Chapter 24: You were never there

*******

"Listen, miss Davies, you were never at the hotel with Hardy Collin " Mr. Smith the supposed lawyer, Xavier hired to coach her before the trial said and she was astounded.

Rachael looked at Xavier who didn't say anything to ensure he heard what the lawyer uttered, but the look on his face didn't hold the confusion she thought it would.

"But I was there"

"You'll end up going to jail if you say that," the black-haired Asian middle-aged lawyer said and Xavier nodded to show he agreed with everything that was being said.

"The CCTV has footage of me leaving the room. I can't lie when there's proof. The receptionist might even recognize me. She was the one who checked us in" she explains, pointing out the obvious. She knew with the CCTV camera footage and testimony from the receptionist, she might go to jail.

Xavier finally spoke up "The receptionist and the footage will be taken care of, just do as he says" he advised her.

"So what should I say then because they already have my recording of me admitting waking up in the hotel that morning"

"When you deny every accusation rendered to you, your words will be backed up by a forged medical report that says you are mentally deranged and you said those things under stress"

"And?"

"Xavier will confess Hardy was under threat before the murder happened. That way it will be a certainty you had nothing to do with it" he assured her, but her mind remained in turmoil. She wasn't at ease with lying against the law because she knew the consequences.

"He will take care of the rest Rachael" Xavier assured her when he noticed how thrown off she was.

"And I won't get sentenced?" That statement was directed to both Xavier and smith, but Mr smith answered.

"If proven guilty you won't be sentenced" he assured her and got up from his seat." My work is done for today. We will meet before the trial which will take place in the next three weeks" he stretched his hand to her and took it. "Have a nice day Rachael" he turned to Xavier and bowed slightly "you too Mr. Collin" with that said, he existed.

From the couch he was sitting on, Xavier got up and went to the wine stand to get a glass. He brought a cup and a bottle of Bacardi, giving her the cup. The beverage was then poured into the cup.

"Relax," he said to her when he noticed how tensed up she was, not being able to hold the cup properly with her shaky hands.

"I can barely" she took a sip from her glass.

"It will be fine" he assured her as he placed the wine back on the stand.

"I pray so," she said in a bid to assure herself.

******

Taking seductive strides towards him, Emily gave off a sly grin. She tangled a piece of her hair against her index finger as she bit her lips, looking intently at Richard. She couldn't wait to run her hands through his well-groomed taper fade haircut, messing it up to her satisfaction. His green eyes held indifference, but that didn't stop her. She had a mission and was determined to pull through.

Richard felt bored by her sudden Sexual display. They normally will just have sex and get on with each other's day, but this time she was a bit too extra and Richard hated it.

"Emily stop," he let out when he couldn't bear it anymore and Emily frowned at him.

"You don't like it?" she furrowed her eyebrows, taking a handful of her blonde hair she had earlier let cascade down her shoulder just to please him, but apparently, Richard was never the romantic type.

"No I don't" he rested his head back on his chair as breathed out in exasperation. "Come" he tapped his lap, giving her to notion to sit down.

Although she was reluctantly angry, she still gave in and walked towards him. When she sat on his seat, he undid the ribbon she used to wrap her hair, and once more her hair fell over her shoulder. He leaned forward to kiss her when the door to his office opened, revealing Anthony.

"Sorry, I can come back later" he tried to leave, but Richard stopped him.

"No come in Anthony," he said and signaled Emilly to leave. With the look on her face, she was certainly annoyed, but he didn't care.

When she finally left, Richard parted his lips to speak. "Is there a problem, Anthony"

"I kept a close eye on the lady as you told me to"

Richard sat up and looked at Anthony with keen interest. "The only people I noticed her with is her Autistic Mother who she takes to therapy in Greenville hospital and an engineer friend"

"That's all you found about her?" Richard furrowed his eyebrows. "I said you should find out everything about her, not the people she is surrounded with" Richard snarled at him angrily.

"She's going to court for the murder of Hardy Collin in three weeks. Since Xavier is close to her, I'm sure he will assign their family lawyer to help her with the case. Mr. Smith" Anthony enunciates and grasps Richard's attention once again.

After a brief moment of silence, Richard finally spoke "Assign a meeting with me and Rachael and make sure she attends" he spoke stiffly.

Anthony didn't like the idea. Richard was trying to start a war he could never win. "But sir, Xavier appears to be very fond of her and.... "

"The same way I was fond of Claudia, but he killed her" Richard snapped at him angrily, abruptly shutting him up.

"When do you need her sir?" Anthony asked even though he wasn't in support of the whole plan.

"The moment you get your hands on her"