THE MYSTERIOUS PROTÉGE

EIGHT

I had asked to get the files for the case of my sister’s trial, it wasn’t a large box considering the trial didn’t take that long. I wanted to go through it to know what they did not do so I could cover that ground, but I doubt I could do much considering the case is already closed and reopening it would only warrant unrequired suspicion. But I was ready to do anything to get to the truth, I owed my sister that much, “thank you Allister.” I said as he dropped off the box on my desk.

“You don't have a new case so you're digging into old ones?” Allister asked, “you are working too hard and too much for what you get paid.” He added chuckling.

I smiled, “it's just a case someone asked me to look into. They need some information about this case.” I lied as I signed the sheet Allister gave me that was required once anything was taken out of storage.

“I hope you get what you are looking for.” Allister said as he left.

“I hope so too.” I said softly as I started digging in.

I had been going through the files for hours, reading witness statements, going through the defense papers which didn't have much and the lawyer in charge was the one who was DA now, Ryan. I couldn’t help but think her promotion had something to do with throwing my sister’s case, after all some really powerful people were involved or so I think. I didn't want her to know I was looking through her case because she's going to ask me to shut it down. I'll have to go and ask the second chair, they didn't get promoted like Ryan so maybe they'll be more willing to speak to me. I look at the time it was a little past 6pm and I had the dinner date with Neil tonight, which took me surprise when he asked I kind of expected him to just ignore me and protect his ego but when we weren’t trying to destroy each other in court he was actually really nice.

But I agreed, it would help to have someone who has been in this game for a while. I text him on my way home, we still on with going out tonight? After a while he calls me, “hey Blossom. How are you?” He asked when I picked up.

“I'm good but you don't seem to be so good.” I said as I noted the exhaustion in his voice.

“I'm not, there is an issue at the firm here.” He said with a sigh.

“Anything I can do to help?” I asked.

“I… uh I don't know really. Are you on your way home?” He asked.

“I am but I'm not that far from that fancy law firm of yours.” I said making him chuckle.

“How about you drop by, we could order take out as we brainstorm in this case that's eating me up. You might have some valuable input that might help me.” He said, “but I promise I was to take you to a fancier night out not this.” He added quickly.

“I understand. s**t happens. I'll be there in 5. See you then.” I said then hanged up. I was hoping to get his input in something so this would definitely be working in my favor.

I got there, “Miss Summers?” The guard by the office building asked.

“Yes, I am.” I said as he opened the door.

“Could I see some identification please?” He asked as I dug into my handbag to find my purse and give him my ID. I don't know what I expected but of course the security in this building was tight with the kind of clients they have.

“Rob,” the security guard said through his radio, “there is a lady coming up, she's being expected.”

“What's her name?” Someone, who I assume is Rob, asked.

“A Miss Blossom Summers. She's a lawyer too.” He said and went ahead to give him a brief description of what I looked like.

“Copy that.” Rob said and I was cleared to go. When I got to the conference room to find that Neil wasn’t alone but they were with 3 more people Mr. Kane being one of them. Neil saw me and stood up and came to me, “hey, you didn't get a lot of problems with security, right?”

“I guess I should have expected the security of the building to be tight.” I said chuckling, I looked at the people go were speaking to each other as they went through files, “I was expecting it to be just you.”

Neil looked over his shoulder, “don't worry about those people. I told them you'll be coming to help.” He said with a smile.

“What exactly will I be helping with, you seem to have it under control as I can see.” I said as I watched everyone’s concentration was on the files that were scattered everywhere.

“Let's first meet these people,” Neil led me into the room, “guys this is Blossom, Basil you know her already.” He said and everyone looked at me and did a little wave. “She's here to help, I thought it would help if Penelope talked to someone who doesn't work in this office.”

I looked at him confused, who the hell is Penelope and why would they let their client speak to another lawyer outside the office?

“Do you think that's a really good idea?” Basil asked, “considering she came to us for help?” By she I thought she meant this Penelope.

I got a feeling that this Basil guy didn't like me very much, I don't know why. “I don't think these people want me here.” I whispered to Neil, but clearly not silent enough when one of the other lawyers spoke up.

“It's not that we don't want you here, it's kind of humiliating having you here. It makes it seem like we can't handle our case load.” He said as he threw the papers on the table. “Especially help that comes from the DA’s office, from a girl who just won her first case nonetheless. No offence”

Offence definitely taken I thought as I looked at all of them, “where is this girl?” I asked looking at Neil.

“She’s in the other conference room.” Neil said as he led me out of the conference room they were in.

“Did you give her at least something to eat, because you couldn’t have kept her here all night and still not have given her anything.” I said as we walked.

“We did.” Neil said as he opened the conference room and the girl wasn’t there.

“s**t!” Neil cursed, he entered the conference room and looked around but she wasn’t there.

“Maybe she went to the rest room?” I suggested.

“Let me call the security guard downstairs and check if she left. If he didn’t see her then we’ll start looking around the building.” Neil said as he took out his phone and after a minute or two he hanged up.

“The security guard said the she left about an hour and a half ago.” Neil said.

“What case did she came to get help with?” I asked.

“She accused the son of a very prominent person of rape.” Neil said.

“You left a r**e victim in a room by herself for almost two hours by herself?” I asked confused, “it’s like you were begging for her to run away.”

“Let me go tell Basil what happened I’m sure he’d like to know.” Neil said as he walked away I followed him.

“She’s gone.” Neil said and everyone looked at him.

“Not the girl Neil.” Basil said.

“She left about 2 hours ago the security guard said.” Neil explained.

Everyone sighed, “you know she’d probably going to take her story to the press and Alexander won’t be so happy about that.” One of the lawyers said.

“Alexander Bennet?” I asked surprised. “His son has been accused of r**e before but the allegations have never been proven.”

“I see you keep yourself updated.” Basil said.

“Then you should probably find her, maybe she’d the one who’s going to nail that idiot.” I said excitedly but my excitement wasn’t matched.

“We’re trying to find proof that exonerates him of the charges not put him in jail.” Basil said.

“What if you find otherwise?” I asked him. “Do you cover it up?”

“No, we forward it to the DA, anonymously of course, and let her find more evidence to build her case and may the best one win.” Basil said.

“Let’s find her and if we find out that it’s true that she is a r**e victim you’ll give me the case.” I said determined to win this case for all those ladies who didn’t get the justice they deserved.

“Well we can’t find her. She didn’t give us much to go on with.” Neil said, “she gave us only one name which might be fake and nothing more.”

“You guys have CCTV’s, right?” I asked. Neil nodded. “That’s great I just need her picture, I know someone who can help.” I said.

Neil took me to the security office where they monitored all the CCTV’s and we managed to get a picture of the girl which I sent to Barry. “Now as we wait for my guy to send me the information we need how about you give me the names of all the other ladies who accused him of rape.” I said.

“We have Zoe Hall, Ruth Clayton, Virginia Collins, Heather Rogers and Kate Lynch.” One of the lawyers said, “they all claimed that Brighton, Bennet’s son, picked them at a bar, took them to his penthouse where he poured them a glass of champagne and after drinking it they passed out only to wake up in a cheap motel alone.” He explained.

“All of them said that?” I asked.

“Yes, they did.” Basil said, “these ladies don’t know each other, have never met before but they all describe in detail what happened.”

“Did Penelope have the same story?” I asked.

“Yes, she did.” Neil said, “I was the one who talked to her.”

Barry sent me the picture of the girl only she was a blonde and not a brunette, “Is this her?” I asked Neil who was seated next to me.

“Yes, but the hair is different.” Neil said.

“I noticed too, her name is Adelyn Baker. I’ll send the names to see if she has a connection with any of the women.” I said as I forwarded the names of the ladies to Barry.

“If she wanted our help why did she lie about her name, she should have known it would be a matter of time before she knew who she really was?” Basil asked when Barry sent me the information to answer that question.

“Because a year after Heather Rogers lost the r**e case against Brighton she committed suicide and guess who her best friend’s name was?” I asked.

“Adelyn Baker!” They all said in unison. I slowly nodded my head.