"The Public Defender" (closed)

[BellaMiles]

"The Public Defender"

closed​

Bella Miles sat patiently in the box, waiting for her Public Defender. The little room was claustrophobic, barely 6 feet by 6 feet with one tiny window in its only door. The table at which she sat -- cuffed -- easily took up half the square footage. Ironically, if Bella ultimately went to jail for the crimes she was facing, she might find herself yearning for this spacious a space.

She flinched at the sudden opening of the door, the return of the big courtroom Guard with whom she'd been flirting in a failed attempt to be uncuffed, and behind him, one of the most beautiful women she'd ever seen ... and Bella had known her share of beautiful women in her 24 years of life.

After Bella raised her bound hands again and blew a kiss to the Guard, he shook his head and departed. Bella looked the woman up and down, smiled, and said with humor in her voice, "There ain't no way that a babe like you is my Public Defender.

(OOC: Obviously, the PD isn't blowing me a kiss. )

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia looked around as she was led into the box. IT was her fifth trip down here since she took the job a month ago. It didn't seem to get easier. the fading gray paint and the smell of institutional cleaners seemed oppressive, but then she figured that was the point. She pauses at the door as the guard leaves and looks over. the girl was cute. she seemed more suited to some field party full of suburban kids, or maybe an edgier sorority than the immediate environs. She doesn't respond to the comment on her looks. she was warned some of the prisoners would bait her, and that she was hot enough to hear some pretty vulgar things in her short time as a PD.

She sits, then takes her charcoal J Crew blazer and puts it on the back of the chair. Beneath is a white blouse, its made almost starkly white by her olive complexion. She looks over the girl, and the focus of her big brown eyes over her roman nose makes her look hawkish. she pulls out a set of folders and goes through them. "bella is it?" she leans back, then brushes her thick curly black hair away from her face and back over her shoulder "i am your public defender. I did a year in the Chicago Public Defender's office and my internships were there as well. I may be young but i assure you youll get as good a representation as can be had. under the circumstances." she sighs "why don't you tell me, in your own words, why you're here?"

 

[BellaMiles]

"Bella is it?"

"Yeah, Bella," the girl in cuffs said giving the other girl a wink, "like beautiful."

She was impressed with the lawyer's ability to ignore her shit. "I am your public defender."

Bella listened to the woman describe her experience and make her promises of professional representation.

"Why don't you tell me, in your own words, why you're here?"

"I punched an asshole in the mouth," Bella said without hesitation. She smiled again, and seeing that that didn't appear to satisfy the PD, she expanded, "I punched an asshole in the mouth ... and then I robbed him."

She leaned back in her chair, much as the other woman had; the effect was that her firm, all natural C-cups -- well displayed by the deeply plunging neckline of her dress -- became all the more obvious. Crossing her arms across her lower rib cage only emphasized them more.

"What's your name?" Bella asked. She waited for an answer, then asked, "You married? Engaged? Fucking anyone special?"

 

[siobhancan99]

The motion draws Sofia's gaze, and for a moment she does take in the impressive cleavage on the girl, but she doesn't let it show on her face. she takes a few notes. "My name is Sofia Demetrios. Nice to meet you Bella. Italian? anyway, an assault during theft makes it robbery. Robbery is theft that occurs with force or the threat of force. Robbery is a second degree felony. the sentence for that is technically 5 to 10. it's actually substantially less though. I don't have your rap sheet here." she keeps her eyes on the girl's face now, despite the one look. "there's a worksheet we can use to figure out what you're facing. Also we won't have the total list of charges till your formal arraignment." she shuffles through some papers "do you have any immigration issues that i need to be aware of? also do you have any priors?" she crosses her legs and pulls out her binder with the sentencing guidelines, setting it aside for later use.

 

[BellaMiles]

The PD answered only one part of Bella's inquiry: "My name is Sofia Demetrios."

The girl in cuffs considered pressing the matter, but she had a good idea it would go no where. Sofia ran through the dry stuff about charges, crimes, sentences, worksheets, blah, blah, blah. "Do you have any immigration issues that i need to be aware of?"

"Born and raised here," Bella said proudly, again without hesitation.

"Also do you have any priors?"

Now, though, Bella hesitated. Her lips spread in a devilish smirk Sofia would come to know well over their time together. "No, of course not. I have always been, am now, and always will be a good girl."

She was going to say more, but the door opened again and the big guard entered again. He dropped a file folder on the desk, threw open its cover, and told Sofia, "Her records just came down from upstairs. Sorry, you were supposed to get this earlier."

Bella raised her cuffed hands and gave them a little jingle. Again, the guard just shook his head, then departed. The trouble maker looked over at the opened file, seeing her previous mugshot and a list of both charges and convictions; they included some very minor drug convictions, a breaking and entering, four prostitution and/or solicitation charges.

She shrugged, smiled again, and said, "I think those might belong to a different Bella Miles."

Leaning forward again and practically laying her bosom upon the table before her, Bella reverted to one of her earlier inquiries. "You didn't tell me whether you liked girls or boys. You tell me that, and I'll tell you anything you want to know."

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia sighs inwardly and looks at the girl "I'll tell you absolutely everything you need to know in order for us to have the most mutually pleasurable and beneficial relationship. THe first thing you need to know is my sexual preferences are nobody's business but mine and the person i'm fucking, assuming i like to fuck anyone, which is not information you're going to find out today. the second thing you need to know, is that this detachment is for your benefit far more than it is mine. let's assume, arguendo, that I was attracted to you and I let myself indulge in this sort of banter with you. Every moment spent in that banter is a moment I am not thinking about how to keep you out of prison. Further, lets assume that god himself looked into my heart and found my most secret desires, carved them into marble and breathed life into them like some modern pygmalion, placing you in my path. Don't you think I'd be too emotionally involved to be your lawyer? the most important thing you need to know though is if you fucking lie to me I can't do my fucking job and you will have an all you can eat pussy buffet to look forward to during your very long stay at a state prison."

Sofia leans forward a bit, smiling. if Bella looked hard she could get a flash of her bra. Simple, utlitiarian, absolutely not designed in any fashion to provide titilation for anyone catching a glimpse. It was very no nonsense, like its owner. "Bella, I know you've been in the system a long time. I know you've probably had to play people in the system to get what you want, but you don't have to flirt with me to get me to do my job ok? I"m not some... prison guard or probation officer. I'm here because I want to be here, not because I have to be. I graduated not at the top of my class but close enough I could have taken a firm job. I took this job to help, so let me help" she sits back and looks over her priors for a few minutes "this isn't great. look as you ... clearly well know.... we're gonna go do your arraignment and bail hearing. do you have someone who can post bail? should i notify a bail bondsman?"

 

[BellaMiles]

As Sofia went on, Bella's little smirk ever so slowly faded until the expression on her face was one of a very solemn nature. It was amazing to Bella how this woman who was so young -- just 3 years Bella's senior -- had so quickly and so succinctly figured her out. And she'd done so with just a rudimentary scanning of Bella's record.

Imagine if we spent a little time together, and she actually got to know me, personally, Bella thought as she studied Sofia. Then, without her lips forming into their seemingly natural state of devilish smirk, Bella thought to herself, I wanna get naked with you so bad right now.

While the record before Sofia -- if the PD was to read more in depth at some point -- indicated that all of her sexually related charges had involved male patrons, Johns, in reality Bella's preference for partners was far from those with a big cock dangling before them. Despite seeming to be just playing with the PD as a defensive mechanism, Bella's true interests were in beautiful young women just ... like ... Sofia.

Sitting up and adopting a less flirtatious pose, Bella diverted her gaze to her handcuffs for a moment, then to the door, then back to her lawyer. She asked barely above a whisper, they can't hear us, right?"

The answer was, of course, no; The Box was the closest thing to pure privacy of which Bella would partake for the next days, weeks, possibly months. After she was reassured that the conversation with Sofia was just with Sofia, Bella leaned in closer and said with the most serious of tones and expressions, "I witnessed the Hanover murder."

There was no doubt from Sofia's reaction that she knew of the recent, brutal killing of Mob boss, Carlton "The Blade" Hanover. And by the tears that suddenly filled Bella's eyes, there was no doubt that the PD's client was frightened.

"They're gonna kill me if you don't help me," Bella was barely able to get out before she was sobbing. Struggling, she begged, "Get me out of her, Sofia. Please."

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia stares at the girl for a long moment. Only a year into the job she's already something of a cynic. Perps and their bullshit. PD's got as immune to it as any cop. Bella couldn't seduce her with her come on so she was probably lying about this to generate some extra interest. Sofia crosses her arms over her chest, watching her for a moment. Still, that part of her that came to the job to help people wants to believe the girl. She sighs and looks out the window. The gray skies seem to fit her mood. She looks over at Bella "no bullshit?" she leans forward a little bit "does anyone know? like anyone?" she had to think, if anyone knew then the girl would probably very swiftly be killed in prison. she gathers up her things, putting them in her bag, but she doesn't get up. Instead she focuses her gaze on the girl in front of her, who seems sort of lost and innocent for a minute despite the record that indicates that innocence was probably lost a long time ago.

"if it's true, we can probably get you totally off but we need to get you out on bail first. is there someone that can help with that?" she leans across the table, trying to touch the girl's hand and be reassuring. It was a gesture she wasn't particularly fond of but at the moment it seemed like the right thing to do. If the girl was acting, she was the Saoirse Ronan of the county lockup.

 

[BellaMiles]

"No bullshit?" Sofia asked, leaning in to add, "Does anyone know? Like anyone?"

"Not anymore," Bella responded, once again suffering a dramatic and very sincere sob before regaining her composure enough to say, "My friend, Taylor, he was with me when it happened. He split."

What Bella actually meant was that Taylor had disappeared. She feared that the Hanover Handymen -- the silly ass name given to Carlton Hanover's brutal thugs for their abilities to take care of any and all tasks -- had already found and disposed of Taylor. And if they had found him, it was only a matter of time before they connected him to her.

"If it's true--"

"It's true," Bella interrupted before again going silent to let Sofia continue.

...we can probably get you totally off but we need to get you out on bail first. Is there someone that can help with that?"

Bella was thinking, her eyes down to her cuffs, when she felt the other woman's own hand upon hers. Looking up, Bella thought she saw true concern in the PD's face. She tried a friendly smile, but it was hard; the emotion of fear was still overwhelming her.

"There's a locker," Bella said so quietly it might have been hard for Sofia to hear. "Central Bus Terminal. Locker 122, by the south entrance. There's a bag with a little bit of money in it. The key's in my, whadda they call'em, my personal effects? If you can get that key, you can post--"

Bella stopped short, wondering whether or not her own Public Defender could post bail for her. She doubted it, so she continued, "Marti Thomas. He's a she, Martina Thomas ... Marti with an 'i', not a 'y'. Her number's in my phone if they'll let you have access to it. Get the money to her. She'll post bail."

Again, Bella wondered whether or not the PD could or would do this. She didn't know any other way. Professional standards and all, she thought, recalling something she'd heard on one of those Law and Order rerun episodes she loved to much.

If Sofia was inclined to take these extra steps, Bella was certain the bag and Marti would help. From experience, Bella knew her bail would range between $500 and $5,000; in the bag was almost $60,000, as well as a small .38 Special, Bella's passport, and a string of condoms. That would take care of the financial end of the bail situation.

Marti was a 50-50, though. The party girl wasn't much for partaking of the legal system. She might once she realized there was an extra $55,000 inside a sweet looking Gucci Sylvie crocodile top handle bag, itself worth over $30,000.

Not knowing how the PD would react, Bella lifted her other hand and, jiggling it to get a bit more freedom in the cuffs, laid it atop Sofia's comforting hand. Softly, she said, "Please. Help me."

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia shifts "if you have a lot of money, I might not be able to continue representing you. I mean, of course unless any excess money in that bag is going to pay for rehab or something..." she trails off hoping the girl is quick enough to at least lie to her about it. "Alright. when they bring you in to the court you're going to say 'not guilty' because if you plead guilty here its an open plea which means no deal. otherwise you say nothing, you do nothing except say yes sir, no sir, in response to direct questions"

Sofia would stand, throwing her jacket over her blouse. she gets herself straightened out and then ties her hair behind her head in a messy ponytail. Bella would be led into a hallway by the sheriffs in charge of the courtroom. While there, three DA's would be talking:

"who's here from the PD?"
"De... sofia. whatever her name is"
"oh yeah? she's fucking bangin"
"like, actually hot or law school hot?"
"like, actually hot. she's like, some kinda dyke or something though. Gruber hit on her and it was like he wasn't even speaking. man that guy gets all the ass he wants"

the third guy speaks up "no, she was a year ahead of me. She's engaged to some finance bro. you know the type. 35 looks 25. his dental work costs more than your car and his weekly haircut costs more than your off the rack suits. She just can't see poor people, and gruber's a poor schlub like the rest of us"

"Dude she doesn't have a ring. so you know what that means?"
"that you still don't have a shot?"
"exactly"

When Bella was led into the courtroom, Sofia was wrapping up the hearing before hers. After calling the case, there's some swift banter. The guy who kept mentioning 'Gruber' said "Your honor this was a particurly heinous crime. The defendant lured a good solid citizen to a remote location with the promise of sex, then assaulted and robbed him"

Sofia smiles "A good solid citizen doesn't pay for prostitutes your honor. Also despite being paid a working girl has a right to change her mind. In State v. Jenkins the appellate court upheld Jenkins conviction for rape, despite the fact that he'd paid for sex"

"is that your theory Ms. Demetrios? that your client was defending herself?"

"Well we haven't given notice of affirmative defenses yet your honor. I've spoken to her for all of two minutes. Still, the fact remains that neither party was engaged in lawful conduct so perhaps we can spare the citizens of this town for footing the bill for my client's food and shelter. She's got priors and she's never missed court"

After entering the plea, the judge considers "5,000. cash or bond. next!"

Sofia presses her card into Bella's hand "ill have one of our investigators get your cash and post your bail. I can't do it myself but they can on your behalf. they will have to stop by and have you sign some stuff authorizing it first though."

 

[BellaMiles]

"If you have a lot of money," Sofia warned, "I might not be able to continue representing you. I mean, of course unless any excess money in that bag is going to pay for rehab or something..."

"It's not a lot of money," Bella replied quickly, almost desperately. In truth, it wasn't; she was used to being surrounded by money, often in excess of six figures. Of course, none of it had been hers, and to emphasize that, she told Sofia now, "It's not my money. When you find it -- you are going to go get it right? -- when you find it, you'll see it's enough. And I didn't steal it!"

She ran options through her head quickly as to who she could say the money belonged to and spat out, "It's Taylors. My friend. It's his money, but he'll let me use it, I promise. I wouldn't lie to you, Sofia."

The PD ran through what was going to happen next and stood to don her jacket. Bella couldn't help but ogle the beauty's body; Sofia was simply a Goddess in a mortals' world. As her lawyer made her way out of the room and the big Guard returned to take Bella away, she couldn't help but wish she'd gotten a firm answer to her question about Sofia's preferences.

Out in the hallway, as she was waiting for her turn in arraignment court, Bella caught most of a conversation that she very quickly realized was about her Public Defender. Fucking bangin' hot," Bella repeated in her head. Yeah, no shit.

"She's like, some kinda dyke or something though," another of the guys said. He spoke of some asshole who'd tried unsuccessful to hit on Sofia, adding, "Man that guy gets all the ass he wants."

Being just near enough to the man making the lewd comments but not so close that the other would hear as their conversation continued, Bella whispered to the asshole, "Are you sure all that ass he's getting doesn't have a cock dangling in front of it?"

The lawyer turned with wide eyes, shocked either by the cuffed woman's implications or by the thought that maybe that might very well be true. He turned away as the others were talking about Sofia's supposed rich, perfect, stud of a male lover.

"She just can't see poor people," one of the creeps was saying, "and Gruber's a poor schlub like the rest of us."

Bella couldn't help but smile a bit at this. As the Guard holding her by the elbow began moving her away toward the court room doors, she thought about Sofia, She'd be very comfortable in my little club of people, then. 'Cept for all the criminal activity, of course.

Behind her, the men continued to discuss Sofia's lack of an engagement shackle on her finger, but Bella missed all of that. After some more standing around -- during which she had the opportunity to stare and hunger over the female lawyer's incredible ass -- Bella found herself finally standing up front, listening to the ADA and PD arguing over her.

The former used the word heinous to describe Bella's crime, causing the big time criminal -- ha! -- to quietly whisper, "Spell it, asshole."

A quiet giggle behind her made Bella turn; another defendant had overheard her and found it amusing, too. Bella winked to the young man, then turned back to the proceedings. Heinous, she repeated again. She had never even heard the word until watching her first episode of Law and Order: SVU. Bella had never imagined some sharp lawyer would ever use that word to describe her.

"A good solid citizen doesn't pay for prostitutes your honor," Sofia countered.

As she peeked to Sofia and watched her make her case, Bella couldn't help but be impressed. She'd had dealing with a lot of lawyers in her past, obviously, but she'd never had a woman on her side -- or even pretending to be on her side -- and she'd never had any lawyer who'd quoted cases from old dusty law books in order to save her tight little ass.

The judge called out, "5,000, cash or bond. Next!"

Bella's face lit up with joy. She looked to Sofia again. "You did it! You did it, thank you. I'd hug you if I could, but..."

She held up her still cuffed hands to indicate her reasons for not embracing Sofia. The PD pressed a business card into one of them, promising that one of her investigators would retrieve the money and post bail.

"Thank you, Sofia," Bella repeated again, her eyes once more beginning to glaze over. She blinked the tears away, and looking away for no particular reason at all caught sight of a familiar face sitting in the back of the court room: one of the Hanover Handymen, a big lug named Joseph "JoJo" Johannsen. Bella looked away quickly, not wanting the thug to think she had any reason to take note of him, then looked to Sofia again and said with a sincere tone, "You saved my life. Thank you."

The guard took Bella away to Holding, and she waited anxiously for her bail to be posted. As she did, several women were brought into her cell for any number of reasons. One of them, a tough looking thing that seemed to be paying too much attention to Bella, made her way nearer after the detention center guard wandered off to deal with something else.

"You, Bella?" the woman asked in a gruff tone.

Before Bella could respond but not before her expressive reaction answered the question positively, the mean girl whipped out a shiv and slashed it at Bella. Sofia's client had anticipated this and had managed to avoid the attack, and when she did, the other woman lost her balance a bit. Bella moved a foot back, steadied her stance, and punched the woman with all she had.

The attacker went down to the floor, out cold, leading to an unexpected round of cheers from the other women who were just the types to enjoy such a show. Someone picked up the shiv and tossed it through the bars; it slid across the concrete floor, under a desk.

Bella got help from the others to lay the woman on one of the benches, away from the cell doors; she looked like she was sleeping. And while she waited for Sofia to get her the hell out of here, Bella spent the times chatting, learning, and making friends.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia blushes slightly and waves her hand, friendly but downplaying her role "I just said what needed to be said" she nods as the girl holds her hands up "look, its just a battle. war's still there to be won" she does reach out and squeeze the girl's shoulder though "I think, though, that we can do some good for you. I promise I'll keep doing my best for you." she watches the guards move the girl off, then continues on with her cases.


A few hours later, she's sitting in the county lockup, waiting on them to process the prisoners that were coming back from court. Next to her was a paunchy guy in a salmon colored polo and a brown sports coat. He had a salt and pepper beard and looked very much like a cop. When Bella is finally taken from her cell and told her lawyer is there, Sofia has been waiting a while and is sprawled as best she can in the uncomfortable chair. she straightens immediately, tucking her long legs under her. she and mike both stand, and its apparent how tall she is then. maybe 5'10. "Bella this is Mike. he used to be a cop and he's our investigator now. he's going to retrieve your money and pay your bail" she nods "We just have some forms for you to sign while he's here and he can get you out by tomorow morning." she lays the papers out on the table "the orange doesnt really suit you. lets get you back into those civilian clothes huh?" she makes a little joke, then steps back and lets bella read over the limited power of attorney that authorizes mike to make payments to secure her bail.
once you and i have... that talk..." Sophia keeps it vague "Mike will probably be looking into anything you say so we can verify it and package it just right to get you what you need" she is very careful though to keep everything circumspect. once mike has the papers, he gets up and heads out. Sofia sits, looking the girl over a moment "everything ok? nobody messing with you or anything in here?" she studies the girl's face, trying to get a read on her. She assumed though, that with her history she was probably a skilled liar.

 

[BellaMiles]

Bella was so happy to see Sofia again that she beamed. She'd been afraid that -- once the bail was posted -- she'd never see the beautiful PD again. She learned very quickly, though, that bail hadn't yet been posted and that, at least for now, she wasn't going anywhere. The good news, though, was that as she was moved around in the detention area, Bella was no longer handcuffed, though, she was still dressed in that God awful orange that had taken the place of the clothes in which Bella had been arrested.

Bella was introduced to Mike and told of his role. She looked him up and down, shared that now-familiar devilish smirk to which Sofia had not been a victim, and said playfully, "With a beauty like Sofia and a beast like you on my side, Mike, I don't see how I could be in safer hands."

She winked to the man before he departed to get to work, then took a moment to look the PD up and down again. Sofia looked to be two inches taller than Bella, and without the high heel shoes that had been confiscated upon her arrest, the woman in orange was looking up at even more of an angle to partake of her lawyer's beautiful face.

"Everything ok?" Sofia asked once the two were alone together. "Nobody messing with you or anything in here?"

Bella tried to be inconspicuous as she pulled her hand back behind her, hiding the knuckles which showed signs of the punch that had knocked the other woman out. She feigned a happy-go-lucky smile and said, "Not at all. All one big, happy family."

A small herd of lawyers, defendants, and escorting law enforcement officials passed by, and once there were no more potential eavesdroppers, Bella stepped a bit closer to Sofia; she ensured that there was still a gap between the two of them, giving the guard still escorting her a nod of understanding.

"I know you're just a Public Defender, Sofia ... or should I be calling you Miss Demetrios? I don't want you to think I don't respect everything you are doing for me."

Bella hesitated for Sofia to respond to her question, then -- looking around again for prying eyes and ears -- she continued in a whisper with a serious tone, "I know things. I know people ... and what they have done ... illegal things ... murders and more. That's why I'm in danger. I don't want to sound overly dramatic, I mean that. But the only way I'm going to be safe is if you get me into witness protection. And the only way I'll stay safe in WitSec is if I have a lawyer I can trust."

Bella leaned in just a bit closer, still maintaining the appropriate space, and said with all seriousness, "I don't and can't trust anyone but you. And I won't talk to the cops, to the DA's, unless you are my lawyer. I'll jump bail and disappear first."

Then, with the return of her smirk, Bella stated with confidence, "I can make you famous, Sofia Demetrios. You just have to keep me alive."

She backed up, looking to the guard as he stepped up and said, "Time to go. Miss Demetrios, we're putting your client in Segregated Housing. You'll have 24/7 access to her. Let's go, Bella."

As the guard took the defendant by the arm and turned her back toward the court house's detention area, Bella looked back and mouthed, Famous!.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia rolls her eyes "i don't want to be famous." she laughs "and yes, you're my client. when you get out of here in the morning, come by my office and we can have a real chat." she looks the girl over, thinking how unflattering the jumpsuit is, though she supposed that's part of the design. A feature not a bug as it were. she shakes her head and wonders if the girl is full of shit or not. Mike would be able to suss these things out. Getting the little thing into witness protection wouldn't be the easiest thing in the world unless she had the real goods on a real bad guy. even there they might be reluctant given her criminal history. how credible was she? She sighed and thought about how much overtime Mike would be making chasing down her tales, and how Sam her boss would whine about the expense. She could hear him now "this isn't Chicago, Sof. We can't just chase down every fucking lead we want with their huge budget and million lawyers."

Belatedly she calls over to Bella "you can call me Ms. Demetrios" knowing if the girl's flirtation was real it might rankle her a little bit, but that amused her and you had to take your amusements where they came. If the girl bothered showing up the next afternoon she'd let her call her Sofia after a bit, but for now it was funny to make her use her last name like she was somebody important. When she got out to her battered little Civic in the parking lot, it occured to her "you're her lawyer. maybe you are somebody important. at least to her" she shrugged though and folded her body into the little car, and headed on home. Her roomate was going out of town for business so they were going to get loaded and watch stupid movies all night like they had in law school.

 

[BellaMiles]

"Someone's got friends in high places."

Bella looked up at the uniformed Sheriff's Department Clerk who was finishing her processing. The man mentioned that her bail had been paid in cash, to which Bella quipped, "Drug money. We've got tons of it."

The man just shook his head, not believing any of it; Bella was just another street whore with a pimp or John for whom she'd spend the next three months working off this new debt, as far as he was concerned. He spun the papers to Bella for her signature, staring at her bosom as she did. She tossed the pen onto the counter, pull her dress aside to flash him a firm tit and swollen nipple, laughed, and left. Give ya something to jerk off to tonight, asshole.

It was dark out by now, and Bella stopped just inside the courthouse doors to scan the steps, the sidewalk, the street. She saw no one at all, let alone someone waiting for her. She was just as cautious as she went outside, curled around the building, headed down the walk; she zigzagged through the city for 9 blocks, checking behind her and giving the driver of every passing care a solid stare.

"I need a room," she told the night clerk at one of the downtown hotels popular with the street hookers. The man didn't know her for Eve -- Bella was staying away from her usual haunts -- and made a couple of lewd comments about her being without any company. When he asked her if she needed him to make some calls, she told him, "You'll need to call an ambulance if some fucker knocks on my door tonight."

Bella had had just enough cash on her at the time of her arrest to pay for the nasty smelling room and, the next morning, a package set of 4 burner phones. She spent the morning using one of the phones to call some of her and Taylor's mutual friends, only to find that no one had seen him since before her arrest.

"A guy came around looking for you," one of her acquaintances told her. When Bella asked for a description, the girl only said, "Scary mother fucker."

It was 3pm when Bella arrived across the street from the law office out of which Sofia worked. She sat at a café in midblock for two hours, watching the street and nursing the House Coffee's she bought because her cash was getting short. It was just past 5pm -- as many in the building were ending their days and going home -- that Bella determined beyond doubt that the man who'd she thought she'd seen a couple of times before was most certainly surveilling the front of the building, just as she had been.

"Waiting for someone special?"

Bella looked off to her left to find a somewhat cute woman about her age smiling to her. She answered with a widening smile, "You maybe?"

Bella moved over to sit with the woman, and in less than 20 minutes they'd made plans for Bella to come home with her for dinner and who knows what else. Bella then told her, "I, um ... I have something I have to do first. Maybe you could help me?"

Five minutes later, the woman was returning from Sophia's law office, informing Bella, "It's done. She has that phone. I don't understand, though. Why do you want your Ex to have a burner phone that she can talk to you on?"

Bella's reply was to stand, pull the young woman to her, and kiss her so passionately that the café manager told them Get a room. They left, and a couple of hours later, as the other woman slept off the three orgasms Bella had caused her, the recently released crook called her PD.

"I couldn't come to your office, Ms. Demetrios," Bella told her, sticking to the formality upon which Sofia had insisted. "It was being watched. They know you're representing me."

Then, after looking to the still glistening body only partially hidden by bedding, Bella asked, "Can I come to your house ... apartment, whatever. I'd feel safer, for you and me. Plus ... I really need a shower."

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia groaned inwardly at the call. 'She's as relentless as any man.' she thought to herself. "that sounds like a truly awful idea that will genuinely blur the lines and also, if you're being watched or I am seems a marvelous way for either one of us to get into real trouble" she rubs her temples, her head is pounding as she has quite a heroic hangover "listen. Mike has your money. like, your lots and lots and lots of money. We didn't want to put it in the safe here because it would raise questions. Do you know the Parkside Hotel? Mike will meet you there with your money and he will check you into a room. If you need to meet with me call me after your shower. I'll come by after eating dinner at the restaurant down the street. Dos Tacos. its all glass and i should be able to make anyone following me. Plus i'll have Mike check the area. once we're sure its safe i'll come to the hotel. I'll let myself in, give Mike your second key"

She sits, waiting on an answer and looking around her empty apartment for a bottle of wine to take the edge off, but then thinks "maybe another fiji. " she cracks the bottle open and chugs it as she listens to Bella's response. She wasn't good at this cloak and dagger shit, and maybe the girl would have her own ideas.

 

[BellaMiles]

"That sounds like a truly awful idea..."

Bella was disappointed with Sofia's decision, but to be honest, she'd expected it. Just like the lawyer said, Bella's suggestion was genuinely blurring the lines. The Parkside Hotel was suggested instead, which was a good option; Mike bringing the remainder of Bella's money was good one, too.

"That works," Bella said, likely surprising the PD who'd been expecting the street wise girl to offer other options. "I'll call you, and I'll give Mike one of the burners, too, just in case."

There was a moment of silence. Bella said with a sincere tone, "Sofia ... I'm sorry if I have put you in danger. If ... if you don't want to help me, I'd understand."

Fearing that the woman would voice her hesitation, Bella disconnected before Sofia could respond. She pocketed the phone and fished through the still-sleeping coffee shop girl's purse for her credit cards and ID; the two of them were similar enough in appearance for Bella to pass as her under the right conditions, and the Parkside Hotel was most definitely those right conditions as the clerks there never much worried about IDs so long as they were paid cash.

Bella was waiting in a dark alcove of the hotel when Mike arrived. She showed him the ID, asking with that flirty smile, "Do I look like a Marsha Davis?"

They got her into the room, and once upstairs Bella fished through the Gucci purse Mike had returned to her for a bundle of hundreds in a mustard bank strap. Tossing it to him, Bella said, "Ten grand."

Mike caught it, stared at it a moment, then looked back to Bella with an expression she couldn't read; was he tickled pink, offended, concerned about improprieties? She didn't know him enough to judge, so she told him, "You and Sofia should be paid properly. She's going above and beyond, and as her investigator, you are too, Mike. Don't get righteous with me, please. I couldn't handle it right now."

As she kicked off her heels, Bella said with building emotion, "I just need someone on my side right now."

She turned away from him and -- while heading for the bathroom for her shower, pulled one, then the other strap off her shoulder. Entering the bathroom, she unfastened two of the five little buttons as the small of her back, enough to let her push the dress off her hips and down to the tile. Bella turned to face the man again, her beautiful bosom exposed to his view while a small black thong hid her other very special place.

"If you need more money than that to convince you to help me," she said, nodding her head toward the open purse, "take what you need."

Then ensuring that he was looking at her, Bella pushed the thong off as well, revealing her baby-butt smooth crotch. With her past and the things she'd done with friends and strangers alike, it wasn't difficult for Bella to say, "And Mike, if there is anything else you need from me ... you know where to find me."

And with that she turned away from the open door to turn on the shower. Bella had no idea whether the former-cop-turned-investigator would take advantage of the situation for his own sexual gratification, but she was willing and able to do all she needed to ensure she stayed alive.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia groans "so much for chinese food and curling up with the cat" she shrugs back into some jeans, then puts on a pari of sensible shoes in case she needs to run. she checks her face in the mirror "god girl you look like shit" she mutters. she puts some eyedrops in, blinking a few times and letting herself get the solution all around the eye. "hopefully that takes the edge off" she can still smell alcohol coming through her pores, even though its evening "god. you need a fucking shower" she thinks, but there's not really time. Her thick hair takes forever to dry and she hates to damage it by blow drying it too often. she grabs another glass of water, chugging it down "some carnitas will do the trick" she mutters, then snags her keys. Her cat protests as she heads out the door "a lawyer's work is never done" she shouts to nobody in particular, maybe the cat. she bolts down the steps of the condo she shares with her roomate, and heads out to the street.

In the meantime Mike is looking at the cash and he tucks it into his pocket. there was a reason he wasnt a cop any more and that reason had nothing to do with his investigative skills adn everything to do with certain allegations that drugs and money disappeared out of evidence on his case. Ten grand was a payment on his new boat. It was a lot of payments on his new boat. he looks into the bathroom and shakes his head "my wife would cut my prick off, plus what are you, 19?" he shakes his head "im old enough to be your grandfather for fucks sake" he looks around "word to the wise. don't be offering Sof any money. She does this because she's a full on bleeding heart lib. youll piss her off" he calls into the bathroom. he answers his phone 'yeah. we're here. get some food." he calls over to Bella "hey! you want a taco or anything? she's at Dos Tacos. i'm gonna head down and make sure she wasnt tailed." he looks into the shower real quick and takes a mental snapshot of the little hooker, figuring to save it for when he fucks the wife some time this week "even just some chips or something?"

 

[BellaMiles]

Bella was very much relieved when the man in her cheap hotel room declined her invitation. "I'm old enough to be your grandfather for fucks sake."

She stepped only partially into his view again -- just a boob's worth of flash -- and said with a dour expression and tone, "Like that stops most men."

Mike warned Bella not to be throwing bank straps full of fresh cash at her lawyer, then called into the bathroom, "Hey! you want a taco or anything?"

Climbing into the shower but leaving the nasty looking, moldy curtain back, Bella hollered out to him, "I'm famished. How about a #2 meal, a #5 with chips, no drink, and a taco salad. Don't know the number of that one."

Bella had no idea how long she'd be here in the Parkside, and she didn't know how safe it would be to go out on the street to get take out or sit in, so she figured she might as well have some leftovers.

"I'm gonna head down and make sure she wasn't tailed," Mike told her. His voice sounded closer, and as Bella looked to the still open bathroom door, she caught him taking another peek inside. "Even just some chips or something?"

She couldn't help herself and -- as she flashed that smirk again -- she turned to face him as her hand lowered the tiny hotel/motel sized bar of soap down past the shaven flesh to the crevasse between her fit, athletic thighs. Not meaning it, of course, she said suggestively, "We all need a little something sometimes, don't we?"

Bella turned away again, letting the water flow tantalizingly down her body as she let him see her buttocks, too. When she looked back again, Bella found herself alone. She finished her shower, foregoing the masturbation that thinking of Sofia had her yearning. Once done, she dried off, shook her wild curls free of most of the moisture, and donned a pair of panties and a cropped tee shirt.

Turning this way and that before the mirror she'd wiped of condensation, Bella smiled. She shouldn't let her PD see her like this; it was simply wrong and inappropriately suggestive. But Bella desperately wanted to see if Sofia's preferences tended toward her or toward a younger, fitter, less ready-for-a-heart-attack Mike. She could always put on the pair of gym shorts she'd stolen from the coffee shop girl earlier in the day.

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia gets the massive order, adding 2 carnitas tacos and some quac for herself. she gets a pineapple soda as well, and a cup of ice. Mike pops in and lets her know she wasnt tailed, and slips her the card "you picked a real shit hotel" he says

Sofia answers "they take cash. also if you pay the cleaning staff they will actually clean. when i was interning at the PD a few years ago we kept a witness there. he said once he figured out how it worked it was alright. just had to pay for everything." she smiles and waves to Mike, who tells her he will be parked outside if she needs anything. she heads up to the room, and hesitates in front of the door. she juggles the bags of food around and fishes into her purse for the key card. she opens the door slightly "its just me. its just Sofia" she pushes in and makes a face "call room service and get new sheets" she shudders, then sets everything down. she pours her pineapple soda over the ice, then sits down at the little table in the room. she finally looks over at Bella, arching an eyebrow. "that's how you dress for company?" she grins and gives the girl a once over, maybe expressing her disdain or maybe using it as a cover to check her out. its hard to tell, if she's into girls she hides it well but she might linger a moment too long on perky young breasts and exposed skin. she sits down, then digs into her tacos. she moans softly "fuuuuck i need this. im so hung over" her hands actually shake a moment, and she wolfs down her first taco in decidedly unladylike fashion. she then takes the guac, spreading half of it on her other tco, and sets to eating the rest with a spoon "well dig in" she mumbles "its getting cold."

 

[BellaMiles]

Bella spent the time between finishing her shower and her lawyer's arrival making calls on the fourth of the burner phones. She tried everyone who might have any information on her friend Taylor and got nowhere. She'd also wanted to ask whether or not anyone from Hanover's crew was looking specifically for her, but she was afraid her questions would verify that she had indeed witnessed the murder. The attack in the court house jail had been a certain indicator to Bella that the Handymen were after her. But who really knew? It could have been something unconnected. Right? Maybe? Yeah ... probably not.

Hearing footsteps outside the door, then the key being inserted into the lock, Bella hurried giggling back to the bathroom. She'd gotten cold while she was waiting for Sofia and had put on a comfortable sweat top and bottom set. Like the lacy, baby blue boy shorts and sports bra she had on under them, they'd been stolen from the coffee shop cutie pie as she slumbered.

"It's just me," Bella's PD called out, "it's just Sofia."

"Be out in a second!"

As Bella stripped down to the bra and panties again, the lawyer called out with obvious disgust, "Call room service and get new sheets."

Sofia had obviously looked about and assessed the room to find herself less than impressed. Bella hadn't been either, but hell, she'd spend her share of nights in such places before. She called through the door in return, "Already done."

When Bella emerged again as casual as could be, Sofia looked at her with an arching eyebrow and a grin. "That's how you dress for company?"

Bella stopped in place, looked down at her own scantily clad body, and asked, "It's just us girls, right? Mikey's not coming back?"

She watched the PD with a wide smile, wondering whether the ogle and expression was one of approval or the of the opposite. Bella expected Sofia to take the professional angle and tell her to go back into the bathroom to put on more clothes, and yet the slightly older beauty instead dropped onto the couch flanking one side of the ratty old couch and dug into a taco.

"Fuuuuck I need this," Sofia said, no longer seemingly concerned with the other woman, although, Bella thought maybe she might be getting some little glances as she walked about the room. "I'm so hung over."

Bella turned her back to Sofia and crossed to the little plastic garbage can near the door. She inconspicuously removed the sim card and battery from the burner she'd just used and dropped them into the garbage can. Bella feared that her earlier calls might lead to her being tracked; she knew that Carlton Hanover had cops on his payroll and possibly even an agent in the FBI, and despite his being dead now, his underlings might still be able to track a cell phone.

When she turned back and neared Sofia slowly, the latter said, "Well dig in. It's getting cold."

Bella smiled and came around the coffee table, snatching up the taco salad and a plastic spoon and dropping into the couch. She sat with her back to the arm, at a ninety degree angle to Sofia; her knees, bent together before her meant that her crotch was hidden, though, the baby blue boy shorts were still in Sofia's view, showing through their lacy design the same thing Mike had seen, a lack of any hair that might get in one's teeth should they decide to dine down there in the future.

"Thank you, Ms. Demetrios," Bella said as she nibbled on a piece of spicy chicken. She stayed with Sofia's surname for now, for professionalism's sake, at the same time that she was close to naked before the other woman. Bella's nipples were stiff against the thin cloth of the sports bra, she could sense without having to look. "This was very nice. I'm afraid to go outside."

They ate in silence for a bit before Bella asked, "Why are you hungover? It's not even morning."

Bella didn't know the other woman had drunk herself into a nap. She laughed, asking, "Why didn't you bring some booze with you? I would have drank with you. Might be fun."

 

[siobhancan99]

"Why are you hungover? It's not even morning."

Sofia looks over "Sofia is fine while we're eating. But its always Ms. Demetrios in court. Its hard enough getting respect from the boys." she shifts a little "im not hung over from earlier. im hung over from last night. after we left the prison i got home and my room mate told me she couldn't hang out this weekend as she had a surprise work trip to Seattle" She considers "well. i mean sort of. So, we were supposed to spend the weekend getting tanked and dancing our cares away, but since she had to leave we tried to push three days of drinking into like 3 hours before she had to pack. So today, since i had court in the morning and waited for SOMEONE to show up all afternoon I didn't get to indulge in my normal hangover regimine, which is watching shitty movies with my cat and eating pork fried rice out of the carton"

Sofia digs into her second taco and frowns as a tiny bit of quac hits her top. its the merest spec of green on an otherwise blindingly white shirt. she shifts a bit to inspect it, and in pulling it Bella would see a lacy black bra against olive skin, but just for a moment. as Sofia settles back, Bella would also see, nestled against her cleavage, a silver cross in the Byzantine style with the extra crossbar at the top and the diagonal one at the bottom.

"So Grace, my room mate, she works for an accounting firm doing compliance work. she does some transactional shit involving making sure al policies are written properly for the sale of medical devices in the European Union and now her group has to redo a bunch of shit to handle post split Britain. anyway, she wouldn't even be on this trip she's so junior, but the client made some pretty cutting remarks about not wanting a team full of old white dudes and she's the only woman of color in her group so... i mean good for her. visibility. also she flew up a day early to sort of mollify her girlfriend. they're spending a long weekend there. the girlfriend is NOT happy i'm the room mate instead of her so... anyway. im babbling"

 

[BellaMiles]

"Sofia is fine while we're eating," the lawyer said. "But it's always Ms. Demetrios in court. It's hard enough getting respect from the boys."

In between some bits of chicken, Bella added with a humorous tone, "Men suck! And I don't mean in the good way."

Sofia explained about her drinking the night before and her roommate and Seattle and her enjoyment in getting tanked. After all of that long explanation, Bella's only comment was, "You got a cat?"

Bella smiled, as if the possession by Sofia of a feline had been all she'd taken from it. "I'm kidding. I heard every word, I understand every word. Everyone needs routine, and I'm being sincere when I say I'm sorry I messed with yours."

Sofia continued eating and, at the same time, making a mess of her blouse's collar. She ranted on about her roommate, and again Bella keyed on one little bit of it. "So, a little clarification would be nice here, if you're open to it."

Bella could already see in Sofia's expression that she was regretting opening this line of questioning to her client, who'd already made a slew of lewd comments the days before. Bella ignored the face, though, continuing, "Your roommate's lover is upset because she would like to be living with your roommate, her lover...? Or ... your roommate's lover is afraid that the women currently living with said roommate might steal her away...?"

Bella's smile widened further, and just before Sofia had the chance to respond, she cut her off by laughing and challenging, "You know, our working relationship would go a whole lot easier if you just told me one way or the other whether or not you were into chicks."

She laughed again, then -- seeing an opportunity to legitimately narrow the space between them, leaned forward on her knees to wipe a bit of the green smudge from Sofia's collar. She stuck the fingertip in her mouth, sucking off the guacamole -- while staring deeply into the lawyer's eyes -- and said, "Take it off ... your blouse."

Bella continued to look into her PD's beautiful, sparkling, dark eyes and laughed again as she hopped up to her feet.

"That's gonna stain, silly, you know that," Bella said as she stuck her hand out. "Take it off and I'll scrub it out in the sink. I've got something you can wear in the bedroom."

Bella laughed again, as the bedroom was the room they were currently sitting in. She pointed to yet another item stolen from her afternoon delight girl, a button up blouse thrown over a chair. "You can wear that."

She looked expectantly to Sofia, waggling her outstretched fingers before her. Then with the return of her devilish smirk, Bella promised, "I won't rape you, I promise. You're my lawyer, remember?"

 

[siobhancan99]

Sofia stares at Bella like if she could blow her head up through the sheer force of her glare, she would. she gives her the full attention of that baleful look for a long moment, then rolls her eyes and shakes her head "i am NOT taking my fucking blouse off. You need to understand i could be disbarred if i fucked you so regardless of my preferences, which remain not a single solitary ounce of your business..." she turns and looks the girl over, then looks away as Bella's bits are as on display as they can be while still clothed. her tight little boy shorts nestled up against her to fully show the outline of her lips, and her hard nipples straining at her bra. Honestly there was no way to look at the girl and not think about sex. she looks up at the cieling a moment, as if in exhasperation,b ut really because she doesn't know how to look at Bella right now without full on ogling her. "i will make you a deal" she shifts, tugging her top closed a little as mentally she can feel Bella's eyes trying to sneak a peek down it whether the girl is or not.

"if you put that shirt on, and some pants, and sit here and talk about your case like you actually want to avoid going to prison for the rest of the evening, I will both watch some tv with you after before I leave AND i will answer one of the two VERY personal questions that you just asked me. Deal?"

 

[BellaMiles]

"Deal!" Bella said as her face lit up with glee. "But I get to pick which question."

She crossed to the dresser where she'd piled the clothes borrowed from her coffee shop afternoon delight. She donned a pair of gym shorts with a flirty wiggle of her tight, pear shaped ass, then turned as she pulled a cropped tee down over her head, giving Sofia a last view of the ever-pert nipples highlighting her firm tits. She bounded back to the couch and flopped down in her original location, her ankles crossed before her.

"So, because I don't want you to think all I think about is sex," Bella said, , "let's talk about my case."

She hesitated, then told Sofia, "I didn't see Carlton Hanover get killed by chance. I was there ... 'cause I was his mistress."

Bella hesitated a moment, knowing Sofia would have a reaction to that, but what would it be. "I know you probably think I'm just a street whore. That's what my record shows. But I'm not. I've been with ... was with Carlton for the past two years. He and I were at the Four Seasons to meet with some people. We were on our way to the elevator to go to our room. I told him I wanted a bottle of champagne from the lounge and went back to get it.

"I was actually meeting with my friend Taylor, to give him some cash I'd bummed from Carlton. He thought I was buying coke. Not Coca Cola either. I wasn't, though. And before you ask, I don't use, not much anyway. But Carlton thinks I'm a hotter fuck high, so I pretend, and then I keep the cash.

"Anyway, I was just stepping back into the lobby when two guys pulled out guns and shot down Carlton and his bodyguard, Henry."

Up until now, Bella had been pretty calm. Her eyes glazed a bit, and she began emotional. "Sofia ... there was ... oh God, there was so much blood. I just stood there, staring at them, until Taylor grabbed me and pulled me back into the lounge."