𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝙼𝚎| 𝚁𝚊𝚏𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝙱𝚊𝚛𝚋𝚊

Twists and Turns

Later that night, Montserrat and her roommate Kara were in the living room with the latter painting the former's nails. Montserrat thanked the Lord that Kara was an expert in all things beauty because sometimes a woman just needed to relax. And since Kara ran a salon, she had everything required for a perfect relaxing night. Of course that only happened if unexpected visitors didn't drop by in the middle of it.

"Casey, what are you doing here?" Montserrat blew air to her right hand's nails. They were painted a neat glossy frosty blue.

"I came in to see how you were doing," Casey walked right on in and was immediately hit with the smell of acetone. She waved a hand in front of her face, her nose crinkled. "But I guess I was worried over nothing."

"Hi Casey, you want me to do yours?" Kara greeted in her usual cheerful way.

"No thanks," Casey turned sideways to see her cousin closing the door. "I hear you're planning on taking Jolene Castillo to trial. Brave souls..."

Montserrat turned to face her cousin with an unusual smile. "Wonder where you heard that..."

"I want to make sure your problems aren't still affecting you—"

"Oh, you mean my problems that I told you in confidence but somehow my ADA already knows them?"

Casey expected that type of sarcasm that usually came before Montserrat burst into anger. "I know you're a little upset but I was just trying to make sure neither Rafael nor Olivia were hard on you on this case. They can both be a little persistent and intense—"

"Then how about you let me conclude that?" Montserrat sighed in annoyance and returned to sit down next to Kara. "I don't know either of them that well - I don't know anyone there actually - so the last thing I need is for someone to get the idea that I'm not tough enough for the squad. And just so you know, I did already have a somewhat conversation with Olivia so you telling Rafael everything did nothing for me."

Casey tilted her head, her expression swirling with guilt that even Kara saw straight away. Montserrat didn't bother feeling sorry about her words. She was so irritated that Casey took it upon herself to speak about her problems to someone else.

"I'm serious," Montserrat insisted before Casey got into the idea she was wrong or just being dramatic. "He said I lacked self confidence right to my face." Kara laughed out of her surprise but Casey attributed Rafael's words to it just being him.

"That's just how he is. He's straight forwards—"

"I hadn't noticed!" Montserrat exclaimed, still mighty irritated about the moment. "He's so rude!"

Casey released a big sigh and sat on the arm rest of the couch. "Maybe it's what needed to be done." Her new alternative way of thinking made her look no better in the eyes of her cousin. "I would have never been brave enough to tell you that you lacked self confidence but Rafael doesn't really have that problem. Whether it's business or personal he'll say what needs to be said."

"Yeah, I learned that, thanks," Montserrat leaned against the couch with a great big frown, reminding Kara and Casey of a child. "I do not lack self confidence," she muttered and made the other two women laugh.

~0~

With extra fuel gained against Jolene, a trial was inevitable. The woman was accused of shooting an unarmed, innocent boy and if all went well she would pay for her crime. The press was gobbling up the case as a common racism act and unfortunately Jolene was the only one who could give the facts of the case, which meant she'd be the one with the most abilities to change the perspective of the public. The M.E.'s report of Mehcad being in reality five feet away from Jolene was a strong suit, but it still didn't do much when all the prosecution had was what other people had to say about Mehcad. It was fairly difficult for the team to see Mechad's mother take the stand when the woman practically broke down over her dead son.