Warm On a Cold Night ★ JENLISA

Chapter 6

The weekend flies by once Lisa leaves the loft. Jennie sleeps off the after effects of a night wrapped around another body and feels refreshed and ready to attack life on Sunday. The office is dead when she arrives to assess the damage that had been done in her horrible mood the week prior.

By Monday she's buzzing with a certain excitement. After her two appearances and a quick client meeting, she sneaks back into Lisa's trial. Cross-examination is happening and the witness is being slightly hostile, which gives Jennie an odd thrill. Lisa sits with her back straight in the chair next to Liam. The lights gleaming off his bald head as he watches and scribbles notes and leans over to talk to her.

Jennie wants to know what she's wearing today. Wants to hear her voice and watch her pick apart fact from fiction.

Lisa objects a few times to the line of questioning- it's nothing major, and she's being kind of picky, but Jennie can't be the one to call her out on that.

Not after all of her objections any time they face each other.

Ron can't seem to remember his train of thought after the last objection and Jennie watches how Lisa's shoulders rise even more in her seat when he scrambles a bit. He does pull out a question, but it's certainly not what he was aiming for.

He rests after the answer and turns the floor back to Lisa.

Lisa who stands and denies re-direct.

Huh, odd.

She's never denied a re-direct with Jennie. The fact just makes Jennie roll her eyes, understanding even more of Lisa's strategy when it comes to their tete-a-tetes in court.

Ron stands and calls the next witness and Jennie sighs, not in the mood to sit through a round of questioning with his voice and his annoying attitude. She tells herself she's going to leave, but he only asks a few questions before Lisa stands to continue, moving around the table with grace and quietly holding the floor.

There has been a full minute of silence for this transition and everyone is leaning forward. The witness looks on edge.

It's masterful.

Her voice is so quiet Jennie strains to hear the question. But Lisa's familiar vowels find her ears and she sounds so hard even at the soft volume. It's kind of astounding how she is in attack mode in every sense of the word but physically.

Cool composure radiates off of her, fills the room.

And Jennie cannot peel her eyes away.

Lisa makes it through her questions with precision as if she can predict which will make the witness hem and haw and which will garner a direct answer. Ron scribbles away on his pad at the defense table, turns around to talk to the attorneys seated behind him for advice. His eyes steely and focused, fully invested in the fight.

Jennie shifts her gaze to Lisa again, who looks comfortable and at ease even in the middle of it all.

If she was a betting woman, she'd know where to place her chip.

Xx

There is a certain skill Lisa possesses.

Elegant and quiet. But beautiful in its simplicity. Her ability to draw all attention to herself, to what she wants you to see or hear. The perfectly timed flick of her hand. Quirk of a brow. Tilt of her head. Turn between the jury and the witness.

Even when the case is no longer hers to drive. When she is not the one presenting evidence but merely reacting to what the defense is throwing her way, is giving to the jury.