Sold #2 - A Desperate Love

Chapter 23

By the time Trisha and Antony arrived at the offices of Mitchell Wilson's law firm and had aptly prepared him for their visit, asking that both 'Tiffany' and Murdoch were also present, Trisha had taken the time to share all the information she had received back that day, with her partner and the once tense atmosphere between them had dissipated into an excited exhilaration. Both were dying to phone Michiaki and tell him how close they were to nailing Murdoch Cameron once and for all and perhaps even putting an end to what looked to be a decade long crime spree committed by himself and his newly discovered accomplice Becky Miller. Technically Murdoch was going to get off on the charges of statutory rape and imprisonment of a minor, but then they hadn't been getting anywhere with those charges anyhow, and it certainly explained why Becky hadn't been willing to go through a physical exam or have any kind of social worker. But at least they could get a sample of her DNA and compare it to unknown samples found at the scene of other suspected Murdoch crimes, which hadn't been able to be brought to court until they had identified the unknown sample and proven that it couldn't have been the real perpetrator and that Murdoch was an innocent bystander. He certainly hadn't a leg to stand on in that defence if the test came back as showing Becky's DNA, just having her in court with him all that time proved that they had a connection and he couldn't land her with the sole responsibility of those crimes because Trisha would make sure to do the whole 'he got you in trouble and now he's leaving you high and dry' routine, just as she would if she had to mention the fact that he was still cheating on her with his other 'wives'.

Antony wasn't happy about being kept waiting as the receptionist watched them nervously, continually whispering into her earpiece as though someone wanted a minute by minute update on how desperate they were to get to their meeting. But he was a professional and he could wait all day to arrest Murdoch Cameron and his little play toy of an accomplice. He couldn't leave the country as he was currently on trial and Michiaki had made sure to alert all airports and train stations, all bus depots and car rental companies to his description in case he tried to make a run for it. It was a good hour after they had arranged to meet that Mitchell finally came sauntering out into the reception area with a tall blonde hanging off his arm in a skimpy little dress which did little to contain her oversized, and what Trisha guessed fake, breasts. It seemed obvious what they had been up to as Mitchell let her walk away without even glancing back at him, more preoccupied with tucking in his shirt than objection to her indifference towards him and neither she nor Antony had any doubts over how Cameron had been paying his lawyer, the woman looking strangely like one of his twenty one year old 'wives'. "You finished mucking about Mitch, or shall we leave you for another couple of minutes to pull yourself together?" Antony asked in a low growl as he got to his feet in disapproval of the reason they had been kept waiting, in the mood to knock some sense into his colleague with the added tension of not only being kept waiting for so long but with also having called the number Tai had given him for Arena's new apartment, only to be forced to leave two messages asking her to call him back without having had any answer in the past two days. He was nervous enough as it was about seeing her again after so long, and after such a difficult break up without having to wonder if she had got his messages and had simply changed her mind and didn't want to see him after all.

"Come on through." Mitchell sighed, interrupting Antony's disheartening thought as he led the way to his office where both Murdoch and Becky sat in front of his desk, holding hands. He seemed more smug than usual and it wasn't something that inspired much confidence in either of his opposing lawyers. "I think I know why you're here." He continued, gesturing for them to take the two spare seats that had been brought for them, only to frown when Trisha stood her ground and refused to sit. He felt it was intolerably impolite of her to refuse his kind gesture, especially when they had interrupted his 'meeting' with their incessant whispers and time-keeping that the receptionist had continued to buzz through on Cameron's demand.