Always Home for Sunday Dinner

T is for Targeted

Her day was swamped. She had meeting after meeting and barely had time for her to even eat anything. She had her assistant out getting her a salad but she would probably never enjoy it. The case she was working on was sure to numb all taste in her mouth and erase her appetite. And just like that, there was a knock on her door. She turned to see her older brother Detective Danny Reagan standing in the doorway.

Danny's random moments of kindness were few and far between and always seemed calculated. The berry smoothie in his hand was his nice way of asking for a favor or the calm before a storm.

"Whatever it is Detective I don't have the time," she stated promptly, enforcing her official stance.

"I figured," he stated kindly, "just wanted to stop by and give you this." He held out the smoothie in her direction, but she still was not quick to take it. She eyed him questionably before wrapping her fingers slowly around the plastic cup in his hand.

"What's the catch?" she asked him, to which he flashed her a look of disappointment.

"What I can't just do something nice for my sister?" Danny asked almost hurt.

"No," she retorted and received one of his famous looks in return.

"Well, you're wrong. I just wanted to say good luck. Since I know you're dealing with Capaleri's lawyer today." Her look changed from suspicion to gratitude as she thanked him for a smoothie and planted a kiss on his cheek before walking out.

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Within moments, Erin sat in a conference room, her brother's gift sitting next to her files and her investigator Anthony Abetemarco on her right. Across from them were the subjects of the day, Marino Capaleri and his lawyer, both sitting with smug expressions aimed directly at her. She simply hoped that the morning would go well, but she had a feeling it wouldn't.

"Well we all want to get this over smoothly so we might as well get started," she began.

"I agree," Marino's lawyer, Michael Doremo stated flipping his own files open as she did, "We all know the information pertaining to the case."

"Yes that your client has been accused of ordering a hit out on 5 men," she started.

"Keyword accused," Michael interjected.

"He also ordered assaults on some of their family members as scare tactics," she went on not being fazed one bit.

"Again, allegedly."

"There's nothing alleged about the images," she stated firmly.

"He never laid a hand on any of those men and you have no proof that he ordered those hits," he pushed prompting Erin to show a piece of the evidence.

"We have similar stories from two men that we have in custody," Anthony stepped in pulling out papers from his files and laying them on the table, "What do you call that?"

"I call that men throwing the blame onto someone else," he said.

"Come on, Mike."

"Each of those men have wrap sheets a mile long," he continued, "What jury in the world is going to believe them?"

"The jury that's presented with the photos with phone call information," Erin fought.

"We're preparing to ask for minimum sentencing," Michael insisted.

"Didn't know you were a comedian Mike," she responded sarcastically.

"At least leniency."

"You can't be serious," Anthony voiced.