Page 39 of Fifty-Fifty

‘Let’s blue-sky this case. Enough reading, already. We’ve got forty-one days and counting to lodge our motions with the court. We need discovery, motions

for dismissal, and a severance motion. What’ve you got, dogs?’ said one of the

blond suits. With her focus on the case, Kate had forgotten which of them was

which. She thought that might have been Anderson.

Scott said, ‘Anderson, don’t use that language here. We’re not all dogs, there’s a lady present.’

She was right, it was Anderson who had taken charge of the group and was asking for ideas. Anderson fixed Scott with an expression that said – really?

‘Alright, alright,’ said Anderson, ‘dogs and bitch. Is that better?’

One of the suits high-fived Anderson, the other was laughing so hard he was doubled-over on his chair. Kate glanced to her side, saw Scott trying to hold in a laugh, and failing.

Kate felt the blood flooding the skin around the base of her neck like a heat rash. Her skin was prickly, and alive.

Anderson must’ve seen her reaction because he put both hands out in front of him, palms up, like he was trying to stop a speeding car coming toward him, ‘Woah, I’m really sorry. I don’t mean any kind of offence. It’s just our sense of humor – absolutely nothing to do with you, personally.’

Chad, Brad and Scott calmed down and all of them apologized, with smiles on their faces – none with a single drop of sincerity. They apologized because they had to.

‘He’s really sorry,’ said Scott.

‘I am, too. So is Brad,’ said the one who must’ve been Chad.

‘Me too,’ said Anderson fighting down another bout of laughter. Brad, who looked to be a little quicker on the uptake than Chad, bit his finger in an effort to quell his mirth.

‘Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I meant I’m sorry too. Not hashtag Me Too,’

said Anderson, rolling his eyes and making air quotes when he said me too.

‘Can we move on?’ said Kate.

The men straightened up, now a little worried that they had offended Kate.

She’d had enough of this shit. She just wanted out of the room so she could go

somewhere and calm down before she said something she would come to regret.

Brad, Chad and Anderson had seniority at this table, and she had kept that firmly in mind while she bit down hard in case a flurry of expletives should escape.

‘By all means, you’re right. Let’s move on. Sorry, what’s your name again?’

said Anderson.

‘Kate.’

‘Sorry, Kate. Please, let’s have your thoughts,’ said Anderson.

There was a five-hundred-pound pause in the room. Thick and deep enough to drown a man.

‘I’ve been reading a lot about the family. It’s a little messed up, maybe no more than other families, but whatever went on in that house hit Sofia the worst.

She’s a wreck. Serious mental health problems, a history of suicide attempts, drug and alcohol addiction and an ongoing problem with self-harming. The prosecution will have an easier time convincing a jury that Sofia could flip out and murder her father.’

Taking a second, Kate looked around the table.

The sniggers and snide half-smiles had gone. Scott and the blond suits were listening – seriously listening. What Kate was about to say sounded crazy, but she believed it could work. She just needed to believe in herself enough to say it.