Stoking The Fire

Chapter Nine

"He's right, that was uncanny, Kari. Screw the lab, you should come work for me!" Amelia exclaims, after I've cleaned things up, gotten myself some water, and came back to eat.I kind of chuckle and shrug.

"I have even less experience with being a private investigator, than I do with being a CSI, but the offer is generous thank you." I smile, as I lean forward on the counter, and stretch my legs back. "So, the Wicked Bitch of the East is in custody, what do we do now, what's next?"

"Well, It's Friday, so we won't hear anything until Monday, but our main judge for this case is already reviewing things and will get back with us if he needs anything else before the hearing on Monday." Amelia states, shrugging with her hands.

"Hearing? That's different from a trial, right?"

She nods. "A hearing basically decides if there's enough of a case to take it to trial, or if it's just something settled quickly. He's sure there's going to be a trial, we just have to go through the formalities."

I let out a breath. "Okay, well I guess my role will be established once we know our timelines then. So, who's the judge?"

Nick clears his throat. "Judge Stevens."

"Oh, fuck me running." I moan, as I stretch all the way back and bonk my forehead on the counter. I'd never personally had any run-ins with the man, but I knew his reputation very well. He'd made many a grown adult run out of the courthouse crying, many a time.

"Now, don't go there yet, Kari. I know his reputation as well as you do. Yeah, he will find any weakness and rip it to shreds in a heartbeat, this is true. But, he's also fair. I've never seen him once sway towards corruption, he refuses to let any injustice leave his courtroom if he can help it. And one thing I personally happen to know that he can't stand? Child abusers." Nick's drawl is soothing, but, dude.

"That's all well and good, but I'm kind of at least 2 decades past qualifying as a child, Nick." I mutter, head still down on the counter.

"Oh believe me, I've noticed. But it's never stopped, has it? The abuse, I mean?" I just shake my head. I mean obviously it hasn't, I don't know why he asked such an asinine question, I figure he meant it rhetorically. When my hamstrings start complaining too loudly to ignore, I finally stand upright again and take a swallow of water. "Very vocal?" I ask, cocking my head.

"Yeah, for someone supposedly dying of cancer, your mother sure loves to talk and yell herself blue in the face, doesn't she?"

I snort. "Oh you don't even know the half of it, Nick. Her verbal harassment sessions could last hours on end - I once clocked 12 hours straight. 3-4 hours, even 6, were nothing for her. I know I mentioned it briefly in my recordings but nothing really can convey that, unless you've been on the receiving end of one of her rants." I shake my head. "Trying to hold a productive interview with her had to be a downright Sisyphean task, Stokes. I salute you."

Amelia laughs around her mouthful of food, then swallows while chuckling. "Oh yes, it was quite the show. She was putting on quite the performance indeed. I must say though, she's not used to someone like Nick just smiling through her whole tirade and then pleasantly just telling her to sit her ass down, before reaming her a new one."

I burst out laughing. "Oh my god, Nick you did not 'sit your ass down' my mother!" He laughs and nods.

"I most certainly did. Her 'I'm the victim here' act was getting on my last nerve."

"Did it actually work?" The thought of anyone being able to bring my mother up short is just mind blowing, I almost wish I could watch the tape of the interview just to actually see her reaction.