Back To The Beginning (Andy Barber)

8 - Two Years Later

"You seen the news?" Joanna asks as she walks into the office and puts her bag onto her desk. 

"Who hasn't". I sigh as I look up at her from my desk. "Poor kid, who the hell does that to a teenager?" 

Just yesterday morning the news broke of a body in the park in Newton. No doubt Mom's phone has been ringing off the hook with journalists wanting the scoop on what happened, have any arrests been made yet and so on. 

It's a media circus. 

The two years that I've been with Joanna have been good ones. I've learnt a hell of a lot and won my cases in the courtroom. I simply mixed her tactics with Andy's and came up with a good balance.
Mom's pleased with my progress and always has said that there's a place for me waiting if I did decide to want to come back and work with her. 

Who knows, perhaps I'll wipe the floor with Neal and be better. 

I get up and turn on the TV that's mounted onto the wall and we both watch with solemn expression. The identity of the boy has been confirmed as Ben Rifkin, fifteen years old and a student at Archer. 

He's the same age as Andy's son would probably be...

"Makes you wonder what goes through people's minds". Joanna sighs and settles herself at her desk, opening her laptop. 

I stand and watch as the face of the Rifkin boy is brought up on screen. Footage of family, friends and anyone leaving flowers and candles at the murder site. Hands on hips, I really do hope there is justice for this boy and his family. From what is being reported, it sounds unprovoked, a murder in cold blood. 

Eventually I turn away and sit back down, continuing to work my way through some emails I've received. 

My mind wanders to Andy for the first time in a while. This is high profile, one of the highest, and it hits close to home too. No doubt he's probably working my ass off for my Mom, making enquires, taking calls, everything that will help build a case against whoever did this. Hopefully they find he or she. You can't rule any party out at this stage. Even the parents unless there's a concrete alibi. 

My goodness they must be going through hell. I can't even begin to imagine. 

I wonder what I'd be doing now if I'd have stayed on at the office. Would I have worked with Andy again? Would I have got over what we had more easily if I saw his face everyday. It's been easier since leaving, don't get me wrong, but it still hasn't stopped me from wondering what he's doing and whether he still thinks of me. 

"Savannah?" 

Joanna is now looking at me quizzically. 

"Huh? Sorry, was just thinking"

"I asked if you'd heard from your Mom about what's happened?" 

I shake my head. "She's probably tearing her hair out - the media are going to be calling, it's gonna be all hands on deck from now if I know her. I did text her last night but she didn't get back to me, so I'm assuming that she was working late". 

"Well hopefully you'll get to speak to her soon. It's gonna be a hell of a case for anyone who takes it". 

"I'm sure that Andy and Neal are the two most trusted. They're her assistants after all. I know how they both work and as much as I hate Neal - he's pretty good at what he does". 

Joanna smirks. "I've seen him too, but you're better". 

I snort at this. "I'm inexperienced in his eyes". 

"Were" She corrects me. "You've learnt a hell of a lot since you first started here".

I smile and turn back to my laptop. "and if I don't reply to these emails then my rep isn't going be living up to what's been said about it". 

**

A few days later I'm sat at the dining table, looking over some case notes that I've brought home when I see my Mom's name flash up on my phone. I've been trying to get a hold of her, but this is normal for her to call back within a few days of me leaving a voicemail. 

"Hey Mom, how's everything going?" I ask softly. 

"Savannah". She sounds tired but direct, and I suddenly realise that she's not called me for a mother/daughter catch up. She's calling on business. "I've spoken to Joanna this evening, and I need you to come back and stand in as an ADA for me". 

I shut the lid of my laptop so she now has my full attention. 

"Wait? What? I can't just drop everything - I have work to do here". Not professional at all in any sense. 

"You're gonna have to". 

She's not playing around. She's serious. 

"Why?" I now ask. This doesn't add up. Joanna's letting her take me back to 'stand in' as her assistant and yet she's not even told me the reason for it. She sounds desperate in some respects though. 

Mom is silent. "I've had to take Andy off the Rifkin case...police arrested Jacob Barber last night..."  The phone almost slips out of my hands as she tells me what's happened. "Sav, I need you to come and take over from him. I need you on this case working with Neal, it's big. I need all the hands I can get..." 

"Mom..." I stammer as I realise just how much this will entail, and how complicated it could potentially make everything. 

She wants me on the prosecution team. She wants me to help get justice for Ben Rifkin. 

And without knowing it, she wants me to go against the man that I still love...