Love's Verdict

by Carsen Taite

  “What if it wasn’t? What if he gets a no bill?”

  Jane smiled indulgently. “Tell me what’s on your mind.”

  Carly pointed at her iPad. “Donna’s going to have the arresting officer testify, and he’ll regurgitate what he included in his report. The grand jurors will be bored out of their minds, but they’ll indict Trevor because they’ll only hear one side of the story. The flat, dry story.” She paused before making one last decision to commit to her idea. “What if the story wasn’t flat at all? What if it was personal and vibrant and compelling, but not in favor of the prosecution, but for Trevor?”

  “You want him to testify, don’t you? Are you crazy?”

  Carly started at the sound of Landon’s voice behind her, but she resisted the urge to turn around and face her. What the hell was she doing barging in here while she was having a private conversation with Jane?

  “Carly, is that where you’re headed?” Jane asked. “You want Trevor to testify at the grand jury?”

  She was already committed to this path, so she stuck with it. “Yes. Trevor’s a smart guy and if we prepare him, which I believe I can, he’ll be ready,” she said, placing extra emphasis on the I. “We’ll be right outside and he can ask for a break to consult with counsel if he hits a rough patch. I think he’ll charm the socks off the grand jurors.” She ticked off several points on her fingers. “He’s a superstar. He’s charming. He’s known as a stand-up guy. It’ll be much harder for them to true bill his case to his face.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Landon said, her voice rising. “Once he’s in that room, he can’t walk out to consult with counsel unless he wants to look like he’s got something to hide. And he might be a master on the playing field, but put him in the hot seat and he’ll crumble just like everyone else who winds up on the other side of a criminal investigation. What’s going to happen if he gets in there and they start asking him about the past allegations of abuse with this victim?”

  Carly looked at Jane, who was nodding. She had to talk fast to sway her to her side. “We’ll prepare him for all of that. It’s no different than putting a witness on the stand. You can’t be sure what will happen, but sometimes the gamble is worth the risk. I wasn’t aware you were one to play it safe.” Right after the words spilled from her lips, she regretted them. Well, mostly she regretted making things personal in front of Jane who’d warned them about playing nice. But playing nice didn’t mean getting railroaded.

  Landon pointed at Jane. “You can’t really think this is a good idea, can you?”

  “I’m not convinced yet that it’s a completely awful plan. Tell you what. Why don’t you two put together a pros and cons list. Make sure you cover every possible contingency, and we’ll meet first thing in the morning. Trevor is coming by at ten, and we’ll make a decision by then.”

  “Sounds great,” Carly said before Landon could respond. She stood. “I’ll be in my office. You can meet me there.” She waved to Jane and stalked past Landon on her way out the door. When she reached her office, she slumped in the chair, her energy spent. She wasn’t entirely convinced Trevor testifying before the grand jury was a great idea, but she needed some strategy to offer, and she believed there was some merit to this one. Maybe Landon would be able to talk her out of it. The key would be whether she would hear a word Landon said through the haze of attraction that was clouding her judgment.

  Chapter Ten

  Landon returned to her own office and gathered her notes, but she was in no hurry to meet with Carly, at least not until she got her anger under control. They were supposed to be working on this case together. Where did Carly get off thinking she could march into Jane’s office and propose a crazy stunt like having Trevor testify before the grand jury? And why hadn’t Jane dismissed the idea out of hand? It wouldn’t matter if Trevor were Prince Charming; letting a target of an investigation go into an adversarial proceeding on his own was professional suicide.

  Landon looked at her phone to check the time and spotted a text from Ian. Come to the restaurant for dinner. My treat. It was almost six. Sushi at lunch had been really tasty, but she’d need something more substantial soon to keep from going all hangry on Carly, and she’d be much more persuasive if she kept her cool. Carly didn’t have as much litigation experience. She simply needed to take Carly through the reasons why her idea, though creative, wasn’t appropriate when the stakes were this high. The damage to Trevor’s reputation had already been done with the arrest, and the only way to truly clear his name now was a not guilty from twelve of his peers. Landon took a deep breath, confident now she would be able to convince Carly her idea was ill-advised, and bonus—she was going to do it over food. Good food.

  When she arrived at Carly’s doorway, she had her head down, reading through a file. Landon started to knock, but instead spent a moment observing her at work. Carly’s face was bunched up in a pensive frown as she skimmed whatever she was reading on her iPad. Her hair, normally pinned back, was showing signs of the wear of the day, and wispy strands fell around her shoulder, careless and out of place, completely at odds with the buttoned-up image Carly generally projected. Landon wanted to brush those strands with the back of her hand and feel Carly’s skin against her palm.

  “Are you going to stand there all night or get in here and start working?” Carly didn’t glance up as she asked the question.

  “Are those my only two options?”

  Carly tilted her head and locked her in a steady gaze. “You have something else in mind?”

  “I’m starving. Let’s have a working dinner. I know a good restaurant that isn’t far from here, and there are plenty of quiet spots in the back where we can work and eat.” Landon grinned. “I promise I’m much easier to convince when I’ve been fed.”

  “I don’t know that I’ve ever met a woman who loves food as much as you do.”

  Landon wasn’t sure how to take the remark. Carly’s tone wasn’t sarcastic or otherwise hurtful. It was more like she was curious, and Landon wanted to satisfy her curiosity. “I’ve never been one for hiding my likes and dislikes.”

  “And you like food.”

  “Immensely, but to my credit, I have wonderful taste.”

  “We’re still talking about food?”

  Landon paused before answering, unable to read the expression on Carly’s face. Was Carly flirting? Should she take the bait? Remembering her resolution to keep things businesslike, Landon simply replied, “Sure.” She looked down the hall. “Everyone else is gone. It’s not like you’re going to get extra credit for working late. Come on, I’ll drive.”

  Carly hung back. “Give me the address, and I’ll meet you there.”

  “Are you planning to bail on me? I’m going to show up at the restaurant and wind up sitting on my ass waiting for you to show up while you’re home in your pajamas, sipping a glass of red and getting a head start on Jane’s assignment.” Landon saw Carly’s eyes twitch and she pointed. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

  “Maybe.” Carly sighed. “Or maybe I just want to have my own wheels.”

  “So you don’t get trapped.”

  “More like so I have options.”

  Landon nodded. She could respect the need to have options. “Fair enough. How about this? We set a time now and check in at the halfway point. If you decide you want to leave earlier, I’ll call you an Uber, and I’ll even pay for it.” She wasn’t sure why it was so important to her that Carly ride with her to the restaurant. Maybe it was because she really did believe that left to her own devices, Carly would make some excuse and ditch their date. Date. Wrong word. Completely wrong. And if it wasn’t a date, then pressuring Carly to ride with her was just weird. Let her take her own car. Quit being a stalker.

  “Okay,” Carly said.

  “What?”

  “I’ll ride with you.”

  “Great. Okay then.” Landon jingled her keys like a super nerd. “Let’s go.”

  Ian’s restaurant was downtown in the area n
ear the Klyde Warren Park. A few years ago, a few rich people in the city had raised a bunch of money and convinced the city it would vastly improve tourism and overall quality of life to have more parks in downtown Dallas. With limited options for suitable venues, city engineers had come up with the idea of changing an overpass to an underpass and turning the over part into the biggest park in the area, and since most of the money came from private funds, the city leapt on board with the idea. Now cars roared, unseen, through the underground tunnel while food trucks and yoga classes occupied the space above. Ian’s restaurant was one of several that had existed in Dallas before the change, but he’d moved to a funky new space along the edge of the park when it opened to take advantage of the boon. Landon had been to the site when the building was in the early stages, but hadn’t been back since he’d opened his doors.

  When they pulled up in front of the Salt Block, Carly shifted in her seat. “What’s wrong?” Landon asked.

  “This place is kind of fancy-pants.”

  “True, but one can’t live solely on sandwiches one brings from home.”

  “Oh, so now you’re spying on me at the office.”

  Landon considered carefully before responding. Spying wasn’t the word she would’ve used, but it was probably appropriate. She had wandered by Carly’s office a few times during the day, more out of a desire to chitchat about the case than as a voyeur, but every time she’d wandered by, a voice inside said she had an ulterior motive and she kept walking. “Spying isn’t exactly what I was up to, but I did figure if we’re going to work on this case together, we might need to talk at some point.”

  Carly nodded. “Got it. I’m used to working on my own.”

  “I gather that. Look, how about we take tonight to see if we can find some common ground?”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  Not the enthusiasm she’d been looking for, but Landon figured Carly’s agreement was a step in the right direction. She handed the keys to the valet and led Carly into the restaurant. Ian, decked out in a chef coat emblazoned with the restaurant’s logo, was waiting at the bar. With a quick nod to Landon, he held out his arms and embraced Carly.

  “Thanks for coming! I was hoping you could make it.”

  Carly returned the hug, but when she turned back around, she was frowning at Landon. “I have a feeling I’ve been led astray.”

  “Only slightly,” Landon confessed. “Ian’s been wanting me to come by and try out his new menu, and he asked me to bring someone who doesn’t have to say they like his food just because they’re related to him. And he has a nice, quiet table in the back where we can work.” She lifted her shoulders. “What can I say? I like to multitask. Are you mad?” she asked, hoping she wasn’t.

  Carly looked at Ian who wore a hopeful expression. “No, I’m not mad. In fact, now that I smell food, I’m starving.”

  “Perfect,” Ian said. He pointed at a waiter coming toward them. “This is Beckett. He’ll take you back to the private dining room and hook you up with whatever you want to drink. Settle in, and we’ll have the first course ready for you shortly.” He gave Carly’s arm a squeeze. “Any food allergies or things you absolutely hate?”

  To Landon’s surprise, Carly shook her head. She wasn’t sure why, but she expected that someone who brought her own sandwiches to lunch every day probably had some very specific preferences.

  Beckett led them to an intimate private dining room designed to seat about a dozen guests. “We’ve got a legit Sazerac on special tonight.”

  “We’ll take two,” Landon said before Carly could respond. A couple of drinks would go a long way toward breaking the ice between them. When Beckett left, she noticed Carly glancing around. “Looking for an escape route?”

  “Do you do that with everyone or just me?”

  “Do what?” Landon was genuinely confused.

  “Observe my every move.”

  “Ah.” Did she? Landon had become a careful observer at a young age, gauging her father’s moods in relation to what she wanted and needed at the time, but her close observation of Carly was about something else altogether. “Maybe I’m just trying to figure you out.”

  “You make me sound like a puzzle. What you see is what you get.” Carly offered a guarded smile as she delivered the cliché.

  “Would you like me to tell you what I see?” Landon asked.

  “Wouldn’t you rather get started on work before the food arrives? Besides, I promise that I’m not nearly as mysterious as you seem to think.”

  “Who said anything about mysterious? Intriguing maybe.”

  “And what exactly do you find so intriguing?”

  Beckett burst through the door with a tray in one hand. He made a production of describing how the Sazeracs were made, and that the special ingredient consisted of bitters made personally by Ian. By the time he was finished, he sounded like he’d spent the day studying bartender.com, and it took all of Landon’s patience not to shoo him out the door. When he finally left, Carly took a sip of her drink and placed a hand over her heart.

  “I think I might be in love with your brother.”

  * * *

  Carly took another sip of her drink and tilted the glass toward Landon. “Aren’t you going to try it?”

  “Ian’s single. If you’re interested, I could put in a good word for you.”

  Carly set her glass down and eyed Landon, trying to figure out if she was kidding. “Did you bring me here with some ulterior motive?”

  Landon squirmed under her gaze. “What are you talking about?”

  “Your brother seems like a really nice guy, and based on the food I sampled at his place, I’m sure he’ll make someone an excellent date, but I’m not in the market.”

  “Is it because he’s…”

  “A chef?” Carly filled in the words, certain they weren’t even close to what Landon was about to say, and then she laughed with Landon, enjoying the release that came with their hearty laughter. “If I was interested in dating anyone, which I’m not, your brother is not my type, you know, because he’s a guy.”

  Landon nodded. “Cool. You’re into girls.”

  “When I’m into anyone, which I’m not right now, I am into girls, correct.”

  “Duly noted.”

  “That was super nerdy.”

  “I’m aware.” Landon lifted her drink and motioned for Carly to do the same. “Let’s toast to nerdy lesbians everywhere.” She tilted her glass and clinked it with Carly’s. “Now that we’ve identified we have something in common, shall we get to work?”

  Carly heard a trace of reluctance behind Landon’s words, and she wanted to recapture the playful banter. “We should probably wait until we’ve eaten at least one course. I can’t be responsible for my mood when I’m starving.”

  “Fair enough. Care to share any other personal insights that might help me get to know you better?”

  Loaded question and one Carly didn’t want to answer. She’d done well so far, getting Landon to do the bulk of the sharing, but Landon didn’t strike her as the kind of person who would let that go on for long, which was why she probably shouldn’t have agreed to this dinner in the first place. Walls were easier to keep in place when they were at the office, where their roles were clear.

  Ian brought the first course in himself, crispy polenta squares with braised pork belly, and they looked delicious. Carly suppressed a smile about their conversation, while Ian talked about incorporating new versions of comfort food into his fall menu, and how he’d braised the pork belly in a bourbon reduction to enhance the flavor. When he left the room, it was like the air had been sucked away, and she and Landon were left in awkward silence. Landon reached for a square and chewed slowly, offering no comment. The silence made Carly realize how much she really enjoyed Landon’s running commentary and constant questions. “I’ll tell you something if you tell me something.”

  Landon grinned. “You first.”

  “I loved law school.”

  “
Do we get to ask follow-up questions, because I’m going to need to ask follow-up questions.”

  Carly sighed. “I should’ve known. Yes, you can ask one question.”

  “Hmm, let me see. I assume you didn’t love other schooling because you mentioned law school specifically instead of saying ‘I love school.’”

  “Is there a question in there, counselor?”

  “I’m getting there.” Landon picked up another square and munched. “Okay, here it is. Why law school as opposed to undergraduate school?”

  “Because it was the only school I attended where being the smartest person in the room was a good thing. A thing that was rewarded.” Carly prayed Landon didn’t ask more, but knew she would.

  Landon nodded. “I get that. I mean, I wasn’t that person, but the smartest people in law school were rock stars. In undergrad, we mostly just made fun of those folks.”

  “Oh, so you were one of those.” Carly bit her lip, but it was too late.

  “‘One of those’?”

  “You know what I mean. The popular kids who trade on social currency instead of smarts and make fun of the rest of us.”

  “Wow. Assume much. You don’t know a thing about me and my experience.”

  Carly thought she did, but Landon was right. Everything she thought she knew was an assumption. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Maybe we should just get to work and dispense with the small talk because clearly I suck at it.”

  “Well, this wasn’t exactly small talk, but I am enjoying getting to know you better.”

  “Is that so?”

  Landon crossed her heart. “Absolutely. You’re kind of a mystery around the office. You keep to yourself a lot. Everyone says so.”

  Carly’s first reaction was to demand who’d been talking about her, but she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to know. “I work hard, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for socializing.”

  “I work hard too.”