Chapter 4
The proceedings drag on through the day. Pieces of evidence presented, arguments and outbursts prevalent.
Sunshine is currently up front, schmoozing his witness; a young woman who holds a ‘gold membership status’. Also known as, she frequents the forty-first floor, where all the freaky and absolutely unusual shit occurs at the club. The floor is only open to those who pay the exorbitant membership fees of the Dark Mirage .
If one didn’t pay those membership fees, one could only access the fortieth floor, or the general lounge of the private club. If one wanted a fetish met, one needed to pay for the fucking privilege. Literally.
As in, one thousand dollars per month. Seriously obscene. The things people will do to get their rocks off…
The witness is drawling on and on about the club and her positive experiences, Sunshine clearly leading her by the nose. The more the witness talks, the more it sounds like the club is going to be dismissed from charges. It’s giving Kara heartburn.
Shifting through the papers, Kara finds herself caught on an oddity that the inspector called out on the Dark Mirage’s financials. In red pen, they circled a few numbers. Every few months, there would be a large sum of money, with a bogus note explaining it away, deposited in different accounts.
It could be fraud. Embezzlement. Or. OR.
It could be payoffs…
In small letters, ‘hush money??? ’ was written out on the paper.
Meanwhile, Sunshine is leaning against the witness stand, sympathetically cooing with the girl there. “So, what you’re saying is, you’ve never felt unsafe at the Dark Mirage or to that extent, with Max Dotaire?”
The girl, or woman rather, hidden under all her dark makeup, nods earnestly. Sunshine smiles gently, “Please, use your words, Miss Farnsworth.”
The witness flushes, eyes wide and adoring as she looks at him. “Oh, yes, Sir. I’ve always felt safe at the Mirage . Maxy is one of the best Doms I’ve worked with. So professional . He always knows just what you need.”
It’s gag worthy and Kara is going to say something if Derrick and Bob won’t. Debra looks ill, watching the scene unfold in front of her.
Sunshine clearly isn’t done with his obscenely flirtatious conversation with the witness. “Miss Farnsworth, you earlier mentioned that Debra Mills was struggling to pay her monthly membership fees and had an argument with Paxton Brooker over them. Now, in your opinion, is it possible that Debra Mills is looking for the ultimate payday-”
Oh, get the fuck down, boy.
Kara stands up, one hand slamming flat on the table loudly.
“Your Honor, this is absurd,” Kara says as she gestures at the scene before them with a zigzag motion of her free hand. “Our client not swimming in cash does not preclude an elaborate scheme to bankrupt Paxton Brooker. We are here to discuss whether a rape occurred and what the Dark Mirage’s involvement is. In fact, we have found record of unusual payments being made to multiple different accounts sporadically. We’ve been told anyone who abandons their membership at the club must sign an NDA. I guarantee there is a pattern of abuse here and we can prove it as we move forward. The Dark Mirage is shielding abusers from justice.”
Judge Canry purses his lips, giving her a blank look that makes her guts quiver with the urge to release. Did she speak completely out of turn? Or…? “I imagine the prosecution will intend to bring forth such witnesses to support this claim that NDA’s are hiding abuse?”
It’s then that Kara feels all eyes on her, the Judge staring at her intently. She feels like a fish out of water, gasping for air. “Ah,” Kara utters lamely, “Yes. We will. That’s all, your Honor.”
Crap, why did I speak up? I probably sounded like a fool. She keeps replaying every word over at the speed of light in her head, feeling nauseous. She should have let Derrick speak. Then-
Judge Canry turns his gaze to the defense. “This is a curious point made by Miss…”
“Hayes, Sir,” Derrick says for her, possibly seeing the glazed look in her eyes during Kara’s internal panic.
The older man nods sagely, “Miss Hayes has made a curious point. If a history of abuse can be proven here, the Dark Mirage and its owner may be on the hook for abetting far worse crimes. NDA’s and strange sums of money do not bode well, Mr. Brooker.”
Paxton Brooker, the owner of the Dark Mirage pales substantially, quickly turning to whisper in Trouble’s ear. In that moment, the named partner of the rival firm turns to stare at Kara, his eyes burning a hole into her face.
He may not have looked at Kara this entire day, but now he’s looking at her with laser beam intensity in his tropical blue eyes, anger written on his brow. However, something flickers there as he stares her down, anger melting away and being replaced with…something…something Kara can’t read.
Like he can’t quite figure something out. Like someone trying to remember a word at the tip of their tongue.
Kara gestures with her left hand vaguely, raising both her eyebrows at him in a ‘what the hell are you looking at, asshole’ expression. He stares at her for a moment longer, tongue in his cheek before he gives her a mocking smirk.
He stands up abruptly. “May I request a recess, your Honor? We weren’t expecting these…other articles to be mentioned.” Trouble has a stiff expression on his face, despite the fake grin plastered on his lips.
Derrick makes a sound under his breath in response to the Judge granting the recess. “What’s wrong?” Kara asks him, confused.
Leaning closer to her, Derrick mutters, “I sense they are going to split their counsel. Paxton Brooker is going to want to throw his employee under the bus. If they stick together, they both are going down and Calais knows it.”
“Is he abandoning Max Dotaire, then?”
Derrick shakes his head and stands as the Judge dismisses everyone for the day. “No. He will move himself to representing The Dark Mirage and Paxton Brooker only. Calais will give Dotaire the option to continue using a senior member of his firm or a team of associates.”
Kara quickly helps him gather up all of their documentation, making sure it’s neat and orderly before placing them back in the folders. Derrick pauses and smiles at her, “Good job speaking up. You rattled that bastard a bit and crashed his plan, clearly.”
Flushing, Kara feels her stomach heat at the praise once more.
“I’ll see you back at the office,” Bob says to them, escorting Debra out the front of the courthouse.
Derrick turns back to Kara and says seriously, “If we have possible NDA’s in play, we need to get those people to talk. Somehow. Our game plan is going to have to be able to fight on two fronts now. There is a likelihood that we will only be able to take Dotaire down on the rape, that the Dark Mirage may get off with a slap on the wrist. We don’t want that.”
Makes sense to Kara. She opens her mouth to ask him how he wants to proceed when they are interrupted.
“Benson,” a sly voice utters. “I called you last night; you never called back. That was exceptionally rude of you.”
Leaning against one of the pillars of stone stands their opposing counsel, Nicholas Havenwood-Calais; named partner of the Calais, Vickers, and Yates law firm. He’s smirking, though his eyes are icy as he stares down Derrick with a certain intensity that Kara does not envy.
The air seems to crackle around Derrick as his grip on his briefcase tightens. “Oh, was that you? My apologies. I’m not used to my opponents calling me the night before opening day, handing in their surrender early.”
Calais’s lips twitch, eyes narrowing subtly. “Your mistake. I was simply giving you a courtesy call that your client has no ground to stand on. Friends tell friends when they are defending a lost cause, right?”
“’Friends’ is a strong word to throw around in reference to you and I, isn’t it?” Derrick drawls with a hint of unpleasantness.
Examining his watch, Calais hums absently. “I suppose. I prefer friends that have a sense of ambition. You’ve been on the downswing lately. I heard about Gale leaving, by the way. Going to have to take ‘Clarke’ off the Benson I won’t charge. Benson might take in stray dogs with loud barks, but your attitude won’t get you far in other firms. Especially not mine .”
Trying to keep from trembling, Kara clenches her fists, trying to concentrate and keep her voice strong. Taking a closer step towards him with a snarl on her lips, Kara replies, “I guess it’s a good thing I have no intention of ever working for the likes of you .”
The smug expression on his patrician face freezes, something like anger lurking in his pupils.
Derrick smiles with pride, placing his free hand the crook of Kara’s arm, gently pulling her towards the front doors. In parting, Derrick says aloud, “I’d say it’s been a pleasure, Nicholas, but that would be a lie.”
They leave him sneering behind them and Kara can feel his gaze burning into her spine, as if he would love to tear it right out.
Something is nagging at her though. Something about how he looked at her.
What was he thinking, when he looked at me like that? Like he recognized me? Why did he laugh?