“You did well, I admit, but sometimes that’s not enough. I’ve seen some horrible things in my line of work. I’ve prosecuted men who’ve been warned off their wives, or girlfriends, just to have them go back and really hurt, or kill them.” He swallowed hard and took another drink from his glass.
She watched him carefully. Something else was bothering him. “I confessed. It’s your turn.”
He stared at her for a moment. Then to her surprise, nodded. “I guess it’s better to hear from me than public knowledge, which is usually riddled with gossip. It’s morbid Tammy. I know you’ve heard some horrific things too, but I think this is about as bad as it gets.”
“I can handle it.” She’d seen some pretty horrible things come through the emergency room doors. Things she would never talk about. Things that happened to small children and the vulnerable.
“I know you can or I wouldn’t tell you,” he said honestly. He took another drink from his glass before he continued. “I prosecuted a man for raping and murdering women in his neighborhood. He was a sick bastard, but for some stupid reason the judge let him out on bail before the trial. He looked innocent I suppose and had a good lawyer. He was a family man, ties to the community—shit like that. He owned a dry cleaning business. His lawyer argued that he needed to provide for his family during the trial, so he let him go with a quarter of a million in bail.”
“What happened?”
“I was the lead ADA, but I had a good friend who also worked out of the office with me. He was my co-chair. We were close actually, probably about as close as Colt, Jacob and I. He had a family with two kids; a boy and a girl.”
Her hand covered her mouth seeing where this was heading. She never said another word and he continued with his story after a brief pause so she could collect herself.
“Security is tight in this building. He couldn’t get to me. Riley lived with his family in a modest brownstone. The bastard picked the lock, broke in, murdered Riley, his son, and raped and killed his wife.”
“Oh God, Lance I’m so sorry.” She wanted to hold him, but she could see he wasn’t done yet. The pain in his eyes was undeniable. She knew this was a very rare glimpse into Lance’s soul.
“The girl managed to get away, but she’s got some issues over seeing her family murdered. She’s got a good therapist though. She’s about twelve now and is living with her aunt in Newark. I usually visit her when I come here.”
“Did they catch him?”
He nodded. “I stayed on as the prosecutor despite the DA trying to get me to recuse myself. He was concerned about my mental well-being. However, I wanted to make sure they threw the book at him. We only had circumstantial evidence, but my passionate closing arguments are what sealed it. At least that’s what the Jury said when we polled them after. He got life in prison without the possibility of parole. I wouldn’t let Riley’s daughter take the stand. She was barely six and had enough trauma.”
“That’s why you came home.”
“It is.”
“That’s really horrific Lance.”
He nodded. “It was. Time makes things easier. Seeing how Alexis has been coping has been my therapy. She’s doing well. She’s smart and does well in school.”
“She sounds wonderful.”
“She’s beautiful like her mother. Riley’s wife Leanne, was a wonderful woman.”
She squeezed his hand. “Something like that really scars someone.”
“That goes both ways Tammy.” He tilted his head acknowledging her intimacy problem.
“It does, but like you, I’ve think I’ve found my therapy.”
He chuckled, wrapped his fingers through hers and pulled her off her stool toward him between his thighs. “Is that right?”
She nodded letting her eyes drop to his mouth.
He undid the belt of the robe and pulled the ends apart, moving his hands around the bare skin of her waist and over her back. “Your skin is incredibly soft, like warm velvet.”
Well, since they were confessing. “I like the feel of your hands on me.”
The corner of his mouth pulled up in a sexy lopsided smile. “Is that right?”
She nodded.
“Well, I can certainly oblige you.” He pulled her against him and kissed her.
***
