resources and any paralegals or research teams you may need.”
A huge smile crossed Carmen’s face as her boss turned to leave. Before he exited fully he faced her once more. “But if you lose Carmen, it will set your career back five years. Everything you’ve accomplished will be overshadowed by this loss.”
“I guess I have to win then,” she stated confidently. Dawn walked into the office with an incredulous look plastered on her face.
“Is what they’re saying on the news true? Are you really getting ready to defend Kasheef Williams?” Dawn asked.
“I guess so,” Carmen replied with a slick smile. “If I can pull this off I’m taking you straight to the top floor with me Ms. Executive Assistant.” She got up from her seat and glided past her secretary. “I’m going to meet with Kasheef’s girlfriend to discuss her involvement in his activities. After that, I’m going downtown to let Kasheef know I’ll be taking his case. I still haven’t spoken to him yet.”
Carmen made her way to Starbucks on Lexington Avenue and ordered two caramel macchiatos as she waited for Norelle to show up. Ten minutes passed before Carmen saw her friend come through the doors. She waved her over and instantly felt bad when she saw Norelle’s swollen red eyes. She could tell that her girl hadn’t gotten much sleep.
“Thanks for coming,” Norelle said while pulling out a chair and graciously accepting the macchiato. She shifted in her seat nervously and then looked up at Carmen. “I can’t go to jail Carm. I’ll do whatever I have to do to get out of this situation.”
“What exactly is the situation?” Carmen asked. “If I’m going to represent you, I’m going to need to know everything. You can’t keep anything from me.”
“Kasheef wasn’t home that night Carmen. He didn’t come home until like four in the morning. There was blood on his shirt,” Norelle admitted.
“Do you think Kasheef committed this murder?” Carmen asked as she took notes on a legal pad.
“Yeah, I do.” Norelle was ashamed to say it. She had bragged and flaunted Kasheef in front of Carmen, lying about what Kasheef did for a living to make herself look better. Now the truth had come out and she was forced to admit the truth. She did not want to tell Carmen about what had happened that night. Kasheef had given her specific instructions to be his alibi, but she was so afraid that she was just looking for a way out of her predicament. She didn’t care who she had to throw under the bus in order to do it.
“And the drugs?” Carmen asked.
“I didn’t even know they were in the house,” Norelle replied incredulously.
Carmen reached over the table and grabbed her friend’s hand. “I need to go speak with Kasheef. Try to get some rest okay?”
Norelle nodded.
“I’ll call you later,” Carmen said before walking away.
“Williams let’s go!” an officer yelled as he came and removed Kasheef from the bull pen, placing him securely in cuffs.
Kasheef stood without protest and was taken to a small interview room. He stepped inside and noticed Carmen sitting in front of him.
“Norelle sent me,” Carmen explained. She turned toward the officer. “Can you remove the cuffs?”
The officer unlocked the handcuffs and left the room. Kasheef massaged his wrists as he sat down in front of Carmen. “Thank you for coming,” he stated. The crease in his forehead and the way that his brow dipped low revealed his stress. “What do they have on me?”
“Kasheef I’m not going to lie to you. I don’t like to paint a fairytale portrayal of any case just to sugarcoat what is happening. I would rather be upfront and honest with you so that there will be no surprises. I want you to know what to expect of my services.”
“I respect that,” he replied. “Just keep it real with me. What am I facing here?”
“This does not look good,” Carmen stated frankly.
“I know ... I know. My back is in a corner right now.
A huge smile crossed Carmen’s face as her boss turned to leave. Before he exited fully he faced her once more. “But if you lose Carmen, it will set your career back five years. Everything you’ve accomplished will be overshadowed by this loss.”
“I guess I have to win then,” she stated confidently. Dawn walked into the office with an incredulous look plastered on her face.
“Is what they’re saying on the news true? Are you really getting ready to defend Kasheef Williams?” Dawn asked.
“I guess so,” Carmen replied with a slick smile. “If I can pull this off I’m taking you straight to the top floor with me Ms. Executive Assistant.” She got up from her seat and glided past her secretary. “I’m going to meet with Kasheef’s girlfriend to discuss her involvement in his activities. After that, I’m going downtown to let Kasheef know I’ll be taking his case. I still haven’t spoken to him yet.”
Carmen made her way to Starbucks on Lexington Avenue and ordered two caramel macchiatos as she waited for Norelle to show up. Ten minutes passed before Carmen saw her friend come through the doors. She waved her over and instantly felt bad when she saw Norelle’s swollen red eyes. She could tell that her girl hadn’t gotten much sleep.
“Thanks for coming,” Norelle said while pulling out a chair and graciously accepting the macchiato. She shifted in her seat nervously and then looked up at Carmen. “I can’t go to jail Carm. I’ll do whatever I have to do to get out of this situation.”
“What exactly is the situation?” Carmen asked. “If I’m going to represent you, I’m going to need to know everything. You can’t keep anything from me.”
“Kasheef wasn’t home that night Carmen. He didn’t come home until like four in the morning. There was blood on his shirt,” Norelle admitted.
“Do you think Kasheef committed this murder?” Carmen asked as she took notes on a legal pad.
“Yeah, I do.” Norelle was ashamed to say it. She had bragged and flaunted Kasheef in front of Carmen, lying about what Kasheef did for a living to make herself look better. Now the truth had come out and she was forced to admit the truth. She did not want to tell Carmen about what had happened that night. Kasheef had given her specific instructions to be his alibi, but she was so afraid that she was just looking for a way out of her predicament. She didn’t care who she had to throw under the bus in order to do it.
“And the drugs?” Carmen asked.
“I didn’t even know they were in the house,” Norelle replied incredulously.
Carmen reached over the table and grabbed her friend’s hand. “I need to go speak with Kasheef. Try to get some rest okay?”
Norelle nodded.
“I’ll call you later,” Carmen said before walking away.
“Williams let’s go!” an officer yelled as he came and removed Kasheef from the bull pen, placing him securely in cuffs.
Kasheef stood without protest and was taken to a small interview room. He stepped inside and noticed Carmen sitting in front of him.
“Norelle sent me,” Carmen explained. She turned toward the officer. “Can you remove the cuffs?”
The officer unlocked the handcuffs and left the room. Kasheef massaged his wrists as he sat down in front of Carmen. “Thank you for coming,” he stated. The crease in his forehead and the way that his brow dipped low revealed his stress. “What do they have on me?”
“Kasheef I’m not going to lie to you. I don’t like to paint a fairytale portrayal of any case just to sugarcoat what is happening. I would rather be upfront and honest with you so that there will be no surprises. I want you to know what to expect of my services.”
“I respect that,” he replied. “Just keep it real with me. What am I facing here?”
“This does not look good,” Carmen stated frankly.
“I know ... I know. My back is in a corner right now.
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