AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And did he ever hit the children?” Regina repeated feeling frustrated. Dakota was as wispy and frail as her sister was loud and in the way.
“Once,” Dakota said and Regina sat up straighter, “when I was a little girl my father beat me with a belt because I wouldn’t kiss grandma’s hand. But I’d seen her scratch her crotch with it,” Dakota said. “He didn’t like hearing that so he beat me some more.”
Regina shot Diana a stare.
“She has episodes of lucidity,” Diana cajoled. “She’s been through a traumatic experience, have some sympathy.”
“I’m trying to stop your sister from going to jail,” Regina bit the words out, “I don’t have to sympathize with her to do my job.”
“She’s better with the psychiatrist,” Diana said. “If you could give me the questions you need asking I can ask him to give them a try.”
Regina jotted down her questions while Diana and Dakota talked about their lives in high school. Diana had the manic glint in her eye Regina had seen in people with a savior complex. They thrived when they were depended on and Dakota was very dependent at the moment, so much so that Regina feared Diana might encourage her never to leave home again.
Regina decided to talk to Dakota’s psychiatrist about Diana.
Once the sisters had left Regina took care of some paperwork for another case and headed the end of week meeting with the heads of her staff. They reviewed cases coming into the company; lawyers discussing how far they’d come in their case, which stance they were taking then they rolled up their sleeves and stuck in to the discarded pool, the nitty gritty cases, the boring cases which no one wanted and distributed them as equally as possible.
James, Hudson and Colt employed over a hundred and eighty lawyers and paralegals and these meetings were often nerve wracking but today Regina enjoyed the challenge and the grueling process was fulfilling. She joined Rick Hudson and Nathan Colt for an after work drink.
Rick Hudson had been Regina’s colleague at her last firm; talented and hardworking he had been ignored and shoved to the side lines. Regina had seen his potential and invited him to her company. He’d made partner in eight months.
Nathan Colt was Regina’s oldest friend from college. Suave, charming and irresistible to the ladies Nathan Colt had the gift of the gab. He could turn a courtroom around with his serpentine tongue and had been more than happy to join her firm as partner.
Regina sipped her martini, her mind jumpy and exhausted needing the drink but her anxiety blooming about what it might do to the baby. She didn’t want it, she would have gone to an abortion clinic yesterday and gotten rid of it but something told her that she couldn’t do it without telling Leo; but if Leo found out she was pregnant he would want the baby.
It was well and good when there was no baby to talk about whether they wanted one or not, but being pregnant left her with no cards. She felt vulnerable.
“… it’s going to be a shit storm,” Nathan was saying and Regina started.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“The Simpson case,” Ricky said. “Are you okay, Regina? You look a little pale.”
“I’m fine,” Regina said. “Just a little under the weather.”
“The flu’s been doing the rounds again,” Ricky nodded. “The kids are down with it too. You must have caught it at the party.”
“Do you have a good hold on it?” Nathan asked.
“God, Nate, it’s just a flu,” Regina said riled up.
“I’m talking about the case,” Nathan grinned.
Regina threw a peanut at him which he caught expertly in his mouth.
“The woman’s a psyche case,” Regina sighed. “She doesn’t say anything coherent about the case except that she didn’t do it.”
“She mentioned that she didn’t want her kids to the police,” Ricky chimed in and Regina blanched.
“Yeah,” she said faintly. “Guys, I’ll call it a night. I’m beat. I’ll see you Monday.”
Regina drove home in the dusk. L.A. was at its most beautiful at dusk, the garish city lights weren’t on, the sun hit the world at just the right angle to set everything aglow. She parked her car in the drive and was pleased to see that Leo was already home.
