Alpha Incorporated

IV - xi IS IT HER FAULT OR MINE?

Amelia Crowley enters the room behind Jake Slausen. She may not be dressed for the courtroom, but wearing slimming black pants and a white blouse, she emits an air of professionalism and seriousness. There is a this-chick-means-business feel about her, yet Isabella isn't intimidated by her presence. She trusts her already, and can imagine this woman representing her, if it ever came to that.

"Hello Isabella. Jake filled me in on your very interesting situation. I would like to have a word with you, if I could," she looks at Fryer, "in private, if that is OK."

Fryer doesn't seem surprised by the request. He stands and makes his way to the door, which Jake holds open for him. "I'll be in the waiting room, Isabella."

She smiles when she hears him say her name. He smiles back and the door closes. She is alone with Amelia.

"Wow, you have been through a lot lately. How are you making out?" Amelia's concern seems genuine.

"Fine, really. William has been so good to me, arranging this meeting, and everything."

"Yes, he seems to have a sweet spot for you. How much do you know about him?"

Isabella is taken back by the question, and immediately feels as though she needs to defend him. She thinks for a moment about how she will answer, suspecting that Amelia has information about him that, probably, she should know.

"Not much, actually. Why?"

"Oh, it is just that he is doing a lot for you. I didn't know if you found that unusual."

"He tells me it is so he can have dinner with me, but you are right, there has to be more to it than that." Isabella really wants Amelia to come clean here and tell her everything.

"Listen, I haven't known William Fryer for all that long, but he is a friend of my husband, and that says a lot. From what I know of him, I would consider yourself fortunate to have him on your side."

"I do feel fortunate."

Amelia sits across the table from Isabella and places her hands on the wood surface. "Isabella, I wanted to talk to you in private in case there might be something that you would want to say to me that you might not feel comfortable saying in front of William. He is, after all, still an employee of the company that you might be suing one day. Plus, sometimes it is easier having a woman to woman conversation."

"I see." But Isabella doesn't see. She doesn't have anything she wouldn't say in front of William.

"I mean, perhaps there are parts of the story that you don't want William to know about, things that happened between you and Angelo that might have contributed to the attempted assault. Please be honest with me, Isabella."

Isabella is shocked. How dare this woman insinuate that Isabella might have brought this on herself? She certainly didn't do anything to lead Angelo on, and if she did, she did not do it intentionally. Perhaps their original email conversation is still available. That would provide evidence that she wasn't flirting with him, that he was the one preying on her. Or would it? She thinks, for a moment, about how that conversation might be interpreted if looked at from the outside. Now, she is beginning to doubt herself.

"Ah, Ms. Crowley, you have to believe me, I did nothing to provoke his advances. I—I can't believe that you would accuse me of leading him on."

Amelia smiles and places her hand on Isabella's. "It is upsetting, I know. But if you were to go through with a criminal trial, I can tell you that questions like that would be nothing compared with what they will do to you. Angelo Lord's defence would set out to destroy you, Isabella. That is the way it works: they will do everything they can to discredit you, to turn you into a tramp, to have you question your own integrity. All they need to do is raise the possibility of doubt, and Angelo will get an acquittal."