“Except we got the fact that Shauna Fontaine is on our suspect list, Robert Winston is now a person of interest and Kami gave him twenty-five thousand dollars.”
“And a jury will be made up of her peers and everyone knows Kami and Shauna have been close since grade school and friends help friends in a tight spot. It gets down to it, I’ll call Max, Brody and Mindy to the stand to testify that they heard Shauna announce to Max she was pregnant and needed money, thus corroborating Kami’s story if not Shauna’s lie. They’ll also all testify to the fact that Shauna was with a gentleman by the name of Robert, he was protective of her, as in overprotective considering he engaged in physical combat with Harry at The Rooster in front of dozens of witnesses in defense of Shauna.”
Mick tried to interrupt. “Nina –”
I cut him off. “Kami thought her friend was up to her eyeballs in debt, had no insurance and a baby on the way. Shauna asked for the transaction to be private, for her own ends but telling Kami it was to save face. We’ve all been there before, needing to save face or helping a friend who needs it. Every jury member will have faced that same scenario in their lives. But friends do what they can which is what Kami did and a jury will believe that too and you know it.”
“Shit Nina, you’re tryin’ the case in this room,” Mick mumbled.
“You wanted her to lawyer up, Mick, she’s lawyered up. You don’t want her to leave town, okay, where’s she going to go? But she isn’t leaving this room thinking this nightmare isn’t over for her. She’s got a life to live, Curtis Dodd meant something to her, his death is already taking its toll and she doesn’t need this hanging over her head.”
“I’m just askin’ her not to leave town,” Mick noted.
“Okay, she won’t leave town,” I assured him. “But I’ll remind you, on top of all that, there’s a good possibility that she’s just found out her friend took advantage of her so she’s dealing with enough. You need to question her, you call me and I’ll set it up. Yes?”
Mick turned beleaguered eyes to Max but he was barking up the wrong tree. I looked to Max and saw he was leaning with his shoulders against the wall, arms crossed on his chest, eyes on me and a huge grin on his face.
“Remind me never to do any more favors even if it’s for one of our own,” Mick muttered to no one.
“Are we done here?” I asked, standing and grabbing my coat.
“You movin’ to town?” Mick asked back and my head tilted with confusion at the somewhat nosy change of subject.
Even so, I answered, “More than likely, yes.”
“You gonna practice?” Mick went on.
“Of course,” I replied.
“Great,” Mick muttered, sounding aggrieved and I understood so I smiled.
“Don’t worry, Mick, if it isn’t a member of Max’s family or a friend, I’m a *cat,” I assured him.
“Why don’t I believe you?” Mick queried.
“Don’t, she’s on one, she’s a tiger,” Max put in. He had pushed from the wall and had his hand on Linda’s arm, helping her from her seat.
“Yeah,” Mick mumbled.
I headed toward the door. “By the way, it’d be nice, anyone asks, you tell them Kami was assisting with the investigation and you might want to mention how cooperative she was.”
Mick looked at me, clearly shocked. “Now you’re askin’ a favor?”
“I did you one, I’m calling my marker. Anyway, it might be good, me moving to town and putting out a shingle, you start collecting them,” I advised as I grabbed my purse and Mick’s eyes again went to Max.
And again he was barking up the wrong tree. Max had opened the door for his mother and sister and he burst into laughter when he caught Mick’s eyes. Then he slung an arm around my shoulders and guided me out the door.
As we neared the outer door, not taking his arm from around me, Max leaned down to put his mouth to my ear.
“Just in case I didn’t mention it, Duchess, not so sure about the truth comin’ out, what I am sure of is that I can trust you to take care of my sister.” I pulled my head back as I twisted my neck to look at him but I had no chance to speak because he stopped me and he finished with, “Thank you, baby.”
Then again before I could respond, he kissed me deep, with some tongue action but, although deep, the kiss was not long.
“Max!” Kami snapped when his head came up. “I need a drink.”
I looked in their direction to see Linda’s eyes were on me. “I think pasta bake is out. Can I treat you and your folks to a buffalo burger at The Mark?”
I glanced at Max then back to Linda.
Then I said, “They’d love that.”
*
I sat at on a stool at a high, round table at The Dog with a drunken Mom, Linda, Kami, Arlene and Jenna. Becca was our waitress.