forum It's cliché, but I don't care. (OxO Closed)

Started December 02, 2022 by @emilyevewrites group

tune

Anna's blush deepened at the pet name. "Oh, alright," she muttered. "A casino owner was murdered. The main suspect's motive is that the casino owner supposedly killed his girlfriend."

He noticed her blush and smiled faintly. Part of him wanted to tease her about it, but he decided to leave her alone. “Sounds… dramatic.” He rested his chin against his knuckles. “I bet it’s not an easy one for you.”

"It's very dramatic," Anna agreed, sighing softly. "But justice always seems to demand itself. Though it does make me wonder… the owner was never the confirmed killer of the suspect's girlfriend. You would think the suspect would've at least waited to make an attempt on anyone's life until it was confirmed who the killer actually was…" She trailed off, realizing how much she'd said and that she was rambling slightly. "Sorry."

“Oh, shh. Don’t apologize.” He grinned at her and leaned forward against the table. “Now, continue with what you were saying.”

Anna looked up at him with a look of soft shock on her face. Usually, her coworkers belittled her when she went on and on about her views on a case. But McKay was clearly not like those men. With renewed confidence, she pressed on, selecting her words carefully to avoid revealing names and specific details.

"Well… I just don't understand why the suspect wouldn't wait for the case of his girlfriend's killer to be completed. Then he would have some finality. But the casino owner was never confirmed to be the killer. He was only a suspect. The main suspect, sure, but now we can't even question him. So there won't be closure for the casino owner's killer. He might have killed the wrong person. Does that all make sense?"

McKay nodded. He did understand most of what she said, but he was focused less on the case and more on her. He loved the way she looked when she talking about something that she loved.

“Mm… that is weird. In cases like those, most families want closure. It’s weird for him to kill the casino owner before that case is even closed…” He paused before he turned back to her. “Wait. Was the man who possibly killed the casino owner ever a suspect in the murder of his girlfriend?”

Anna's eyes widened as he agreed with her. "I know!" she exclaimed before blushing lightly at realizing how loud she was. Then she frowned in thought at McKay's question. "No, he never was." Then her mouth dropped open. "Oh, my God! He might have killed his girlfriend… but then why would he frame the casino owner, then kill him instead?"

She pursed her lips as she thought about it. Anna was a very cerebral person, and she liked to have all of the details. It was what made her such a good lawyer.

He laughed lightly when she became flustered. “Well, maybe the casino owner saw something he wasn’t supposed to, so the suspect had to kill him,” he suggested. “But it still doesn’t answer why he framed him for his girlfriend’s murder. The suspect would still get life in prison because he murdered the casino owner. Why not admit to his girlfriend’s murder as well?”

Anna shook her head almost immediately. "No, we don't know that the suspect framed the casino owner. The casino owner might have very well murdered the suspect's girlfriend. The problem is that since he's dead now, we can't question him. But that's not the question we need to be asking because what motive would the suspect have for killing his girlfriend? The question we need to be asking is are there any outside motivations to consider for the suspect murdering the casino owner other than the potential of the owner being the suspect's girlfriend's murderer?"

She sat back in her chair and blinked in surprise at everything that had just come out of her mouth. She hadn't dropped any names, which was a good thing, but she certainly hadn't meant to tell him all of that.

He went silent for a moment, thinking. “Did the police do any research into the relationship between the man and his girlfriend?” he asked. “How about the casino owner? Why do they think he killed the man’s girlfriend?”

Anna bit her lip gently and reached for her latte. "I really shouldn't say anymore," she murmured, glancing around. "But I'm presiding over an interview tomorrow with the suspect. It's really an interrogation, but technically, I'm not allowed to call it that. It's all the more I can say. I've already told you too much." She stared at him for a brief moment before taking a drink.

“I totally understand. And don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone what you told me.” He chuckled and took a sip of his coffee. “And good luck with the interrogation. I’m sure you’ll do great.”

"Yes, please don't." Anna smiled behind her coffee cup. "Thank you," she replied gently. "Though I don't really do much. I sit and listen and occasionally speak on behalf of my client."

“Of course. No need to thank me.” He glanced over at her and grinned. “Sounds pretty boring. Just shoot me a text if you need to me to sneak coffee to you,” he teased.

Anna laughed quietly. "As much as I'd love to take you up on that offer, I'm afraid it might be frowned upon for a private citizen to enter an interrogation to deliver coffee," she quipped in return.

“Hm, well…” He winked at her. “Maybe I’ll just bring you coffee on our date, then.”

Anna smiled shyly. "Alright then," she murmured, biting her lip to keep from grinning like an idiot. "I suppose that's a plan."

“We’ll go see a movie, maybe go out to eat…” His stood up to throw his cup away. “Sounds like a plan?”

Anna blinked, opening her mouth, closing it, and opening it again. "Yes. I'd like that very much." She wasn't used to this at all. Most things she'd done with Harry were… sporadic, in-the-moment decisions. This was structured, but also left space for other things to be planned. Anna loved it. She had never been as "fly by the seat of your pants" as Harry had. McKay was much more her speed.

“Sounds good.” He grinned at her. “Would you like me to leave you alone so that you can finish up with your work?”

Anna checked the time. "Actually, I really should be getting back to work. I need to prepare for the interview tomorrow and seal up a few other things for another case I have." She began to slip her purse over her shoulder and rose to her feet. "But I'll see you tomorrow? At six?"

“At six,” he affirmed. He then stood up from the table and began to head towards the door before he turned back and blew her a kiss. “I’ll remember to bring you coffee, alright?”

Anna blushed brilliantly. "Alright," she replied shyly. She left the coffee shop a few minutes after him with her cheeks still glowing a rosy color.

As soon as he got home from work the next day, McKay immediately started getting ready. He had always been more fancy sort of guy, but he wanted to dress even nicer for their date. Once he finished showering, fixing his hair, and getting dressed, he got in his car and drove to her workplace to pick her up.

Anna sat at her desk, still trying to process the events that had happened at her interview. She checked the time religiously until 5:50. Then, she hurried from her desk to the bathroom so she could touch up her makeup and smooth her hair. She hadn't been on a date since… well, since Harry. She was looking forward to it.

At one of six, Anna clocked out, put her coat on, and left the building. She waited patiently at the curb for any sign of McKay, though she had no idea what his car was.