All These Things I've Done (Birthright #1)(35)

Here were the main points:

I had given Gable Arsley not one, but two bars of poisoned chocolate.
I had committed a prior act of violence against him (the lasagne incident).
I had been heard making threats against him.
I had a motive (I was a woman angry for being either dumped or assaulted, depending on whose story you believed).
I had asked my brother to destroy evidence.
‘Where did they get that last part?’ I asked.

‘When the cops arrived at your apartment, Leo was moving the chocolate out of your grandmother’s closet. Your brother never admitted anything but his behaviour seemed suspicious. Of course, they confiscated the whole lot.’

‘The only reason I asked him to move the chocolate was because I didn’t want Nana to get in trouble for possession!’ I said.

‘She won’t,’ Simon Green promised. ‘They’re pinning the possession charge on you as well. But don’t worry about that. No one goes to jail or juvenile hall for possession of chocolate.

‘Anya, something about this smells off to me. And despite my poor performance in court on Thursday, I will get to the bottom of it,’ Simon Green assured me. ‘You will be exonerated and back at home with Galina, Natty and Leo.’

‘How did you come to work for Mr Kipling?’ I asked.

‘I owe him my life, Anya,’ Simon Green said. ‘I would tell you the story but I wouldn’t want to betray Mr Kipling’s confidence.’

I could respect that. I took a moment to consider Simon Green. He had very long legs and arms and in his suit he looked almost like a daddy-long-legs. His skin was very pale, as if he spent his days not just indoors, but underground. His eyes were more green than blue, and they seemed thoughtful. No, intelligent. I allowed myself to feel ever so slightly encouraged that this person was on my side.

‘How old are you anyway?’ I asked.

‘Twenty-seven,’ he said. ‘But I graduated top of my class at law school and I’m a quick learner. However, Mr Kipling’s business is complex, to say the least, and I apologize for not knowing more about your situation. I only became his associate last spring.’

‘Yes, I think he may have mentioned that he was taking someone on,’ I said.

‘Mr Kipling is very protective of you, and he was planning to introduce us after I had worked for him a year. We’d both hoped that I might replace him some day, but neither of us had any inkling it would happen so soon.’

‘Poor Mr Kipling.’

Simon Green looked down at his hands. ‘Though I don’t wish to make excuses for myself, I think some of my incompetence in court can be attributed to my shock at the sudden turn in Mr Kipling’s health. I do apologize again. How are they treating you?’

I told him I’d rather not discuss it.

‘I want you to know that my first priority is getting you out of here.’ Simon Green shook his head. ‘If I’d done a better job, they never would have sent you here to begin with.’

‘Thank you, Mr Green,’ I said.

‘Please. Call me Simon.’ I still preferred Mr Green.

We shook hands. His grip was neither too strong nor too weak, and his palms were dry. Not to mention, the man knew how to apologize properly. ‘You have visitors besides me. I should let you get to them,’ Simon Green said.

My other visitors that afternoon were Scarlet and Leo, but I almost wished that neither had come. Having visitors was exhausting. They both wanted to be reassured that I was fine, and I wasn’t up to the task. Scarlet told me that Natty had wanted to come, but Scarlet had discouraged her. ‘Win, too,’ she added. Her instincts had been right on both counts. ‘Your picture’s all over the news,’ she informed me.

‘I heard,’ I replied.

‘You’re famous,’ she said.

‘Infamous more like.’

‘Poor darling.’ Scarlet leaned in to kiss me on the cheek, and a guard yelled, ‘No kissing!’

Scarlet giggled. ‘Maybe they think I’m your girlfriend. Your lawyer’s kind of cute, by the way,’ she said. She had apparently met him in the waiting area.

‘You think everyone’s cute,’ I said. I didn’t care that my lawyer was cute; I only cared that he would be effective.

After my visitors had left, Mrs Cobrawick approached me. She was much more dressed up than she had been yesterday. She was wearing a tight beige dress and pearls and make-up and her hair was pulled into a style I think is called a French twist. ‘As a rule, the girls are only allowed two visitors, but I made a special exception for you,’ Mrs Cobrawick said.

I told her that I hadn’t known that and I assured her it wouldn’t happen again.

‘No need, Anya. A simple thank-you would suffice,’ Mrs Cobrawick replied.

‘Thank you,’ I said. However, I was not in the least comfortable with being indebted to this woman in any way.

‘I saw your brother here earlier. I had heard he was simple but he seemed perfectly normal to me,’ Mrs Cobrawick commented.

I didn’t wish to discuss Leo with this woman. ‘He does well,’ I said.

‘I can see this subject makes you uncomfortable, but I am your friend and you should feel at liberty to discuss this or any other matter with me. How did you find orientation?’

Was orientation her word for what had happened to me on Thursday? ‘I found it pretty medieval,’ I said.