by Ami Snow
“Why t’was the love train Sir,” giggled Kathy.
Pulling his pants up he hauled her up until she was beside him, then with an arm around her started his rig again and headed for the city, this time both of them wide awake.
Pulling up at her house they were startled to see all the lights on.
“Oh Kathy dear are you alright? The Police called us when you set off the emergency beacon, we have been so worried.”
Her Mum wrenched open the door and hugged her daughter so tight she couldn’t breathe. Suddenly the events of the night hit hard and she burst into tears in her Mother’s loving arms.
“Shhhhhh baby. It’s ok now. Come with Mummy and have some warm milk in a hot bath then into bed with you.”
As the girls walked into the house her Dad walks up to Herb,
“I really owe you one this time Herb old mate. In her adult life that girl has never fallen apart like that. Wanna fill me in?”
Sparing him some of the more grizzly details Herb tells him, also excluding what happened on the way home. Simple towie’s law,’what happens in the cab stays in the cab, he grinned.
“What the fuck you grinning at you jackass, coulda got ya-self killed or shot or something going over to that car in the middle of nowhere.’ Then thumping him on the shoulder in the old school way of showing affection said, “But I am bloody glad you did mate. Hope they throw the key away on the bastards. But what about those cops eh? That’s a rare turn up for the books. Certainly changes my perspective a little. I must send a sizable donation to their station’s Christmas appeal. Ok Kingsley get ya’ ass inside and I’ll whip you up some bacon and eggs, it’s almost breakfast time anyway.”
Realizing he is famished the grateful businessman follows his friend into the house for a feed.
“I have no idea how you have managed to turn up here all bright eyed and bushy tailed after the night you have had Kathleen,” commented Brett. “Your Mum called and said you might be late then filled me in on the details. Who could imagine I was sending you into such extreme danger. I am so very apologetic my girl.”
“Oh good grief Sir you cannot even contemplate taking the blame for last night. You of all people know what crack pots, weirdo’s and just plain morons share this planet with us. Besides no harm done, well not to me anyway, and look on the positive side. The drive blew the cobwebs out of my mind and I managed to extract that nagging doubt from the back of my mid and put that whole scenario with the co-respondents together. It’s an ill wind e.t.c Sir.”
“Indeed it is dear girl, indeed it is. Now let’s you and I go over those statements with a fine tooth comb and see what other skullduggery we can dig up, shall we?”
I really enjoyed working closely with Brett, he has one of the finest minds in the business and it is eye opening to watch him at work. He can read, absorb and assimilate data faster and more efficiently than anyone I have ever heard of, then recall what facets of it he requires at the most strategic moment in a trial.
“Are you coming or not Miss Donaldson?” Chirps my chief from my office door.
Uhhmm..Coming where exactly Sir?” I stammer? I know I haven’t forgotten anything, unless Herb fucked some of my brain cells to death, I giggle.
“Stop your bloody cackling and come with me, to court of course. It is time you pulled your weight around here young lady. You will attend trials with me for six months then sit the bar examination yourself and I can begin grooming you to replace me eventually.”
To say I was stunned would be the understatement of the year. Pleased at the vague look of disbelief on my face Brett knew he hadn’t lost his touch for dramatic revelation yet.
As he marched triumphantly out of my office I gathered up the files we needed and although all fingers and thumbs managed to pack them reasonably orderly into my briefcase and totter off after him.
“Sir, I have never asked you…”
“Firstly Kathleen let’s set down a few ground rules. Number one, if you are going to be my successor then start calling me Brett. Number two, I know you have never asked me if you could sit the bar exam, and you never would have. You are too dedicated and loyal to me for that. But have one of the smartest heads in our profession and for you not to sit the bar would be a more criminal act than those perpetrated by our worst clients. I want that head for myself, I know letting you pass the bar means I could lose you so I will sweeten the pot even further. The day you pass I will make a gift to you of fifty percent of this company. A full partner, how does that sound?”
I staggered to the nearest bench and sat, my head swimming. I know to the penny what Brett’s legal firm is worth and he was serious, to keep me with him he will gift to me in 7 figures.
“If that is how you intend to begin Miss Donaldson sitting on your ass when we have work to do, perhaps I should reconsider,” laughed Brett.
Shooting to my feet totally disorientated I murmur, “Yes Sir, I mean Brett.”
“That’s the spirit lass, now let’s go give those bloody juveniles a proverbial boot up the jacksie will we?”
Side by side cackling like a couple of laying chickens we marched into the central law courts armed and ready.
I have absolutely no idea how Brett managed to pull this off, somehow between midnight and now he had the juvenile department sort out transport and passes to get the for co-respondents into court to a mere plea hearing. That’s a story I want to know.
One after another he puts them on the stand and asks them to read a small paragraph and commit it to memory. Then he recalls them and asks them to repeat the three sentences verbatim. Not only do none of them manage this simple task but one even rambles something totally unrelated.
After that he recalls each of them individually again and asks them if Garrick knew that the vehicle he had ridden in with them was stolen before he got into it.
The four answers were:
1 Yes Lem said to him, This car is hot Garrick are you sure you want to get into it with us?” And Garrick said, “Oh yes Lem I am ok with that, I am not afraid of the fuzz mate. I am not a coward.”
No need for 2, 3 or 4, they had obviously been coached again that morning because they said exactly the same thing.
“You Honor,” began Brett in his summation. “I have little time for people who treat me like a fool or an idiot, and even less for those who would waste my valuable time, and I am absolutely sure with your own herculean case you load you have even less.”
Receiving a terse nod of agreement from the presiding judge Brett continued.
“I know you will already be aware of what I am about to say after listening to my simple demonstration this morning, but for the less astute I will lay it out formerly.”
Damn Brett was good. In two minutes he has told the Judge he works too hard and is the smartest man in the room. How can I even hope to aspire to his caliber, he has made a great mistake. I can never walk in his shoes.
“The police case against my client is based on the testimony of the four co-respondents I brought before the court this morning. I would like to offer my gratitude to you now Your Worship for allowing this to happen, it encouraged me to believe that you seek the truth as diligently as I myself seek it.”
Man alive Brett lays it on thick, I lift my hand to my mouth to hide the grin as I see the Judge lapping up all these accolades. He is putty in Brett’s capable hands.
“This morning I gave each defendant a card with two short sentences written on it. I asked them to read it aloud so I knew they could, in fact read, and had understood it.
I then recalled them all within five minutes and asked them to remember and repeat what was written on that card. None could remember and one spouted some totally unrelated gibberish.
And yet!”
Brett posed dramatically and lifting his arm he pointed one by one at the now confused boys.
“You, you, you AND you can recall four lengthy sentences verbatim that you heard from inside a closed sedan SEVEN MONTHS AGO!”
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The last three words he roared defiantly, even startling the judge who was trying valiantly to keep up and prove Brett’s claims about his ‘smarts’ correct.
“You are all lying and will be charged by this court with perjury and you will not have the leniency and mercy of the juvenile court system to protect you. This gentlemen, is adult court and you will be charged here and the penalty for perjury is extremely severe for wasting the time of our painfully overworked judicial system, as you heard his honor state earlier.”
“Oh Brett you lying bastard, you made that statement not his honor.” Brett would grace any stage on earth as a thespian of renown.
“The Queen’s Council is perfectly correct.”
The Judges stentorian tomes rang out confidently across his court room.
“If you young men want this chance to change your statements I will overlook your inaccuracies this one time. HOWEVER, if you do NOT recant your lies I will try you myself for perjury in this very room and sentence each of you to the longest terms possible under the law in a maximum security adult prison.”
“It weren’t us sir, honest. The copper made us say it, and he came again last night and made us say it over and over until we got it right.”
Brett had done it. Or rather his clever manipulation of the Judge had made his honor extract the information we needed himself. He had cleverly gaged that the Judge looking down from on high would have more impact on the poor wretches in the defendant’s box than he would have himself. I was certainly in awe.
Leaping to his feet Brett acted quickly while the judge was preening himself for his clever uncovering of a police coaching scam.
“Your honor I would firstly thank you gratefully for giving our Justice System the gravity and honor it deserves by diligently seeking the truth. And secondly I would beg your indulgence for the suffering of my client and ask for an immediate acquittal with contingent compensation and costs.”
“Granted”
Just one word and the entire court was in an uproar.
“You did it, I don’t know how the hell you did it. But you did.” Rick was jubilant for his son. “On the way down this morning Garrick and I almost talked ourselves into accepting the guilty plea you advised us to take. I am damned glad we stuck to our faith in you.”
All the time he was talking Rick was pumping Brett’s hand in excited gratitude.
“Rick it was not me who got Rick off, if you wish to thank the correct person turn around.”
I was standing directly behind Rick and he looked over my head into the noisy crowd.
“Look down Rick,” quipped Brett.
“Kathleen, you did this for my son?”
“She certainly did Rick, I sat up into the wee small hours trying to figure out how to get Garrick to plead guilty and get him a suspended sentence. Kathleen worked it out on the journey home from Newcastle. As well as being attacked by two guys who have been charged with attempted murder and an almost fatal front tire blow out at top speed on the motor way.”
Reeling with revelation after revelation Rick seems to be struggling to hold onto his sanity.
“Attempted murder? A fatal blow out? And all since leaving my home just last night? Plus figuring out how to save my son. Brett don’t lose this girl, she sure is a keeper mate, and maybe you should marry her!”
In my periphery vision I saw my boss glow scarlet from the neck up at Rick’s blatant statement. Muttering something about workload and needing to get back he rushed out of the court room without taking his briefcase.
“Kathleen how can we ever repay you? What you have done this day will stay with my family forever. No blemish or stain on my son’s record cannot be repaid in mere dollars. I am forever in your debt and you can recall this favor at any time during I or my son’s life time, right Garrick?”
With no hint of the smartass and in a deadly serious voice Garrick walked up to me and shaking my hand restated Ricks promise.
“At any time during my life Miss Donaldson I will pledge that I will do anything you should require of me.”
I attempted to be as serious as they genuinely were, but this whole “pay forward” thing was becoming to dramatic for me. I showed them Brett’s briefcase and said I needed to get it to him post haste and we said our goodbyes and I bundled everything into Brett’s case and headed for the office.
Pretending not to have notice his blushing or hurried departure I began teasing him unmercifully.
“The entire judiciary system will honor you and carve your statue in white marble for providence your worship.”
“The world Medical Council will preserve that magnificent brain for future generations to venerate and study your honor.”
“Good grief Rick how on earth did you have the courage to make plays on the man like that? How did you know he was a Cretan and would not see through you in the first sentence? I cannot accept your offer, I am never going to able to do anything like that, I am just not clever enough?”
In a quiet calm voice Brett spoke,
“Kathleen come and sit down and pay attention, this is going to come as quite a shock to you.”
I walked confidently over to his desk and sat in the comfortable leather armchair in front of it. After the last twenty four hours I doubted there anything left on the planet to move me even, let alone shock me.
“Number 1. Only two people in the room realized I was playing the judge, who is no Cretan by the way. In fact he is a very smart and able man.
2. Both of those people have a genius intellect in the 160s.
3. I had your IQ tested before you left college.
4. I am in love with you.
“Genius? Me? Brett loves me? He had my IQ tested without me ever knowing, how? Brett loves me? Genius? Pay forward? Fuck the cunt I am going to kill her! Fuck me Herb, deeper harder. Brett loves me. Genius? Brett loves me?
The room leaned to the right, further. Then spun entirely around me and went black.
“Breathe darling, breathe into the paper bag. Again, breathe. Come on Kathleen a deeper breath. That’s it girl. Good girl. Here drink this brandy.”
The calm soothing voice of my boss brought me around; I was now lying on his leather chaise-lounge as he held my hand and encouraged me to drink more of the brandy.
“Hell of a court room manner boss, but your bedside manner tops it.”
I attempted a shot at levity but my voice was still echoing in my head and I think I failed dismally.
Smiling Brett stands up and goes to the liquor cabinet.
“I think I will join you in a small victory celebration drink then we will go and get your car and take the rest of the day off. What would like t0o do darling.”
How natural that word sounded from Brett now. I opened my eyes and gazed deep into his. I saw the genuine concern behind the calm exterior and quiet voice. His love is real and deep and my heart surges as I reach out for him and hold him close.
“Oh Brett I love you too my dear heart, I think I always have, but just never dared hope you felt the same.”
My world is complete.
THE END
The Alpha’s Love
Paranormal Romance
By: Jennifer Mckenzie
The Alpha’s Love
Chico found the woman for him the day he came to town. She had plenty of meat on her bones and a big heart to match. He didn’t even have to assume his bear form to find the love she had to offer.
He’d made the trip alone every year. The men of his clan once migrated with the Grizzly Bears into the hills of the Rocky Mountains. They had followed the big creatures, no one knew how long they had been doing it, and no one cared. It was their way. The bears supplied them with food and pelts. They admired the huge animals.
To earn a place as a man, he’d killed a bear with a spear, all the young man had to do it and not show fear. Chico had tracked the beast across the forest where he battled it to the death. But, in its dying eyes, Chico saw something: he saw the man who
the bear had been. And he was cursed by the bear as it died to take his place. During the light of the full moon he would become a bear and hunt as one. If he died, he would die as a bear. It had been this way for centuries.
But he couldn’t die unless he found someone to take his place. Chico had never found someone to curse with his condition. It didn’t matter how bad the person might be in real life. It had to be someone who would slay him while Chico was in bear form. Few people wanted to go anywhere near him as a bear. And so he waited until the time was right.
He prowled around the town of Grizzly Gulch the final night of his bear form. The hunting was good and no one would go near him. A few hunters had stalked him, but Chico had avoided them. They weren’t the kind of people who needed to have his affliction. So he waited until it was time for the moon to shift.
He woke to find himself naked in a grove of trees. Good, he had re-transformed back to a human with no interference. Chico had learned where were the best places to do this and would leave his human clothes hidden away. He stood up and walked over to the rock cavity where he’d stashed his clothes and money. In a few minutes he had his poncho and hat on, the boots he slipped on a few minutes later. The pistol was still in good shape. He’d taken it off a confederate officer ten years ago at the first battle of Mesilla. The officer hadn’t needed it anymore.
His boots crunching the ground, Chico walked into the main street of the former mining town. Grizzly Gulch had been a big town when the gold was plentiful, but it had run out. Most of the miners had moved on, looking for new fields to prospect. All that remained were a few hold outs and plenty of boarded up wooden store fronts. There was still the saloon and sheriff’s office, but most the other business were getting out.
It resembled any number of other places he’d visited on his travels over the past hundred years. Men with no luck trying to find the one strike which would pay for a lifetime of disappointment. The Europeans had driven his tribe out of the valleys, but he remained. He was feared by his former tribe and the new settlers left him alone. There was always another war which needed guns, men didn’t ask too many questions when they needed bodies to toss against the enemy. He couldn’t be killed by conventional means and few people knew it took a silver bullet. There was always the problem of how to explain his absence during the full moon, but during the heat of battle anything could happen.
