“Please tell me you did not have my client in the holding cell, Detective Marshall. No actually please tell me you did—I haven’t sued this county in a while, and I have my eye on a new LV luggage set. Because if you put him in there and you haven’t formally charged him, you’ll be lucky if I leave your ass that 97’ Honda you’re still driving.”
“Mr. Gideon was free to go at any time,” he says clearly back peddling.
“Was he aware of this? Have you charged him with anything?”
“I can’t speak on whether he was aware or not Ms. St. Claire. And no, I asked him here to answer a few questions.”
“Without his attorney present?”
“Like I said he hasn’t been charged so there was no need for lawyers, he came in voluntarily.”
“I bet. Nice way to circumvent the need for a lawyer and Miranda rights. I want a copy of the questions asked and his responses.”
“Um… he didn’t actually say anything, Ms. St. Claire,” Mike says before Marshall had the chance.
“Good. I suggest in the future, that unless you are charging him formally you stay away from Mr. Gideon.” She hands him her card. “My client and I are leaving.”
The whole time this is taking place I have not said a word. Not because of what Strong said but because I am thoroughly turned on. She is stunning and obviously in her element. I take my time perusing her, I start from her feet in black Dior heels, and I only know that because the back strap of the shoes has Dior on it—and a black suit, the skirt stopping just barely mid-thigh, sheer, purple camisole with a purple bra and a black jacket. Her hair is styled in an intricate braiding style that had her locs curling down the right side of her face. And she wears glasses! So, fucking sexy, the purple and black frames are perfection on her. Other than a pair of round diamond earrings and beautiful sapphire and platinum ring on her right hand she wears no other jewelry. She is stunning and I am so turned on it would be comical if I wasn’t standing in the middle of a police station.
When I saw her talking to Marshall, I immediately remembered her from Peter’s wedding. She’s one of the top lawyers in Mississippi. I remember wanting to talk to her at the wedding but never getting a chance since she left early, and now here she is rescuing me from jail. As she verbally walks up one side of Marshall and down the other, I realize something about her is bothering me There’s a niggling in the back of my mind but for the life of me I can’t figure out what my memory is trying to recall. I am brought out of my introspection by her light touch on my forearm. We walk out of the station not saying a word until we are next to my car.
“Mr. Gideon, go home and get some rest. I would like to stop by later today to discuss what took place at the club tonight. If you could give me your contact information, I will call you in a few hours to get the address so we can talk.”
“Actually, I’d prefer to meet at my office instead of my home.” I reach inside my car and pull a card from my business card holder and hand it to her. I can meet you to talk about anything you need to.”
“That sounds like a plan. And by the way, my name is Carla St. Claire. I didn’t have time to introduce myself earlier, but the audacity of Detective Marshall distracted me. I apologize.”
“No apologies necessary, and I remember you from Peter’s wedding.”
“Oh yes, of course, you were a guest, right?”
A guest? Is she serious right now? “No, I was in of the wedding party.”
“Oh right. Well, I will give you a call in a few hours. Go home, eat, and rest, because once we meet, we’ll have a lot of work to do.” With those instructions given, she turns and heads to her purple Mercedes Maybach Exelero, gets in, and drives off.
I know that walk, and not just from Peter’s wedding. Now I have two mysteries to solve; where I’ve seen Ms. St. Claire, ESQ before, and who killed Antonia Lattimore in the club tonight, and why? I get in my car, and head home, I can hear my bed calling my name from here.