Stacks of papers were piled upon his desk as he glanced at the clock above his door. He took a deep sigh and looked back down, his eyes blurred as they stared at a bunch of numbers preceded by clients, agencies, and other confidential matters that just didn’t seem of importance.
But for John Black, this was all that mattered anymore. He had started Harvard Law yearning to be a lawyer who would change the world. He wanted to fight for the innocent and put the bad in jail, he wanted to know that he could give a victim’s family some type of relief by putting their murderers away. However, as the years passed, and John continued his time as a District Attorney, he realized how seemingly unfufilling it was.
Despite his numerous wins, the pay was cheap and it just wasn’t what he had wanted anymore. So he switched sides, going against everything he once believed in, and became a defense attorney, fighting for evil and setting them free. His reputation around the small town of Salem was well-known. Known as a shark in the courtroom and a fox with the women, John was everything of the two.
Tall, dark, handsome, and extremely charming, he was loved by women all around and charmed everyone in a courtroom. It was what made him the lawyer he was.
Running his hand through his thick black hair, John pushed the intercom button on his phone. “Jill, can you come in here?”
A petite blonde woman breezed through his door seconds later, a pile of folders in her arms. She dropped them onto John’s desk, sitting across from him. “You work to late,” she commented. “For that matter, so do I.”
John smiled, leaning back in his black leather chair. “I guess that would be my fault, huh? I’m sorry Jill, you can go home. I’m sure you have some hot date tonight.”
She grinned, her white teeth sparkling in the moonlight. “I might. It depends. Are you actually going to leave the office past midnight?”
“Touche,” he winked. “And yes, I was planning to leave with you. I could use a stiff drink right now.”
Jill stood and walked over to John’s chair. She leaned down, kissing him lightly on the lips. “Me too. Let me grab my stuff.”
As she turned to walk out the door, John opened up one of the files she had just put down.
“Leave it, John. It will still be there in the morning,” she called, without bothering to turn around.
He threw the file down, unable to suppress his laughter at her comment. “Yes Jillian,” he muttered, grabbing his jacket.
**
Tossing a worn manila folder down beside her, she rubbed her temples exhaustingly. It had been nearly a year since her inception as Salem’s newest District Attorney and it just got more complex as the days went by. Though she loved being able to bring justice to the town, she rather hated the never ending, not to mention tiresome workload.
She had no room to complain for she fought tooth and nail to get the position. The town was against her at first, partly because she was a woman and partly because she wasn’t as experienced as the other candidates, but she managed to win them over and come out victorious. Now it was her sworn duty to uphold the law and bring down any and all who got in her way.
“Are you going to eat that last egg roll?” Raiden wondered. Her head snapped up in surprise. “Marlena, you’re not falling asleep on me are you?”
“What?” She stammered, collecting herself. “Oh . . . no, I’m awake.”
“Now,” he corrected, “I asked if you wanted the last egg roll.”
Marlena grimaced and pulled herself upright. “Take it. They don’t taste right to me.” She shoved the plastic container his way and he eagerly scooped it up.
“Told you we should have gotten Japanese take-out instead,” he scolded, waving the egg roll before her. “I have knack for selecting only the finest of Japanese cuisine.”
“You’re Japanese, Rai . . . it’s not a knack, it’s inherent,” she retorted, tossing a file before him. “Look over this case file and tell me what you think.”
“Aye, aye boss.” He saluted, thumbing through the papers.
Her face twisted up in disgust. “You’re smudging the ink with your greasy fingers.”
Rolling his eyes, Raiden swiped the pages and his fingers clean. “Happy?”
“I’ll be happy once you quit stuffing your face and actually pull your weight here. I may be the DA but you’re my assistant, so assist,” she ordered sweetly.
“Love you too Lena,” he teased, reverting his attention back to the file. “Possession of narcotics upon arrest . . . not to mention a concealed weapon . . . not licensed . . . we seem to have enough to put this guy away for at least 12-15.”
Looking up from her folder, Marlena sighed and removed her glasses, tossing them on the files next to her. “Not that file. That’s an open and shut case. I was referring to the one on the bottom, James Vs. The State.”
Raiden found the correct file and flipped through it slowly. “Oh . . .” He moaned ominously.
“Oh? What do you mean oh?” She insisted.
“I mean oh … I mean we work so damn hard and never get a break. I mean oh, this case is going to suck and we’re going to be here forever. Marlena, do you date?”
She rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her Fiji water. “You’re married.”
“I’m not asking you out. I don’t believe in boss/employee relationships anyway. My point is, you sit here day in and day out and then you go home and what do you do? You put on American Idol or ER or I don’t know, probably even something like Dawson’s Creek–“
“Don’t diss on the Creek, Rai,” she teased, “I’ve learned some great lessons from there. And besides, why does it matter what I do? You go home and watch American Idol also. Ruben lover,” she grinned, sticking her tongue out at him.
“Clay lover! Besides, I’m married! I’m allowed to go home and watch American Idol. You need to go out. To date. And speaking of dates, whatever happened with you and Black?”
Marlena stopped what she was doing and stared him dead in the eye. “Shut up Raiden. John Black is not going to be discussed. Besides, there’s nothing to know. We dated when he was a DA over here, before his ego took hold of him, before money was the most important thing in his life.”
“Can I ask you something?” Raiden asked cautiously.
“I guess.”
“Did you love him?”
“Rai …”
“Nevermind. I already know the answer.” He threw the remains of his food into the garbage and dropped the file onto the floor where hundreds of others sat, cluttered. He stood up, holding his hand out to Marlena. She looked at him suspiciously, eyeing the piles on the floor.
“Why are you standing? We’re not done.”
“Yes, we are. Look, Marlena, I know you’re my boss and I love you to death, but I can’t sit here anymore. Come on, we’re going out!”
“What, no we’re …”
“Be quiet,” he said handing her her coat. “This will all be here when you get in at six tomorrow morning. Besides, what can really happen in one night? This is Salem … we might be criminal lawyers, but how much does crime actually happen here? It’s not like someone’s about to get killed. Now let’s go!”
Without a chance to argue, Marlena was being pulled out the door, not prepared for what was about to come.
“You dragged me away from my work, away from my cases, away from my clients to come here?” Marlena cried unhappily, leaning against the passenger door of Raiden’s silver BMW. Her body language elicited the fact that she wasn’t going to give in without a fight.
“It’s a night club Lena. Do you have something against bars?” Raiden wondered.
“I don’t think getting shit faced on a week day is the appropriate thing for us to be doing,” she pointed out matter-of-factly, examining her fingernails intently. “Ooh, I need a touch up soon.”
Raiden sighed instinctively and leaned next to her, arms crossed. “Marlena, I’m worried about you. For someone who has it so together in the courtroom, your personal life is in shambles.”
Marlena opened her mouth to argue, but Raiden quickly continued on.
“Every attempt I make at getting you to go out, have fun and just live a little you resist the entire time until I get fed up with the whining and give in. I’m not giving in this time Lena. You and I are going to go in that night club, order a drink . . . one drink and just relax.”
“Won’t the wife be mad?” Marlena teased, nudging his arm playfully.
“Akina wants you to be happy too Marlena,” he reminded sincerely. “Besides, I can just say we were late reviewing case files.”
“You will not lie to Akina and use me as a scapegoat,” Marlena warned. “If she asks, I won’t hesitate to tell her that her husband dragged me to a night club to drink my sorrows away.”
Raiden chuckled lightly. “It’s for the good of all mankind.”
Marlena stared at him with a blank, hallow expression. “Really?”
“If you don’t liven up a bit, you’ll be putting every citizen in Salem behind bars. I’m only trying to rescue this town from the evil wrath of Marlena Evans: DA extraordinaire.”
“Ha, ha Rai made a joke. Too bad it wasn’t even remotely funny,” she sneered. “Are we going to do this or what?”
“Excitement, I like it.” He grinned.
“One drink, that’s it. And as soon as it’s down, I’m out,” Marlena declared, walking to the entrance.
“We’ll see about that,” he urged, following her inside.
“You’re not going to make me dance are you?” She muttered, walking into the smoky atmosphere. She waved her hand in front of her face, trying to rid herself of the smell which was inevitably going to take hold of her clothes. “I hate the smell of smoke, I haven’t even touched a cigarette in fifteen years.”
Raiden’s eyes widened in surprise. “You smoked? Somehow I can’t picture that. And no, I’m not going to make you dance. Jesus, Marlena, loosen up! Seriously, when did you become so dull?”
“I’ve always been dull.”
“That’s not what John Black says–“
“What did I say earlier?” Marlena exclaimed. “We do not mention John Black!” She paused for a moment, sitting at a bar stool. Turning to face Raiden, she curled a piece of blonde hair behind her ear. “You’ve spoken to John?”
He gave her a smile, touching her hand gently. “You’re not over him, are you?”
“I’m over this inquisition. Now come on, order me a drink.”
“Yes boss,” he winked. “Bartender, I’ll have a Bud Light and a Dirty Martini for the lady.”
“With an onion instead of an olive,” Marlena added. She turned her head to the television in the corner of the room and squinted through the smoke filled clouds. “It figures the TV is completely out of the way so no one could possibly see it. I’d love to know the Yankees score right about now. Bartender,” she called, “can you make the TV a little louder?”
He nodded his head, taking the remote off the counter. And just as they were about to announce the score, a local news bullitan came on, instantly grabbing Marlena’s attention. The images filled the screen and Marlena gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
“Marlena, what’s–“
“Oh …”
**
“My God,” John Black muttered, nearly choking on his Jack Daniels. “Bruce, turn up the TV,” he yelled to the bartender, “now!”
Jillian was so startled, her glass nearly slipped out of her hand and crashed to the floor. “John, what is it?”
“Shush!” He hissed, waving his hand before her face, his eyes never leaving the screen.
“The body of Salem Police Department’s Detective Hope Williams Brady was found earlier this evening behind an abandoned warehouse near the waterfront. The body was found swathed in bubble wrap and wound in duck tape. A complete autopsy report has yet to be released to the public. Sources at the police department did say it appeared as if Mrs. Brady was shot at close range, in the abdomen. Other wounds included unusual burns and bruises. Mrs. Brady was the wife of fellow Salem Police Department Detective Bo Brady and together they have two sons . . .”
“Turn it off!” John bellowed. “And bring me another . . . no bring me the bottle this time.”
“John what is it?” Jillian reiterated delicately. “What’s got you so upset?”
“What is this world coming to Jill?” He breathed eerily.
“Why did that detective’s death rattle you so?”
“Death?” He echoed angrily. “She was murdered, brutally murdered from what we can surmise.”
“You’re right, it’s beyond horrific but what does it have to do with you?”
“Everything.”
. . : : . .
“This can’t be happening.” Marlena mumbled horrifically.
“Isn’t she . . .” Raiden began but couldn’t bring himself to finish. The look on Marlena’s face stopped him mid-sentence. She was pale and her lip was quivering uncontrollably as tears threatened to fall.
“I just . . . I just spoke with her this morning. We were at the gym together Rai,” she stammered as the tears began to fall from her eyes. “She was fine. She was happy. She was alive!”
Recognizing the fear and disbelief in her voice, Raiden pulled a ten out of his wallet and threw it onto the bar. “Let’s go Lena. You need to get home.”
Too disoriented and confused to argue, Marlena simply let him help her off of the stool. Her legs were wobbly, so she clung to him for dear life as he guided her out to the car and helped her in.
Once he was situated behind the wheel and had started the car, Raiden looked over at Marlena. She looked so scared and helpless as she gazed aimlessly ahead, her eyes no doubt blinded by the never ending tears while her hands trembled mercilessly in her lap.
“I’m not leaving you alone tonight. You’re coming to my house,” he declared definitively.
“I appreciate your offer Raiden, I do, but not tonight. I need to be alone. But do me a favor? When you get home, call Ben at home. Tell him this case is mine.”
“No!” Raiden exclaimed firmly, pulling to the side of the road. Even in the dark deserted area, he could see the tears forming in her sympathetic eyes. He wiped them away with the pad of his thumb, rubbing his hand gently over her face.
“I love you, Marlena. You’re like a sister to me and I know how much this is killing you. I know Hope meant everything to you and I understand that. But this isn’t the answer. Please don’t take this case. You can’t do it with an open mind and as a lawyer you need one-“
“No, as a defense attorney I would need one. I’m a DA, all I need to do is fight for justice. What we do doesn’t differ from what Hope did. She threw the guilty in jail and fought for the innocent. That is what we do! And I will NOT let this asshole go. Call Ben. If you don’t, I will!”
Raiden sighed, turning the car back on. “I won’t change your mind, will I?”
“No. I will get justice for her,” she muttered, “no matter what it takes.”
Marlena trudged into her house, throwing her bag onto the floor. She leaned against the wall, closing her eyes, as she slowly slid onto the floor. It was then the tears began, unable to suppress them any longer. She covered her face in her hands and cried, not able to breathe, not able to move.
She lifted her head, the room blurred by the amount of tears clouding her vision. Her eyes moved around the room until she stopped, spotting a picture of her, Hope, Bo, and John. She had kept it up for years although she had no idea why, especially after her break up with John. It had been a time of great joy in her life, a time right after law school when the entire world was at the tips of their fingers. A trip to Lake Tahoe had turned into the most amazing weekend of her life and as the thoughts took over her mind, she couldn’t even begin to stop the tears.
It wasn’t until a knock on the door pulled her out of her trance that she realized she didn’t even have the energy to move. It was probably Raiden, coming back to take her home with him, maybe even Akina wanting to do anything to help. But she didn’t want to see anyone right now, so she ignored the knocking until the voice behind the door started her. It was soft and broken and Marlena managed to stand pulling it open.
Behind the door stood Bo Brady, his eyes red and worn, his clothes disheveled. And without a word, she pulled him to her, soothing him in any way she could possibly think of.
“Bo,” she whispered, “I am so sorry. Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Put him away, Marlena!” Bo replied, determined. “I’m going to catch the bastard and you’re going to prosecute him! Goddamnit!” he screamed, pulling away from Marlena. “I never liked the fact that she was a cop! I always told her to go back to modeling or do anything but this! Damn her for not listening!”
He stalked around the room, while he spoke and without warning to Marlena, Bo jammed his fist into the wall. She cried out in surprise, rushing over him to nurse his hand. He pulled away from her though and continued and for once in her life, she felt helpless to everything in the world. This case, Hope’s death, Bo’s reaction …
. . : : . .
The sun had been up for nearly 2 hours now as Jillian waltzed into the office, her caramel mocha latte compliments of Starbucks in one hand, a load of files in the other. Cases were piling up for John by the second it seemed. Whenever someone was stuck between a rock and a hard place they knew John Black could and would get them out.
Noticing that the door to John’s office was slightly ajar, Jillian decided to see if he was in already. She doubted he was for he never came in before nine. Pushing the door the rest of the way open she spotted John behind his desk, his face flat against his desk calendar, a few empty liquor bottles surrounding him. The stench of alcohol was thick and it was mixed with the scent of vomit, nearly sending Jillian running to the bathroom herself.
“John,” she said as she maneuvered through the mess strewn all over the floor. Files, knick knacks, and law books covered the carpeted floor. “John!” She spoke louder this time, causing his head to jerk up instinctively. He looked like crap, with bloodshot eyes and two day old stubble. “Morning.”
“Not so loud,” he demanded, cradling his head delicately in his palms, as he massaged his temples.
“What happened in here?”
“Nothing.” He shrugged, snatching up a nearly empty liquor bottle and downing what was left.
“Something happened,” she insisted, bending down to collect most of the documents before they were ruined.
“Fine, if you want to call it something, call it . . . therapy. Jill, get me some aspirin before my head explodes.”
She sighed loudly and retreated out to her desk, returning moments later with a bottle of aspirin.
“Here.” She shook it before him to grab his attention. He looked up at her, his eyes glossed over in annoyance, his lip curled in anger. Just as she shook the bottle again, he snatched it from her grasp.
“I said not so loud,” he hissed quietly, unable to bear the sound of his own voice. Opening the bottle, he shoved 4 pills in his mouth and downed them with a bit of Jack Daniels.
“Very professional,” she sneered disgustingly. “You have clients coming in, in less then a half an hour and look at you. You’re a complete mess along with your office. You have vomit on your shirt for crying out loud.”
“If I wanted a lecture, I would have asked for one,” he said through clenched teeth, his ears ringing relentlessly.
“And if your clients wanted a disgusting lawyer, they would have ventured out to Chicago for it. Now do you want to tell me what’s wrong?”
“Jillian, you’re pissing the crap out of me.” He unbuttoned his shirt, throwing it at her. “Go downstairs and get this cleaned for me. Tell Mr. Lee, I need it ASAP.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m not your damn maid, John! I’m not even your girlfriend! I’m some girl you screw when there is no one else around!”
“Not now, Jillian,” John moaned. “No relationship issues now, just please go downstairs and get it cleaned. I’d do it myself but as you pointed out, I need to clean this place up. Please.”
Before she could answer, the phone rang and John leaned forward in his chair picking it up. “John Black … Hi Andy.”
When Jillian heard their boss’ name, she quietly exited the room. And as she did, John leaned back, closing his eyes. This couldn’t be good news.
“Andy, I can’t do this … No, put someone else on the case … Yes, I realize I am the best district attorney is this town but I can’t … I know you put your ass on the line for me and I’m grateful, but … How do you even know you have right man, Andy? … Fine, I’ll come down to the station and talk to him in about an hour … Uh huh, bye.”
John slammed the phone back down, rubbing his temples once more. Jillian took this moment to reappear, leaning against the doorway. “Mr. Lee said it will be done in about fifteen minutes. Pray your clients are late. And pray the vomit comes out with such little time. By the way, did you hear they supposedly caught the guy who killed the cop—“
“Hope,” John muttered.
“Excuse me?”
“Hope. Her name was Hope.”
Jillian looked at John with curiosity. “You’re acting like you know her.”
“Knew her,” John corrected. “We dated our sophomore year of high school up until our junior year of college. We almost got engaged, but we both realized we had outgrown each other. We stayed friends, still were up until yesterday. And now.” He let out an ironic laugh. “And now, I get to defend the asshole who killed her. So much for the system, huh?”
All throughout his drive across town, Raiden was dreading this particular day of work. If he knew Marlena, and he did, there would be no stopping her today. Once the passion was sparked and the fire was inside of her concerning a case, she pushed full steam ahead; with everything she had, not once looking back. That was why she was such a successful District Attorney, but not without flaw. The instant the fire was ignited, it could go one of two ways: either the fire would shoot out of her mercilessly, burning all who got in her way, or the fire went no where and slowly consumed her until she is all burnt up inside. Raiden had an eerie feeling that the latter of the two was going to rein true with this case.
Marching into her office, Raiden discovered that he did indeed know Marlena all too well. She was standing behind her desk, the headset to her phone positioned perfectly atop her head, documents scattered aimlessly about her desk along with three empty Styrofoam cups which one can assume were once occupied by coffee. Her pen and legal sized notepad were eagerly at her fingertips as she jotted down random figures and comments passed to her from the person on the other end of the receiver. In other words, this particular view of Marlena was chaotic at best.
“I want those reports in my office and on my desk in 20 minutes, no excuses,” she barked, pushing a button to end the call.
“Hey Lena, I bought you a cappuccino but I can see you don’t need one,” Raiden declared, making his presence known.
“Oh hey Rai, just set it on my desk,” she mumbled, her eyes skimming a file.
“I think you’ve hopped on the caffeine train one too many times,” he joked. “I’m cutting you off.”
Finally, Marlena tore her eyes from her work and looked up at him, studying him carefully. “I said put it on my desk.”
“Ouch, barking orders already Lena.”
“Don’t fuck with me Raiden, I mean it. I’ve been up all night long.”
“Thinking about Hope.”
“No, trying to organize the best case possible.”
“Don’t you think you’re getting a bit ahead of yourself here Marlena. You haven’t even had time to grieve.”
“Grieving with come later. Right now, as the District Attorney, it is my obligation to see that justice is done. And as Hope’s best friend, it is my obligation to see to it that the bastard who did this fries.”
“Did Ben even give you this case, Marlena?”
She looked up from the scattered mess on her desk and looked him dead in the eye. “I don’t care what Ben did or did not do. I’m doing this!”
“No, you’re not.”
Marlena spun around towards her door, frowning when she saw her boss standing there. She ignored this presence, ignored the heavy stare of his deep green eyes. “Yes, I am Ben!”
He walked over to her, grabbing her arm in hopes she would look at him. She did so, although by force more than anything else, and bit her lower lip hoping she could stop the crying she so badly needed to do.
“Marlena,” Ben said, softly, “I can’t fight you on this. I don’t have the energy or the time or the resources. To be truthful, I don’t want you doing this. But I know no one goes up against John Black like you do-“
Marlena’s eyes widened, suddenly unable to move. “What?”
“I’m saying only you-“
“No. I mean, about John Black. He’s … doing this case?”
“Of course, it’s a huge case; he’s the best defense attorney.”
“That arrogant son of a bitch,” she muttered under her breath. “Ben, do you know where he is right now?”
“Either his office or maybe the police station. Why, what’s-“
But Marlena didn’t let him finish. Instead, she grabbed her bag and was out of her office a second later, knowing that if it was the last thing she did she would find John Black.
**
John walked into the police station, hoping by some miracle his best friend wasn’t there. He didn’t want this case, despite the money it could pull in for him, despite the publicity he could get. It had always been about the money and the fame before, but this was different. No other case had been about a former lover, a best friend. And he knew he was about to lose another friend … the victim’s husband.
He glanced around, spotting the captain of the station.
“Roman,” John called out, trying to gain his attention.
“John, what are you doing here?”
John closed his eyes, his fears becoming reality. Behind him stood Bo Brady, Hope’s husband. He turned slowly, gazing at Bo with sorrow.
“I’m … uh … I’m here to meet with the guy you have in custody. I’m his …” John glanced down at the floor, scuffing his shoe over an imaging stain in the floor. “I’m his lawyer.”
“Which guy in custody?” Bo wondered, oblivious to the saddened look on John’s face that spoke volumes about his predicament.
Damn, John thought. He didn’t think he’d have to spell it out for him. Defending this guy was bad enough . . . he wasn’t prepared for the fallout that would ensue amid his personal life.
Taking a deep breath, John decided it was now or never. Bo was going to find out soon enough, why prolong the inevitable. “Rodriguez, Nelson Rodriguez.”
Bo’s eyes squinted and his forehead furrowed as John’s reply sunk in. “You’re . . . his lawyer?”
“Yea . . . yes.”
Bo’s fists tightened up as he fought to remain calm. “John, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt because obviously you don’t know why Nelson Rodriguez is in custody.”
John swallowed hard, “Bo . . . I know why Rodriquez is here and that doesn’t change the fact that I am his lawyer.”
Bo paused momentarily, desperately wanting to disbelieve what John had just told him. Before John could even begin to explain, Bo was charging after him, his fists shaking ferociously.
“What the hell is your problem!?”
Roman managed to restrain Bo before his fist could connect with John’s face.
“Calm down little brother. This isn’t the time or the place.”
“Roman’s right. This isn’t the time to discuss this Bo.”
“John, I wouldn’t go spouting orders to me . . . I can’t believe you would do this! Don’t you have a fucking conscience?”
“I don’t have the time to get into this Bo; I need to meet with my client.”
“The hell you do. You’re not defending that asshole John, you’re not.”
“Who’s going to stop me?”
“John, I’m warning you . . . you go through with this and I will never, ever forgive you, ever.”
“This isn’t personal Bo, its business.”
“Not personal? Not personal? Rodriguez murdered my wife, your ex-girlfriend, your good friend. How can you say it’s not personal?”
“Bo, can we please just forget about this for the moment and perhaps talk about this later in private?”
“Why so you can figure out a way to spin this to your favor? I don’t think so.”
“I wouldn’t try and do that! You think I wanted this case? I was in love with Hope most of my life, why would I ever choose to take a case in which I’m defending the man who murdered her?”
Bo grimaced, leaning up against the wall. “John Black does whatever he can for money. No matter who he ends up defending.”
“That isn’t fair,” John said, quietly.
“But it’s true isn’t it?”
Both Bo and John turned towards the doorway, surprised to see Marlena standing there. It had been a while since John had seen her and he was almost taken aback by how beautiful she looked. It wasn’t the convential beautiful he was used to when it came to her. She wasn’t all that put together given the circumstances, her eyes were red and weary, but yet something in his heart began to melt.
“Marlena …”
“You and I need to talk,” she demaned. “Outside, now!”
“Marlena, I —“
“I suggest you listen to the lady,” Bo commented.
John nodded softly, following Marlena out into the warm spring air. He turned to face her, giving her a little smile. “It reminds me of the night in Tahoe,” he said in reference to the weather, “that night you and I got together.”
Marlena didn’t answer for a moment, recalling that night as well. And as she realized why she was there, she snapped out of any thoughts she might have been having. “Yeah well, that was a long time ago. You know, when you actually had a heart?”
“I didn’t choose this case!”
“That isn’t the point, John! The point is, you won’t stand up to your boss and say no because you’re so damn afraid you’ll lose your job. Is the money really worth it, John? Is losing everyone who ever had meaning in your life worth it?”
John looked at her, staring deep into her eyes. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Marlena. I never meant too. I did lo–“
“Stop.” Marlena turned away from him, not wanting to hear what he sad to say. It hurt her to much to listen to him and she inhaled slowly, before turning to face him again. “Don’t take the case, John. Walk away from it before everyone in your life walks away from you.”
Marlena walked away, sliding into the driver’s side of her Mustang Convertable. And as John watched her drive away, he turned back to the station, knowing he couldn’t give up the case no matter how much it might haunt him.
Marlena cruised down Main Street, the wind whipping through her hair as she fought to make sense of the last 24 hours of her life. Two days ago she had a great job, the best friend anyone could ask for, and she was finally learning how to live life after John Black. Now, she hated her job, particularly her newest case, her best friend was murdered, and John Black was once again smack dead in the middle of her life, slowly turning it upside down with every passing second.
Though she wished her chat with John had some affect, she wasn’t ignorant. She knew that her words went in one ear and out the other. The only word John Black responded to these days was money, and lots of it.
No matter how slick or how charming John could be in the courtroom, there was no way she was going to let him come out victorious. She had so much more at stake than adding another win to her rap sheet. Letting this guy walk was not an option.
A loud ringing brought her back from her thoughts and she reached to her right, fishing around in her purse until she found it.
“Hello?”
“Where did you go?” Raiden’s voice wondered condescendingly.
“Are you my father?”
“No, but I am your assistant DA so I think I should know if you were having a meeting with the opposing side without me present.”
“Relax Rai, there was no meeting. I merely went by the police station to offer an old friend some helpful, sound advice.”
“What did you say, Lena?”
“I don’t believe that’s any of your business.”
“Yes it is.”
“No, if it regarded the case I’d tell you, otherwise it’s on a need to know basis and you don’t need to know.”
“Don’t do this Marlena. Don’t shut me out just because you want to play the hero.”
“The hero? Raiden, what the hell are you talking about? This isn’t some random case that I am using to score brownie points, this is so much more then that. This case affects every aspect of my life both professionally and personally.”
“Which is why you shouldn’t cover it.”
“No, it’s the reason why I should and am. No one can give this case the dedication and care it deserves like me, no one.”
“Fine, I give up. I am through trying to talk you out of it.”
“It’s about damn time.”
“But if it comes to bite you in the ass, I’ll be the first one to say I told you so.”
“Thanks Raiden, that’s very supportive of you.”
“And I am sorry about the whole hero comment; I don’t know why I said that.”
“I’ll just have to work you around the clock to make up for it.”
“Wouldn’t expect anything less from you.”
“I mean it Rai, we are going to have to make this case our life for the time being until we win.”
“You make it your life, and I’ll make it my job. When are you coming back? Ben’s already freaking out, he thinks you’ve gone out to kill John Black or something. I told him it was quite possible. So where are you?”
Marlena turned into a parking lot, turning off the ignition of her car. “I’ll be back later. I just need to take care of some things. Tell Ben I didn’t kill anyone.”
“Marlena—“
“Good-bye Rai,” she interrupted hanging up the phone.
Marlena stared out the window for a moment, the golden beaches reaching for miles. She got out of the car, inhaling the warm air and as she took off her shoes, she could feel his presence behind her. She wasn’t sure if it was the smell of his aftershave or just a feeling she had whenever he was near. Marlena turned slowly, their eyes meeting for only a second.
She turned away once more, walking off towards the beach, without a word. John took off after her, fumbling with his loafers.
“Shouldn’t you be with your client right now?” Marlena chided.
“I walked back into the station after you left,” John said, quietly. “And I realized that I needed to speak to you first.” He grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. He sat down on the sand with pleading eyes and reluctantly she sat, running her hand through the warm grains. “This isn’t easy for me you know.”
She looked up at him, nodding her head softly. “I know that. You know what you said earlier? About this weather reminding you of that night in Tahoe … I keep thinking about it ever since Hope died. I had wanted to be with you for so long, but I never made a move because I felt that wasn’t right to Hope. Sure, she was with Bo, but I just didn’t feel comfortable doing anything. But she stopped me that night and told me that we belonged together and that what would make her truly happy was if we ended up together. She was so selfless like that. She just wanted to see other people happy.”
“Did I ever tell you about the day we broke up?”
“No, I don’t think so.”
“I was going to propose to her. I figured after five years it was something I was supposed to do. I took her out to dinner and it was like she knew … she just laughed at me and said ‘Don’t do this, John. It’s not what either of us want and besides the fact we’re both in love with other people.’”
“Who were you in love with?” Marlena asked, curiously. “Hope went to Bo, but you stayed single for a long time after that.”
“You were involved,” he replied softly.
Marlena’s eyes widened. “You were in love with me since college?”
“College, law school, now …”
And in that moment, Marlena’s whole demeaner changed. She stood up, clearing her throat, refusing to look at John. “Well, I guess none of that matters now. Because despite you being here, I know you’re still going to take this case. You are still going to take this case, aren’t you?”
“After all that I just said, you’re going to forget it that easily? Did any of that mean nothing to you?”
“Don’t dodge the question John.”
“It’s just a job Marlena.”
“That’s what I thought,” she sighed, walking away.
John stumbled after her. “Damn it Marlena, will you stop and just talk to me,” he cried, grabbing her arm and forced her to face him.
“What more is there to say? You’ve made your decision.”
“Don’t be like this.”
“What right do you have to be angry with me John? I’m not the one betraying a dear friend here, you are.”
“But it’s my job Marlena, that’s all.”
“Why don’t you try a line you haven’t used in quite a while.”
“It’s not a damn line, it’s the truth. I am the best at what I do and my boss knows this. I have no choice.”
“You always have a choice John, you just refuse to see the road less traveled.” She took off again and when he started after her, she paused. “Don’t follow me this time John. I won’t wait and listen to anymore of your excuses.” Not wanting to push the issue, John obeyed and merely watched as she slid into her car and drove away without ever once looking back.
The Jarlena Journal 