A/N: Hey guys! Thank you for your lovely reviews, I love hearing your thoughts on the story and what you hope to see :)
Reasonable Doubt – Chapter Four
Erin POV
"You ready for this?" I question, eyes not lifting from the paperwork in front of me when I hear Jay enter my office.
"How did you even know I was here?"
"It's my job to know everything." I smirk, eyes meeting his as I lean back in my chair.
"No, really." He crosses his arms, lazily smile on his face.
"My assistant buzzed me while you were signing in, take a seat." He nods before moving forward to place a coffee in front of me, a paper bag by its side.
He smirks as I raise an eyebrow, taking a look inside happily.
"How'd you know?" I sigh after taking a long sip, letting the caramel scent indulge my cravings.
"I can find out things too. Apparently this has something to do with a ritual before court." He lifts one shoulder in a shrug.
"It does. Chocolate muffin and caramel latte. Really, I just love them." I wink at him, before internally cursing myself.
I remind myself that I'm at work, knowing I need to push aside the feelings that are fluttering around since our night together last night. A night where the lines between our professional and personal relationship were blurred.
The warm scotch, his hot breath blowing against my lips and the desperation in his eyes while he begged for his innocence.
"You ready to get started?"
"Guess so." I take one last sip of my coffee before grabbing my file and standing, I walk around the desk and lean back leveling Jay with a serious look.
"Where were you on March 17th 2005?"
"Chicago." I narrow my eyes at his smirk.
"Mr Halstead, where specifically. No games."
"Well, I was at home when I woke up… went to the gym, then school-"
"Jay, it's time to be serious." I break persona to jolt his head in the game.
"You asked a vague question." He shrugs again, an air of charming arrogance surrounding him.
"I did. As a test, you failed." I cross my arms, eyes and posture both letting him know how serious I am.
"Failed? How? You know you wanted to smile." He smirks at me, trying to elicit a smile.
"You were being a smart ass… there is no place for a smart mouth up there on the stand. You hear me? That will not carry favor with the jury; you'll turn them off. Just some rich daddy's boy who got everything he wanted in life, and is too caviler to care he's on trial for murder. Because his dad is buying his freedom." I slam my files on my table, leaning close to him.
"Do you want that? Because tell me right now, and I won't put you on the stand."
"You said I'd have to if we go to trail."
"If you want to win." I fire back, watching his conflicted eyes.
"You're the expert."
"I am."
"Do you believe all that?" He looks down at his hands, eyes avoiding me.
"No, but I told you I would be tough on you. I need to prepare you. This is your life… and we're fighting for it. It won't be easy."
"Okay, go again." He sighs, before taking a deep breath.
"Where were you the night of March 17th 2005?"
"I was at a party in a townhouse near Lincoln Park." Jay's eyes find mine, serious and honest.
"Who was with you?"
"There must have been fifty people there, I went with my girlfriend."
"Allie Johnson?"
"Yes."
"Did you leave together as well?"
"No."
"Why?"
"We got into a fight." I watch him clench his jaw, trying to keep his emotions at bay.
"About what?"
"Something stupid." My raised eyebrow is all Jay requires to continue.
"I told her I was joining the rangers after I graduated. I'd been keeping it from her."
"Why did you want to serve?"
"Can that be asked?" He asks after a moment.
"If they're good at their job they'll object. But I'm better… they bought up your military experience in the bond hearing. They'll bring it up again, framing you as someone who has taken life before. Therefore, they'll create the relevance for us to talk about it… for the jury to see the good man you are." He nods impressed as I raise an eyebrow, waiting on his answer.
"To serve my country with honor, to escape the clutches of my father and his money… and because I wanted to do something good with my life. Full of purpose."
"Did the fight get physical that night?" I open the file on my desk, glancing at my notes.
"No. I never hurt her."
"You had a cuts on your hand when you were questions by the police the next day, how did you get them?" I watch him rub his hands, perhaps lost in the memory of whirlwind events that followed Allie's murder.
"The party got out of hand, we had to clean up a broken window and I cut myself."
"Did you follow Allie when she left the party alone?" I press into the next question without trepidation, expecting nothing but his usual honesty.
"No." My eyes shut briefly.
"We have several witnesses stating you left the party not long after Allie, eventually returning alone."
His eyes are wide and shocked as he stutters for his next words.
A mantra rings out through my ears, trying to get lost in it.
He's just a client, guilty or not.
"We have investigators Jay. If we found this out, the prosecutor has it too."
"It was cold and dark out, I wanted to check on her… make it right. But we just got into a worst fight in the park." His eyes are haunted, torture hiding in the depth of his blue gaze.
"The same park she was found murdered?" My eyes lock with his, refusing to look away even when I feel my heart constrict at the sight before me.
"Yes."
"Witnesses say you were gone over an hour. Why?" My tone is abrupt, forcing an answer the way I'll soon be watching the prosecutor do.
"We fought, I told you."
"You fought, it got out of hand, and then you killed her." My voice is powerful and unbreakable, my emotions taking a back seat in the preparation.
"No!"
"You lied in your statement. You said you never saw her again after the house. Why did you lie then?"
He shrugs, struggling with his words.
"Why were you missing over an hour?" I press, not letting him escape, ignoring the signs he needs a break.
Knowing there won't be a break when we go to court.
"Because I was upset!" I finch at the pitch of his tone.
"She was my first serious girlfriend… we broke up and I cried. I felt that was shameful as a seventeen year old boy so I waited until I calmed down to go back to the party."
I let the silence sit between us, watching Jay struggle with his emotions and trying to force myself to continue.
"Why did you lie?"
"Because it's my fault." His eyes are full of shame as he looks at me.
"I left her alone and alive in that park… and the next morning she was dead. I shouldn't have left her alone… but I didn't want to cry in front of her. If I did… maybe she'd be alive. Because I would have seen she got home safely."
"Jay." I whisper, abandoning my professionalism in order to comfort him.
"It's not your fault." I perch on the chair next to him, hand in his, offering support.
His blue eyes find mine, coated in tears as he stares at me.
My thumb runs over his knuckles soothingly as I realise that perhaps I've began slipping on the professionalism and one of my golden rules;
Never form an opinion on if a client is guilty, and never share it.
"Has the confession not been thrown out?" Jay finally asks, perhaps sensing my terror at the realization.
"I've had my investigators on it and they can't find anything on this guy. No secrets, nothing illegal. He has no reason to lie."
"He is lying."
"We can't prove that. We need to substantiate that to discredit his testimony… the plea is your best bet. And it's minimal time because they don't have the murder weapon." Jay's shaking his head before I can even ask the question again.
"Jay, one last time, please consider the plea deal."
"No."
"Jay-"
"I said no Erin." I bite my lip, staring him down never had so much trouble getting a client to take my advice before.
"Jay, the won't throw the confession out. Going to trail is too risky; you need to take the plea. They are going to destroy you on the stand." I continue to push, not ready to let this go until I'm sure he won't change his mind.
"Why?"
"Because it all doesn't look good. It won't sit right with the jury. You were seen with your girlfriend on the night in question fighting, you had cuts on your hands, you left a sixteen year old girl alone in the park. They won't understand."
"She had just broken up with me, I was hurt…. I was crying and I was ashamed of it. I was seventeen… crying seemed weak to me so I left. I have regretted it every night since." I can't deny the honestly and regret in his voice and displayed on his face.
"Please don't give up on me Erin." His whispered words make my stomach twist in pain.
"I won't. You're the client, but I need you to understand you could get life in prison."
"I don't care. I'm innocent. I need to take this risk."
"Okay, I'll dig deeper. See if I can find something on the witness, he must have ulterior motives to come forward with this fake confession."
Flashback – Two months ago
"Thank you." I look up when I hear Jay's word; it's how every session starts. He thanks the guards for taking his cuffs off.
"Jay." I gasp as I jump up and go around to help him sit.
"It's still happening, isn't it?" I resist the urge to put my hands on my hips, because they are busy cradling his face and tracing the bruises there.
"I'm fine." He winces as he moves and I suspect he's got broken ribs.
"You aren't fine. I'm having you moved." Jay shakes his head, scruff against my soft hands.
"No, don't."
"Jay, I can't watch you in pain like this. I can't stand seeing it. Please, let me have you moved." My eyes are begging his and something shifts in his gaze.
"Okay. For you."
"Thank you."
I shut off the part of my brain telling me I'm falling for this blue-eyed man; I'm just concerned for his safety.
It's pointless; I know I'm lying to myself.
"Erin, hey. Come in. You want a beer?" I shake my head as I enter Jay's apartment, watching as he walks towards the kitchen.
"Did you turn the plea down?" He asks as he busies himself in the kitchen.
"I didn't get the chance, they pulled it." My hands are gripping my bag tightly, stomach in knots.
"Why?" Jay stops what he's doing, eyes seeking mine out.
"They found the murder weapon."
A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Things are gonna go down next few chapters... excitement will pick up ;) And maybe some more of that sexual tension I've been building in earlier chapters ;) lol
Please review and I'll update as soon as I can :)