The bus shudders to a stop and I shuffle to the doors, moving on to the street and dodging people as I try to stride down the street. Not far from home now. I’ll see Nia and everything will be alright. We’ll have dinner, she’ll tell me about her day, and I’ll forget my troubles for a while.
Taking a deep breath, I refuse to think about tomorrow morning. It’s been the same pattern for a while now. The moment I get into the office I’m called out again to go work a dead case. I’m not even sure how this is happening. In the beginning, I thought I was getting the toughest cases because I’m the best and I should handle it.
But if I was the best, I’d win occasionally, right?
With relief, I head up the stairs into my building. Within a few moments, I’m opening the door and the warmth of the living room combined with Nia’s smile put everything into perspective.
“Good day at work, Mommy?” She asks brightly, hands loosely on the game controller as she pauses the screen.
“Yes baby! Awesome.”
“So, you won cases?”
“Oh, more like legal boring stuff. Not really court stuff.”
“Cool.”
“Where’s Indica?”
“Making beds, I think.”
“Have a good day at school?”
“Yeah, Indica picked me and Shelly up, and we got cupcakes on the way home.”
“Good. I’ll just tell Indica she can go, and we’ll find some dinner, okay?”
“Sure, Mom.” She says with a smile.
I walk up the hallway and find Indica with her daughter Shelly in the bathroom.
“Shelly, this is the third time this week you’ve spilled chocolate milk on yourself. Girl, I don’t know if it’s your head or your hands, but I don’t have money for new blouses every day!”
“Hey, Indica.”
“Oh, child! You startled me. Good day dear?”
“Yes, thank you Indica.” My smile and sense of comfort deepens as I look upon my friend. When I moved in a few years ago, we bonded instantly because our daughters were the same age. She’s a bit older than me and is always happy to babysit for a few bucks.
“Did you guys want to stay for dinner?” I ask them, grinning at Shelly who gestures at her chocolate stain helplessly.”
“No, darlin, thank you for asking. I got to get this one changed before her grandma comes to see her. We’ll be off in a minute or two.”
“Alright then.” I head back to the kitchen, pressing my hands into the small of my back. As soon as I get to the table I'll slip my shoes off, sit down with a glass of wine for a while then head for a nice, hot shower.
Before I can reach the table, my phone rings.
I pull it out, staring at the screen warily. Its Terry Ellis, my boss. She probably wants to talk about court today and the case.
Might want to yell at me.
Might want to fire me.
Not answering the call won’t make it any less true.
With a ragged sigh I tap the screen, moving into a side room.
“Hello?”
“Jane! Where are you?”
“I’m home. Why?”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Look, I’m sorry about today’s case but—”
“What? Today? Oh, yeah, that. I’m not happy. But I don’t have time for that right now. I have another problem.”
Oh, God. I don’t know what it is, but you can bet it’s going to be my problem too.
“You know Riker, Riker Lord?”
“Yeah, who doesn’t.”
“He’s in trouble upstate. He’s being held in a police station right now. You have to get up there and get him out. Now.”
“What? I only just got home! I haven’t even sat down—”
“Do I care? I’ve had enough of your lackluster performance, Jane. I’ve been watching you.”
I swallow hard. “Do we have to talk about this now?”
“Good point. You have work to do. Get up to Albany. Now. Fix this shit. He needs out of that cell and it’s what he pays us for. You could see this as an opportunity, Jane, he’s a high-profile client. Of course, if you screw it up, you know your days are numbered with me.”
“Yes. I do.”
“So. Go. Now. Status report as soon as you can.”
“Okay. You’ll send the information?”
“Linking you now.” She hangs up.
I lean against the wall for a second, groaning. There is no point even sitting down for a few minutes. I should just get going now. Wasting time won’t help me.
“Indica?” I call out as I go through the hall. I find her at the door with Shelly, talking to Nia.
“Oh good, you’re still here.” I breathe a sigh of relief. “Indica, could you stay after all? I have to go back to work.”
“Oh, no way Mom!” Nia calls from the floor. “We were going to have dinner.”
“I know baby. Soon. This is a big case. Only I can handle it. It’s important.”
Her eyes soften and I feel like the biggest bitch that ever lived.
“Okay, Mom.” She jumps up to give me a hug. “You go slay ’em.”
“Thanks baby.” I kiss her on the cheek.
I watch her go back to her game, settling down with Shelly. Indica waves as I grab my briefcase and head out the door.
I wish I got this stuff because I was the best, but I know the truth.
I get the crap no one else will take.
3 Riker
I pace in the cell like a trapped tiger. I tried sleeping on the bed, but there were lumps in it even a drunk man couldn’t ignore. I got them to bring me water, and then refused to piss in this hole in the wall. They had to cuff me and take me up to the officer’s bathroom.
If they are going to make hell for me, I’m going to give them the same right back.
The booze wore off
