Page 11 of A Trial of the Heart

Chapter

Eleven

Shiloh:

Two Weeks Later

“Good luck out there today, Shiloh,” my colleague, William, said in a snarky tone as he peeked his head into my office without even announcing himself.

I’d been back in Virginia for two weeks, and besides when Rashad had told me he had made it back home, I hadn’t heard from him.

I had his number as he had mine, but I hadn’t reached out, even though I missed his presence tremendously.

I was working a high-profile case, so missing him or not, I didn’t reach out because I needed to focus, and I feared he’d throw me off.

He had said it wasn’t goodbye, but since I hadn’t talked to him, I chalked it up to being just that.

Peering over my MacBook at William, I curled my deep, red-stained lips into a forced smile before I parted them evenly. “Thank you, William.” My tone was calm.

I knew William hated me, and honestly, the feeling was mutual because of the rich, spoiled, daddy’s boy persona he had going on.

“Should have been mine anyway, but we won’t speak about that,” he joked, stepping inside my office as if I had invited him.

Most cases, William did get. I mean, his father ran the office after all, so, of course, he was handed all the high-profile cases over me.

I was the only female and African American lawyer in the office.

I got overlooked and treated like the secretary more times than I cared to admit.

When I started my internship with the office almost four years ago, it was thanks to my father.

He and William’s father, Arthur, were college roommates.

My father raved about the time they shared at Harvard Law School and how amazing Arthur was.

I was confused by it all. From day one, I saw Arthur and William for the racist pricks they were.

I only stuck around in the company because being a young black criminal lawyer who had graduated at the top of her class bothered many.

I intimidated most lawyers in the area, so they refused to even give my resume a second look, even if I could win the cases.

Arthur hired me straight after my internship.

So, until I could open my firm, I was stuck with what I had.

Dropping the smile, I pursed my lips together as I placed my hands on top of my desk, intertwining them together.

“Is there something I can help you with this morning, William?” The tone of my voice never changed.

A chortle slipped from his thin ass ashy lips.

“Nope, not really.” He popped his lips like a female would.

“Just wanted to say good luck this morning.” He backed up closer to the door.

“I know you were partying two weeks ago on a cruise ship, so I’m positive you didn’t get much planning done for court…

” William let his words drag. “This is a high-profile case and all, so I just wish you the best,” he added in a snarky tone.

“I’ll be fine. Thank you.” I stood to let William know I was done with the conversation, and he was dismissed.

Offering a smirk and a wink, he stepped over the threshold of my office, closing the door after him.

Once he was gone, I exhaled and dropped back into my seat.

I had been nervous about today, but because everyone expected me to fail, I refused to show weakness.

William was right. I had been on a fourteen-day cruise two weeks ago for my thirtieth birthday.

He was also right about this being a high-profile case that I was sure I was offered because the offender was black, unlike other cases this office took on.

Either way, I was under pressure, and I refused to fold no matter how unprepared and scared I was. This case would not defeat me.

Ding.

Hearing the elevator’s noise along with the sudden stop indicating I’d reached the third and final floor to Williamsburg District Court caused me to snap from a trance.

For the most part, I had been calm all morning, but now that I was in the courthouse, my nerves got the best of me.

Today was only the arraignment for the offender, but I was still extremely nervous because my office, mainly me, was being forced to go against the top law office in the area.

“Now is your time, Ms. Monroe.”

Arthur’s Southern drawl behind me forced me to look over my shoulder at him. It was my case. I would do all the work. I’d even argue and object every point, but my team was here for the show.

“Okay.” I nodded. Stepping from the elevator, my four-inch designer heels tapped the marble floors lightly with each step, while my right hand clasped my messenger bag, and my left arm cuffed my laptop bag.

Though I was nervous, I refused to allow it to show.

I was like a horse with blinders and only saw what was in front of me.

Slowing my stride, I stopped in front of courtroom four, my soft, dark brown eyes raising above the doorway reading the words General District Court.

Things were about to get real. Inhaling before exhaling deeply, I pulled open one of the double doors without assistance from either Arthur or William, not that I expected it, before stepping inside the courtroom.

It was the middle of the summer, and the heat damn near knocked me out as it rushed my skin.

They surely didn’t want anyone comfortable in here.

Though I wasn’t paying much attention to my surroundings, I could see the courtroom didn’t have nearly as many people as I expected.

Ambling my way to the right side of the courtroom, I rested my things on top of the large, rectangular table before stepping aside so my useless boss and colleague could pass to take their seats.

“Psst.” I heard quietly.

Turning my attention to Arthur, I noticed his old ass wore an awkward smile that didn’t match the distant look in his yellow-rimmed green eyes.

Arthur and I weren’t in any way associated outside of work, but from the yellowing of his pupils and heavy smell of mint that tried to mask the previous night’s alcohol, I knew he was an alcoholic.

“Yes?” I whispered, just as the bailiff called the court to order.

“All rise. This federal court with Honorable Judge Preston Fairbanks presiding is now in session,” the bailiff said, looking out to us.

“Please be seated and come to order,” Judge Fairbanks stated once he was seated.

Judge Fairbanks was a man in maybe his early sixties with a deep Southern accent, who never played any games any time I was in his courtroom. He was fair, honest, and did everything by the book. He wasn’t cutting corners, and he wouldn’t allow anyone in his courtroom to do so either.

As I sat, I looked to Arthur to see what he wanted previously.

“Don’t fuck this up.”

Had it not been for the bailiff calling the court to order, I might have said some real shit to Arthur, boss or not.

Instead, I narrowed my eyes his way, watching him sit back and unbutton the single button to his suit before crossing his legs.

I didn’t give a fuck what strings my deceased father had pulled for me to obtain this job.

Once this case was done, so was I with Arthur and his shit.

Changes had to be made. Finally, I swallowed hard, nodded, and turned my attention to the judge as he prepared to speak.

“Kyan Carter, you have been charged with one count of embezzlement, one count of money laundering, and two counts of credit card fraud.”

I already knew the charges but hearing them read off shocked me. If the defendant was convicted of any of the charges, they carried a lengthy sentence of twenty plus years.

“Have the charges been read and understood by the defendant?”

“They have, Your Honor.” I knew that to be the defendant’s lawyer’s voice simply because it was a voice I hadn’t recognized.

“Kyan Carter, how do you plead in the matter?” Judge Fairbanks asked.

“Not guilty.”

The deep voice that I couldn’t forget even if I was paid to do so sent a shockwave throughout my body like it did the first time I’d heard it.

Until this point, I had no desire to look at who I was up against. Today was just the arraignment, and I had work to do.

My eyes were in my documents, making sure the charges read were what I had.

I needed to make sure all my T’s were crossed and I’s were dotted so I wouldn’t fuck this up.

When my eyes met Rashad, my mouth slightly fell agape. I knew this man, but his name surely wasn’t Kyan. Instead, I knew him as Rashad. Wait. That’s his middle name, I thought after replaying Judge Fairbanks’ words.

Rashad winked. My mouth dropped further while the seat of my panties soaked, and I wished I could instantly die. There was no way this was happening to me on such a big case.

I was representing for the Commonwealth of Virginia as I did for most of my cases, and because most, if not all, cases were high profile, I kept things low key.

I stayed off social media, avoided watching the news, and didn’t even view the profile pictures of the defendants.

I wanted all evidence presented to be the hard-core proof we had.

I didn’t want anything altering how I handled the case.

I zoned out. I couldn’t take my eyes off Rashad or whatever the fuck his name was, and he wouldn’t even look my way again.

“Ms. Monroe?” Judge Fairbanks said louder than I was sure he intended. When I looked his way, his facial expression showed annoyance.

“Ye-yes?” I stuttered.

Judge Fairbanks sighed. “Ms. Monroe, is there anything you’d like to add before we set a trial date?”

Quickly closing my mouth, I looked to both Arthur and William, and they both wore looks filled with rage, but Arthur was the one to speak.

“What the fuck?” he muttered.

Shifting my gaze from Arthur and William to the judge back to Arthur, I slightly shook my head.

“I can’t do this,” I muttered.

Not only could I not do this because Rashad knew me more personally than I cared to admit and he was damn near a stranger, but I was also sure his smooth-talking ass would win without the help of his distinguished lawyers.

“Your Honor, may I have a moment with my team?” I looked back to the judge.

Already seeming annoyed, Judge Fairbanks snatched his thin glasses from his face before pinching the bridge of his nose while gesturing for me to take the time I needed.

Leaning into Arthur and William, I shook my head once more.

“I can’t do this b—”

“You’re doing it, or you can bet your last breath you will never work in the entire state of Virginia again,” Arthur said, not even giving me a chance to explain why.

The slight gasp left my lips without realization, and I had to look past Arthur to William.

The smirk he wore didn’t go unnoticed. My thick lips parted for me to plead my case, but the look, once again, in Arthur’s eyes let me know it was best not to try him.

Arthur’s name and office held weight, and even if I moved from Virginia to try elsewhere, I was positive it would still follow.

“Counselors, today, please. This is only the arraignment. There is no need for all the sidebars.” Judge Fairbanks spoke up, causing the three of us to look his way. “Is there anything you would like to add before a trial date is set?”

Feeling Arthur gently nudge me under the table, I looked his way, and his face resembled a grandfather who wasn’t about to play with his grandchildren.

Swallowing hard, I knew that once I agreed to this, I was going against every oath I took in law school.

Not to mention, I was already selling my soul for who I was as a person.

Standing, I smoothed over my skirt while my eyes wandered over in Rashad and his lawyer’s direction. They all seemed to rock the same expression, except Rashad’s was more sinister. Right or wrong, I wasn’t backing down from him. I faced Judge Fairbanks with a smile.

“No, Your Honor. Everything is okay.”

I put my game face on. Rashad knew me sexually, and though he had thrown me off, it was time for him to know Shiloh Monroe.