Shirtsleeves

Chapt. 3

Two weeks later..

The lawyer stands from the defense table, looking pointedly at her client who just made the biggest decision of his life, without their consent.

She shoves her files into her brief case. Charles stands next to her, packing his stuff away and in small glances Taylor can see he's just as pissed off as she is.

"What are we going to do?" Taylor asks as everyone dismisses from the court room early for the rest of the day. Now she literally has an entire day off to herself and she feels like she'll only be spending it on this case.

"I don't know," Charles mumbles as he finishes up putting his things away. He looks at their client and then looks back at Taylor, "You can deal with him. I don't even want to look at him right now." He says with an annoyance in his voice as he looks back at their client before shaking his head and practically storming out of the court room.

Finally everyone empties out of the court room, and Taylor asks the guards if they too can step out so she can have a moment with her client. They oblige, and offer to stand outside, making sure no press gets in.

Once their gone from the court room, Taylor feels a little unsteady. She's knowingly in the same room as a man who is capable of a lot, and she's about to scold him for his actions.

"I actually can't believe you." Taylor begins, shaking her head and her voice is confident but her body feels nervous. She watches him stand from the court chair and begin to make his way to her.

"Why? Because I made a decision for myself for this first time in this bullshit case?" Ian, her client states.

Taylor rolls her eyes. When she first read his file she knew he was some kind of trouble. The stubborn kind that didn't like anyone else's way, only his own. And when he didn't get it, he was known to lash out. So her calling him out right now, she fears could end badly.

Despite being in a court room or not.

"You're not going to want to hear this, but I could care less right now. You've fucked up this entire case." Taylor begins, her voice slightly raising out of prolonged irritation as she finally starts to say what's on her mind. "All you had to do, was sit here and shut the fuck up. You shouldn't have posted bail, you should've sat there and built time served. And yes, I'm now saying that there's an option more than ever that you will go to jail. I tried helping you, Ian. And you've done nothing but go against us. Your decision, against our recommendation to take the stand, can easily land your ass in jail."

Taylor is pissed. This case could've been over a while ago if her client hadn't given the prosecution more and more to present. Two weeks ago, the defense got to start their side. And when Ian was offered to take the stand, he said yes. Even though Taylor and Charles strictly told him to decline. Now he was putting himself somewhere that Taylor nor Charles could help him.

He's on his own.

"You've got quite the mouth on you, don't you?" Ian asks questionably as he noticeably gets closer to where Taylor is standing.

"No, I'm over your case. I want to go home, I want to be back in New York." Taylor says, her mouth suddenly becoming dry with every step he gets closer.

"So go. I don't care, it's your paycheck." He says stopping in his tracks and just shrugging.

Taylor nods, "And we both know what you're paying me. I'm not leaving. But you're screwed on that stand and I don't want to hear any nonsense when it comes to you digging yourself further." She concludes as she adjusts her pantsuit and grabs her brief case, ready to go.