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“Miss Van der Zee?” he asks, looking at me. I nod reluctantly. “I am your court-appointed lawyer. I trust you are well.”
No, I’m not ‘well’! I’m under questioning for a handful of crimes I didn’t commit!
He takes a seat beside me, and it takes a lot of control not to recoil from him. His arm brushes my shirt and my stomach lurches.
He smiles, as if sensing my discomfort and looks at the two detectives sitting opposite us. “Shall we begin? I trust you haven’t begun interviewing my client without a lawyer present.”
Payne grinds his teeth and takes his seat, then gets to work setting up the recorder. Moyes follows suit.
Just as she is opening her mouth to continue, the door flies open, banging against the wall, making me jump. My lawyer is still on his feet, glowering at the professor standing in the doorway, but has reached out to grab my shoulder.
His nails are like talons, digging in hard enough to make me wince.
“Excuse me,Tanimola, but I believe you’re in the wrong place,” the professor spits.
“There’s no mistake. Miss Van der Zee has been assigned to me.” His grip on me tightens and I grimace at the pain shooting through down my arm. I’m glad he’s squeezing me over my shirt, otherwise I think he would break the skin.
“She doesn’t need a lawyer. She has one.Me.”
“Miss Van der Zee, is this true?” Moyes asks me.
“Y-yes, he’s my lawyer.” I desperately want to pull away from the man standing beside me – and to run into the arms of the professor – but with all eyes upon me, I don’t dare.
“How is he here if you’ve not been granted phone access yet?”
“Her friend was present when you accosted her, and he contacted me immediately,” the prof saves me by answering, but I nod to corroborate his story.
“Very well.” Moyes sighs and turns toTanimolawho still has a hold of me. “It would seem you’re not needed.”
With a baring of his teeth and a low growl, he releases me and storms from the room. I want to rub at the sore spot, but Payne’s thoughts bring me up short.
This wasn’t part of the plan! Fuck! Now what do we do?
“I would like a moment alone with my client please, to check everything is in order before we begin.”
“Absolutely not!” Payne snaps. “Enough police time has been wasted! Besides, it’s an open and shut case, so let’s just get on with it!”
“If it’s so simple, then you won’t have a problem waiting another ten minutes,” the professor replies dryly. Payne sniffs, looking murderous, but Moyes calms him with a hand on his arm.
“You can have five. I need a fresh coffee anyway. Payne, let’s go.”
Payne reluctantly leaves with Moyes and the second the door clicks shut I spin to confront the professor.
“Malia. Don’t react. I know you can hear me. We may be alone but they’re always watching. I am your lawyer and nothing more.”I blink to show I understand but otherwise, I’m stone. Holy shit. The professor knows I can hear his thoughts and he’s communicating with me, deliberately!
“Did he hurt you?” he asks out loud.
I shake my head. “No. He just squeezed my shoulder. His nails were really sharp though.”
“Show me,” he demands.“Fuck. Those indents are really deep. It should have drawn blood.”
“I’m thick skinned. It’s fine.” He looks close to tearing the door off its hinges and going after him for hurting me. His concern takes away some of the chill that Tanimola’s presence created.
“It isnotfine.”
“Did you… Do you know him? From…court?” I ask carefully. The professor knew his name as soon as he walked in, but he hadn’t introduced himself. The animosity between them felt personal.
“Our paths have crossed. But you don’t need to worry about him becauseI’mrepresenting you, and I’ll be getting you out of here shortly.”
