ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟝𝟘 #2
"I figured if I'm going to ask Ted for my job back, I should at least look like someone he'd regret firing."
Dannah laughed. "That's the spirit."
I smiled.
Then she leaned forward. "You know what? You should go outside."
I frowned. "What?"
"Dixie West, you've been inside for a couple days now."
"I've been busy with...stuff."
"You've barely gone anywhere."
I shrugged, suddenly becoming frustrated.
"Well...I don't know. I don't really have anything else to do but work."
"Go take a walk." She pointed toward the window.
"I don't feel like it." I immediately shook my head.
"You need fresh air."
"I have air in here."
"That's not the point, honey."
"I have work."
"Tell me, what work have you done so far other than send an email to Ted?"
"I could work on something else." I looked down at my lap.
"You could also walk."
I sighed. "I don't know."
"Dixie." She leaned forward. "You've spent days crying, working, staring at your phone, and pretending you're okay."
Despite how blunt she was, she was right. I needed to have a day to myself. There was also a small gift shop by Dannah's.
I was sure I could find some toys or flowers for Jordyn.
I exhaled, my shoulders slumped. "Fine."
"Go!" Her smile immediately widened.
"You're being very bossy."
"I learnt from the best."
I stood, grabbing my purse. "I'm only walking for ten minutes."
"Deal. Have fun!"
I grabbed my phone. Dannah pointed at it.
"Oh- also, don't spend the entire walk staring at that."
"I'll try not to."
She smiled. "You better not."
I headed toward the door.
"Also, Dixie? You look gorgeous."
I smiled despite myself. "Thank you."
~
For the first five minutes, it was actually nice.
The sun wasn't too harsh, there was a light breeze moving through the trees, and the neighborhood was quiet.
I kind of liked Dannah's neighborhood.
I walked slowly. There were no distractions this time. No law, or cases, or arguing.
Maybe Dannah had been right.
I guess I did need this.
I breathed in deeply. For once, my mind wasn't racing quite as fast.
Then I heard a clicking sound behind me. I glanced toward the street. There was a camera.
I frowned. Who was taking pictures?
Someone was standing near a parked news van with a large camera pointed toward the sidewalk. I assumed they were interviewing someone.
Okay...
I kept walking, then another camera appeared.
I slowed my walking pace.
Wait.
A man with a microphone suddenly turned toward me.
My stomach dropped. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
"Ms. West!"
I stopped. Three people started walking toward me.
Then five, then somehow, even more.
Where'd they even come from, and more importantly, what could they want from me?"
I looked behind me.
Yeah, no. They were definitely coming toward me. One reporter stepped in front of me.
"Dixie West?"
"Yes? Can I help you guys?" I forced a polite smile, though I wasn't feeling very polite this afternoon.
"Can we ask you a few questions about the Justin Deyes case?"
"I'm actually just supposed to run a quick errand."
Another reporter moved closer. "We saw you leaving the courthouse yesterday."
"Right..."
"Did you expect the judge to overturn the conviction?"
"I expected the evidence to speak for itself."
A camera moved closer towards me
I smiled automatically. I turned on my public face-lawyer face, if you will.
Don't look overwhelmed. It was a good thing they didn't know how I felt.
"Do you believe the original investigation was mishandled?" One reporter moved a microphone closer to me.
"I believe every case deserves to be examined carefully when credible new evidence comes forward."
"Do you think Mr. Deyes should receive compensation?"
"That would be a matter for the appropriate legal process."
"Are you going to represent him moving forward?"
I paused. "Uh..I can't discuss future legal arrangements."
Could they leave already?
"What was your reaction when the judge declared him innocent?" Someone else asked.
"Relief." I smiled.
"Relief?"
"Yes."
I looked toward the cameras.
"Mr. Deyes spent years incarcerated for something he didn't do. Seeing him walk out of that courtroom was rather meaningful."
The reporters nodded.
Someone shouted another question. "What made you take another look at his case?"
"Evidence."
A few of them laughed.
I smiled slightly. "I know that's not the exciting answer you're looking for, but that's the truth."
"You've become something of a public figure after this case." Another reporter stepped closer.
I felt a little embarrassed.
"I don't think that's necessary."
"You've been described as one of the attorneys responsible for exposing a major failure in the justice system."
"I'd describe myself as someone who did her job."
Another voice cut through the crowd.
"What about your marriage, Ms. West?"
My face froze, and my eyes shifted toward the reporter. He held a microphone with a camera directly behind him.
"Your husband, Cameron West, son of billionaire Ralph West."
What was I going to say now?
He continued. "How is your marriage doing?"
I went silent. The cameras started to click even more.
At least get my good side. They kept taking unflattering angles.
For half a second, I forgot every carefully prepared sentence I'd ever learned from my parents.
Don't answer.
Another reporter asked, "Are the two of you still together?"
I looked directly at the first reporter, then smiled innocently.
"Thank you for your questions about the case."
He blinked at me. "What about Cameron?"
"I don't discuss my personal life with the press." I stepped sideways, folding my arms.
"Is that because there's trouble in the marriage?"
I kept walking. Another camera followed me.
Could I classify this was harassment? Because it certainly felt like it.
"Ms. West!"
I didn't turn around.
"Are you and Cameron West separated?"
I wanted to say something, but I knew exactly what would happen.
One sentence would become an article, one article would become ten. And my somewhat private life would become tomorrow's headline.
That wasn't fair to me or Cameron.
I couldn't let them follow me back to Dannah's.
Definitely not. If they knew where I was staying, they'd wait.
They'd sit outside and watch the house.
They'd wait for somebody to come outside.
She didn't deserve to get stalked. Not after all she's done for me.
No!
I needed to get rid of them, and fast.
I kept walking.
"Ms. West, are you planning to continue working with Judge Johnson?"
"Yes."
That was true.
"Are you taking another major case?"
I glanced over my shoulder. "Actually, yes."
Several reporters immediately perked up.
My brain started working. I needed something believable- something that would send them in another direction.
I smiled sweetly, gesturing with my hands. "I've been approached about a case involving a major corporate fraud investigation."
The reporters immediately started asking questions. "Which company? Is it local?"
"Are you representing the company?"
I shook my head. "Sorry guys, I can't discuss details yet."
That made them even more interested. Perfect. That was exactly my trap.
"Is it a Fortune 500 company?"
I smiled. "Something like that."
Technically, that meant absolutely nothing, but they didn't know that, and they didn't need to.
"Where's the case?"
"Downtown." I say.
"Is there going to be a federal investigation?"
I nod slowly. "I believe that's part of the process."
"Can you tell us when you're announcing it?" Another camera pushed forward.
"Probably later this week." I gestured vaguely with my hands again.
The second I said it, they started talking among themselves. One reporter immediately stepped away, apparently calling someone.
I slowed my pace, then turned down a side street.
Nobody noticed at first- that's what made me keep walking to the point where I was eventually running.
I glanced behind me. The reporters were still clustered around the main road.
Nobody followed. Thankfully.
I finally exhaled.
I had lied a very convincing lie. A completely fictional corporate fraud case.
I took the shortcut back toward the gift shop.
My heart was still pounding.
I pulled my phone out, staring at the screen for a second. I quickly put it away after checking the time.
I wasn't going to think about Cameron. I had just escaped a pack of reporters, and I had more important things to worry about.
I kept walking.
~
The shop was smaller than I thought.
Much smaller.
It was the kind of place I probably would've walked past without noticing if I hadn't been looking for it.
A little bell chimed above the door as I stepped inside, and the sudden quiet made me realize just how loud the reporters had been.
I stopped for a second, glancing through the front window. Nobody followed me.
No reporters pretending to casually stand across the street while very obviously waiting for me to come back out.
I exhaled. Thank God.
I really did not need my face plastered across the news with a headline like: LAWYER DIXIE WEST SPOTTED ALONE AFTER MYSTERIOUS MARITAL TROUBLE.