might have too. That would be another mark against him.
"The point is, I know the police are going to find the prints and trace the email. That's why I need your help."
She nodded. But she wasn't a defense lawyer anymore. And she wasn't feeling quite up to the challenge. "Maybe you should call one of your lawyers in D.C."
His eyes narrowed. "You won't help me?"
"I think you should get someone who specializes in criminal law."
"You worked for the public defender's office."
"You kept tabs on me?"
"Yes." He didn't look apologetic about it.
"This requires focus and if you haven't noticed, I'm not at my full capacity."
"That's temporary. Look Tess, you were there last night. You have experience. And I trust you."
She tried to ignore the warm, gooey feeling his confession of trust gave her. "Virginia is a capital punishment state."
"I didn't kill him." He ran his fingers through his jet black hair. It was the first time she saw a crack in his composure. "Look. I know the police are going to view me as a person of interest. I need your help to make sure they don't overdo it."
She studied him, looking into the depths of his captivating eyes. Were they the eyes of a killer? She didn't think so, but how could she know for sure? They'd been close at one time, but that was three years ago. People could change. She had.
As if he knew what she was thinking he leaned closer to her. "I didn't kill him, Tess. You have to know it's true."
She wanted to be left alone. To go on with the new life she'd created that didn't include anything or anyone from her past. But he'd been a friend when she'd needed one once. "Everyone deserves a good defense."
He jerked back as if she slapped him. "What does that mean?"
"You asked me to help you and I will."
He stood and paced the small area next to her bed. She wondered if he was going to go with her suggestion and call another lawyer. But he stopped and stared down at her. "How can you help me if you don't believe me?"
"I didn't say I didn't believe you."
"But you aren't sure. How can you defend someone when you aren't sure?"
"First of all, not everyone who needs a defense lawyer is innocent. Even so, they deserve a fair trial."
The look on his face told her she couldn't have said anything more hurtful to him. She held her ground, returning his stare with her own. The knock on the door broke the standoff. There was a twinge of guilt as she watched him turn and leave her room. She listened as he opened her front door.
"Ah, Deputy Dan. We've been expecting you," she heard Jack say.
"Mr. Valentine, just the man we've been looking for."
Chapter Ten
"We need to go over a few points in your statement," Daniel said. He stood at the end of Tess' couch looking much like a police detective of a rural town. His hands on his hips and he held a facial expression that suggested he wasn't going to believe anything Jack said. Tess knew better. He may want to project an air of authority, but Daniel was a fair cop. Still, she worried that Jack's fingerprints on Asa's computer would lead Daniel and the police to focus only on Jack.
“You're on the case?” she asked looking up at him from the couch. She didn't feel much like a defense lawyer covered in blankets with a bucket next to her.
“The case will be assigned later today. I'm just doing some follow up.” He was trying to be professional, but Tess could see that he didn't like Jack's association with her. She wondered if the clinching of his jaw was the realization that Jack was wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing the night before. “It won't take long.”
"Alright," Jack said sitting in a chair, crossing one ankle over the other as he extended his long legs. His elbows rested on the arms of the chair with his hands clasped over his abdomen. He looked comfortable and not the least bit concerned about Daniel's attempt to wave his authority around. But Tess could see the tension in Jack's face.
Daniel's partner, Sam stood
"The point is, I know the police are going to find the prints and trace the email. That's why I need your help."
She nodded. But she wasn't a defense lawyer anymore. And she wasn't feeling quite up to the challenge. "Maybe you should call one of your lawyers in D.C."
His eyes narrowed. "You won't help me?"
"I think you should get someone who specializes in criminal law."
"You worked for the public defender's office."
"You kept tabs on me?"
"Yes." He didn't look apologetic about it.
"This requires focus and if you haven't noticed, I'm not at my full capacity."
"That's temporary. Look Tess, you were there last night. You have experience. And I trust you."
She tried to ignore the warm, gooey feeling his confession of trust gave her. "Virginia is a capital punishment state."
"I didn't kill him." He ran his fingers through his jet black hair. It was the first time she saw a crack in his composure. "Look. I know the police are going to view me as a person of interest. I need your help to make sure they don't overdo it."
She studied him, looking into the depths of his captivating eyes. Were they the eyes of a killer? She didn't think so, but how could she know for sure? They'd been close at one time, but that was three years ago. People could change. She had.
As if he knew what she was thinking he leaned closer to her. "I didn't kill him, Tess. You have to know it's true."
She wanted to be left alone. To go on with the new life she'd created that didn't include anything or anyone from her past. But he'd been a friend when she'd needed one once. "Everyone deserves a good defense."
He jerked back as if she slapped him. "What does that mean?"
"You asked me to help you and I will."
He stood and paced the small area next to her bed. She wondered if he was going to go with her suggestion and call another lawyer. But he stopped and stared down at her. "How can you help me if you don't believe me?"
"I didn't say I didn't believe you."
"But you aren't sure. How can you defend someone when you aren't sure?"
"First of all, not everyone who needs a defense lawyer is innocent. Even so, they deserve a fair trial."
The look on his face told her she couldn't have said anything more hurtful to him. She held her ground, returning his stare with her own. The knock on the door broke the standoff. There was a twinge of guilt as she watched him turn and leave her room. She listened as he opened her front door.
"Ah, Deputy Dan. We've been expecting you," she heard Jack say.
"Mr. Valentine, just the man we've been looking for."
Chapter Ten
"We need to go over a few points in your statement," Daniel said. He stood at the end of Tess' couch looking much like a police detective of a rural town. His hands on his hips and he held a facial expression that suggested he wasn't going to believe anything Jack said. Tess knew better. He may want to project an air of authority, but Daniel was a fair cop. Still, she worried that Jack's fingerprints on Asa's computer would lead Daniel and the police to focus only on Jack.
“You're on the case?” she asked looking up at him from the couch. She didn't feel much like a defense lawyer covered in blankets with a bucket next to her.
“The case will be assigned later today. I'm just doing some follow up.” He was trying to be professional, but Tess could see that he didn't like Jack's association with her. She wondered if the clinching of his jaw was the realization that Jack was wearing the same clothes he'd been wearing the night before. “It won't take long.”
"Alright," Jack said sitting in a chair, crossing one ankle over the other as he extended his long legs. His elbows rested on the arms of the chair with his hands clasped over his abdomen. He looked comfortable and not the least bit concerned about Daniel's attempt to wave his authority around. But Tess could see the tension in Jack's face.
Daniel's partner, Sam stood
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