Page 6 of Dissension

Her mind can only fill in the blanks. Imagining what might be on those tapes is nightmarish.

It’s a dreary overcast Monday morning when Kara’s boss, the named partner of the firm, gives her the bad news, looking irritated. The skin around Derrick’s eyes is tight, his mouth set in a firm line. The clean-cut Derrick Benson looks like he could use an early morning drink from his bar cart. “I got a call about the Paxton Brooker situation.”

Dismay pools in her gut. They worked so hard on building a case against the man and his sex club, theDark Mirage. Most of that work occurred during their unsuccessful trial with DebraMills, where Nick ended up undercutting their case entirely. The rat bastard. “We’re losing it, aren’t we? Are they taking it away?”

It isn’t a good feeling. Knowing she put so many hours forth, had a few late nights pouring over case files and notes. It hurts almost as bad as her situation with Nicholas Havenwood-Calais and the fact that all her time with him was a lie, wasted and terrible.

It makes her feel used up.

Derrick sighs, his dark eyes holding a hint of bitterness. “It makes sense that the police are handing this over to the District Attorney. At the end of the day, we’ve got no client, Kara. My hands are tied. These torture videos found on Brooker’s warehouse property have nothing to do with Debra Mills. Not only that; she never knew anything about the videos and what was happening behind the scenes in connection with theDark Mirage. The DA will be determining to bring the case to the court on behalf of the police, considering the torture videos are a matter of criminal offense against the State and its constituents. Hell, the Feds might even end up getting involved, depending on how far down the rat hole goes.”

Sitting down with a huge sigh of disappointment, Kara says, “So, that’s it. We just…give it up?”

He shakes his head, looking rather fine in his power suit of dark gray. “The DA wants to meet with us to consult on what we know from the Debra Mills case. That way we can get some billable hours for it, all while not needing to be full-time on the case. Essentially, we will be considered consultants, due to our history with prosecuting Paxton Brooker and the situation with theDark Mirage.”

I guess that’s something. It isn’t all a waste. Unlike Nick. Ugh.

It’s how they find themselves traveling across town a week later, over to the DA’s office. Kara holds a large pile of folders,everything they have referenced for Paxton Brooker and his strange doings. It doesn’t feel good, having to give up the case, but Derrick has a point; they don’t have a client paying them to prosecute. As a private firm, they don’t just prosecute for free because someone may or may not have donesomething somewhere.

At the end of the day, we’re a business, not a charity. Kara gets it. It just chafes immensely. Especially since the voice in her head sounds suspiciously like Dieter’s.

Derrick’s no happier about the situation than she is. They’d spent countless months on the Debra Mills case, along with hours trying to tie Paxton Brooker and theDark Mirageto her case against her dubious sex Dom. Just when they finally got some damning info on Paxton, their case closed and they no longer had a reason to prosecute. “Don’t look so down,” Derrick tells her as they walk. “I know this is tough to swallow, but things like this happen. It’s the same story if someone decides they no longer want to go forward with a prosecution; the process ends and the case closes. At least in this case, the DA wants to keep us somewhat involved. This is for the best, Kara. The police will be working with them on it going forward. View this as a polite knowledge transfer.”

A knowledge transfer?Pfft.

Perhaps Kara simply has too much skin in the game. Perhaps she just knows too much about all the people involved and suddenly it’s become personal.

Not that she actuallyknowsPaxton Brooker, the shady sexclub owner. She does, however, know the people he surrounds himself with and those people are not exactly the paragons of ‘good’. Namely, Nicholas Havenwood-Calais and her own man-brat, Dietrich Bittinger.

It makes her sick to think that Nick might be somehow involved. He’ll be defending his client against these allegations, after all.

The DA’s office looks like it has been taken hostage by the 90’s and everyone in it looks overworked. Long, tired faces. Shadows under puffy, strained eyes. Kara knows the feeling; lately, she’s been overworked, just not at her own firm. She has a terrible feeling that more of her efforts are going to slip to Dieter and further away from working for Derrick Benson.

Sure, she spends a lot of time with Benson’s various clients. She gathers documentation, works with their PI, and helps with court appearances…but Dieter’s work isconstant.

Dietrich Bittinger keeps Kara busy with his own brand of absurdity. The fact that she sees him more than her best friend is a disturbing shift in her life. She’s nearly called Gale about it a few times, wanting to know if their relationship is normal, but something holds her back. Embarrassment? Shame?

Be careful with him.Don’t let Dieter reel you in too close.Gale had warned her months ago.And for the love of God,do not touch any legal affair that makes you uncomfortable. Send it my way, do not touch it.

While Kara knows that Gale manages more than just Dietrich’s legal affairs -which are many- she’s been afraid to ask Gale how far that relationship extends. Does Gale go to his polo matches? Has he sat her on his retired show horse? Has Gale slept on those nice couches in his sunroom? Does he-

Never mind all that.

Most of the time when she calls Gale it’s for work advice. Sometimes, it’s at the tip of her tongue to ask,how is my father? Does he still ask about me?A coiling dread, a strange longing mixed with revulsion. Kara’s father has that effect on her. Charlie Hayes, with his dark hair and midnight eyes, a quicksmile, and a manner that draws people in. Like bugs to a spider web, unknowing of the danger lurking.

She’s shaken from her thoughts as Derrick loudly greets someone. “Melanie! It’s been some time. How’s life on the government dime these days?”

A woman in her late forties is standing in the doorway, looking severe with her graying hair pulled back tightly. Upon seeing Derrick, she adjusts her dark-rimmed glasses and smiles thinly. “You’re never going to let me live that down, are you? While I’m still flattered you wanted me to join your firm years back, you know some of us enjoy public service, so here I remain.”

He introduces her to Kara with a gesture of his hand. His wedding ring is absent these days, thanks to his affair with his former partner, Gale Clarke. “Melanie, this is one of my associates who was tossed into the fire on this case. She’s put countless hours into the research.”

Nodding, Kara balances her paperwork and extends her hand to shake. “Kara Hayes. Nice to meet you.”

Those thin lips twist slightly as the woman shakes her hand. “Oh, I know that look. You don’t want to let go of this one, do you?”

“I’m that easy to read?” Kara withdraws her hand after a moment.

“Let’s just say I’ve been there before and know how it feels. There’s always going to be a case that slips by.” The woman has them crowd into the conference room, gesturing to the worn table. “Anything you think will be helpful, place it there. While the police have submitted criminal charges, we are still in the final evidence preparation phase. My office hasn’t determined whether or not to take this to court; we need the evidence to show Paxton Brooker is guiltybeyond any reasonable doubt. Otherwise, I cannot ethically take this forward.”

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