and stared Cory down.
“What’s with the tone?”
“Nothing. Just the way you said her name. All gentle and sweet. She’s the sister of the murderer, right?”
“There are so many things wrong with what you just said, I don’t know where to begin. She’s the sister of a guy on death row. The clinic’s trying to prove he doesn’t belong there. I didn’t say her name any particular way, I was just trying to tell you she’s nothing like I would have imagined.”
“Of course she’s not. You’re used to dealing with the more obvious victims, not the ones who get burned by your scorch-the-earth prosecutions.”
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
Melinda speared a circle of calamari and peppers and dragged the forkful through the tasty sauce. “Maybe it’s as simple as you’ve never considered the other side before. Maybe that’s why working at the clinic may be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“I think you’ve lost your mind. Pushing files and biding my time isn’t going to change my life one bit.” Cory grabbed a roll from the bread basket and buttered it fiercely. “I was only trying to tell you I thought I’d get to see a little more action. I don’t need a lecture from a bleeding heart liberal who makes more money than most CEOs.”
“Settle down. You’ll ruin my appetite. Let’s agree to table the subject. You only have five weeks to go and then you’ll be back to locking people up and throwing away the key.”
Cory bit back a retort. She didn’t need to defend her career. Melinda had given her a hard time about it since the first internship in college, but the teasing had never bothered her before. As Serena’s face flashed in her mind, she tried not to think about why it was bothering her now. You’ve never hosted a defendant’s sister at your house before. Still, it shouldn’t matter. Serena seemed perfectly normal. Better than normal; she intrigued Cory. If they’d met under other circumstances, she’d consider asking Serena out. But they hadn’t. Serena’s brother was a killer. Accused killer, anyway, and definitely not Cory’s problem, which meant Cory and Serena’s interaction was over. For the best. At least she was willing to pretend that was the case.
“You like her.”
Damn Melinda. Mind reader. “I’ll tell you what I like. I like this calamari.” Cory stabbed a forkful. “I’ve been brown-bagging it, and I’m tired of peanut butter sandwiches.”
“What, no jelly? You’ll never be a gourmet if you forego the little extras.” Melinda abruptly switched topics. “You do like her. I recognize the goofy look on your face. Amazing how you ever function in the courtroom since you have no poker face.”
“My poker face is fine.” Cory knew she wasn’t off the hook just because Melinda was up to her usual abrupt changes in topic. “I do like her, but not in the way you think. She’s a nice person, that’s all.”
“Nice, huh? Nice is good. At least it’s a step in the right direction. Julie? She’s not so nice.”
“We’re not going to talk about her.”
“Which her? I’ve lost track.”
“Don’t be a pain the ass. Can’t we just eat and talk about mindless things?”
Melinda cocked her head and Cory put on her best pleading expression. “I suppose so, under one condition.”
“Name it.”
“I get the last bite of this amazing calamari.”
“Deal.” Cory sank back, relieved that at least she wouldn’t have to talk about Serena. She wasn’t sure how she was going to stop thinking about her, though.
Two hours later, Cory tapped her foot as Melinda drove them back to the clinic. Melinda reached over and slapped her thigh. “Quit that. You’re making me crazy.”
“And you’re making me late.”
“Are you punching a time clock? I thought you didn’t even like this place.”
“Jeez. You’re the one who got me this gig. Don’t you care what they think of me? Because I do. I need a clean report
“What’s with the tone?”
“Nothing. Just the way you said her name. All gentle and sweet. She’s the sister of the murderer, right?”
“There are so many things wrong with what you just said, I don’t know where to begin. She’s the sister of a guy on death row. The clinic’s trying to prove he doesn’t belong there. I didn’t say her name any particular way, I was just trying to tell you she’s nothing like I would have imagined.”
“Of course she’s not. You’re used to dealing with the more obvious victims, not the ones who get burned by your scorch-the-earth prosecutions.”
“What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
Melinda speared a circle of calamari and peppers and dragged the forkful through the tasty sauce. “Maybe it’s as simple as you’ve never considered the other side before. Maybe that’s why working at the clinic may be the best thing that’s ever happened to you.”
“I think you’ve lost your mind. Pushing files and biding my time isn’t going to change my life one bit.” Cory grabbed a roll from the bread basket and buttered it fiercely. “I was only trying to tell you I thought I’d get to see a little more action. I don’t need a lecture from a bleeding heart liberal who makes more money than most CEOs.”
“Settle down. You’ll ruin my appetite. Let’s agree to table the subject. You only have five weeks to go and then you’ll be back to locking people up and throwing away the key.”
Cory bit back a retort. She didn’t need to defend her career. Melinda had given her a hard time about it since the first internship in college, but the teasing had never bothered her before. As Serena’s face flashed in her mind, she tried not to think about why it was bothering her now. You’ve never hosted a defendant’s sister at your house before. Still, it shouldn’t matter. Serena seemed perfectly normal. Better than normal; she intrigued Cory. If they’d met under other circumstances, she’d consider asking Serena out. But they hadn’t. Serena’s brother was a killer. Accused killer, anyway, and definitely not Cory’s problem, which meant Cory and Serena’s interaction was over. For the best. At least she was willing to pretend that was the case.
“You like her.”
Damn Melinda. Mind reader. “I’ll tell you what I like. I like this calamari.” Cory stabbed a forkful. “I’ve been brown-bagging it, and I’m tired of peanut butter sandwiches.”
“What, no jelly? You’ll never be a gourmet if you forego the little extras.” Melinda abruptly switched topics. “You do like her. I recognize the goofy look on your face. Amazing how you ever function in the courtroom since you have no poker face.”
“My poker face is fine.” Cory knew she wasn’t off the hook just because Melinda was up to her usual abrupt changes in topic. “I do like her, but not in the way you think. She’s a nice person, that’s all.”
“Nice, huh? Nice is good. At least it’s a step in the right direction. Julie? She’s not so nice.”
“We’re not going to talk about her.”
“Which her? I’ve lost track.”
“Don’t be a pain the ass. Can’t we just eat and talk about mindless things?”
Melinda cocked her head and Cory put on her best pleading expression. “I suppose so, under one condition.”
“Name it.”
“I get the last bite of this amazing calamari.”
“Deal.” Cory sank back, relieved that at least she wouldn’t have to talk about Serena. She wasn’t sure how she was going to stop thinking about her, though.
Two hours later, Cory tapped her foot as Melinda drove them back to the clinic. Melinda reached over and slapped her thigh. “Quit that. You’re making me crazy.”
“And you’re making me late.”
“Are you punching a time clock? I thought you didn’t even like this place.”
“Jeez. You’re the one who got me this gig. Don’t you care what they think of me? Because I do. I need a clean report
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