I don't own Law & Order or Jack McCoy or any other characters from any of the L&Os. I do own Geneva Williams, her brother, Melissa Goring, the two Feds, and the perps and victims.
Please read and review. I have the basic storyline plotted out- this is going to be a very long and intersting story- but I only have the first few chapters written so far. I'll post more when people review, and the more reviews I get the more motivated I will be to work on it.
"What can I do for you gentlemen?" D.A. Arthur Branch asked the two men seated in his office as he served them each a snifter of scotch. The men were Feds, although which branch of federal law enforcement they were from was anyone's guess. They were dressed in traditional Fed style- expensive suits, skinny blue ties. One was older, maybe fifty, with brown hair that was just beginning to grey. The other had a head of sleek black hair and appeared to be in his late thirties. Although they both were wearing friendly expressions, the younger one had a glint of cruelty in his eyes, and the older one's face was that of a sociopath: charming, but not sincere.
"I'm sure you're aware of how having the support of the federal government could help your reelection campaign," the older man said.
"Yes, but you didn't answer my question."
The younger Fed jumped in. "It's about a woman who worked in your office. In…" he consulted a notebook he was holding, "general felonies. Geneva Williams."
"Geneva doesn't work here anymore."
"We know," said the younger Fed. "That's the favor we need. You see, we had to… borrow her for a few months. Now we're done with her and she- or her brother, really, is threatening to stir up trouble if she can't get her job back."
"Well, I'm sorry, but she was replaced months ago. I'm not going to fire her replacement just to make her brother happy."
"Of course not," the older Fed agreed. "You'll do it to make us happy. And it doesn't need to be her exact job, surely you have an opening for and A.D.A. somewhere."
Branch considered. Helping these men really could do a lot for his reelection. And there was a spot open… "She worked a case with Jack McCoy a few months ago, is that right?"
The younger Fed said, "She started to. Then the case became federal and we took charge of it." He didn't need to look at his notes for that. He knew every detail about that case.
"I might have a place for her then. The A.D.A. who worked with McCoy just resigned, I can have Geneva take her place. But if she's not up to the job I won't let her keep it just because you're scared her brother will make trouble."
"That won't be a problem. We just need to be able to say we got her a job, we don't care if she keeps it. It wouldn't matter to us if you fire her," said the younger Fed.
The older one added, "One more thing. We'd appreciate it if you didn't let anyone know exactly why you're hiring her."
The younger one clarified almost menacingly, "In other words, don't tell anyone we had this little conversation."
Geneva Williams looked different than the last time Jack McCoy had seen her, six months earlier. Her bearing was hesitant, unsure of herself, almost scared, and she had lost more weight that was healthy. The dark bags under her eyes overshadowed her face, and her beautiful brown eyes, once sparkling with life, now were haunted.
"I don't know if you remember me, I'm Geneva Williams, we worked a case together a while ago, or started to at least- the Azar case." Her voice too was less confident than it had been.
"The one the Feds stole. I remember. I haven't seen you around since then either, you promised me a raincheck on that drink we were going to have."
"I've been… it's complicated." She tried to smile. "Anyway, there'll be plenty of chances now that we'll be working together."
"I'll take you up on it. The police just arrested a man for killing his wife and her lover. Will you do the arraignment?"
"Sure."
He handed her the case file. "Ask for remand- the motive is strong, an eyewitness puts Steven Baker- the defendant- at the scene, and the police found blood on the clothes he was wearing that day, and he has tons of money, a vacation house in Italy, and a yacht in the Bahamas."
"This one should be easy, at least the arraignment."
"Don't be so confident. He's being defended by Melissa Goring."
"Who? I've never heard of her."
"She moved to New York four months ago and has already gotten three high profile clients off. Don't you watch the news? The Sara Wisburn case? The Tom Ashley case?"
Geneva stared at him blankly for a second, then explained, "I've been pretty out of touch with everything for the last couple of months."
"Think of her as Danielle Melnick without the political issues and with even less of a conscience. You'd better go now, Steven Baker's arraignment is in twenty minutes."
Geneva got to the court with just enough time to slip into the bathroom and try to cover the bags under her eyes with makeup. She was just trying to wipe her goopy concealer out of her eyelashes with a piece of toilet paper when an elegant redhead entered the restroom.
"You might want to use the powdered kind, or try getting some sleep," she advised Geneva, offering her a makeup wipe, which Geneva accepted gratefully. "I'm Melissa Goring, by the way."
"Geneva Williams. I've just been warned about you. I'm helping prosecute your client."
"Oh." Melissa seemed unconcerned. "Our arraignment's in just a minute, we'd better go." They walked over to the courtroom together, and got to their places just as the judge set bail at a thousand dollars for the defendant before Steven Baker.