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Authors: Sherri Wilson Johnson
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Kathryn."
"He's not the defense attorney. At least, he's trying not to take the case. Louie Ezzo is his uncle, and they're trying to force him to defend him."
"So you do know him?"
"We met Friday night."
"Sounds a little too convenient to me.”
“It’s not like that.”
“You knew he was Ezzo's nephew, and you’re befriending him—or worse?"
Was he accusing her of inappropriate behavior with someone she just met? Was he accusing her of getting too involved with someone just to find out information? "Sir, I’m not sure I approve of your line of questioning. I met him Friday night, learned that he was a former attorney, and asked him questions about Cedar Key to try to locate the weapon. I didn’t know he was Ezzo’s nephew until a few minutes ago. He doesn’t want to defend him, but they’re threatening him into it."
"I'm sorry. We can't risk losing this case. It's best if someone who's neutral handles it from here."
She stomped her foot. "Neutral? I am neutral! I’m so neutral that I’m not convinced Ezzo is guilty. I want to see justice served on the person who deserves to be convicted of murder—if Ezzo isn’t."
“Tagliaferro has already clouded your judgment, Bellamy. You’re thinking like a defense attorney.”
"No, that’s not true. I already felt this way before I met him. It doesn’t make sense that Ezzo would dirty his hands over a few nobodys.”
“Kathryn, the decision is made.”
Kathryn hated to beg for anything, but this case meant everything to her career. And her reputation was all she had. She couldn’t let her good name be soiled and be the cause of a potentially guilty man going free. “Please listen to me. We can’t pin the murder on him if he’s innocent. Let me try to find the gun. Without it, you have nothing. He’ll go free. If he’s guilty, you can’t let that happen.”
“That won’t happen. The truth will come out with or without the gun. I’ve assigned the case to someone else who won’t get mixed up in the personal lives of the parties involved. Enjoy the rest of your time there. Take a vacation. Stay away from Tagliaferro. We'll have a new case for you when you return."
Her hair whipped across her face, and she shoved it away with fury. "Wait, please. What do you mean by neutral?"
"We know you've had a former personal connection with Tagliaferro, and now you’re dining with him when you should be working on the case against his uncle."
This was unbelievable. They'd been snooping into her private life? Digging up her past? "He was engaged to one of my college friends. That's all. I met him on Friday and didn’t realize until Saturday that I’d met him before. I wasn’t friends with him. I only met him once."
"Kathryn, sit this one out,” The D.A. barked.
“Do I have a choice?”
“No. Besides, you're probably safer where you're at anyway."
"Safer? Are you saying the threats I've experienced do have something to do with the Ezzo case?"
"The least amount you know the better. We'll see you in a week." The phone went dead, and a tidal wave of tears gushed from Kathryn.
Phil rushed to her side, and Sadie pawed at her legs. "What's wrong?"
Through skips and blubbers, she told Phil the news. "Now my career is ruined and my reputation—all because of you.” She clinched her jaw and narrowed her eyes.
Phil pointed to his chest. “Because of me?”
She stomped her foot. “Yes. If I hadn’t met you, I’d still be working. This case would've sent me straight to Senior Assistant D.A. They don't give peons like me a second chance at these things."
"I'm sorry, but I hardly think that’s my fault."
She glared at him.
He stepped closer to her. “Kathryn, I’m just as much a victim in this as you.”
“I have more at risk though.”
Phil huffed. “You clearly don’t understand the complexity of this situation and how powerful my family is.”
She slumped. “Sorry. You're not responsible. Neither of us is. I just needed someone to take
"He's not the defense attorney. At least, he's trying not to take the case. Louie Ezzo is his uncle, and they're trying to force him to defend him."
"So you do know him?"
"We met Friday night."
"Sounds a little too convenient to me.”
“It’s not like that.”
“You knew he was Ezzo's nephew, and you’re befriending him—or worse?"
Was he accusing her of inappropriate behavior with someone she just met? Was he accusing her of getting too involved with someone just to find out information? "Sir, I’m not sure I approve of your line of questioning. I met him Friday night, learned that he was a former attorney, and asked him questions about Cedar Key to try to locate the weapon. I didn’t know he was Ezzo’s nephew until a few minutes ago. He doesn’t want to defend him, but they’re threatening him into it."
"I'm sorry. We can't risk losing this case. It's best if someone who's neutral handles it from here."
She stomped her foot. "Neutral? I am neutral! I’m so neutral that I’m not convinced Ezzo is guilty. I want to see justice served on the person who deserves to be convicted of murder—if Ezzo isn’t."
“Tagliaferro has already clouded your judgment, Bellamy. You’re thinking like a defense attorney.”
"No, that’s not true. I already felt this way before I met him. It doesn’t make sense that Ezzo would dirty his hands over a few nobodys.”
“Kathryn, the decision is made.”
Kathryn hated to beg for anything, but this case meant everything to her career. And her reputation was all she had. She couldn’t let her good name be soiled and be the cause of a potentially guilty man going free. “Please listen to me. We can’t pin the murder on him if he’s innocent. Let me try to find the gun. Without it, you have nothing. He’ll go free. If he’s guilty, you can’t let that happen.”
“That won’t happen. The truth will come out with or without the gun. I’ve assigned the case to someone else who won’t get mixed up in the personal lives of the parties involved. Enjoy the rest of your time there. Take a vacation. Stay away from Tagliaferro. We'll have a new case for you when you return."
Her hair whipped across her face, and she shoved it away with fury. "Wait, please. What do you mean by neutral?"
"We know you've had a former personal connection with Tagliaferro, and now you’re dining with him when you should be working on the case against his uncle."
This was unbelievable. They'd been snooping into her private life? Digging up her past? "He was engaged to one of my college friends. That's all. I met him on Friday and didn’t realize until Saturday that I’d met him before. I wasn’t friends with him. I only met him once."
"Kathryn, sit this one out,” The D.A. barked.
“Do I have a choice?”
“No. Besides, you're probably safer where you're at anyway."
"Safer? Are you saying the threats I've experienced do have something to do with the Ezzo case?"
"The least amount you know the better. We'll see you in a week." The phone went dead, and a tidal wave of tears gushed from Kathryn.
Phil rushed to her side, and Sadie pawed at her legs. "What's wrong?"
Through skips and blubbers, she told Phil the news. "Now my career is ruined and my reputation—all because of you.” She clinched her jaw and narrowed her eyes.
Phil pointed to his chest. “Because of me?”
She stomped her foot. “Yes. If I hadn’t met you, I’d still be working. This case would've sent me straight to Senior Assistant D.A. They don't give peons like me a second chance at these things."
"I'm sorry, but I hardly think that’s my fault."
She glared at him.
He stepped closer to her. “Kathryn, I’m just as much a victim in this as you.”
“I have more at risk though.”
Phil huffed. “You clearly don’t understand the complexity of this situation and how powerful my family is.”
She slumped. “Sorry. You're not responsible. Neither of us is. I just needed someone to take
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