How They Got Away With Murder I Book One

Chapter Fourteen-Part One

      A few nights after the standstill with Connor, Alyssa found herself alone in her apartment with the boy, her mind absolutely torn. They were sitting on her couch, each cradling a beer in their hands. It was decided that the two should discuss where they stood, and she started with,

      "Here's the thing. You said so yourself, you don't do relationships." Connor sighed heavily.

      "I don't. But with you, I feel like I might be willing to try." She gazed at him with uncertainty.

      "And if you decide you don't want that? I just don't know if I can put myself through that." Walsh downed his drink, and when the bottle was removed from his lips, he asked,

      "But isn't it worth a shot? I mean, can we continue to deny each other?" She tugged at her bottom lip. It was like her head and her heart were at war with one another, and it seemed like her heart was winning. When she locked eyes with him, she knew for a fact that her heart had won. Because in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to be with him.

      "No, we can't." She whispered, and then she set the glass bottle on the table. Connor copied her action, and the two leaned towards each other. Their lips collided for the second time ever, but this time, neither of them planned on pulling away any time soon.
~~~~~
~Karmen POV~

      Annalise was back to being a lawyer, and one of her first cases was with a priest as her client. Karmen sat next to Alyssa, and she noticed the brunette appeared more bubbly than usual. She then observed as Connor looked at Hubbard, who ducked her head down and blushed in response. Karmen noted in her mind to ask about that later. Soon enough the judge seated behind his desk and began.

      "This is the sentence hearing in the case of the Commonwealth vs Andrew Crawford. I understand that the state has agreed to—" Annalise rose, interrupting the judge.

      "The defense has a request, Your Honor." Karmen's face scrunched in confusion. 

      "Which is what, counsel?" Judge Wilkins asked.

      "My client would like to withdraw his plea." The blonde exchanged a questioning glance with Alyssa, as the students were under the impression this was the end of the case.

      "What's the withdrawal based on?" The judge inquired.

      "Father Crawford felt pressured to take the plea." The prosecutor shot out of her seat.

      "Your Honor, we pressured the defendant in no way." She argued, and Annalise retorted,

      "The state did not pressure him." The judge looked at Keating curiously.

      "Then who was it, Ms. Keating?" He queried, and there was a pause where nobody said anything. 

      "Me, Your Honor." Annalise at last stated, and Karmen once again gazed at her two friends, who each had puzzled expressions on their faces, same as her.

      "At my first meeting with my client, I was in the middle of a major personal crisis, as the court probably knows." She went on to explain. "I didn't take the time to properly explain his options to him. That's my mistake, not Father Crawford's, and now that I've had the time to look over the case, he's changed his mind. Please don't punish him for my own error." Karmen didn't know what to think. Annalise had to be lying. She didn't make mistakes like that. Or at least she didn't used to.

      Who knew the mistakes a person could make when he or she worked with killers.
~~~~~
      The students regrouped at the church where Father Crawford served, where the man who found the victim.