Checkmate

13

"Where are we with this case? Come on people, the clock is ticking."

I left the question pending as I walked to the table with a bounce in my step.

   Sephora was right. Getting my back blown out worked like pouring oil on a squeaky door, I got greased up in all the right places. The sun shined brighter, the oxygen felt purer, and every sip from my steamy beverage nearly had me moaning as if the creamy aroma somehow revived the lasting pleasure bestowed upon me last night. 

   When at last it dawned upon me that my team had been replaced by crickets, I turned around. Instantly, my mood turned serious. Bruce didn't seem ready with a snarky remark about my chirpy entrance, and for the first time, Akira looked something other than pissed or utterly annoyed. 

"What's going on?"

An even longer silence drew an extended breath. Their eyes were either on the floor or on the ceiling. Bruce threw a sneaky glance to Miki before he stepped forward, sighing in exasperation.

"Ella's husband made a statement."

Of all the ways I'd expected my day to turn sour, Mr. Smith speaking up was the last thing I would've anticipated.

   Manon approached us, her Ipad in hand. Without a word, I stared a the screen, watching the video play. In it, the couple is seen exiting a restaurant. Ella's head is bowed as reporters swarm them, the distinct clicks of the cameras a cacophony that grew all the more chaotic when they begin to blast their questions at them. Mr. Smith pushes through the crowd, freeing a passageway for Ella who followed close behind him.  

"Ella! Ella over here!"

"Ella, when will you be back in court?"

"Ella, how has your family taken the news?"

They ignored them. Ella was practically hiding in her cardigan by the time they reached their car. Mr. Smith helped her in and shut the door behind her.

"Sir, is your wife planning to drop the charges against Nickolai Pavelka?"

"Absolutely not," Mr. Smith said over his shoulder. 

He took a few more steps before turning around. A microphone was shoved in his face and he held on to it as he began to speak, "This man... this monster will pay for what he did to her. Justice exists in this country and I refuse to let him get away with ruining her."

I don't move even when Manon takes a takes the Ipad away.

   Things just went from bad to fucking horrendous. If this case wasn't already the topic of mainstream media, it sure would be now. The blow of the massive bombshell dropped upon me went against the way I felt just a few minutes prior, the clash of emotions made my head spin, but I brushed it off by taking a few steps back and forth, searching for an angle.  

On my third lap around the room, I stopped and took the iPad to review this with a closer look. 

   Playing it back, I scrolled to the beginning. Ella looks in shock when she first steps out, which is to expect since she was clearly ambushed. A second later, her husband steps out and he doesn't miss a beat, grabbing her forearm and pulling her along with him. I pause it again, this time to focus on the restaurant. The display window doesn't allow anyone to see what's going on inside. The press must've been tipped off. That or they followed them, but even that's not possible. Paparazzi don't alert competition when they have a scoop, the only way that they could've known where to find them therefore is the latter.