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“Ms. Gaines,” the guard at the door called to her and waved her through the line of people waiting to get in. She handed him her briefcase, knowing the routine to get into the courthouse. “You’re here early today.”
“I am—family business. The judge here yet?” she asked. She knew that if he wasn’t there early, court would start late and that would mess up her whole day. She promised Ace that she’d try to get home early to take care of Bella so he could go into the casino for a few hours.
“He is,” the guard said.
“Well, that’s good news,” she said. Trinity knew that she’d still need to convince her sister to let her represent her, but the judge showing up early for court was a good sign.
The guard handed her back her briefcase and smiled, “Have a great day, Ms. Gaines,” he said.
“You too,” she breathed back over her shoulder. She walked through the security screening and waited for Beck to be cleared.
“You good, boss?” Beck asked.
“I will be, once this is all over. You sure you want to come in with me?” Trinity questioned.
“I don’t mind. Besides, I think you’ll need someone in your corner,” Beck offered. Trinity nodded and started for the back of the courthouse, where the holding cells were. Her sister would be in one of them, waiting for her arraignment.
They were buzzed back once Trinity showed her work badge, and she and Beck both signed in and were shown to a waiting room. She had been there a million times before, waiting to speak with a potential client, but this time, it was personal. This time, she wanted to be hired more than anything because helping her sister was important to both her and eventually, would be important to Bella. It didn’t matter what Charity had done to either of them, she needed help and that’s what family was for—to help each other out. It wasn’t a lesson that they were taught as children, but they needed to start learning it now.
Trinity and Beck sat on one side of the metal table and waited for Charity to be brought into the small room. She felt as though she was holding her breath until the door cracked open and a guard shoved her sister into the room.
“I thought I was meeting with my legal representation,” Charity asked the guard.
He pointed to where Trinity sat, “She is your legal representation,” the guard said.
“I want someone else,” she insisted.
The guard shrugged, “I can put in for another lawyer for you but it will push back your arraignment and you’ll have to stay in your cell.” Charity huffed out her breath and walked fully into the room, sinking into the waiting chair across the table from Trinity and Beck.
“Fine,” she spat. “I’ll use your services today to get me out of this hell hole, but then I’ll need someone else representing me. I need someone who will have my back and not go behind it to steal my boyfriend and my kid.”
“I can take it from here,” Trinity said to the guard. “Thank you.” He nodded and pulled the door shut.
“Good to see you, Charity,” she lied. “This is my assistant, Beck. She’s here today to take notes and help me out with my cases. I wish our reunion was under different circumstances. You seem to have landed in some hot water.” Trinity pretended to look over her sister’s file, even though she received the police report last night, after she requested it from the clerk’s office, and pretty much had it memorized.
“You must be loving this, Trinity,” her sister spat. “You were always so high and mighty—this must give you such a thrill.” She looked her sister over and sighed. Ace was right, she looked rough, and judging from her bloodshot eyes, she was coming down off of whatever had her soaring the day before.
“I’m not enjoying this at all, Charity,” Trinity whispered. “You think I want to see my older sister like this? You were my idol. I looked up to you my whole life. Now, you’re sad and pathetic. Where’s the role model that I respected so much?”
“You were always unrealistic, Trinity. No one could live up to your crazy expectations and that’s why everyone leaves you. He’ll leave you too, you know that right? Ace will get bored with you and he’ll lose interest. I just hope that I’m around to watch the show when that happens,” her sister taunted.
“Maybe this was a bad idea,” Trinity breathed. She stood and motioned for the guard and Charity seemed to panic.
“No,” she said. “You can’t leave me in here until they can find another lawyer to represent me. You have to get me out of here. I have a life to get back to.”
“You mean, you have a fix to chase down, right Charity?” Trinity asked. “You’re still a little high, aren’t you? I’m betting that once I get you out of here, you’ll track down your dealer.” Her sister at least had the decency not to pretend that anything she had just said wasn’t the truth. She smiled up at Trinity and rolled her eyes.
“You know, you’ve always been a prude,” she assessed.
“I don’t have time for this. I need to get back home to Ace and Bella,” Trinity said, not caring if she sounded like a snarky bitch. She wanted her sister to know that she was a part of Ace’s life now, no matter how much Charity said that he’d get sick of her and leave her just as everyone else in her life had. Sure, she believed what her sister had said to be true. It was one of the reasons she couldn’t tell Ace that she had fallen in love with him. It was also the main reason she had commitment issues. It sucked, but that was just how it was.
She waved at the guard again and he came into the room this time. It was a game that Trinity had played often and most of the guards knew the score. She was asking him in to only send him back out again once the prisoner calmed down or caved to what Trinity was asking them to do. She just hoped that her sister caved because she was willing to walk out of that courthouse and let her sister sit in a cell for a few more days. Maybe she’d be sober by the time they found her another lawyer and that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
“Ms. Gaines,” the guard said, entering the room. “You finished here?” he asked.
“I think we are,” she assessed.
“No,” Charity said again. “I promise to stop being a bitch, just give me another chance, Trinity,” her sister begged. She pretended to mull it over and then nodded to the waiting guard. He left the room and Trinity sat back down across from her sister.
