Simply Sonny: An SVU love story

Chapter 76: Homocide

Two detectives from Homicide, Manochi and Brinks come into the interrogation room I'm waiting in about 3 hours after I was first brought in. They start in hard from the beginning trying to get me to talk to them. We sit in that small, moldy smelling, boxed in room for hours together and I don't say a word to them the entire time. I don't even know how long it' has been since I was brought in before the door opens for the 15th or 20th time and a new face comes in. A man walks in, grey hair, set in brown eyes and his demeanor instantly gets my attention. My stomach drops, not sure who this could be. When he opens his mouth, his voice commands everyone else in the room to hold his gaze as well, "I'm Gary Crowder and this interview is over."

"Are you my attorney?" I ask him, wondering how the hell the state managed to get me this guy. He's clearly not a public defender provided to me at their cost.

Brinks mutters to his partner, "looks like someone has deep pockets."

"How.." I go to ask my new lawyer a question but he holds up his finger for me to wait as the detectives leave the room. When the door closes he looks to me and lowers his fingers, "how?" Is all I manage to say again, no real questions forming in my brain.

He gestures for me to sit back down, and I do as he comes over to take the seat across from me, "Addison, I was hired to defend you in your trial against the state by Jason Morales."

I shake my head, "but haven't you heard? Anyone who takes my case is risking their career. Why would you risk that?"

"I'm not afraid of Charles Morales. He may be the Governor but he doesn't frighten me." He says with a tight lip, "now, let's get you out of here. You've been in here for almost 17 hours, the detectives outside said you haven't said a word. I'm impressed." He opens a briefcase and moves some papers around.

I explain, "my fiance told me to wait for a lawyer. Did you see him at all? His name is--"

He interrupts me," Dominick Carisi, yes I know already. He is not out there but he is also not being held for questioning anymore. His alibi checked out."

I raise my eyebrows, finally, all the questions I was trying to form in my head come swirling through and I manage to get one out at a time, "how do you know that already?"

"I get paid very well for what I do, I'm very good. I know everything about your case." He pulls the papers out and closes his briefcase hard.

"Everything?" I ask, wondering why he put so much emphasis on that word. I start to wonder why Jason hired him. Did he talk to Lori? Did she confess something to him? Maybe Charles actually hired him and is telling him to lie and say Jason did. I know I need to get more answers before further trusting this man in front of me, "what did Jason tell you?"

"We don't have to get into the specifics here. Let's fill this out and we can talk as my driver drives us from here." He says, pushing a paper and pen towards me, "sign this accepting my services."

I pick up the pen but hesitate, "I- I don't know if I want to accept your services, I have so many questions."

"Addison, please. I am here to help you, to make sure you don't go to prison. Your fee is being taken care of, just sign the papers." I hold his stare for what feels like minutes, before exhaling slowly and signing my name on the document. Although I can't trust him fully, he is a lawyer and can get me out of this precinct so I can find Jason and ask him why he did this. Gary smirks, taking the paper from underneath by resting arm and puts it quickly back into his briefcase. He stands, causing me to follow suit and he looks to the two-way mirror, "if you aren't charging my client with anything, we will be going now."

The door opens and Brinks is standing there, an annoyed look on his face with Amanda right behind him, "don't go nowhere, we'll be in touch."

"She knows where to find me." I gesture with my head towards Rollins.

She gives me a sympathetic smirk and whispers, "Sonny left a few hours ago, he said he'd meet you at the courthouse."

"Thanks" I whisper back, keeping my head down as I walk out of my fiance's precinct, feeling everyone's eyes on me.

When we get to the street, a black unmarked car pulls up and Gary walks directly to it. The driver comes around to open the door for us and Gary asks, "ready to go?"

"Oh, uhh" I hesitate, still not sure I should trust him, "you know, I'll just take a cab. Thanks again for getting me out of there. Do you have a card or something so I can call you later?" I ask, wanting to go see Sonny right away.

Gary frowns, his overly tanned skin showing more wrinkles in the sun then it did inside, "Addison, we have to go to the courthouse. You missed your appearance this morning."

"Oh! Oh my God!" I shake my head, fear and worry pushing itself through my body and forcing any doubt I have about this lawyer away for the time being, "what's going to happen to me? Will I be arrested?" My voice is high pitched and I'm basically screaming at him with panic.

I walk past him and into the car as he answers "surprisingly, your fiance lawyer managed to get another continuance, I told them you'd be there at 4." He looks down to his watch and says, "and it's now 3:38. We need to move."

He hops inside and the driver quickly shuts the door behind him and gets in to drive off. As we start going, I try to ask as many questions as possible, "so, you're going to represent me for this case too?"

"Yes, I will represent you here on out for any charges." He nods, looking down at his phone.

I ask, "and Jason called you? Did he say why?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself. He'll be at the courthouse." He replies, showing me the text he was reading.

The message is from Jason and reads, "I'm waiting here with Sonny. If you're even a minute late the judge said she'll remand her for the remainder of the trial." I look up to him and he shakes his head and calms me, "we'll be there on time, don't worry." I stare out the window, trying to figure out what my stomach is doing. I've never felt this sort of nervousness before, not even when my rapist pushed himself inside of me, or even when he put a gun to my head. My future is in the hands of this lawyer I don't know, and a jury of 12 who have to decide if there is enough evidence to convict me of a crime I did not do. "Ready?" Gary's low voice grabs me from my trance and I nod, even though I'm not.