Chapter 72
Rain woke up early and headed to the Meta City Prosecutor’s Office, expecting the usual pile of pending cases on her desk. As she sifted through the files, one in particular caught her attention. She was in charge of the Organized Crime Unit, so she couldn’t understand why a shoplifting case had ended up on her desk.
She picked up the file and showed it to Marlon, who was busy arranging more documents on her desk. “Isn’t this case supposed to be with the Violent Crimes Unit?” Rain asked, frowning.
Marlon scratched his head, looking a bit sheepish. “Prosecutor Karl Brown took the Obsidian Order case and swapped it with that one p>
Rain’s expression darkened. “Without asking me first p>
“Yeah, he tends to do that with newcomers. He’ll take on the more complicated cases and leave the simpler ones,” Marlon explained.
Rain tapped her fingers on the table, frustrated. Why had they even divided the major crimes unit into specialized teams if they were just going to swap cases at will? It wouldn’t have been a problem if Prosecutor Karl Brown had consulted her first. A simple act of courtesy, like checking if a case swap was agreeable, would have sufficed.
“Should I be grateful or offended?” Rain muttered, shaking her head.
Marlon grinned. “Depends. If you’re lazy, you’ll be grateful. If you like a challenge, you’ll probably be offended p>
Rain awkwardly smiled at Marlon, who was fluttering his lashes and flashing his white teeth at her. She could tell Marlon had been spending more time in her office than necessary, possibly trying to test the waters with her. She was no fool and could see right through his intentions.
“Go back to your desk, Marlon. I’ll call you if I need anything, alright?” she said firmly. Some men just couldn’t behave themselves around married women. Did he not see her wedding ring? Even if she hadn’t announced her marriage, the ring on her finger should have been a clear indication that she was already taken.
She got up from her chair, case file in hand, and prepared to address the issue.
Marlon hesitated. “Are you going out p>
“Yes, I need to get my case back,” she replied with a smile before heading out. “I guess I’m not the lazy type,” she mumbled as she walked towards the doors.
She made her way upstairs to the Violent Crimes Unit, where she had been introduced to the team the previous day. Unfortunately, Prosecutor Karl Brown wasn’t in his office yesterday; he was out at a trial.
Rain’s determination only grew. She wasn’t about to let someone else dictate her workload. It didn’t sit right with her at all. She made her way up the stairs to the Violent Crimes Unit, her heels clicking against the marble floor with each step.
The case she held in her hand was burning a hole in her thoughts, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that Prosecutor Karl was looking down at her to take it from her. She wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, and she wanted to prove that she could handle even the most difficult cases.
As she reached the door of the Violent Crimes Unit, she took a deep breath before knocking. The door was slightly ajar, and she could hear the low hum of voices inside. Without waiting for a response, she pushed it open and stepped in.
The room was busy, with prosecutors and investigators huddled around desks, discussing ongoing cases. Rain’s presence drew a few curious glances, but most were too engrossed in their work to notice her.
“Excuse me,” Rain said, her voice cutting through the room’s noise. “I’m looking for Prosecutor Karl Brown p>
A tall man with a stern expression looked up from his desk. “He’s not here right now. He’s in court,” he said, eyeing the file in Rain’s hand. “Can I help you with something p>
“I’m Rain Clayton,” she introduced herself once more, offering a polite smile. “I’m the new prosecutor assigned to the unit downstairs. I noticed that Prosecutor Karl swapped one of my cases with this one,” she held up the file, “without consulting me first p>
She saw no reason not to be straightforward with them to ensure that no one, like Prosecutor Karl, would swap her cases without consulting her first.
The man raised an eyebrow. “You must be the new hotshot everyone’s been talking about. I’m Prosecutor Han,” he said, extending his hand. Rain shook it politely.
He continued, “Prosecutor Karl tends to gravitate towards the high-profile cases, so he probably thought he was doing you a favor by giving you something more… manageable p>
Rain’s smile tightened. “I appreciate the thought, but I’d prefer to handle my own cases. I’m here to swap it back p>
The man chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, you’ve got guts, I’ll give you that. But Karl doesn’t take kindly to people messing with his cases. You sure you want to ruffle those feathers on your second day p>
Rain met his gaze steadily. “I’m sure. I didn’t come here to play it safe p>
He studied her for a moment, then nodded. “Alright, I respect that. You’ll find Karl in courtroom 3B. Good luck p>
“Thanks,” Rain replied, turning on her heel and heading out the door.
As Rain walked out, almost all eyes were on her.
“That’s a first, right?” one of the prosecutors commented. “Yes, it’s the first newbie who didn’t take kindly to someone messing with her cases,” Prosecutor Han replied.
The Obsidian Ordeal was a significant case, involving drug trafficking, human trafficking, homicides, cybercrime, RICO Act violations, and money laundering.
“She’s still new, so she’s practically in her ’trial by fire’ phase. Let’s see how long she lasts. I bet she won’t last more than a week. Have you placed your bet yet?” another prosecutor teased.
Han chuckled, “Did you know if Prosecutor Karl placed a bet p>
“Oh, he did. Surprisingly, he’s the only one who bet on the longest duration—five years, to be exact. Long enough for her to become a judge, perhaps?” the prosecutor mocked.
“Hmm, that’s interesting Han mused, rubbing his chin. His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of his mobile phone. He quickly excused himself to answer the call.
On the other end, a voice spoke urgently, “I want you to monitor the Obsidian Order case p>
Han whispered back, “Yes, Prosecutor Karl Brown took it, but the new prosecutor from the Organized Crime Unit, Rain Clayton, is planning to reclaim the case p>
There was a brief pause, then the voice continued, “Understood. Keep me updated p>