It hurts that I don’t have that.Yet. You don’t have thatyet, Cassandra, I remind myself.
“I do sort of need to talk to you about something.”
The aroma of Leela’s crescent rolls, eggs, and sausage is making my stomach roar, so I sit up straight and take a bite of a roll.
“What is it?”
I’m grateful that we have food in front of us, somewhere to look instead of her intense gaze that is both intimidating and all-seeing. “My dad is in trouble. You might or might not know.”
“I know he’s a client of my family. And I know I’ve seen some of it play out on the news.”
I sigh. “It’s a huge, huge mess.”
“I’m sorry, sweetie.”
“None of it makes sense because it’s not the person I know. But then I read the things people say, and things started to make sense in a twisted way. So now I’m wondering if he did any of these things because it seems like they have a case. And it makes me sad. And the lawyers want me to come in and give statements, and I don’t know if I can.”
Leela sets down her fork and speaks calmly. “They can compel you to come in and talk if you don’t comply.”
I rub my fingertips across my forehead. “I know. I’m terrified of the cross-examination. What if they accuse me of something?”
Leela cocks her head. “You’re not the one on trial, babe.”
I bite my lip. “I…might have lied to an FBI agent?”
She waves a hand in the air. “Meh. You weren’t under oath, were you?”
I shake my head. “No, but while they were there cleaning out our whole house—and I mean taking everything of value—I made off with a trunk full of cash.”
“The trunk of your car?”
“No. An actual trunk. Like from a ship or something.”
Leela blinks her eyes rapidly, like trying to clear away the booze fogging her brain. “How much—wait…hang on…don’t say another word.”
I feel a moment of crushing disappointment well up in my throat. This subject is too much for even Leela.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper. I’ve done it now. I’ve made her an accomplice to my crimes, and I’m eating her food. She’s going to be so angry with me, and I don’t blame her.
“No, do not apologize. You just can’t tell me anything else. Save it for your lawyer.”
Oh no. “Your dad? Oh, I can’t tell Mr. Gamble about the money I took—”
Leela leans forward and squeezes my knee. “No, babe. I love my daddy, but your daddy’s lawyer ain’t looking out for your interests. You’ve gotta get your own lawyer. You and your brother. And, probably, that friend of yours, too, just to be on the safe side.”
“Titus? He didn’t do anything wrong.” Lies, lies, lies. But no way am I letting him get wrapped up in this. If I’d been smarter, I would have sent him home the minute I suspected something was awry that day when the feds arrived.
“Irrelevant!” Leela slurs. “I don’t care if you murdered someone. You need your own representation.”
This is far too extravagant. I bite my lip as Leela whips out her phone and scrolls through her messages. There’s no way I can afford a lawyer without using the very money the feds are looking for.
Without even looking up at my face as she scrolls and texts, scrolls and texts, Leela remarks, “And don’t you even sit there chewing on your lip, worrying about money. That’s all gonna work out because when it’s all over, we’re gonna sue the feds if they so much as show up on campus.”
“Oh geez. No.”
“Yes, ma’am. You just sit tight and let me handle things. My daddy’s a powerful man but no federal prosecutor this side of the Mississippi wants to go up against my mother.”
Well, that is not at all what I thought she was going to say. And no way will I allow anyone to work for free. “We’ll work out a payment plan.”