Thank you to dioscureantwins for the beta and support as always and Aviantei for the help with Americanizing this chapter. Any remaining mistakes are mine.
Thank you also for your continued readership! ^_^
"I was promised on a time - to have reason for my rhyme." - Edmund Spenser
Diego took the stairs two at a time, his long legs stretching upwards effortlessly. As he climbed, he lifted a hand to check his hair. Reaching the correct floor, he glanced quickly at his clothes to see if they were neat and free of rogue coffee stains. Satisfied, he rang the doorbell only to wonder whether he should have brought flowers or a bottle of wine instead of turning up empty-handed. But in a way he had wanted to play it cool – even though it was Saturday night; this wasn't exactly a date, was it?
Hearing footsteps inside, he made sure to put a smile on his face. In the last few seconds before the door was opened, he decided to tone down the smile and changed his position from leaning in the doorway to stepping back with one hand in his pocket.
Mia opened the door and seeing her instantly melted away all of his troubles of from the past two weeks. She blinked at the sight of him, almost as if she had forgotten what he looked like, or – he hoped – how devilishly handsome he was. "Hi," she said, giving him a brief, appraising glance.
"Hi," he replied simply, words failing him at the sight of her, almost as if he had forgotten just how pretty she was. Has it only been two weeks?
They stood there just looking at each other before Mia started, remembering her manners and stepped aside to let him in. When the door shut, they were face-to-face again and it occurred to him just how narrow her hallway was. Should he kiss her? Would she let him?
After a moment she smiled awkwardly and pulled away, leading him further inside.
Mia's front room was much the same as the last time he had been there, although she had tidied a little. The magazines on the low table were gone and the blankets that had been strewn across the sofa last time were neatly folded in a stack at the foot of it. "Take a seat. Would you like some tea?" she asked, standing in the doorway. When Diego nodded, she elegantly spun towards the kitchen.
Diego maneuvered towards the sofa and sat, realizing how preciously small Mia was when he hit his shin on the table. Way to go. He gritted his teeth at the sharp pain, glad that Mia hadn't seen his blunder. Very suave.
By the time she brought back two steaming cups of tea, Diego was properly seated and the offending table had been moved. "How was your time away?" Diego asked, pleased with the intimacy that being in Mia's apartment created. It felt good to be close to her again.
Mia arranged herself on the other side of the sofa, the cushions squishing comfortably around her as if welcoming her back. "It was nice to get away for a while, the village is so peaceful."
"What did you do?"
"Oh, nothing much. Reading, helping out around the manor, hanging out with my sister and cousin, that kind of thing."
Typical of Mia to gloss over personal details. Diego noted that she didn't seem as tense or skittish as the last time they had sat on a sofa together and found himself relaxing a little more. "That's nice. Wait, did you say manor?"
"Hmm?" Seeing the look on his face, Mia laughed into her cup. "Yes, I did."
He waited for her to elaborate. When she didn't, he gave her a smile that said he wouldn't forget the detail. The smile she returned said that she wasn't surprised. Diego took in the details of her freshly-washed brown hair, striped sweater and fitted jeans. His mood was making the leap from apprehensive to cheerful, a vast improvement from what it had been the day that she had left the city.
The first week had a less than brilliant start to it, thanks to the confrontation with Hammond.
"Oh Ms Fey?" Hammond called to Mia, who had just stepped out, "close the door, will you? We have some private business to discuss."
When the door clicked shut, Diego sent his eyes travelling up and down over Hammond's form with carefully calculated deliberation. "Private business?"
"Unless you want the whole office to hear," came Hammond's stern reply.
"Fine. Robert. What do you want?" Even though Diego had known that another lecture was coming his way, it didn't mean that he appreciated it.
Hammond frowned quickly at Diego's nonchalance. "You know Diego, when I spoke to you before I knew that something was going to happen between you two. It has, hasn't it?" When Diego said nothing, Hammond shook his head. "How long has this been going on? Did you even listen to what I said?"
"What does it matter to you?" Not liking being interrogated, or treated like a teenager, Diego folded his arms defensively.
"It matters because like I said before, she's a colleague. And what I saw on Friday—"
"And what exactly did you see on Friday?"
Hammond's eyes narrowed as he considered whether to accept Diego's challenge. Finally, he did. "I knew you were some kind of player," he said in a voice both dangerous and low, "but I never thought you were the manipulative type, or that you would take advantage of a woman in a fragile emotional state."
"What?" Diego was so stunned at the accusation that it took him a few moments to process it. "It's not like that at all, you have no idea—"
"Sure." Hammond looked at Diego with sharp eyes pointed with disapproval. "I don't buy it, Diego. Don't even bother trying to play that kind of game with me."
His superiority was maddening and Diego's temper flared at the challenge to his honor. In all of his... encounters... he had never been deceitful. Guilty of cold silences on occasion and a short attention span but never a liar. "I'm not playing a game. Stuff just happened and—"
"Stuff 'just happened'?" Hammond laughed disbelievingly. "No, you've been planning this ever since she started in this office; you've had no consideration for her at all. A beautiful girl like that should be with someone who's going to appreciate her, not be just some plaything for you to discard the moment another pretty girl comes along."
How dare— How could he come to such a wrong conclusion? Mia wasn't, he would never— Not with— And why was Hammond so concerned, anyway? Too many thoughts were rushing through Diego's mind and he ran the risk of looking ridiculous, his mouth gaping open. He did the first thing that came to mind and went on the attack. "You are a son of a bitch, you know that?" That rewarded him with a stronger glare and knowing exactly where to hit a nerve, Diego went for it, taunted by the look on Hammond's face, one brimming with anger and disgust. "I get it. You're jealous, aren't you? You think you're the one who should sweep in and rescue her, look after her? You're pissed off because she would never have gone for you anyway, that she wouldn't have even considered sleeping with you, old man."
Hammond's expression flickered before his look hardened. "I'm not going to lower myself to that juvenile argument. The point is whatever the hell you think you're doing is wrong. She's not someone to just be toyed with, she's a valued colleague and for you to take advantage of her is just… despicable. I thought you would at least have some sense, some decency—" Seeing Diego poised to interrupt, Hammond leaned forward sharply across the desk with a hiss. "No, shut up, let me finish! Just stop whatever is going on, Diego, I don't care if there aren't rules against fraternization, you shouldn't be sleeping with your junior colleague for goodness' sake."
"Just because you can't, doesn't mean I can't."
"And there you go again, with some irrelevant argument about my own—"
"And there you go again with your argument," Diego shot back. "You talk about her as if she's stupid or has no free will. If she makes the choice, then she makes the choice. You have no right to interfere or to lecture me no matter what you think is going on. She's smart; she knows what she's doing."
"No, she doesn't." Hammond's square jaw was tight. "She's young and she's naive. Look at what happened when she took that goddamn case. When she finds out the kind of person you really are, your true intentions, it's going to break her."
"And what would you know of my true intentions?" Diego shook his head angrily. "And what would you know about her? I don't have to justify myself to you, or to anyone else. What's going on between me and Mia is none of your goddamn business so just shut up and get the hell out of my office."
It was a few moments of tense silence before Hammond spat out an angry growl and turned towards the door.
"You'd better put a stop to this."
"Or what? You can't do anything; I'm not breaking any rules."
Hammond said nothing further but pulled the door open and stormed through it.
Mia looked so lovely even just sipping at her tea. Diego decided then not to tell her about Hammond - knowing Mia, she would be deeply embarrassed that the other senior attorney had witnessed her in such a state, not to mention how she would feel about Hammond's comments. No, better that she didn't know about it, so she could continue at work as normal. Diego had considered this line of action while she had been away, had constantly been thinking about Hammond's judgment of him. He didn't want Mia to worry about that, or even know really about some of the things that Hammond had said. God, he's such a—
"Anything interesting happen at the office while I was away?" Mia asked.
He thought of the meeting he had sat through with all of the other lawyers and how he and Hammond had avoided looking at each other, pointedly sitting on opposite sides. Not that Grossberg had noticed, thankfully once again deeply involved in huffing through his agenda, occasionally glancing at Ruby to check whether she had noted something of particular significance. "Nothing much really at the office," he said. "Although when you get back, you might want to take a moment to reassure Ruby that you're feeling better. She was really worried about you."
"Oh." Mia frowned slightly, no doubt picturing Ruby's usual flustered state. "Sure, I'll do that."
It was Wednesday, which already meant that Diego wasn't in the best of moods. He hated the middle of the week - neither the beginning nor the end, just some annoying kind of in-between.
Shutting his office door, he walked to make his appointment with Grossberg. Passing Hammond's office, he noted that he was away again. Diego scowled at the thought of Hammond out at court - once again, Diego was without a case to distract him. While trudging through more paperwork he had time to stew on Hammond's brief, steely glances whenever they passed each other.
He doesn't know anything about me. Diego nodded to people he passed, all of them responding in kind. Saying that I'm treating Mia like— The thought was making him angry again so he cut it short.
Reaching Grossberg's office, Diego saw that the door was closed and prepared to wait.
"Morning, Ruby," he said, greeting the red-headed secretary seated outside.
Ruby jumped, sending her pen flying. Diego snapped out a hand and caught it quickly.
"Good morning, Mr Armando." Ruby blushed when he handed the pen back. "How are you?"
"Fine, thanks. You?"
"Oh, I'm fine too." Ruby self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I never said thank you for staying with Ms Fey. Was everything ok? Is Ms Fey ok?"
I hope so. He had tried to call once or twice but she hadn't been kidding - he had been unable to reach her. "Yeah, it was all good."
When Ruby breathed a sigh of relief. It was rather touching. "Oh good, I felt awful about having to leave, but..."
Diego smiled reassuringly. "Well, we can't help it if we have prior engagements."
Ruby still looked troubled. "I know, but in this case... it didn't work out. I could have stayed and it wouldn't have made a difference."
He couldn't help but cross-examine, especially since it looked like it was something that had been bothering her for a while. "It didn't work out?"
"No." Her thoughts drifting, Ruby set the pen down on the desk. "He didn't even show up..."
"Who didn't?"
"Oh, just this guy." Ruby gave a sheepish smile as she toyed with the pen, delicately rolling it back and forth. "I thought we were getting on but... I guess not. He didn't show and then when I tried to call him, all I got was a message the next day saying it had been fun but..."
Diego felt an awkward stab of guilt - more than once he had been the one severing a connection in a similar way. He hadn't seen or considered the other side of it before, always thinking that the other person was moving on too. "Don't worry, Ruby. It probably wasn't personal." His words sounded hollow. He could see Payne shaking his pompadour laughingly at his feeble argument.
"I know but..." Ruby looked up and her green eyes were a little cloudy. "He was really nice, he seemed interested and he said some very sweet things... Well, I guess romance is just for the movies, not silly little girls like me." Seeing the expression of dismay on Diego's face, she started. "Oh, what am I doing! These letters need to be— Oh, I'm sorry Mr Armando! Complaining like that—"
"Ruby—" Diego wanted to say something more, he wasn't sure what but suddenly the intercom buzzed with Grossberg's summons. Ruby waved him inside, her usual cheerful smile plastered on her face once more.
As Diego stepped into Grossberg's office, he threw Ruby a last glance over his shoulder. The girl was quietly returning to work as he shut the door. When he turned back, he saw the unexpected sight of Hammond sitting on the other chair opposite Grossberg.
"Sir?" Diego began, trying not to look too wary of Hammond.
"Oh, not to worry, Diego." Hammond rose to his feet. "It's not an ambush. We just had some business this morning." He gave Diego an excessively polite smile. "Don't worry, we weren't discussing you."
"I didn't think you were." Diego kept his eyes on Hammond, understanding the suggestion and not liking it one bit.
Hammond shrugged a casual goodbye. He waltzed out of the office and Diego had no choice but to take his seat in front of Grossberg and focus on the day's business.
They had settled into small talk but Diego was still glad. While she had been away, he had been thinking about her a lot. Yes, he had missed her. She was the most interesting person in his life at the moment - he had spent most nights at home, feeling bored and thinking of little things to say to her, at least when he wasn't feeling worried that she would come back and decide that she didn't want to continue seeing him outside of work. That thought had been too much to even consider so he had constantly shoved it aside. Of course she would want to continue, all she had said was she needed time to process everything and she had been talking about Terry, right? Besides, she had invited him over here now and she seemed relaxed and happy.
Although they were both aware that they should talk about what was on both their minds, it was easier to avoid the topic. Diego decided that simply enjoying her company was a pleasure preferable by far.
"Anyway," Mia said with a smile, "tell me about what else you've been doing. Any cases?"
"Just one. I meant to tell you – it was Rory Rollins."
"What?" Mia's eyes widened in concern. "What happened?"
"A case of mistaken identity."
"Well, I'm glad you were there. Mr Hammond was busy?"
"Yeah." Diego shrugged, not wanting to think of Hammond. "It was fine. Rory sends his best wishes, by the way." He finally took a sip of the tea and coughed in surprise at the bitterness of it. It was enough to make him feel as if his tongue was retreating into itself.
"Oh my god, I'm sorry!" Mia reached for Diego's cup as he spluttered. "I forgot that this blend is more of an acquired taste."
"No, no, it's fine." Not wanting to lose any more face than he already had, Diego didn't relinquish his cup but instead forced himself to take another sip with a smile. "Just took me by surprise, that's all. Anyway," he continued, wanting to detract from his own embarrassment and distract himself from his rebelling taste buds, "let me tell you what happened."
At the far end of the courtroom, Rory was twisting the bottom of his striped red and yellow shirt with worry as he watched the proceedings. Poor man, Diego thought, glancing at Rory's chubby and pale face, shining with a layer of sweat. When Rory looked his way, Diego gave him a reassuring wink. Rory attempted to smile back but his lips merely wobbled. He went back to wringing his shirt.
"So Mr Rollins was arrested because he was found near the scene of the crime, wearing a clown suit like the one in the security footage?" The Judge blinked, frowned and then blinked again. "What are the odds?"
"The odds are that he did it, Your Honor," Winston Payne (and his pompadour) smirked.
Diego looked up at the Judge. "Your Honor, do I even have to raise an objection to the Prosecution's—"
"Decisive evidence?" Payne offered.
God, I'm not getting paid enough to deal with this smarmy son of a bitch, Diego thought. This case is pro bono one as well - no wonder Mia took this guy the first time and Robert wouldn't take him a second. He remembered interviewing Rory yesterday and seeing his sheepish expression at revealing the prosecution's idea for a motive: that he needed the money from a break-in because being a children's party entertainer wasn't exactly high-paying. The further evidence was his reliance on pro bono hours at one of the city's top firms. Diego had made a mental note to talk to Ms Harrison back at the office about offering legal counsel and making promises to clowns she met at her niece's birthday party. Still, Mia had given this guy all of her attention, it was only right that he did too.
"Your 'decisive evidence' is far from it," Diego returned sharply. "All I saw was footage from afar that showed somebody in a clown suit escaping through a window. It could have been anyone - you can't see any specific markers on that costume except for the colors, which are common! Your boys just picked up someone on the street who was unlucky enough to be in costume after working." Diego tutted loudly. "He's a clown, Mr Payne! He does nothing but bring little children joy at birthday parties and you accuse him of a break-in! You should be ashamed."
The general murmur of agreement that rippled around the room only increased when there was a sharp sound of ripping fabric. Rory's shirt had finally given up under the relentless twisting. He stood there pathetically, looking down at the ruined garment as a popped button skitted across the floor.
"The Prosecution summons our next witness," Payne called out, perturbed by even the Judge's sympathetic look in Rory's direction. "Ms Sharpye, the victim of the break-in and a witness to the thief's escape!"
After she had finished speaking, Ms Sharpye twirled the ophthalmoscope in her hand.
Despite the quirks, for once, Diego was pleased. How long since he had encountered a helpful witness? She was technically the victim in this case since her home was the target so Payne couldn't say she was biased. "You saw the smiley face patch on the left side of the clown costume, not the right?"
"Yep." Ms Sharpye nodded vigorously. "I have very sharp eyes, you know - the best eyesight of any optician in the city! It's how I make my business. Come and see me, because I can see you! That's my catchphrase, what do you think?"
"Very good," Diego said flatteringly. "And before my prosecutor friend can argue it," (Payne sniffed opposite), "you're certain there were no mirrors or any reflective surfaces, that you saw the suspect face-on?"
"Yes." Ms Sharpye nodded again.
"Your Honor, the defense maintains that the suspect in the video footage is not Mr Rollins; there is a clear contradiction between the witness's testimony and the costume my client was wearing when he was wrongfully arrested." Diego gave a smirk of his own at Payne's downward-angled eyebrows. "But if that's not enough proof for you, let's go back to the video footage again." He always enjoyed holding the court in thrall and he kept smiling as he paused the video at a certain frame that showed the suspect, most of the way through the window, an old-fashioned, wooden-framed one with a single sash. However, the heavy sash had slammed down on his foot, the oversized clown shoe clearly squished in half somewhere between the bottom of the toes and where the shoelaces began.
"What are we looking at?" the Judge asked, blinking at the image on screen.
"Look at the shoe, Your Honor. A painful place to be caught yet Ms Sharpye observed the thief simply pulling his foot free and running away easily. She also testified that there were no sounds made by the thief when the window slammed down and my investigation showed no traces of blood or skin. Surprising considering the force, right?"
"Not if the shoes are fake," Payne scoffed. "Clowns often wear fake shoes, oversized for comedic effect."
"I agree," Diego said, his grin widening. "Rory, could you do me a favor? Take your shoe off for the court and show your foot to His Honor."
Mia laughed merrily, clapping her hands. "So it couldn't have been Rory not only because of the subtle differences in the costume but also if it had been him, he would have sustained a serious injury from the window shutting on his foot because he is actually that shoe size!" She beamed at Diego and he felt a swell of pride equal to the one he had experienced in court at Payne's spluttering disbelief upon seeing Rory's giant, custom-made shoe and his matching, perfectly uninjured foot, encased in a gaudy orange sock with a hole near the little toe.
"Thank you, Mr Armando! Thank you so much!"
Diego gently but firmly extricated his hand from Rory's grateful grip. "No problem, Rory."
"I mean, the way you just… you were amazing!" Rory was positively glowing. "But the thief is still at large… I heard that sometimes you catch the bad guys in court."
"It doesn't always work out that way." That girl, the real culprit, had walked away that day. Diego had seen that parasol departing from the room out of the corner of his eye. "But the main thing is that you were acquitted." That was more than what Terry Fawles had got. Cop-Killer Commits Suicide on Stand the tiny article in the newspaper had said.
"Yes, of course. Well, I guess now we just let the cops do their job, right?" Rory reached for Diego's hand again. Diego deftly twisted it away to give Rory an encouraging and strong clap on the shoulder instead.
"That's right. Take care of yourself Rory. Try not to get into any more trouble or we'll have to start charging, ok?"
"Thanks again, Mr Armando!" Rory's smile was wide and goofy but it stalled as something occurred to him. "Oh, I never got the chance to see Ms Fey. Tell her I said hello, will you? She tried so hard to help me last time. Do you think she likes balloon animals?"
Diego smiled kindly. "All the ladies do, surely. I'll let her know you send your best."
Rory grinned and finally left, his shoes squeaking happily as he walked away.
Diego should also have left the courthouse feeling light-hearted over the win but instead the thought of another person escaping justice for a crime weighed heavily on his mind. He hailed a taxi outside the building and fell into it, pensive all the way back to the office.
"That was something I wanted to talk to you about, actually." Mia took a deep breath and looked at her hands as they rested in her lap. "I thought a lot about Terry's case when I was away."
Diego tipped his head to one side, trying not to appear tense although he wasn't quite sure what he was expecting.
"At one point I thought about leaving, because... Well." She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Anyway, I'm staying; I want to keep being a lawyer because what happened just... wasn't fair. So much about that wasn't fair and he didn't need to..." she swallowed briefly. "Before you say anything, I thought about what you said and... you're right, there's not a lot I could have done. You saying that you would have run the trial in the same way means a lot, it really does."
She had considered quitting? He wanted to reach for her hand, but he didn't, not wanting to interrupt or overwhelm her. He settled for an attentive silence instead.
"I think... that it might still take me a while to get over it," she said, staring down into her teacup. "But something that I think might help is if I try and... tie up some loose ends." She looked up to meet his eyes, checking to see if he knew understood.
"You mean Ms Hawthorne," he said quietly.
"I don't know what I can do if the police closed Terry's case but... there's just something about her... When I thought about the case, I kept coming back to her and thinking that if I had known what I was up against, would I have acted differently? Would I have been tougher? Would I have been better able to fight for justice? Terry's death, that's not justice, that's... God, she just..."
It was then that Diego reached forward. He could see her starting to spiral in a whirlwind of emotion and he wanted to remind her where she was, remind her of his presence and remind her of his support. As his large hand closed gently over hers, Mia fell silent and looked at him, her gaze full of worry.
"I'll help you," he said simply, knowing that even if she hadn't come to him with the idea, he probably would have reached a similar conclusion.
"You will?" The clouds started to clear from her expression, giving way to an eager kind of hope.
"Of course, Mia. Whatever you need." He spoke sincerely. "I don't know what the outcome will be, but we can at least do some digging. If it doesn't go anywhere, then we'll deal with that, but it might be enough to at least answer some questions that came up at the end of the trial." Mia's hand was warm and smooth in his own. "So, let me know when you want to get started."
"Thank you." She showed her appreciation by turning her hand to squeeze his. "Thank you, Diego."
They sat there for a moment. Diego contemplated the dead man, thinking that closure for Mia at least might be a good thing. His own sense of justice had been wounded at the end of the trial, too. His hand was mostly healed now but he still wore a Band-Aid on the palm.
At the same time however, he was absorbed in holding her hand and noting how she didn't pull it away from him. Was now the time to talk about…them? Should he tell her what else had happened while she was away, what else had constantly occupied his thoughts?
"It was a good service," Diego said solemnly.
"You think?" Toperman poured out two glasses of bourbon, the liquid amber and smooth.
"Yeah." Diego took a glass. He could smell the alcohol amid honey sweetness and smoky, charcoal warmth.
"Isabelle would have hated it." Toperman sat down on one of the patio chairs, stretching out comfortably, loosening the tie that matched his immaculate black suit and running a hand through his golden locks. "Not enough entertainment for her liking. But if it keeps my mother-in-law sweet, well." He chuckled and took a sip.
Isabelle's funeral had taken place at last and had been well-attended by close family and friends. Toperman had insisted Diego attend, arguing that there had to be at least one more good-looking man present in order to do Isabelle justice.
"So what next?" Diego asked. The funeral and wake had been well-attended. The sky was just starting to darken overhead, a twilight hush descending as they sat on the patio, looking out over the garden. Further indoors there was a room that needed tidying but Toperman had let his staff go early. Life could wait for now.
"Just sorting out her assets. You'll help with that?"
"Of course."
"Then back to business... I'll help her company make the transition to a different CEO. My company has some business as well, a nice little renovation project coming our way... I've also got to sort out the house, finally get those painters in and do something about this garden."
"Are you hiring a new gardener?"
"No, I might pave the entire thing over. Save the trouble of hiring a gardener in the first place, or at least get some lower-maintenance plants. Those stupid rose bushes are all broken."
Diego tried not to think of his own contribution towards the broken rose bushes.
"So how is Ms Fey doing?" Toperman eyed Diego carefully. "She sounded like she was doing ok, but I wasn't convinced."
"She's taken some time off." Diego took a sip of his drink and coughed slightly, the strength of it catching him off-guard.
"Ah, that's why she didn't answer my other call."
"You called her again? Why are you even calling her anyway? She's not your attorney, I am."
Toperman snickered into his glass. "Don't get jealous, it was only one other time. Just wanted to see if I could refer her to someone who was looking for a lawyer. Tell her to call me when she gets back."
Diego smiled, proud of Mia and appreciative of Toperman. "I will."
"So how are things between you two?" At Diego's look, Toperman laughed again and downed the rest of his glass before reaching to pour another. "You're transparent, my man. Crazy about the girl, even I can see it. Just asking out of friendly interest."
Not wanting to be outdone, Diego downed his glass also, better prepared for the burn and held it out for a refill. "You mean just checking to see if she's available."
"So she's not?" When Diego said nothing but merely smiled and looked away, Toperman tipped his glass in a salute. "Not that she has eyes for anyone else, I bet. Ah, I miss having a girlfriend. It's so different from having a wife. And being a widower." His tone wasn't self-pitying, more factual. "Girlfriends are fun. Wives are high maintenance. Being a widower is just boring."
"I'm not sure Mia's really my girlfriend."
"Of course she is." He barked with laughter at Diego's expression. "Hey, you don't have to put a label on it if you don't want to but the way I saw her make eyes at you at least suggests that she's not interested in anyone else. Neither are you, it seems."
Diego shrugged and leaned back further in his chair.
"Hah, you lawyers and your evidence." Toperman shook his head with amusement. "Never want to see what's right in front of you. Let me tell you something about Isabelle. When I met her, everyone else paled in comparison. She was the most interesting, dynamic woman I had ever met, and most importantly, her appetite for me was just as strong as mine for her." Toperman sighed wistfully. "I wasn't even looking, it just happened. Everyone else... was just a woman. She... was Isabelle. I said it before and I'll say it again - after every casual fling, every furious argument, it was still her." He raised his glass to the sky. "Here's to you, baby."
Diego lowered his eyes respectfully.
"Don't be afraid, Diego," Toperman continued. "Women are wonderful, so curvy and soft and smart. But when you find one woman you're curious about, well, you gotta run with it, see where it goes. Nothing wrong with that. There's something wrong with not daring to do so. Now drink up." He reached for the bottle and waved it in Diego's direction. "We need to finish this by the end of the night."
A few hours later, Toperman had graciously ordered Diego a taxi home. The next morning, Diego opened his eyes and immediately shut them again, gathering his thoughts and giving thanks to various deities that it was the weekend.
He automatically reached towards the empty space beside him. There were several things at odds in the current scenario: firstly, that he had slept on one side of the bed instead of stretching out like he usually did when alone. Secondly, that he had expected someone to be there. Thirdly, that he was disappointed when Mia wasn't.
Toperman was right - he was crazy about her. Strange how that had seemed so ridiculous before but now that he was acknowledging it, it made perfect sense. Why wouldn't he be crazy about her? She was… Mia.
Diego rolled to one side, forgetting he was already on the edge. He landed on the floor with a painful thump. He lay on his side for a long moment, cursing Toperman and his too drinkable bourbon before gathering the strength to climb back into his curiously empty bed, his mind full of thoughts of Mia's kissable mouth and touchable curves.
She hadn't let go of his hand, absently twining their fingers together. Diego knew that this was where they finally talked about what happens next.
"So, I did a lot of thinking about you as well." Long lashes brushed her cheek as she looked downwards at their linked fingers.
Normally – usually, all those times in the past that had been unimportant – this was the point where he made a smart joke. He stayed silent, almost holding his breath. The warmth of her hands made his skin glow.
"And, well, I missed you while I was away. Amid all of the other complicated feelings I have... I like you, Diego... and if it's ok with you, well, I'd like to keep seeing you." Her smile started off shy but seeing his expression starting to match her own, she gained confidence until she was giving him one of those brilliant beams, the one that had lit him straight up on that first day in the empty courtroom.
"I'm..." Pleased? Happy? Ecstatic? "I'm glad. And I feel the same way," he said finally, trying hard not to look like some gormless grinning fool.
"Good." She didn't let go of his fingers. "Getting to know you... it's been... I've really liked having you to talk to, to have fun with..." She shrugged. "I don't know, maybe we have to figure the rest out."
"It's a strange situation," Diego agreed. "I've never been... involved with someone at work." Not entirely untrue - he had never dated someone at the workplace, just... flirted. He tried not to start counting examples. What did any of them matter? They didn't.
She was nodding. "Well, I haven't either. I guess we're both... trying to find our way."
"Well, I want to make it work." He squeezed her fingers and she nodded her consent.
"Me too." Her smile was genuine and sweet. "I mean, if we both enjoy each other's company... Just as long as my work doesn't suffer." A shadow crossed her face. "I don't want my work to suffer."
"Of course not. I don't either." Could he kiss her now? If she was saying she wanted to carry on seeing him that must mean continuing with the kisses and everything else too... "We can talk more about that if you want. If it helps, have some kind of plan, an agreement."
Even though she looked like she wanted to giggle, she approved. "Spoken like a lawyer."
"Not quite," he grinned. "I said plan, not legally binding contract."
She laughed and leaned in, hesitating when they were close enough for their noses to touch, studying him with earnest eyes, pools of hopeful light brown.
Not wanting to wait anymore, he moved his mouth to hers, the two of them catching their breath as their lips met.
This... this was wonderful. She was wonderful. All thoughts of the barbs he had endured recently were pushed away by her kiss, replaced with a feeling that said yes, I'll make this work. I'm going to make this work.
"Then there was that business with Mr Forge but that was solved quickly." Hammond brushed at an imaginary speck on the leg of his pants. His suit today was a dark gray color, like a stormy sky.
"Good, good, glad to hear it." Grossberg made a note on the sheet of paper in front of him and turned his attention to Diego. "And you, Diego? How was last week?"
"Fine, Sir," Diego answered with a smile, ignoring Hammond's careful scrutiny. "I've been working on some of Mr Kerr's materials, the new files from Markson & Markson came through and there was the Rory Rollins case too."
"Rory Rollins? That name sounds familiar."
"Ms Fey was supposed to take his case the week before last," Hammond explained, "but she was... She couldn't participate in the trial. I took it instead and got him acquitted."
"But he landed in more trouble," Diego continued, not wanting Hammond to take the spotlight. "So I stepped in after Robert refused to take the case." Petty of him, possibly, but he was still pleased to see Hammond flinch.
"I didn't refuse," Hammond said tightly, "Other matters took priority. I've been working alone for a while on more important things than an unfortunate charity case." Seeing Grossberg look up, Hammond switched his approach. "I thought you would appreciate the solo court time since you've been so... preoccupied... lately with Ms Fey."
"I appreciated it, certainly." Diego spoke as politely as possible. "Ms Fey and I had to do a lot of your paperwork quite recently."
Hammond smiled civilly. "Yes, well I'm sure you taught her a lot during those late nights in the office."
Before Diego could return with a remark of his own, Grossberg moved the conversation on, oblivious to the verbal blows that had been exchanged. "Yes, I have no doubt that Ms Fey has benefited greatly from your mentoring, Diego." At this, Diego resisted the urge to give Hammond a snide glance. "She will need all of our support though when she returns to work next week. We were all rookies once." He looked at his notes. "So, Robert, I'd like you to take the Burr sexual harassment allegations, I'm sure I can trust you to be discreet."
"Certainly. Did the incident happen in the office?"
Diego didn't react.
"No," Grossberg said, his hair bobbing as he shook his head. "Well, I'll let you consult the case file. And you, Diego, you're finally meeting with Ms Thorne?"
"Thorne?" Hammond tilted his head to one side with interest, sensing the significance and more importantly, the money. "Of the Rose Company?"
"Yes, the very same."
"Are you sure you don't want me to take this one, Sir?" Hammond leaned forward, resting one hand on Grossberg's desk. "I have more experience with high-profile business clients."
"That may be true, my boy, but on this occasion I think Diego is more suitable." Grossberg gave Diego a quick glance before returning to Hammond. "Ms Thorne isn't the same as your usual clients, Robert. For one, the industry she works in. Secondly, the circles she moves in are partly at odds to some of yours. Thirdly, she is, well, I'm sorry my boy, but she is a woman and women tend to... react more favorably to Diego."
For the second time that meeting, Hammond flinched but he acquiesced and leaned back, spreading his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Of course. Well, whatever benefits the business. I trust that Diego will be able to handle Ms Thorne with his usual... care and sensitivity."
Diego tried not to react but the somewhat sheepish look on Grossberg's face and Hammond's clear opinion on the matter of a new female client being assigned to him was making him equal parts angry and uncomfortable. "I'll treat her the same as any client," he said neutrally.
Grossberg continued with a note of apology. "Besides, she specifically requested you, Diego. She's come to us through Mr Kerr - he's been singing your praises since that business with Nickie and Trixie. Anyway, I'm sure you'll do well when you meet her and bring back some lucrative work." He cleared his throat and wrote another note, ending this particular thread of conversation.
For the rest of the meeting, Diego said very little, not sure of exactly why his pride felt wounded. Was it Hammond's judgment? Was it how Grossberg's comments could have been interpreted? Was it the thought that of course they would think that way because all prior evidence pointed towards it? Why did that annoy him so much?
Because of Mia was the answer. Because something is happening that nobody knows about, that I'm just barely beginning to understand. They don't know anything.
When they were dismissed, Diego ignored Hammond completely, heading straight to his office, spotting Mia's closed door and feeling hollow.
Diego hadn't liked the way that he had seen Hammond look at him every time he came out of Grossberg's office, nor how frequently the two seemed to be meeting. While he couldn't be sure what Hammond was saying to Grossberg about him and Mia, if anything at all, he thought that perhaps he should take the initiative before Hammond could put his spin on the story.
"Yes, Diego, take a seat." Grossberg made his usual snuffling sound as he rested his elbows on the desk. "I was just looking at one of Brookes's divorce cases. Divorce settlements can be tricky but Brookes is doing much better recently." Grossberg nodded approvingly. "Anyway, my boy, what did you want to talk about?"
Diego steeled himself before speaking. "Sir," he said respectfully, "I wanted to talk about Ms Fey."
"Oh, yes, it has been quiet around here. She has brought a certain energy to the firm, hasn't she? Terrible shame for her to get mixed up in the Fawles case - awful business, simply awful." Grossberg shook his head sadly. "I shouldn't have let her take that case... oh well, it's done. Now there's the recovery, time for her to return to her usual high standard." Grossberg had a tendency to ramble, but in this case Diego didn't mind as it was about Mia.
"Anyway," Grossberg continued, "I hope she makes the most of the two weeks I gave her. She said she was going home to the farm?"
"I don't think she comes from a farm, Sir." The brief image of Mia in a pair of denim short shorts, a plaid shirt and a cowgirl hat asking him to give her a ride popped into his mind and he hurriedly squashed it. "She said she comes from a small village."
"Ah, I see." Grossberg nodded. "Well, some of that fresh country air can do nothing but good for her health, she was looking rather pale. I didn't have the chance to give her some very useful health advice I received myself only last month, very simple trick you know—"
When Grossberg steered onto the topic of health, it was time to move him in another direction.
"Sir, about Ms Fey—"
"Oh, yes. What about her, Diego?"
It was supposed to be simple: just walk in there, be honest and tell Grossberg about him and Mia before Hammond had the chance to paint him as a bad guy but actually having his boss in front of him wasn't simple at all. He was reminded too strongly of an earlier point in his career where he had confessed to a certain indiscretion and had endured a particular look which had been a painful combination of anger and disappointment. Now, he found himself faltering under Grossberg's expectant gaze. What was he supposed to say? Sir, Ms Fey and I are involved, please don't make me explain it any further— Sir, I think Mia's my girlfriend but it happened after the mentorship so that makes it a little better— Sir, Robert has the wrong idea, I'm not just having sex with Mia for fun, although it is pretty fun— Sir, I slept with Mia, not just once but multiple times but it wasn't ever at the office—
"Is this about the aftermath of the trial?" Grossberg's round features softened in sympathy at Diego's silence. "I'm concerned for her too, my boy, as is everyone else at this firm so we need to be supportive when she returns. It affected her deeply, anyone can see that." He sighed briefly. "Nasty, nasty case for anyone, not just a rookie."
Diego said nothing, seeing that Grossberg wasn't quite finished, happy to let him continue if it meant he didn't have to speak.
"I know that you in particular care for Ms Fey." (At this, Diego's posture stiffened a little.) "And you have the closest relationship with her; I think you can use that to be of real help."
"I... Of course."
"Robert has expressed his opinion that you have spent too much time with our rookie already but I think—"
That made him sit up. "Wait, what did Robert say?"
"Hmm? Oh, that he was concerned the two of you were becoming too closely connected but I told him the mentorship has only just finished and besides, the two of you work well together. I reminded him of our talk after that incident with Mr Toperman, and how you and Ms Fey had worked so well together to get Toperman acquitted, even after you hit him." Grossberg chuckled to himself then waved a hand somewhat dismissively. "Then that was the end of it."
Diego suspected that the ending was only temporary but he nodded, grateful for Grossberg's support. At least for now, Hammond hadn't said anything directly to Grossberg. If Diego had confessed now, maybe he would have done more damage - better to talk to Mia and see how she would want to approach Grossberg, if at all.
"Anyway," Grossberg continued, "I will be relying on you to continue providing Ms Fey with the support she requires at work." He adjusted his tiny glasses and peered closely at Diego. "I trust that you can do so? You remember what we spoke about before, yes?"
There was a distinct look in Grossberg's eye and Diego stared for a moment, suddenly remembering that the old man was smarter than he let on. Yes, now that he was really looking at Grossberg, he could see the man's other meaning under that twitching moustache. He had come to Diego's defense, but by telling Diego he had done so, he was also giving him a gentle warning. He thought back to Grossberg's words that day, the brief talk he had endured with Hammond standing at the man's shoulder. My boy, there is no official policy against fraternization at this firm. But whatever course of action the two of you take, consider that while we do not interfere with your personal life, the moment your personal life interferes with your work is the moment where we will need to speak again.
"Yes Sir," Diego said finally.
"Good. I'm glad you remember."
Of course he knows about us, he may look like a fool but he's as sharp as—
"Excellent." However, as Diego stood up to leave, Grossberg said something else. "Diego, apart from rules, regulations and office gossip, I would like to think that if you have anything to tell me, that you would feel comfortable doing so."
Office gossip? "Yes, sir."
"Good." Grossberg smiled and his expression relaxed. "I will not broach the subject again unless it is necessary. I trust you to be smart, Diego."
Diego nodded solemnly, trying not to balk under Grossberg's gaze. Smart about being discreet? It was too late to be smart about not getting involved.
"Well, see you later, my boy." Grossberg got up and turned his back, consulting the books and ornaments on his shelves, apparently lost in thought as Diego closed the door.
"So... do you want to talk about it now? Work, I mean." Diego would talk to her about Grossberg some other time, right now they had only just decided on this, no need to complicate it further just yet. Better to start off simple.
Mia nodded slowly. "Yeah, it would really help if we had some kind of agreement."
"No kisses in the office?"
"Perhaps that's a start."
"Kisses everywhere else?" When she laughed and playfully batted him away, he pretended to be wounded. "I'm just trying to figure out the rules, Kitten."
"I know. But... I suppose the basic idea is that... we can't be canoodling behind closed office doors."
"Canoodling? Is that what you want to call it?" He was in a good mood and couldn't help but tease her but seeing trepidation fly across her eyes, he stopped. "Honestly Mia, I'll follow your lead."
"Well for a start, you can't keep coming into my office and closing the door just because. Once or twice is fine but after a while it starts to look a little strange, you're not my mentor anymore after all, not officially anyway."
"Fine."
"We can't always leave the office together."
"That's fine as well."
"Work is work, ok?"
"Of course. But at work as well…" Diego paused for a moment, then decided to continue. "Grossberg wants us all to keep an eye out for you. He mentioned it to me and no doubt he's mentioned it to Robert as well." Before Mia's expression could change to one of dismay, he smiled to reassure her. "I'm just saying that if you need anything, feel free to knock on my door. It wouldn't be out of the ordinary to do so – given the kind of working relationship we've had so far, it makes perfect sense if you come to me. I'm there to help you in a professional capacity as well."
She pondered this for a moment.
"All I'm saying," Diego continued, "is don't let the fear of perceptions around the office prevent you from accessing all the resources you have. Like you said, work is work. I don't mind at all." He would still be able to give her all the help he could, while still demonstrating to people that there was nothing untoward going on.
After a while she nodded. "Sure. You're right; it would be even stranger if I had no contact with you at all."
"Yeah. Play the game, Kitten. As long as we're professional at the office, it'll be fine."
She nodded her agreement. "What happens outside of that is different, just between us. Nobody will have any reason to suspect if we just carry on with our work as normal." She suddenly looked determined, as if she had been issued a challenge.
Diego felt the same way. All he had to do was act as normal at the office. That was fine, he could do that.
"Ah, Mr Armando." A dark-haired woman, probably close to his own age if not slightly older, looked up with cool blue eyes from what she was doing. "Thank you for coming."
Diego moved forward, taking in quick details of the office and the woman in front of him as she stood to greet him. "Of course." White, chrome and glass furniture matched neutral-colored walls, framed copies of the company's more famous advertising campaigns lining one of them. The woman was wearing a cream designer dress matched with a necklace that had a large golden disc as its charm. Her outfit, along with the particular shade of red that lined her lips and the other careful touches of makeup on her face showed attention to appearances, unsurprising considering that her company dealt in cosmetics and beauty products. Her hair was glossy and well-cared for, with bangs straight across her forehead and the rest of her hair neatly falling to just above her shoulders, a style that was fashionable and gave the appearance of effortlessness.
She stepped out from behind her desk and reached a hand forward, Diego noticed her towering heels. Even without them though, she was taller than Mia. What would Mia be like if she wore heels that high instead of the vaguely sensible ones she wore on a daily basis? He would probably be able to reach her mouth more easily if she did. Diego quickly tamed his grin into a polite smile, moving his hand forward to shake.
"Cleopatra Thorne," she said, smiling in return. Her handshake was firm but the skin of her hand was soft. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last."
"The pleasure is mine, Ms Thorne." Diego took the seat she gestured to on the other side of her desk.
She tipped her head in acknowledgement. "My apologies again for delaying our meeting but hopefully you will find the wait worth it."
"Certainly. Your assistant said you were interested in discussing some business?"
Thorne smiled in approval at his direct approach and Diego noted that as a useful point. Client taste differed – some preferred you to be gentle and delicate, others preferred to cut to the chase. "Yes," she confirmed. "I'm interested in hiring you, Mr Armando."
Diego was pleased at this certainty. How long since Hammond had brought in a high caliber client? "I'm glad to hear that, Ms Thorne. What can we do for you?"
"A number of things. But first…Let's talk about you. You recently completed some work for Mr Kerr?" Her lips were still curled upwards in an attractive smile, as if she knew something and was keeping it quiet for later.
"Yes, I did."
"He's been singing your praises ever since."
"Well, we did get his son acquitted." Diego tried not to look smug.
"We? I heard that it was just you."
"Myself and a junior colleague." Unwittingly, his thoughts drifted to that day in the lobby with Mia close to tears, despairing over the turn the trial had taken. When she had realized what he was going to do, how he was going to turn things around, she had looked so happy, so… He turned his head back to the business at hand although not without a small smile at the memory.
She noted his smile with one of her own. "I see. But that day, you also uncovered a sabotage plot and saved his daughter, no less. Are you always so… thorough?"
Diego chuckled. "We do our best to provide a full service, Ms Thorne."
That smile of hers didn't leave, it only seemed to sharpen. "I've heard a lot about the services Grossberg Law Offices provides."
"Oh? Such as?" Diego watched her cast a careful glance downwards at her desk and then up again.
"Well, that your firm doesn't just deal with criminal affairs. That you, Mr Armando, are one of the best at all that you do. Mr Toperman has been one of your clients for a while now, yes? You helped him with many aspects of his business and then you helped him when he was accused of murder. Very impressive."
He always liked it when people appreciated his work. "I'm glad you think so." He saw the opportunity to slip in a gentle joke. "Although I hope you're never accused of murder, Ms Thorne."
She laughed gently, a light, husky sound like a whisper in a darkened room. Diego tried not to compare it to Mia's laughter that was closer to bright sunshine. "Well, if I am ever unlucky enough, I have no doubt you'll be able to help me." She leaned forward, propping one elbow on her desk and raising one finger to the corner of her mouth thoughtfully. "You see, Mr Armando, I'm more interested in you than your firm."
Unsure how to take the words, he raised an eyebrow but chose to be pleased that his professional reputation had preceded him. "Well, I'm glad I've caught your interest and can bring your work to the firm. As interesting as I am though, there are matters in which some of my colleagues are better versed."
"Of course." Her smile returned and he had the feeling that she was going to tell him something important. "But if I am to bring my business to Grossberg Law Offices, I wanted to be clear that I want you to be my main attorney. It would annoy me greatly to deal with multiple people and given your… reputation… I would like to have the best person looking after my affairs."
Diego had suspected as much ever since Grossberg's semi-apologetic shrug, but that was what he had been sent for.
"But I must warn you," Thorne continued, "I like only the best and I constantly strive for the best in all areas of my business. I can be quite demanding because of it." She was eyeing him carefully, looking for a reaction.
Thorne certainly had bright blue eyes and a strong look although it wasn't anything compared to the kind that Mia could give. The thought made him smile again and the smile gained ground at the thought that Mia would be back in the city soon, she would be back at work after that and depending on what Ms Thorne needed to be done, perhaps he could ask for Mia's assistance. No doubt she would leap at the chance.
"I'm sure I can handle it, Ms Thorne," Diego said finally, aware that he had let the silence hang for a second or two, deciding that there was no harm in letting the client interpret it as she liked.
"Hmm, I do hope so." Thorne seemed pleased at his response. "Shall we look through some material, then?"
"Of course."
It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Everything felt bright and full of potential. He had interesting work coming his way, Mia was back, she wanted to carry on, he would get to know her better and to top it all off, the day wasn't even over yet. "The reality is, Kitten," Diego said, tracing patterns on the back of her hand, "that work has been boring without you."
"What did we just say about concentrating on work?" she chided him gently.
"No, not like that..."
"It sounds like it hasn't been boring at all."
"No, but... I mean it's great to just have you around, to..." He suddenly felt ridiculous, not quite sure of what he wanted to say. He fell back on a phrase from before. "I meant it when I said I enjoy being in your company."
She looked at him, eyes carefully studying all of his features, absorbing his confused earnestness and sensing that it wasn't the time to be coy. He watched her turn his words over in her mind, feeling uncharacteristically vulnerable under her close scrutiny.
"It's been dull not having you around," he said quietly, trying not to show too much the swirl of feeling that was building in his chest. This woman, what am I going to do about this woman? "And I'm glad that you're back and you're willing to continue... this."
She was still silent, blinking slowly.
"I'm just glad that I can keep seeing you." Once he finished, he almost frowned, wondering if he had said too much, revealed too much of what had been in his head for the past two weeks.
Mia let go of his hand and reached forward, slowly carding her fingers through his hair, his artful spikes bending to her touch. She stroked her way to the back of his head, Diego staying absolutely still, not wanting to move, not sure of what she would do.
When she shifted to sit with her legs astride his, he inhaled sharply. She was still looking at him with those all-seeing eyes. He could almost feel her reaching right into him as she drew his mouth towards hers.
"Me too," she said, voice barely above a whisper before she kissed him.
As the kiss grew, Diego wrapped his arms around her, gripping her tightly. She felt so... right. Even more so, later in her bed. It was smaller than his but they were both so desperate to be close to each other that it didn't matter.
Diego slid his eyes open, wanting to see Mia's satisfied, sleeping face, her disheveled hair, the bare curve of her shoulder as she curled her arm around the covers, holding them close to her in her usual way. It took him a while to wake up enough and realize that the space next to him was empty. In that brief time, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind, closely followed by surprise at the unfamiliarity of it. Well, this is a new feeling. But it quickly died as he caught the sound of movement elsewhere in the apartment: light padded steps and the squeak of a door.
What time is it? He looked around for an alarm clock on the nightstand or a clock on the wall but found none. He stretched one arm and reached for his phone, finding that it was still early. Goddamn, does she always get up this early on a Sunday? He thought lazily that he would have to help her rectify that. Although his body was pleasurably slow and heavy from their activity the night before, he willed himself to get up, to go to Mia. He wanted to see her.
He found her in the front room, bright-eyed and wrapped in blankets on the sofa, one leg exposed to show she wasn't wearing pants, making him regret how he had reached for his own out of decency instead of striding through her apartment just in his underwear or even fully naked. Diego eased into position next to her, admiring her shapely leg, demonstrating his admiration by sliding a palm up the length. Her skin was smooth, so beautifully smooth.
"Good morning," she said, giving him a quick kiss, letting him turn it into a longer one.
He murmured his reply against her mouth. "Why are you up so early? It's a Sunday."
She shrugged and broke off to rest her head on his bare shoulder. "I was just awake. Plus I go back to work tomorrow, I wanted to make the most of the day I have left."
Her head was heavy but he welcomed it because it meant contact. Why was she wrapped in blankets? Was it so he would have to unwrap her? He found the thought very appealing and snuck an arm around her shoulders and one hand down the front of the blankets, somewhat disappointed to find that she was wearing a shirt, amused to discover through touch that it was his own. Full of surprises, this woman.
"So how do you want to make the most of today then, Kitten?" He pulled her against him, the feel of her body stirring up memories of last night. "What did you want to do?"
"I'm not sure yet," she admitted, eyes focused on the television. There was some kind of infomercial on the screen. "Do you want to spend the day together? What would you like to do?"
He grinned and started to use his other hand to trace patterns on her thigh. "I'd like to take advantage of the fact that we're not at work today, and in close proximity to a bed." She wriggled in anticipation and he took the chance to kiss her deeply.
She kissed him back with promise before she settled back against his shoulder. "Let's… sit here for a while, ok? I'd like to have some tea before we go back to bed."
He pecked her forehead in consent.
Mia flicked through the channels and came across the news. Catching the headline, Diego moved his hand over hers, indicating for her to pause.
"Police have arrested the man responsible for a string of robberies. He was caught breaking into a Judge's house, attempting to steal valuables on display in the front room. Luckily, he was discovered by the Judge's daughter, who successfully subdued the robber using a frying pan."
Mia snickered but fell silent as the picture on the screen changed to show a man in a clown suit being bundled into the back of a police car.
"It is unknown at this time why Leonard Orlando Leonard used a clown suit as a disguise when carrying out these thefts. Whatever the reason, the joke appears to be on him. We'll report back later with further news."
Diego grinned as he kissed Mia on the cheek. Life is good, he thought to himself, pleased that the real thief had been arrested and looking forward to spending the day with Mia. Life is really good.
