The Freelancer – Chapter 17

A few minutes past six o’clock that night, Jenna heard a light knock at her door. She discovered Trista in tears when she opened it.

“It’s Blaine,” Trista sobbed as she was led her into the living room and handed a box of tissues.

“What’s wrong with Blaine?” Jenna was concerned. Trista had never been one to cry over every little thing. Something had to be seriously wrong for her to be too upset to speak. She went to the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water for her friend.

“Thanks, Jen. I don’t know what to do. I want to believe Blaine, but I just don’t know.”

“Start at the beginning, Trist. I’m not sure what you’re talking about yet.”

She took a few deep breaths and a long sip of water before she could find her voice over the lump in her throat. “You remember the case I told you about a few days ago, right? The really high profile one.”

“I remember you said there was a new case you would have to devote a lot of time to, but you didn’t give me any specifics.”

“I didn’t have them, not until this afternoon.” She paused long enough to take another steadying breath. “There’s a prostitution scandal. There’s a lot of evidence against a nightclub. The prosecution says this club is pimpin’ girls out the back. They even have some of the hookers ready to testify. It looks bad for the client. I mean really bad. He looks guilty as sin.”

“What does any of this have to do with Blaine?” Jenna asked.

“It’s Blaine’s Rain.”

“Oh, Trista…I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, me too. Maureen didn’t want me to know all the details. She purposefully kept me from knowing which club we were dealing with until this afternoon. I don’t think she would have told me, but Blaine was in her office when I got back from lunch. I think they were both trying to protect me.”

Trista looked more hurt than angry.

“You can’t believe he’s guilty of something like that. He’s not a criminal. Besides, you’re down there half the week. There’s no way he would be able to hide something like that from you.”

“There’s so much evidence against him,” Trista sobbed.

Jenna gave Trista a consoling hug. “Look, we both know he isn’t capable of this. Cheating on his taxes…maybe, but not this. Someone has to be trying to frame him.”

“I already thought about that, but Maureen and I don’t know how to prove it.” Trista looked Jenna squarely in the eye. “If it wasn’t Blaine, I would never ask you this. Please help us with this case, Jenna. I know how you feel about this, but I need someone to work with that cares about him, not just the fee he’s paying. Please.”

“I’ll do anything I can to help. When do we need to start?”

“I’d say right now except Maureen had a dinner she couldn’t get out of tonight. Besides, we won’t have all the files from the DA’s Office until tomorrow. Do you want us to meet over here?”

“Um, tomorrow?”

“Is there a problem with that?”

“No, tomorrow’s good. Do you want to get something to eat or see a movie or something tonight to take your mind off of things?”

“No. I think I’m going to go take a bath with Ben and Jerry, maybe a Melatonin chaser. You know, get to bed early tonight.”

Trista stood and headed towards the door.

“I’m here if you need anything, Trist. Love you.”

“Thanks Jen. Love you, too.”

Once Jenna heard the door to Trista’s apartment shut she decided to go and see Jackson. She hadn’t wanted Trista to know she had plans with him for the following night. If she’d known, she would have insisted she go instead of helping her. It was better this way.

Now she just had to tell Jackson.

…Go Back

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