Chapter 2
Killian Lake
It was bright and early on a Monday morning.
I’d woken up at five, gotten in my workout, ate breakfast, and got ready for work.
I made it to the law offices of Brennan and Jones around eight, same as I did every morning.
I stopped in the employee lounge to make myself a cup of coffee before making my way to my office, only to be stopped by my coworker, Casey.
“Lake! How was your weekend?”
“Same shit, different day. How was yours?”
“It was great. The wife and I took the kids down to the river for a little camping and fishing trip. There’s nothing like sunshine and fresh air to make you feel alive again.”
“True. I gotta get going, Casey. Have a good one.”
Before he could rope me into a long, drawn-out conversation about his family life, I hightailed it down the hall.
It wasn’t that I didn’t like Casey. He just talked too damn much.
Messing around with him, we’d be having a thirty-minute conversation with him doing all the talking. I didn’t have time for that.
I rounded the corner and passed a few offices only to have my name once again be called.
“Killian!”
I groaned inwardly as I backtracked to the source. Erica Sawyer. She was one of the top attorneys at the firm. Her record of wins was impeccable. I wasn’t sure what kind of pull she had, but she always managed to get the job done.
“Good morning, Erica.”
“Good morning. Quick question: Do you have court this week?”
“Friday. Why?”
“I have a very sensitive case, and I could use an extra set of eyes. I know how diligent you are.”
“Sure thing. What’s the case?”
“It’s a parole hearing. My client has been in G.S.
Glen Penitentiary since she was seventeen years old for a murder that in my eyes was justified as self-defense.
I’m trying my hardest to bring her home.
Her aunt and uncle have spent a lot of money over the years fighting for justice for her, and I don’t want that to be in vain. ”
I nodded. “I’ll take a look at it.”
She smiled. “Awesome. A copy of the files is on your desk.”
I chuckled. “So you just knew I’d be down to help you?”
“I know you, Killian. You take on a lot of sensitive cases, and I knew once you read this one, you would help if you could.”
She was right about that. My workload was always filled with sensitive cases. It had sort of become my thing.
“I’ll see what I can do,” I said.
“Thank you again.”
“No problem.”
I left her office and finally was able to make it to mine.
Stepping inside, I closed the door and placed my briefcase on top of my desk as I took a seat behind it.
As I sipped my coffee, I logged into my computer and pulled up everything I’d need for the day.
I then checked and responded to a few urgent emails before finally getting started on my workload.
Grabbing my briefcase, I placed it on the floor next to the desk. My eyes landed on the file folder. Picking it up, I opened it, and my brows immediately furrowed at the sight of the name.
Alayah Chambers.
It couldn’t be her. I hadn’t heard her name in years, but I never forgot what landed her behind bars.
Her story was one of the main reasons I’d decided to pursue a career in the criminal justice system.
Alayah had not only been my classmate from elementary school all the way through high school, but she was my friend.
I remembered her being shy and timid, yet sweet and so damn beautiful.
She had the most beautiful natural curls that were always wild and free. Her skin was caramel colored, smooth, and peppered with freckles. She was the first black woman I’d ever seen with freckles. Her beauty was unmatched.
She didn’t talk to too many people, but I’d been lucky enough to get partnered with her for a science project.
Being that we spent a lot of time together working on it, I got to see a side of her that most people weren’t privy to.
Not only was she beautiful, but she was smart as hell, and she was goofy—both qualities I found attractive.
“Damn,” I mumbled as I read through the file.
I knew why she want to jail, but I’d never seen all the details laid out in black, white, and color pictures.
The gruesome images of Rodney West almost made my stomach turn.
There was so much anger and rage packed into the twenty-six stab wounds he’d received to his neck, face, and chest. He was unrecognizable.
There were pictures of Alayah covered in his blood after the incident.
There were pictures of her bloody bedroom. It was a horrible sight.
The file mentioned she’d accused him of molesting and raping her for years. She gave detailed accounts of several instances and even alleged that there were tapes—tapes that had never been found. The details alone should have been an indicator that she was telling the truth.
I thought back to all the times I got the feeling that something was going on with her back then.
I’d met Rodney a few times when I went to her house to work on our project or study, and he was always affectionate with her.
He was affectionate with her sisters, but especially with her.
I remembered how blank her face would go when he hugged her or kissed her cheek.
I remembered the sigh of relief she’d breathe when he left the room or the house.
I thought back to one of those moments. We were in the kitchen studying for an exam when he came in. I saw the way her shoulders tensed when he walked into the room and came to stand behind her. Stooping, he kissed her cheek.
“Hey pretty girl,” he said, squeezing her shoulders.
“Hey, Rodney,” she mumbled.
He looked at me. “Killian, right?”
“Uh, yes, sir.”
“You two studying hard or hardly studying?” He chuckled at his own joke as he stroked Alayah’s hair.
“Studying hard,” I answered. “Well, I’m studying. Alayah already seems to know the answers.”
“My girl is a smart one.”
She slightly shrugged his hands away. “We have to finish studying.”
“Okay, baby.” Again, he kissed her cheek. “Nice seeing you again, Killian.”
He patted my shoulder as he walked away. She sighed heavily, seemingly shaking away the feelings his hands left behind.
“I don’t like him. Don’t let the niceness fool you. He’s an asshole.”
She said that with so much venom in her voice. I didn’t say anything. When it was time to go, she walked me to the door to say goodbye.
“If I don’t pass this test, I’m blaming you,” I jested.
“You’ll do fine, Killian. You’re smart.”
“Not as smart as you.”
She blushed. “I’ll see you at school.”
I hesitated for a moment before pulling her in for a hug. Her body tensed momentarily, then relaxed as she hugged me back. From his spot on the couch, I could see Rodney watching us.
“See you,” I said, finally pulling away.
I remembered her coming to school the next day looking completely out of it. She was present, but mentally she wasn’t there at all. I asked her what was wrong, and she brushed it off as she was just tired from taking care of her sisters and doing chores.
I let it go because I’d met her mother. I heard the way she spoke to her and saw the way she treated her.
There were times I’d helped her clean or volunteered to cook dinner while she helped her sisters with homework just so she wouldn’t get in trouble.
I thought about all of that as I sat looking at her file.
Regret filled me.
Why hadn’t I said anything? Why hadn’t I made her tell me what was going on?
Only God knew what she had gone through the last ten years behind bars. I prayed that she was surviving. I knew this time had changed her, but I hoped she’d at least begun to heal.
Closing the file, I sat back and ran my hands down my face. I stood from the desk and left the office with the file in hand as I made my way to Erica’s office. She was clicking away on her keyboard when I walked in.
“Hey,” she said, looking up. “Did you read it?”
“I did.”
“What do you think?”
“She deserves to be free.”
“I agree. Reading over it had me looking at her mama sideways. How didn’t she know? I’d notice if my man were looking at my daughter. I’d notice the changes in her.”
“You’ve never met Kennedy Chambers.”
Her brows furrowed. “You have?”
I sighed as I took a seat and began explaining the nature of my relationship with Alayah and the things I’d seen and heard.
“You think Kennedy will come to the parole hearing?” I asked.
Erica shrugged. “I don’t know. She and his family have been notified.
I know his people are coming. They are adamant about protesting Alayah’s release.
” She shook her head. “I have to get her out, Killian. The justice system failed her. Her mother failed her. She was a victim, and they treated her like shit at that trial. I’m praying that this new judge will review everything and have mercy on her.
She shouldn’t have had to do ten years, let alone thirty. ”
I sighed. “I agree. I hate I can’t work with you to represent her. I’d have to recuse myself.”
“It’s fine. I’m just glad we’re on the same page.”
“I do want to go to the hearing though. I need to lay eyes on her.”
Erica smiled. “Maybe you can be a friend to her when she gets out. I say when because it’s going to happen, I don’t care what the victim’s family has to say. She’s been punished enough.”
I nodded in agreement. “When is court?”
“Next Tuesday. I’m going to give her the news today. Hopefully she’ll accept the date. She’s basically accepted her fate. With her aunt and uncle fighting for justice so long, she feels bad about all the time they have dedicated to her case. They are the only family she really has.”
“What about her sisters?”
“According to them, her mother hasn’t let them see or speak to her.”
I shook my head. I knew how much she loved her little sisters. They were her babies, and she cared for them as though they came from her.
“Damn. I knew that woman was a piece of work.” I stood from the chair. “Let me get out of here and refocus my energy. If I think about the shit too long, I’m gonna get mad all over again.”
“Sounds like you cared for her at one point.”
“I did. I’ve always regretted not asking her to be my girl when I had the chance.”
Erica smirked. “Well…there’s always second chances.”
I didn’t say anything as I stood and left the office.
I didn’t know about a second chance here.
A lot of time had passed. I wasn’t sure what kind of person Alayah had become.
Prison had a way of changing people—hardening them.
I hadn’t seen this woman in ten years. I hadn’t visited.
I hadn’t written. As far as I knew, she wouldn’t want anything to do with me, and I couldn’t blame her.