* * *
Diamond poured herself a cup of coffee as she opened her newspaper, barely managing not to burn herself when she saw the headline. Murdered woman found at the motel. She read further on to discover that Samantha Bedford, a local woman that Diamond had never met, had been found by the maid sent in to clean the room.
Diamond moved to sit behind her desk as she read. It didn’t say how she had died, however it did mention that a local resident had seen a man leave the room hours before her body had been discovered. Although it didn’t state the man’s name, the article did say he had been brought in for questioning. Diamond was sure she wouldn’t know him anyway; she hadn’t lived in Treepoint long and hadn’t met many of the residents yet.
She heard the phone ring, but didn’t move to answer it. She had hired a secretary part-time to answer her phone and mail. She really couldn’t afford the added expense right now, yet with the new criminal cases she was taking, the secretary helped ease her workload.
“You’re due in court in twenty minutes,” a soft voice said from the doorway.
“Thanks, Holly. I’ll be leaving in a few minutes.” Diamond looked up at the young woman in the doorway. They had met when she had applied for the job she had posted in the want ads. They had liked each other on sight. Both were new to Treepoint and had become friends in the short time they had known each other.
They both were quiet and liked to keep to themselves. Holly was a dainty little brunette that had abundant curves. Whenever they had lunch together, Diamond felt men’s eyes going to the woman next to her, but she wasn’t jealous, she felt sympathy for her when she felt the woman’s embarrassment at the way men looked at her. She had even confided in Diamond she had once considered breast reduction surgery, however the expense was out of her financial means.
She waved to Holly as she left the office, heading to the courthouse. Diamond was only a block away from the courthouse, which made it an easy walk. The back of the Church was across the street from her office, a building over from the courthouse. She would often cut across the Church parking lot. Today she wanted the walk and went the longer route, cutting down another side street. She turned the corner of the street to the courthouse and saw several motorcycles parked in front of the sheriff’s office next door to the Courthouse.
“Hey Di.”
Caleb greeted her from the top of the steps.
“Hi Caleb. You ready for court?”
“Always.” He gave her his ‘game on’ smile, nodding towards the sheriff’s office. “Did you hear the news?”
“What news?” she asked as they walked through the large doorway.
“They arrested one of The Last Rider’s for the murder of Samantha Bedford,” he answered her question as they walked into the crowded courtroom, each going to their respective tables, bringing their short conversation to an end.
Diamond opened her briefcase as the deputy brought in her client. Greer Porter had been caught selling a small amount of pot. The cocky, young man sat down next to Diamond at the table.
“You going to get me out of here today?” he asked as soon as his butt hit the chair.
“I’m going to try,” was all Diamond could get out before the Judge entered the room.
“All Rise,” the bailiff called from the front of the courtroom.
The case didn’t last long with Greer being given a stern warning and a huge fine. He was lucky it had been such a small amount or it could have gone much harder on the young man.
“Thanks, Ms. Richards,” he said as soon as the judge left the courtroom.
“If you get caught again, Greer, you won’t get off so lightly.”
The young man smiled back. “I don’t intend on getting caught again. I should have known better than to sell to someone I didn’t know. How was I supposed to know the sheriff hired a new deputy from out of town? Tate is going to kick my ass for being such a dumbass, but at least I was smart enough to start him off with a small enough quantity that I wouldn’t get in too much trouble.” Diamond could only stare back at Greer who was obviously proud of himself.
Diamond wanted to kick his ass herself.
“You’re done here. I paid your fine.” Tate Porter walked up behind Greer. The tall, lean man was older than the one that she had represented. He was the opposite of his brother as Diamond had found out when he had hired her to represent Greer. Greer had told her Tate had raised his brothers and sister after his parents were killed in a boating accident the year after Tate had graduated high school.
Diamond stared as the youngest brother, Dustin, and the sister, Rachel, came to stand by their brother. Dustin had a head full of jet black hair unlike his brothers and sister who also had dark hair, but it wasn’t as curly nor did they have Dustin’s grey eyes. The effect was a handsome man that Diamond was sure kept the local girls busy.
“Thanks, Ms. Richard.” Rachel reached out to shake Diamond’s hand. Her hand was rough unlike most women. She had learned that Rachel was a popular herbalist in the area, actually around the country. People traveled from all over to purchase her homemade medicines and have her perform a healing touch on them. Diamond thought it was ridiculous herself, but had found that the people in Treepoint took it very seriously.
The work-roughened hand that touched hers inspired nothing except wanting to end the uncomfortable contact.
Rachel eyed her curiously as their hands separated. Diamond avoided her eyes as she picked up the papers on the desk, shoving them into her briefcase.
“I’ll send you my final bill in the mail,” Diamond stated, turning to face the family with her briefcase in hand.
“That will be fine. As soon as I get it, I’ll stop by your office and take care of it. You never know when we might need your services again,” Tate said, looking at his unconcerned brother with censure. Diamond didn’t envy him trying to take care of his strange family.
She walked outside with them, saying her goodbyes in front of the courthouse. She was turning to walk towards her office when The Last Riders walked outside the sheriff’s office with an angry Marc Harris, the town’s best criminal lawyer. The older lawyer looked ready to have a heart attack.
“I won’t be talked to that way by anyone! Did you hear what he told me to do?” Marc was practically screaming at Viper and Winter.
“Mr. Harris, Knox didn’t mean for you to take it so literally. He’s just—” Winter tried to placate the older man.
“I don’t care. You can find another lawyer, one that can deal with that asshole.” Diamond was shocked that the established attorney had lost his composure to the extent she was witnessing.
“But—” again Winter tried to intercede, yet before she could continue, Harris stormed across the lot to his car.
All of them were still staring when he pulled out with a screech of tires. Diamond closed her mouth when she realized The Last Riders were all staring at her. Seeing the speculation in Viper’s eyes, she could almost see the wheels turning in his mind.
Hell no, Diamond thought to herself. Swiveling in her high heels, she took off down the street at a brisk walk, trying to avoid what she saw coming.
“Ms. Richard.” Diamond heard Winter’s voice, but kept booking it down the street.
Diamond poured herself a cup of coffee as she opened her newspaper, barely managing not to burn herself when she saw the headline. Murdered woman found at the motel. She read further on to discover that Samantha Bedford, a local woman that Diamond had never met, had been found by the maid sent in to clean the room.
Diamond moved to sit behind her desk as she read. It didn’t say how she had died, however it did mention that a local resident had seen a man leave the room hours before her body had been discovered. Although it didn’t state the man’s name, the article did say he had been brought in for questioning. Diamond was sure she wouldn’t know him anyway; she hadn’t lived in Treepoint long and hadn’t met many of the residents yet.
She heard the phone ring, but didn’t move to answer it. She had hired a secretary part-time to answer her phone and mail. She really couldn’t afford the added expense right now, yet with the new criminal cases she was taking, the secretary helped ease her workload.
“You’re due in court in twenty minutes,” a soft voice said from the doorway.
“Thanks, Holly. I’ll be leaving in a few minutes.” Diamond looked up at the young woman in the doorway. They had met when she had applied for the job she had posted in the want ads. They had liked each other on sight. Both were new to Treepoint and had become friends in the short time they had known each other.
They both were quiet and liked to keep to themselves. Holly was a dainty little brunette that had abundant curves. Whenever they had lunch together, Diamond felt men’s eyes going to the woman next to her, but she wasn’t jealous, she felt sympathy for her when she felt the woman’s embarrassment at the way men looked at her. She had even confided in Diamond she had once considered breast reduction surgery, however the expense was out of her financial means.
She waved to Holly as she left the office, heading to the courthouse. Diamond was only a block away from the courthouse, which made it an easy walk. The back of the Church was across the street from her office, a building over from the courthouse. She would often cut across the Church parking lot. Today she wanted the walk and went the longer route, cutting down another side street. She turned the corner of the street to the courthouse and saw several motorcycles parked in front of the sheriff’s office next door to the Courthouse.
“Hey Di.”
Caleb greeted her from the top of the steps.
“Hi Caleb. You ready for court?”
“Always.” He gave her his ‘game on’ smile, nodding towards the sheriff’s office. “Did you hear the news?”
“What news?” she asked as they walked through the large doorway.
“They arrested one of The Last Rider’s for the murder of Samantha Bedford,” he answered her question as they walked into the crowded courtroom, each going to their respective tables, bringing their short conversation to an end.
Diamond opened her briefcase as the deputy brought in her client. Greer Porter had been caught selling a small amount of pot. The cocky, young man sat down next to Diamond at the table.
“You going to get me out of here today?” he asked as soon as his butt hit the chair.
“I’m going to try,” was all Diamond could get out before the Judge entered the room.
“All Rise,” the bailiff called from the front of the courtroom.
The case didn’t last long with Greer being given a stern warning and a huge fine. He was lucky it had been such a small amount or it could have gone much harder on the young man.
“Thanks, Ms. Richards,” he said as soon as the judge left the courtroom.
“If you get caught again, Greer, you won’t get off so lightly.”
The young man smiled back. “I don’t intend on getting caught again. I should have known better than to sell to someone I didn’t know. How was I supposed to know the sheriff hired a new deputy from out of town? Tate is going to kick my ass for being such a dumbass, but at least I was smart enough to start him off with a small enough quantity that I wouldn’t get in too much trouble.” Diamond could only stare back at Greer who was obviously proud of himself.
Diamond wanted to kick his ass herself.
“You’re done here. I paid your fine.” Tate Porter walked up behind Greer. The tall, lean man was older than the one that she had represented. He was the opposite of his brother as Diamond had found out when he had hired her to represent Greer. Greer had told her Tate had raised his brothers and sister after his parents were killed in a boating accident the year after Tate had graduated high school.
Diamond stared as the youngest brother, Dustin, and the sister, Rachel, came to stand by their brother. Dustin had a head full of jet black hair unlike his brothers and sister who also had dark hair, but it wasn’t as curly nor did they have Dustin’s grey eyes. The effect was a handsome man that Diamond was sure kept the local girls busy.
“Thanks, Ms. Richard.” Rachel reached out to shake Diamond’s hand. Her hand was rough unlike most women. She had learned that Rachel was a popular herbalist in the area, actually around the country. People traveled from all over to purchase her homemade medicines and have her perform a healing touch on them. Diamond thought it was ridiculous herself, but had found that the people in Treepoint took it very seriously.
The work-roughened hand that touched hers inspired nothing except wanting to end the uncomfortable contact.
Rachel eyed her curiously as their hands separated. Diamond avoided her eyes as she picked up the papers on the desk, shoving them into her briefcase.
“I’ll send you my final bill in the mail,” Diamond stated, turning to face the family with her briefcase in hand.
“That will be fine. As soon as I get it, I’ll stop by your office and take care of it. You never know when we might need your services again,” Tate said, looking at his unconcerned brother with censure. Diamond didn’t envy him trying to take care of his strange family.
She walked outside with them, saying her goodbyes in front of the courthouse. She was turning to walk towards her office when The Last Riders walked outside the sheriff’s office with an angry Marc Harris, the town’s best criminal lawyer. The older lawyer looked ready to have a heart attack.
“I won’t be talked to that way by anyone! Did you hear what he told me to do?” Marc was practically screaming at Viper and Winter.
“Mr. Harris, Knox didn’t mean for you to take it so literally. He’s just—” Winter tried to placate the older man.
“I don’t care. You can find another lawyer, one that can deal with that asshole.” Diamond was shocked that the established attorney had lost his composure to the extent she was witnessing.
“But—” again Winter tried to intercede, yet before she could continue, Harris stormed across the lot to his car.
All of them were still staring when he pulled out with a screech of tires. Diamond closed her mouth when she realized The Last Riders were all staring at her. Seeing the speculation in Viper’s eyes, she could almost see the wheels turning in his mind.
Hell no, Diamond thought to herself. Swiveling in her high heels, she took off down the street at a brisk walk, trying to avoid what she saw coming.
“Ms. Richard.” Diamond heard Winter’s voice, but kept booking it down the street.
