Temptation

— Katherine I haven't slept well since starting my internship, and this is already my third cup of coffee this morning. I just hope I don’t pass out during the court hearing; otherwise, I’m in for a huge failure. The second hearing of the Hensen case is underway, and although I’m supposed to be on the defense side, I’ve been assigned to assist the prosecutor due to a shortage of intern spots. Rosalyn Wescott can’t stand me, and she makes no effort to hide it. She despises lawyers, claiming they’re corrupt and will defend anyone for the right price. When she found out where I originally applied for my internship, she made it clear that I had no chance of a good experience here. At twenty-seven, she looks far better than I ever did at twenty. Her light red hair is always perfectly styled, and she’s always in a crisp, black pencil skirt with a satin green blouse that fits seamlessly over her slender shoulders. Sometimes, I feel ashamed just standing near her. My appearance is a mess — I’ve been sleep-deprived for so long that the circles under my eyes rival those of a panda. I barely have time to wash and iron my clothes, so I just throw on whatever I can find. Today, I had to wear Harper’s clothes. She’s my best friend and roommate, and this was the only decent dress in her wardrobe. It’s knee-length, brown, with long sleeves, but the neckline is a bit too low. So, like a true Jersey girl, I layered my only clean white shirt underneath. Locked in the utility room, I pull out my printouts, trying to make sense of the situation. I’m convinced it’s not as straightforward as it seems, though I know Rosalyn would disagree. I can already picture the look she’d give me if she knew how I spend my free time. In my defense... as a future lawyer, I’m committed to finding the truth. The defendant, Kristian Edward Hensen, stands accused of the brutal murder of Steven Anderson. He’s also suspected in the deaths of seven other girls. Kristian was caught red-handed. Witnesses reported that he calmly waited for the police to arrive. After requesting the recording of the 9-1-1 call, we confirmed the voice on the line was Hensen’s. But why did he call 9-1-1? Why didn’t he just flee, like he’d done before? What if that was part of his plan? But that leads to another question: why would he want to go to jail? Let’s assume Hensen is the killer. He’s evaded justice for over a decade, so why now? The pieces don’t quite fit. One of my theories is that Kristian could be an impostor—someone fascinated by the notoriety of a serial killer and eager to claim that fame for himself. Of course, I didn’t share this theory with Rosalyn. I’d rather not get smacked in the face with the U.S. Code. “Katie…” Connor Keegan groans. I grit my teeth to stop myself from groaning in annoyance. "Kitty-Kat! I think I know whose head Rosalyn’s going to rip off today!" I can’t help but picture Connor’s gross goatee and feel sick to my stomach. This damn Tony Stark wannabe is driving me nuts. He even started styling his hair like Iron Man. Connor’s blonde with brown eyes, but he’s trying so hard to look like his idol that I wouldn’t be shocked if he dyed his hair brunette one day. "Decided to clean the floors there? I always knew deep down you wanted a career in janitorial work." I stand up abruptly, shove my notes into my bag, and take a deep breath. I need to calm down before I punch that smug grin right off Connor’s face. He’s been pushing my buttons all semester, and now I have to deal with him for the next month of practice. “Hey, Connie,” I smile tightly as I walk past him. “Still can’t get over yourself?” "You're driving me crazy, Kitty-Kat," he says with a crooked grin, and I have to fight the urge to roll my eyes. "But that’s nothing new." "And it won’t surprise you to know the feeling’s mutual, Connie-baby." The tension between us is palpable as Keegan shoots me a murderous glare. I smile, savoring his reaction. "Hey, Poppins! Potter! Don’t you have anything better to do?" Wescott’s commanding voice cuts through, stopping us from silently cursing each other any further. I find it amusing how Rosalyn calls Connor by his nickname. He once showed up wearing glasses like the Boy Who Lived, and ever since, Wescott dubbed him "Potter," a nickname he’ll never shake off. I earned mine after daring to question Hensen’s guilt in front of Rosalyn. Since then, she thinks I’m some dumb nanny who should be washing diapers, not doing an internship in court. “No, Miss Wescott,” Connor says, his voice sickeningly sweet as he sucks up to her. “Katherine lost her pass again, so I had to meet her.” “You’re such an asshole,” I mutter under my breath, but Connor’s smug expression tells me he heard every word. “I hope you lose your head someday, Hill,” Rosaleen says flatly, heading back to her office. I sigh loudly. My palm itches with the urge to slap Connor across the face. “What do you even keep in that piece of trash you call a bag?” Keegan asks, a smirk on his lips as he runs his tongue along the inside of his cheek. “None of your damn business!” I snap, pulling out my phone and glancing at the time. There are fifty minutes left until the court hearing. I’m exhausted, but curiosity gnaws at me. As far as I know, the defense is allowed to speak with the defendant before the hearing. I have to find a way to be alone with Kristian . It seems almost impossible, and I know my hunch isn’t foolproof, but I’m certain I’m on to something. “Hey, Kitty-Kat! Where are you going?” Connor calls after me. Connor is so damn annoying. I turn around and flip him off. He just shakes his head, twirling his finger at his temple, implying I’m crazy. So much for pleasantries. I freeze when I spot attorney Jared Hayes at the end of the hall. He’s handling the Hensen case. Not only is he the best lawyer in the country, but he’s also charming, charismatic, and ridiculously good-looking. Every girl in the department dreamed of interning for him, but only a few got the chance. I walk slowly toward Hayes, my heart pounding. I have no idea what to say or how to get him to notice me. Jared looks effortlessly polished in a sharp navy suit that fits his athletic frame perfectly. He’s tall — so tall that I always have to look up at him, which makes me a little more nervous than I’d like to admit. Katherine, pull yourself together. “Good afternoon, Mr. Hayes,” I say with a pleasant smile, hoping he doesn’t notice my nerves. “Hello, Ms. Hill,” Hayes replies curtly, barely glancing up as he types into his phone. “Kate,” I corrected, my voice catching slightly as his light brown eyes met mine, puzzled. I licked my dry lips nervously. “You can call me Kate.” He frowns, briefly looking away, as if weighing the thought. "Okay, Katherine," Jared says smoothly, slipping his hands into his trouser pockets. Crap. “How’s your internship going?” he asks unexpectedly. Caught off guard, I shrug shyly. “Everything’s great... except Rosalyn doesn’t like me.” Maybe I shouldn’t be complaining about Wescott to Jared, especially since they’re colleagues. “I’ll let you in on a secret, Katherine,” I freeze as he leans in, his voice lowering to a whisper near my ear. “Rosalyn doesn’t like anyone.” I swallow hard, trying to mask my surprise. When he straightens up, there’s a mischievous glint in his eyes. I can’t help but smile, not expecting Jared Hayes to be this candid with me. It’s surprisingly kind of him. “Did you want to ask me something, Katherine?” he asks calmly, reminding me why I ran out into the hallway in the first place. “Yes,” I hesitate, fumbling for the right words. “Mr. Hayes, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I… I want to ask you for something.” I pause awkwardly, the last few words tumbling out on an exhale. I look anywhere but at him. “I’m listening, Ms. Hill,” Jared replies, ignoring my nervousness, his tone unreadable. I take a deep breath before continuing. “I’d like to see the defendant,” I say, watching as Hayes regards me thoughtfully. “For what?” “I think he’s innocent.” The last time I voiced that opinion, I had to endure an hour-long lecture from Rosalyn about how I was a senator’s dimwitted daughter who somehow got lucky enough to land her internship. “Do you have any evidence?” “No,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “Mr. Hayes, only you can…” “You’re an intern, Katherine,” Jared cuts me off, his tone firm. I lower my gaze in embarrassment, bracing for the lecture about my incompetence that’s surely coming. “You can only be around the defendant as his attorney’s assistant.” I glance up at him, confused, unsure where this is going. “I was planning to talk to Hensen before the hearing. I think you can assist me.” Jared is doing me a huge favor, and he knows it. I can’t help but smile shyly as Hayes gives me a quick wink. “Let’s go, Miss Hill. We don’t have much time.” What the hell just happened?