ready to spit roast us. Are you sure?” I asked.
Lena nodded. “I’ve got this. I know how to get what we want from Dick Radner.”
I shrugged. “Why not? It’s not as if I’m helping things.”
Thirty minutes later we were walking out of the courtroom. Danielle was ordered to pay a fine and upon completion of the drug and alcohol education program, and the conviction would be expunged from her record. It was a great outcome.
Lena had been right. She definitely knew how to work Judge “crusty faced” Radner over. She had spoken to him softly, smiling frequently. She had played to his sympathies, reminding him of the time his daughter, who was apparently friends with Lena in high school (of course she was), had gotten in trouble for drinking underage, and how awful she had felt.
