The Silver Lining

TWELVE

Place: Stanley Street of Whitefield, Manchester

Time: 02.15 Hours GMT

The room was dead silent and the only sound that briefly echoed through the walls was of the cars on the nearby road.

Sunrays peeped through the blinds of the only window and decorated a wooden table that was neatly settled in the middle of that cozy room...the only cheering character of that room which seemed as if one of the interrogation rooms that are used to 'treat' the high-profile white collar criminals.

Lisa was the center of the interrogation and Oscar circled around her chair like a ring master of a circus does to frighten the caged lion. Maya chose to observe and put some sense into the recent events that had disturbed so many lives.

"So... We have established that you are a holder of degree in law. But.." Oscar's words had a rhythm in his voice, a pace almost of psyche analysts, "What is your specific association with Johnathan Spade?"

"I told you already..." Lisa sighed heavily as if she was on the verge of passing out. "He is my boss. I work as an attorney with Spade &Wright Law Firm."

"What was your association with Mr. Zacco?" Oscar settled on a chair nearby.

"I do not understand where this is going... But... It was strictly professional.... I was assigned to handle the pro bono of a client named Mr. Zacco on my first day with the Firm..", Lisa whispered the last bit to hide her pride as she had considered this as one of her career highlights... even though her career was just started!

Flashes of memories of her meeting her first ever client in the jail and the news of him passing away due to an accident put her in a traumatizing trance for a good five minutes.

"On your first day, huh?" Oscar sarcastically laughed while putting forth his question. "And, you managed to get him killed without even giving him chance of a fair trial! Quite an achievement for a contract killer with a law degree, don't you think?"

"Oh...How dare you! If I could, I would have given my life to save him..." Lisa spoke between her gritted teeth while controlling the tears at bay.

Maya rolled her eyes while making weird hand-gestures to hint Oscar to go slow and easy.

Oscar ignored, of course.

"Are you sure, Lisa? Because, I am having a hard time believing that..." Oscar continued with his sarcastic voice, "Especially after finding out that you personally arranged his transport from the prison to the courtroom."

"That is not true...!" Lisa's voice hiked a little while answering to the seemingly irrelevant question, "The vehicle was arranged by my Law Firm. Also, I received a confirmation from the firm about the specifics of the vehicle. We have to submit that to the Court. You can see, the vehicle is different than the vehicle which was notified by my Law firm."

Oscar shared a knowing glance with Maya.

"Okay. What do you know about relationship between Mr. Zacco and your Boss?" Oscar was back with his questionnaire.

"You are just going round n' round here! " Lisa was furious. "I already told you that Case of Mr. Zacco was one of the pro bono that court had assigned to the Law Firm. My Boss had tagged along while my visit to Mr. Zacco while he was in jail."

"I need the briefings...every single note that you wrote about the meeting, about the case, about Zacco." Oscar rambled on for like a couple of minutes about his requirements while Lisa just stared blankly out the window. "Are you listening?"