Page 1 of Legal Angel

~Prologue~

Amber

I walk into the building and head for my office hoping to hear some good news on a case I’ve been chasing. Being Deputy District Attorney has its ups and downs, but it’s the job I’ve wanted ever since I was young. I knew I wanted to be an attorney when I was twelve and watched a series about lawyers and police on TV with my parents. They supported my dream even though I wasn’t always sure they thought I could do it, but I did. My parents wanted me to be a nurse or doctor since they think all lawyers lie to win their cases.

I open the door to my office and sit my purse on the floor under the desk. I then step out into the hall to see if my secretary has arrived yet. I see that she isn’t at her desk, so I go back into my office and sit behind the desk. I find a sticky note stuck to the smooth wooden surface of the desk and I peel it off. My hopes are dashed when I see that it is a message from my mother wanting me to call her about a family gathering that was coming up. I had hoped it would be the news I am waiting for on the important case I’ve been working so hard on. I am so close to cracking the case and the waiting is the hardest part.

Just as I am about to dial my mother’s phone number, my secretary Abby, bursts into my office panting like she’d been running a marathon. “Sorry I am late, and the police chief is out here wanting to speak with you,” she says to me.

“You’re forgiven for being late, it happens sometimes. Go ahead and send him in,” I reply to her.

The chief and I have known each other for a long time since I dated his son early on in college. Things didn’t work out between us, but I still talked to his parents every once in a while, to see how he was doing. He’d been very humiliated by the breakup and stopped talking to me right after. The chief told me not to worry about it, that he’d get over it, but he still hasn’t. It’s been almost ten years since I’ve talked to him and I see him quite often since he’s a cop.

“Hey, Chief. How are you doing?” I ask as he walks in my office.

“I’m not too bad, how about yourself?” He asks as he sits in the chair opposite my desk.

“I’m doing pretty good myself, what brings you in today?” I ask with a smile.

I think I already know what he’s about to tell me, but I don’t want to get my hopes up in case I’m wrong. The look on his face tells me that I might be right, but I won’t let myself get excited until he says the words.

“We got a guy downstairs in a holding cell that could be used as a key witness in your case against the Silver Tongues and Dorian.” He tells me.

I squeal in delight, losing a bit of professionalism for a split second. I pull myself back together and the chief grins at my display. This was exactly what I’d been waiting for even though it still might not be quite enough to put him away indefinitely, I know it will help the matter immensely. After a few more moments of small talk with the chief, he stands to leave. As he opens the door to my office, one of his officers meets him in the doorway. “Sir, we need you downstairs, the guys have just seized a shipment and I think you’ll want to see this,” the officer says.

The chief looks back at me with a smile on his face. This is it; this is the moment I have been waiting for. I have everything I need now to take down the Silver Tongues and more importantly, Dorian. In that moment, I realize exactly why I love my job and I tell myself I have to do whatever it takes to make sure these guys get locked away forever.

Chapter One~Amber

A few days have passed since I got the good news I had been waiting for and I am still floating on cloud nine. I am finally going to be able to put away one of the most notorious branches of the Italian mafia and make sure they never hurt anyone again. While it won’t get all the drugs off the street, it will help a lot since the dealers will have a harder time finding suppliers. I walk up the steps of the courthouse where my office is located and pull open the door. I am met with the solemn faces of the police chief, a few detectives, and the lead of the drug task force.

“Gentlemen, would you like to step into my office?” I ask them cautiously.

They nod and all of them follow me into my office. It is cramped with everyone inside, but we manage to fit. I look at each of them and see the look on their faces is one of sadness. I wonder what has gotten them in such a sad mood and try not to think of the worst-case scenario as I sit in the chair behind my desk.

“What is it?” I ask as I look pointedly at the chief.

“We just finished processing a crime scene and there was something left behind for you,” he says as he hands me an envelope.

My hands tremble as I take the envelope and slowly open it. I know what’s coming and I don’t want to admit it. I know that what’s inside the envelope is going to ruin everything and I don’t want to face it. I’ve worked so hard to put the case together and just when everything had fallen into place, they pull the rug out from underneath me. Sure enough, I pull out a Polaroid picture of the body of the CI that was the key witness. A note had been scribbled on the bottom of the Polaroid and it read:Better luck next time. See you soon. -D

I want to crumple the picture up in my hand as anger flows through me, but I know better than to do that. I can use the picture as evidence that Dorian had the witness killed. I feel tears of frustration prick at the corners of my eyes, but I don’t let them out. I have a reputation for being a badass in the courtroom and I don’t need people seeing me cry. I can’t have that part of me tarnished. I tell myself I can cry over a glass of wine at home later.

“We have reason to believe he is going to come after you next, Amber. We’re going to get someone to keep an eye on you and make sure you stay safe.” The chief says as the men turn to leave my office.

“I don’t need protecting. I need my witnesses to stay alive long enough to get to trial, that’s what I need.” I mumble as they shuffle out the door.

The chief is the last out the door and he stops in the doorway for a moment looking back at me. “You do need protected and you will take the protection we offer you. He pretty much threatened you in that message, Amber. If you think I am going to stand by and let you go unprotected, you got another thing coming because I won’t do it.” He says as he storms out of the doorway closing my door behind him.

I know now that it is a really serious matter and I should listen to the chief since he is only trying to help me. I never really thought that Dorian would get so desperate that he’d come after an attorney, but then again, he has gone after more prominent members of society than I am, so I should’ve known this was coming. I try my best to make it through the rest of the day without thinking about what might happen if the Silver Tongues catch me out without anyone with me. I can’t let myself think negatively like that, but it’s hard not to think that way when your star witness is brutally murdered in a dark alley.

I know that even though the killing of my witness is a speed bump in the road of the case, I can still bring down the Silver Tongues and their cocky underboss Dorian, I just have to continue to be patient and the pieces will fall into place. I look at the clock and realize it is five minutes until five. I pack up the files on the case and decide to finish looking over them at home since I live alone. I slide the files in my briefcase and head out of my office. I make my way down the hall to the elevator and press the button. I wait patiently for the elevator to land on the floor I am on so that I can get downstairs.

The elevator finally dings, and the doors slide open. I am surprised to see the chief and a few other people I don’t know. One of the men with the chief catches my eye and when he smiles at me, I feel a pull low in my belly and heat pools between my legs. I groan inwardly as I feel my nub swell against my panties. My nipples push against my bra and I know I have to get out of there before I make a fool of myself. I try to sneak past them and get on the elevator, but the chief stops me.

“Amber, there is someone I want you to meet,” he says as he pulls me over to them. “This is Derek, he’s going to keep an eye on you.”

I feel the heat rush to my cheeks as I am introduced to the man that set my panties on fire just moments before.Oh Lord help me, I’m in so much trouble.

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