Page 99 of Beware of Dog

“Ms. Curran,” she said, in the voice that always left assistants scrambling andyes,ma’aming. “I think we can all agree that Shepherd is a less than ideal complication in this case.”

Melissa snorted.

“But,” Raven continued, “we’re all working toward the same goal of convicting Sig Blackmon for rape. Why have you called us down here?” There was a challenge in her voice, in the cool slant of her brows, and Cass watched something like respect touch Curran’s expression.

“I wanted to see and speak with Cassandra for myself.” She pinned Cass back in her chair with direct, unforgiving eye contact. “So that I can prep her for trial. The defense is going to call you up to the stand.”

“But I’m not a witness.”

Curran shook her head. “Not to the rape, no. You’re an outcry witness, and I can question you about what sort of shape Jamie was in, what you saw. But that’s not why they’re calling you. They’re going to ask you what you think about Sig, and then ask you about your Lean Dog ties.”

Shep muttered something unintelligible and started pacing.

“I won’t say anything,” Cass said, heart pounding as she imagined it: the courtroom, the slick defense attorney, Sig watching smugly from the defense table. “If he asks about the club, I won’t say anything about Shep, or that video.”

“So you’ll perjure yourself?”

“She can plead the fifth,” Melissa said.

“But won’t that just make me look guilty? And what about Shep? Are they going to press assault charges?”

“They haven’t yet,” Melissa said, and her expression, when Cass sought it, was uncertain.

“Listen,” Curran said, sighing, some of the rigid professionalism bleeding out of her posture. “Judge Symon is old family friends with Sig’s mother.”

“Damn,” Raven muttered.

“He should recuse himself, but he’s not going to. He’s also not going to rein Sawridge in like he should. This defense is ludicrous, but they’re going to throw everything they have at it.”

Shep’s hands landed on the back of Cass’s chair, fingers drumming. “I shoulda taken you to the goddamn hospital that night. Gotten a tox screen, put it on record.”

Cass reached up over her shoulder and laid her hand on his, stilling it. “Sig drugged me at a party,” Cass said. “About a week before he attacked Jamie. I told her he was awful, but she didn’t believe me. And now…”

Curran sat up. Clearly, she hadn’t heard this story. “Can anyone confirm he drugged you?”

“Only Shep.”

“I picked her up that night,” he said, grimly. “She was high out of her mind.”

“But you don’t have video or lab evidence to the fact,” Curran said, deflating again.

“Nah.”

“Shit.” Curran half-turned her chair, so she gazed out the window. “I’m going to do my best,” she said, “because I always do. But I’m going to try to get Blackmon to cut a deal before trial, because I see an acquittal on the horizon.”

“That’s terrible,” Raven said, “but now you have me worried about my sister’s wellbeing.”

And Shep’s, Cass thought.Mostly Shep’s.The way Raven reached over and touched her knee said she understood.

“They’re going to paint the Lean Dogs as villains,” she said, “and use you, Cassandra, to do so.”

“They can try,” Cass said. “I won’t give them anything useful. You said they’ll wait for me to open the door? Well, then, I won’t open it.”

Curran shook her head. “Sawridge is tricky.”

“So am I.”

Curran turned her head, gaze shrewd, assessing. After a long beat, she said, “You know, there’s a certain way women in your…situation…avoid incriminating outlaws.”

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