Chapter 4- Business as Usual

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One, two, three, four, five!

The elevator stops on the fifth floor and its doors begin to open in slow motion, as though doing so intentionally, to give Joe a perfectly grand entrance. His dark-brown glossy shoes peep out first and then the slim fitting trousers of his navy-blue suit follow. As he walks down, the dim lighting inside the hallway gives a slight lustre to the royal-blue solid necktie pinned to his pristine white shirt by a silver tie clip. And while heading toward his office located at the far end of the hall, he is nearly bashed in the face by Wrestler's secretary, who is carrying a humongous portrait.  She didn't see him approaching.

"Woah! Martha!.. Take it easy!", he dodges. However, the bottom of his briefcase hits the side of the large frame.

"Shit!!! I'm so sorry Joe! Didn't see you there!" 

"...Ow!" Martha exclaims again after hitting her own head on the other side of the frame.

"No problem. Sorry about your head. Are you sure you don't need some help with that?", he gestures to grab the portrait from her.

"No, don't worry, Joe.. #sigh.. I've got it, thanks!",

she affirms and then starts to dish, "The Wellings had this delivered yesterday as a gift. As if Wrestler hasn't got enough old portraits already!.."

After rolling her eyes, she continues, "..You know, they also got him two expensive urns from like the Ming dynasty or something.. #scoff.. Those deep-pockets can barely find what to do with their money these days."

After hearing all this, Joe bursts into laughter and echoes at her while he walks away, "They like having friends in high places. It ain't a bribe, as long as there's no paper trail!"

"..Tell me about it!" Martha rolls her eyes and then says sotto voce as she exits, "With all these gifts coming in, I just might finally get a raise one of these days."

Upon reaching the door to his office, Joe pauses.

Alice has been arriving quite early to work these days; much earlier than before and long before work hours. She might be inside. So first, he makes sure to lick his lips elaborately. Then he turns back to see if anyone's watching, before adjusting his thick neck tie while carefully ensuring that it is decorously cradled between his broad chest lobes. Finally, he straightens out his jacket like a boss and opens the door with that classic 'stern but sexy look' on, which he knows that Alice loves so much. After entering, he sights Alice searching intently for some documents in the tall file cabinet.

She is looking particularly stunning today. This job lays great emphasis on dress code. And it's almost as though she has gradually started to replace her entire wardrobe. Right now, She is putting on a sleeveless plain ash chiffon top. It has several pleats at the neck, which give it a bulky appearance while its fringes are tucked into her much darker grey skirt. The skirt has an overlapping slit on the left side of her thigh, upon which tiny mercury crystals are embellished. Below it all, she's got a pair of transparent stilettos on. They look very sleek and gracefully display her feet. Everything is pieced perfectly together. Although her Dutch braided bun still look a little scruffy, but in a good way.

Alice is so invested in her search that she hardly notices Joe entering. He then forcefully closes the door, as if deliberately trying to get her attention. It works. Alice hears the sound and then quickly raises her head up to greet him,

"Oh, good morning, Mr. King!"

He does not answer, but keeps walking hurriedly toward the inner door leading to his office, as though he's got something very urgent to attend to. Alice simply shrugs in response and continues with her search. Almost immediately, she finds the arson documents. She then brings them out of the file cabinet and takes them into the main office. Alice walks in on Joe removing his jacket from behind while facing the hanger. And with her eyes, she serrates the sharp margins of his shoulder, as he arches his back to take it off. When he leans forward to suspend it on the hanger, she lowers her eyes to fully assess the metrics of his imperial butt with her greedy gaze, feasting off the sight of his immense weight. But with the speed of lighting, she quickly retracts her gaze the moment he turns around and gives her the look, that stern look that makes her feel like a culprit who was caught red-handed.

"I've found the arson file! I've also sent a message to Judge Holloway requesting a court order for Douglas' medical records." she states, placing the documents on Joe's desk.

"Okay. What about Mrs. Crawford's hospital report?", Joe asks. Alice couldn't find his sheer objectiveness in 'work mode' more sexy right now.

"It's all here." she affirms.

"Alright. That's good. Thank you." he replies, while intently perusing the pages of the documents and blatantly ignoring Alice's lingering presence.

Alice slowly turns to leave, but then turns back. "Ummm.. Joe.."

In response, Joe slowly raises his eyeballs up to her, like a professor being interrupted by a student.

She continues, 

"..About the Douglas case.. From the CSI report on.. the manner in which the gasoline was poured and Mrs. Crawford's violent history.. I don't think that she's in the clear. She had many reasons to start that fire.. and there were so many inconsistencies in her testimony."

Upon hearing this, Joe lets out a smug smile and asks, "..So.. are you saying, she intentionally inflicted those third degree burns on herself??.."

She sighs in uncertainty, after grasping the glaring rationale for his words. Nonetheless, she replies in deep candour, "..It's just.. I have this gut feeling.. that she is hiding something."

Joe raises both eyebrows, "..You have a gut feeling." He sighs and then professionally folds his arms over the open file on the desk, saying calmly and articulately, "..Alice.. There are so many other variables to consider, such as.. say, the lighter used. A woman of that height could not have poured the gasoline from such a distance, without spilling some on the foyer.. And even if she were hiding something, we're not detectives, Alice. Our job is to defend our client as best we can. The final decision lies in the hands of a judge and due process."

Then he bends his head back down to continue perusing the document before him.

"So, we just let an innocent man go to prison?" she rebuffs.

"..You don't know that he is innocent.", Joe emphasizes earnestly.

"You don't know that he's not!.. #sigh.. And, like you would even agree if you knew he was. You're just doing your job. Um.. I'm sorry. I'm just.. I understand how the job works. It won't happen again." she says, before turning to leave. As she walks away, almost at the door now, Joe calls out to her, "Alice!"

She stops and turns back.

"..We aren't the bad guys here." he expresses, as reassuringly as can.

"I know", Alice gives a shallow response, turns back and leaves the office.

Joe then sits back and rests on his seat while supporting his chin with his hands and resting his elbows on the chair handles. He starts to think deeply about what Alice just said. Could it be? 

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