Justice Deferred
By: Alex. P
For Disclaimers see Chapter 1
Chapter 20
With a slight nod Cam let Cutter know she was ready to leave this place
behind and get back to her life. The normally quiet man cleared his throat then
placed two fingers at the corners of his mouth and blew, letting out a loud
shrill whistle that was guaranteed to get everyone's attention.
"Alright people, let's get the hell out of here." Cutter announced
after he had everyone's attention. "Chillicothe has kept my little girl
from me long enough. Y'all know where we're headed, so let's get gone!"
The four family members straddled their respective bikes as well as nearly a
hundred others. Everyone waited until Cam started her purple and black Electra
Glide. With a touch of the electric start button 74 cubic inches of pure V-
twin monster roared to life. She revved it off a few times just for the wonder
of it and to announce her return to the world. Cam put on her half shell helmet
that had been hanging from the handlebars waiting for her, looked over at
Cutter and gave him a nod.
He returned the gesture and kicked his own beast to life, soon the still
afternoon air was shattered by the roar of over a hundred motorcycles all
roaring a welcome to their lost child home to the fold. With Cutter riding next
to Cam and Mountain next to Cobra right behind them and the rest forming two
lines behind them. They slowly pulled out onto the road and followed closely by
vans and pick ups, they headed out to East toward 65 hwy and the rest of her
life.
In the back of her mind Cam had hoped that her Cheryl would be there to make
her return perfect, but her logical mind told her to forget the woman and get
on with it, and sadly, that is what she was determined to do.
As the long line of motorcycles and various other vehicles disappeared down Washington St. and headed East for the entrance to 65 hwy south, Cheryl was just inside the city limits, and turning onto 3rd St, heading toward CCC from the West. It was all she could do to keep herself at or under the posted speed limits. Her mind kept going back to the strange letter she had gotten from one of her law firm's largest corporate clients, and strangely enough had been addressed to her and guided her down a long and twisted road that led her to a better understanding of the woman that she already loved with all her heart and soul.
Cheryl had thought that it was strange for several reasons. The first being
that she worked in the criminal law division of the firm, specializing in
handling their pro bono work. She was making quite a name for herself as a
trial attorney, she was tireless when it came to the investigative portion of
the trial work leaving no stone unturned, digging into the smallest detail, to
assure her clients were properly represented in a system that normally rolled
right over the poorer petitioners before the bar of justice.
Her acquittal and trial records were impressive. Even though it was only the
beginning of her third year with the firm, there was already talk of promoting
her to a more responsible position, maybe even a junior partnership in her
division. So when the letter came to her instead of the corporate or civil
litigation departments the young lawyer was understandably confused. Her second
question was how did a high roller like the CEO of a major corporation like
T.A. Calahan of the CCMC Corporation get her name.
Cheryl had no illusions about her importance in a huge multi-national law firm
like this one, she knew she was a very small infinitesimal cog in a gigantic
machine, yet here was a letter from the most important client the firm had,
representing possibly millions of dollars in retainers and billings addressed
to her directly. Up till now Cheryl was sure the only people that knew who she
was were her clients, co-workers and of course her immediate supervisors. She
knew she had been recruited by one of the founding partners of the firm, but
she was sure that M.G. Fielding had forgotten she even existed by now.
Unable to put it off any longer Cheryl gave in to her demanding curiosity and
opened the mysterious envelope. Her first surprise was when she scanned the
corporate letterhead and saw the name of Camilla T. Brusard listed as CIO and
head of operations.
Is it possible? she wondered as she stared at the familiar name willing
it to answer her questions. There's no way the woman named here could be my
Camilla. Could it?
As she read further down the letter the mystery only grew deeper. There was no
doubt that the CEO of CCMC knew a great deal more about her than anyone else
that she had met here, with the possible exception of the Senior Partners that
had recruited her for the firm.
My Dear Ms. Killian,
You are no doubt wondering why an old stuffy stick in the mud like the
CEO of a company would be writing a young pretty little thing like
you. Well I believe if you will check out certain files, that will soon
be made available to you, you will soon find that you and I have
far more in common than you think.
If I have peaked your interest and I believe I have, then contact your
supervisor and tell them you would like to see the Calahan-Brusard
files.
If you are willing to follow this mystery to its conclusion, you will
be allowed the opportunity to focus your attention solely on those
files. You will be given no new clients until you are ready for them,
and you will be given this time with the full pay and benefits that
are reasonable for your position.
You are being trusted with some very highly sensitive and confidential
information. Some very special peoples lives are about to be laid bare
for you. How or what you use this information for is entirely up to
you. I can only tell you to follow your heart and make the choices it
leads you to.
All I can tell you is that every time I have followed my heart, it has
led to some of the best decisions of my life. Including bringing into my
life the most wonderful daughter a man could ever wish for.
Your Servant.
T.A. Calahan
CEO CCMC Inc.
Cheryl stared at the simple page in front of her, and let its possible
implications sink in. Deciding that since she was in between clients, now would
be a good time to start on this new and intriguing quest. She called her
immediate supervisor and repeated the instructions given her in the letter.
Within half an hour a memo arrived at her desk, that made the mystery even more
mind-boggling.
It was from one of the founding partners, and the letter was addressed directly
to her.
Ms. Killian;
Since your present office space is inadequate for you current needs
and the needs required by your new position, another office suite has
been assigned to you.
Maintenance has been notified of this change and will be there this
afternoon to move you and your personal files to the new office
suite.
This will be your permanent office from this time forward. I would
please ask you to be ready to move as soon as possible to your new
office in suite 12 on the 17th floor.
Thank you for your cooperation. You will be hearing more from this
office in the near future concerning your new position and its
responsibilities.
M.G. Fielding
When she saw the number of the floor, and the words office suite, Cheryl was
stunned. The first thing she did when her mind was functioning normally was
call the office manager and confirm the memo. Several of the younger lawyers
were notorious practical jokers, and this sudden attention by the firms largest
and most influential client, along with memos from the founding partners, and a
sudden move to the 17th floor, was all too good to be true. She suspected
her fun loving co-workers were having her on, but the call to her supervisor
soon disabused her of those thoughts.
She was about to shrug it all off, when four men from maintenance showed up at
her cubical saying they were sent by the managing partner to move her personal
belongings and files to her new office. Taken by surprise by the swiftness of
the things happening to her Cheryl was forced to recruit the men's help getting
all her stuff ready to move, so that she could be in her new office by the end
of the day. That afternoon Cheryl found herself almost completely settled into
her office suite.
Besides her own private office, that was almost as big as the room that had
held hers and four other cubicles, she also had an outer office that was her
reception area and her secretary's desk. There was also a private bath with
shower, a conference room that held a long table surrounded by several leather
covered chairs, and a small kitchenette area with a microwave, coffee maker,
sink, and a mini refrigerator. To say the young woman was overwhelmed would
have been a massive understatement. She spent the rest of the day just getting
used to her new surroundings, anyone watching her would have thought the young
attorney had lost her mind, as she went from one piece of furniture to another
sitting first in one of the obviously expensive leather chair then another
finally ending up on the huge seven foot couch. Cheryl
sank into the well-padded leather cushions cradling her comfortably.
As she sat there the stress and excitement of the day caught up with her and
before she realized what was happening the attorney was sleeping soundly on the
couch.
Her dreams began as they had almost all her life, she was back in that ditch
listening to the dying screams of her parents. Tears fell from her sleeping
eyes as her subconscious once again forced her to relive the traumatic and
horrific death of her only family. Fortunately as she became older the scenes
of her life encroached on the tragic visions shortening them until the time her
mind was tormented was almost bearable. Cheryl moved around until her petit
frame was stretched out on the couch, bits and pieces of her life were
displayed in her mind, good and bad alike were shown.
The death of her parents, the bittersweet time spent in the hospital, her first
foster home, the day she came out, meeting her last foster moms, high school,
college, law school, Kelly Antropos, the trial, that smug look on Kelly's face
at her sentencing, those first days in prison, the hopelessness and despair she
felt that day in the showers when she believed the darkness had won, only to
have the lights turned back on with a blinding flash in the form of a tall
black haired incredibly gorgeous woman with the most amazing blue eyes. Those
amazing days spent in Camilla's company talking and laughing sharing secrets with
each other, learning the limits of their relationship. Then there was the day
she realized she was in love with the gruff, stoic yet compassionate woman,
that for the first time in her life, Cheryl felt complete.
Then the young ex-con remembered her last night in prison. The shock of finding
the woman she loved in her supposedly locked and secured cell, followed by the
soft gentle touches from the sleek powerful woman's hands as they roamed freely
over her willing, receptive flesh. Once more she felt the fires igniting within
her small body, even now in her dreams Cheryl could feel Cam's long slender
fingers buried deep inside her very core. The electric jolts searing her nerves
to the point of overload. The assent into heaven that Cam raised her soul, as
the surprisingly gentle woman caressed her hot wet folds with her tender lips
and probing tongue. The feel of those luscious lips as they wrapped
around the writhing blonde's throbbing clit, every touch and sensation she
experienced that night, Cheryl was reliving in her dreams. Then just as the
powerful mind numbing blast of her first orgasm hit Cheryl she was jolted awake
by her body's nocturnal excursion into erotica.
It took Cheryl a few moments to realize where she was. There was a blanket over
her, Cheryl smiled when it struck her how she must have gained the cover. Her
first thought when she'd met her new secretary, Carmen, was that the older
woman seemed to be the motherly type, and the presence of the blanket seemed to
prove her impression to be
correct. Cheryl didn't know it yet but her mentor and sponsor into the firm,
the founding partner F.G. Fielding had chosen Carmen to be Cheryl's
administrative assistant because of her tendency to mother her attorneys, and
while that might be a problem for many of the other lawyers it would be a
welcome change for the young woman.
He knew that in reality his young friend had no one to rely on, no family that
she knew of and she was a little shy everywhere but in the courtroom. So while
everyone that knew Cheryl liked her well enough, no one was really a friend to
her and he also knew that in the days to come she was going to need a mature
shoulder to lean on as the
plan he had for her came to fruition.
Fielding was skeptical at first when his friend and one time fellow spook
Cutter Calahan, had approached him about the little blonde, and told him of her
problems. The older attorney wasn't all that sure that this wasn't just another
"innocent con" trying to get out of a sentence that they deserved,
but when his trusted friend had asked him to check her out as a personal favor,
well, there was no other decision possible.
After all he felt honor bound to help his long time friend, since it was
Cutter, that in the spirit of their friendship, helped a struggling new
attorney to establish himself and when the time came it was the prestige of
representing CCMC Inc. that had helped him establish the firm and to build it
into the great and respected law firm in the international market that it was.
The two men had been overseas together both performing the same type of top
secret covert operations. They had found in each other the kind of kindred
spirit that made life long friendships. So when he went into the case he hoped
he wasn't wasting his and his friend's time. When he went over the details and
transcripts of Cheryl's trial Fielding couldn't believe all the errors, lapses
of judgement, glaring mistakes and chargeable discrepancies he saw.
The more he read the records the more he was not only sure the young woman was
truly innocent, it appeared that there was someone that wanted the young law
student to be locked up. He gladly took the case pro-bono, and with the most
aggressive trial team, not only proved she was innocent, but proved collusion
on the part of the judge, the prosecutor, and her defense attorney. By the time
he was done all the conspirators were exposed, including Kelly Antropos, who
was quietly deported, after a multi million dollar settlement from her very
unhappy father. He also received a
substantial settlement from the county and state for the young woman's wrongful
incarceration and the defamation of her character, along with the pain and
humiliation of being imprisoned.
When he returned to his old friend to give him the results of his involvement
in the case, Cutter told him the reason for his concerns over the case, this
made Fielding even more interested in this sweet natured young woman he'd met
during the course of freeing her. Once he learned that this guileless young
woman had apparently won the heart of Cutter's sad, lonely, and betrayed
daughter, who was also his goddaughter since she had become his friend's ward.
Between the two men it was decided that if Fielding thought the young new
attorney was up to the challenge, she was to be groomed to be his successor.
The plan was to have her ready for the big step by the time Cam was released,
so if they were still interested in each other they would be able to have the
time to get to know each other again.
Cheryl looked over at the clock on her desk and saw it was 3 am, and decided
it was too late to go home so she would get to work studying the files she'd
been sent. The first thing she did was try out her new in office shower where
she
found all the toiletries were favorite brands even the perfume was her
favorite, and there were plenty of towels.
Like most attorneys Cheryl had a couple of changes of clothes at her office and
since se wouldn't be seeing any clients she decided to wear the jeans and
sweater, that were hanging along side her two best trial suits. Once she was
dressed and had cleaned up after herself she decided it was time she tackled
those files she'd been sent. Remaining bare
footed she enjoyed the feeling of the plush carpet as she padded across her
office and went into her conference room, here she found the files in boxes,
and that they were divided into four sections.
The first one she noticed was titled C.T. Brusard, the second was CCMC Inc.,
the third was KreelCorp takeover, and the fourth was labeled with the name D.C.
Kreel. She of course decided to check out the C.T. Brusard files to be sure
that she was right thinking that this person was actually her beloved Cam. When
she opened the first thing she found was a note from her boss and mentor.
Cheryl,
I knew you'd go for this one first. I want you to understand that the
beautiful young woman you seemed to have captivated so thoroughly, so
I thought I would suggest an order in which to read certain files in
order to learn more about our little WC and what circumstances led to
your first meeting.
I also want you to understand how important your role was in all this.
Since you have already started here go ahead and read through this
file, but in places you will see markers that refer to one of the
other files, please read them in that order, it will give you an idea
of what has made her, into the woman you met.
I also want to take this time to tell you that while it was WC's
interest in you the brought your case to our attention in the first
place, you were hired and promoted only on your own records,
performance, and merits, even this latest promotion to a full partner
is being offered to you because you are an exceptional attorney and
deserve this opportunity and for no other reason.
That being said, read the file in the order I gave you and you will
begin to understand, I promise, and believe me I owe WC a huge debt of
gratitude for bringing you to my attention, I have never regretted
taking your case or subsequently hiring you, you have been and will
continue to be a great asset to our firm.
Take care of yourself and that hard headed goddaughter of mine.
M.K. Fielding
Cheryl read the memo over several times then sat back in her chair, smiled
then sighed.
"Oh Camilla," she said out loud to no one, "even out here you're
still taking care of me."
As she drove Cheryl remembered spending that whole night and most of the
next day studying those files reading and cross referencing until she had the
entire story of the woman she loved, from her childhood and how she ended up
being raised by three tough hardcore bikers, how in their loving care she had
excelled in her schooling, and even through college and grad school. How she
had come into the family business and had brought further success to her proud
family.
Then she read of the attacks on her family and how she had gone to prison to
save the woman she loved only to find out that it was all a plot, by the woman
that she had trusted and loved, to hurt Cam's family. How in the end she had
been betrayed in the worst way, and how her family had retaliated and destroyed
the woman, to the point that the woman ended up in prison herself with so many
convictions that she would probably be long dead before she reached her release
date.
The tears flowed freely as she thought of her beloved Cam stuck in that hell-hole
unable to get out even though she'd been proven innocent, and she recalled how
she had still been in tears when her new admin had come in that afternoon to
see if she wanted lunch. She had spent most of that day talking to her
understanding secretary about her relationship with the dark enigmatic woman
that Carmen only knew through rumors. It came out that Carmen had been there
when Cam's family had found out she wouldn't be able to be released from prison
until her actual parole or until she served her full six years.
Carmen had also told of how she had been there when Cam's family had retaliated
against the woman and her company that had caused the woman to be in prison,
and the display of power and raw hatred she had seen coming from the three
rough looking, ruthless and completely merciless men actually still sent chills
through the older woman. How at first Carmen couldn't believe this young lovely
and bright woman could have anything to do with such a dark and dangerous
family, but after hearing first hand of how she had met Cam, and everything the
dark, secretive and some said deadly woman had done for Cheryl since, Carmen
had gained a whole new respect for Camilla Brusard.
Cheryl had to smile at the look on Carmen's face when she heard the whole story
of how she and Cam had first met, and the look when Cheryl told the woman how
much she loved the tall dark mysterious woman that had saved her life in more
ways than one. A small sad smile came to Cheryl's lips as she thought of all
the times Cam had gotten her to talk about the injustice and a cruel fate that
had ended the young blonde into prison. How she always agreed with Cam about
how while most of the people in prison with them were actually guilty of the
crimes they'd been convicted of, Cheryl was one of the very few that was truly
innocent, but the tall dark mysterious had never told the blonde that she too
was falsely imprisoned.
She thought how like Cam it was to listen to her tales of woe and whine about
how unfair the fates were to have put her there, when all the while Cam was
just as innocent and even more cruelly incarcerated when you consider how she
had been so completely betrayed by someone she loved and trusted. A small tear
of sympathy coursed down Cheryl's soft flawless cheek as the thought of how
Cam's poor heart must have broken so painfully when she learned the true depths
of how her supposed lover had betrayed her. It send a sharp pain through her
chest and an unusual twinge of hatred for what that cruel woman had done to
such loving and tender heart as Cam's.
It also led her to understand how hard it had been for the reclusive and lonely
woman to allow the diminutive blonde passed the barriers she had erected around
her heart. As Cheryl turned off 3rd St. and into the huge parking lot in front
of the huge gray Administration building of CCC, her mind turned away from
those thoughts and concentrated on the woman she was there to finally see after
three long torturous years. In the hopes that the tall dark woman that had
haunted her dreams for three years was still interested in having a life with
the small blonde and couldn't help but wonder what can of changes her beloved
Camilla had suffered through alone in this hell on earth while she
awaited the justice system to finally finish with her and let her go on with
what was left of her life.
She pulled into a vacant space and before she entered she pulled on a pair of
khaki pants and a dress shirt and carried a blazer to go into the prison,
knowing the regulations they had for visitors. Then she stood for a moment
staring up at the dismal edifice that had caused her so much pain and
humiliation and that she hadn't seen in three years, since leaving to regain
her life. It was also the unlikely place that held her heart and the other half
of her soul.
Cheryl took a deep calming breath, and steeling her resolve she strode
purposefully to reclaim the woman she'd unwillingly left behind almost a
lifetime ago. The woman that, if she would accept it, Cheryl would now bring back
into her life, to give her Camilla the same hope and love that she had been
given, what seemed an eternity ago.