Fraudulent Death, Draft 01, CH 30 (Patreon)

The meeting room was a large room with a glass wall looking onto another meeting room on the other side of the hall, and a wall of windows looking out over the city; if a taller building didn’t block the view.

“Thank you for coming,” the armadillo said, entering the room. “As I said in my message, the prosecutor’s office is finally ready to proceed after all these delays and Flattooth wants to meet. We have to make sure we are on the same page in regard to how to handle any offer she makes before she arrives in—” he consulted his pad “—thirty minutes.”

Trembor nodded. “That should be enough time.” He motioned to the room as he sat at the table where his entire family could sit and have vacant seats left. “Is there a camera system?”

“No. Judicial laws prohibit third part recording of meetings between me and a client. I record it on my pad.” The armadillo placed the pad on the table as he sat next to him, then took out folders from a briefcase.

More papers, Trembor thought in amusement. It died as he eyed the pad. “Can you turn off the recorder?”

“It’s not on yet.”

“Can you show me?”

His lawyer paused in the arranging of the folders before him and studied Trembor. Barany handled the pad, then turned it so he could see the program wasn’t recording.

“We need to talk about something before she arrives,” Trembor said.

The armadillo put it back on the table but didn’t go back to his files. He turned in his chair to angle himself toward Trembor. “I get the sense this is something I should have known about before now.”

Trembor shrugged. “Things have changed.”

Barany didn’t look pleased, but motioned for Trembor to continue.

“So you know how I interfered in an investigation, and how.”

“You falsified evidence to exonerate your brother, who was then freed when the actual killed came forward to claim the death.”

“Do you know who I framed?”

The armadillo shook his head. “As far as I know, that party never came forward to sue you.”

“That’s because they were more than happy to deal with it themselves.”

Barany’s lips became a tight line. “Will them attempting to eat you interfere with the case?” It amused Trembor his lawyer wasn’t even bothered by the idea someone wanted to eat him. How many cases were terminated because one party decided to eat the other?

“They’re not trying to eat me. They’re trying to destroy my family.”

Barany startled. “That seems excessive. Maybe you should start at the beginning.” He looked at the pad. “But keep it brief.”

“My brother, Bo, is in debt with a group of criminals running a gambling house. When he was arrested for the death of a cub, I framed them. Seems some enforcers acted on that information and ate a few subordinates before they found out it was false information. The organization took umbrage at what I did and, as a way to balance the scale, they tried to convince me to work for them. I turned them down flat, but they took it as me ‘needing to think about it.’ They reminded me a few times of their offer and I reached the point where I considered getting myself eaten as a way of ending it; but they realized what I was doing, and now, as a way of keeping me in control, they have been eating the people working with my siblings, making their own work harder and endangering their productivity rating.”

“I see. I have to point out that getting yourself eaten would have interfered with your case. I don’t recommend—”

“You’re missing the point, Barany,” Trembor stated.

“No,” the lawyer replied. “I perfectly understand what you intended to do. I just don’t understand why a predator like you is willing to simply lie on his back and turn prey. Your father was vicious in court, he took on anyone trying to bring down his clients, in and out of the courts. I can’t tell you the number of times someone tried to eat him.”

“I can,” Trembor replied. “He had the scars and the stories. But I’m not him.”

“You’re still a predator. Explain to me why you’d just give up.”

“Because I’m just one male and they’re a larger organization than I thought, who have claws inside the enforcers. Yes, I’m pretty sure of that at this point. I thought that removing myself completely would force them to leave me and my family alone, but they’ve demonstrated they don’t intend to ever stop. So I am going to stop them. No matter the cost.”

The armadillo sighed. “And how do you intend to do that?” he demanded.

“By turning myself over to the prosecutor’s office and becoming their informant.”

“No, absolutely not!”

“It’s the only way to stop that group. I act like I go along with them, record every meeting until we have enough actual evidence to destroy them completely.”

“You have no idea what you’re suggesting. Flatthooth is ruthless. She’ll have no problem putting you in a situation that could get you killed just for the chance of getting some extra piece of evidence.”

“If my death takes them down, I’m good with that.”

The armadillo glared at Trembor, but before he replied there was a knock at the door and a komodo dragon looked at them through the glass. He opened the door when the armadillo turned the glare on him.

“What?” Barany demanded.

“I’m here for the meeting,” the dragon replied smoothly. He wore an expensive suit in a darker gray than his scaly hide.

“You have the wrong room,” Barany snapped.

“This is the City versus Goldenmane meeting, correct?” he seemed unaffected by the armadillo’s anger, closing the door.

“Yes, but until Prosecutor Flattooth arrives, you can stay outside.”

“Ah, I take it you weren’t informed.” He pulled a chair opposite Trembor and Barany. “She won’t be coming. She’s having a—” he smiled at Trembor “—family emergency. Has been for a while, actually. She was hoping to have it resolved quickly enough to be able to continue herself, but you know how those can go, don’t you? They just seem to get worse and worse at times. I’m Sathers Hardskin. It was decided I’d take over the case.”

Trembor glared, hands into fists, feeling his claws pricking his palm.

“Then you can come back in once the meeting officially starts,” Barany said. “I still need to speak with my client.”

The komodo dragon paused in the process of sitting, reached across the table to turn the armadillo’s pad, and look at it. He waited ten seconds. “It’s starting now.” Then sat.

Trembor glanced at the time, time had passed faster than he’d thought. He went back to staring at the smiling lizard.

With a sigh, Barany turned the pad back to him and turned the recording program on. “Is there any chance you’ll give me and my client another ten minutes of privacy?”

“I don’t see why you need it.”

“To discuss private matters,” Barany said flatly.

“I can come back, if you insist, but I’d think you’d want to get this resolved right here, and right now. Prosecutor Flattooth’s extreme reaction to your case never represented the opinion of those in charge. She used her position to come at you as if you were prey. Overcompensating for being one herself, if you ask me. But seeing how, ultimately, the case against your client is based entirely on the words of a criminal with a history of being arrested by your client, and who has managed to get herself eaten while incarcerated, we—”

“Jasber is dead?” Trembor asked, surprised.

The komodo dragon quickly read through his pad. “Yes, the criminal’s name was Jasber Braid. Good memory.” He smiled at Trembor. “Or do you remember her name due to a more recent meeting?”

“Don’t answer that,” Barany said as Trembor opened his mouth.

He closed it. What did it matter now? He thought dejectedly. This prosecutor was clearly under the criminal’s claws. Not that he seemed to mind by the jovial expression as he explained how Trembor could walk away free if he play his part.

Even Barany seemed suspicious, even though this was the outcome he was hoping to get in court. This would save time and money.

“So, the partners, after weighing the pros and cons of this lawsuit, have decided that so long as your client is willing to sign the document stating he had no contact with the criminal known as Jasber Braid in the last six months, the case will be dropped, he will be reinstated as an RI for the city, his territory will be returned to him without penalties.” He read something. “I understand your partner is having difficulties meeting the rent on the office by himself.”

“Is that a threat?” Trembor growled.

“Simply a statement of the facts,” the dragon replied, seeming surprised, but grinning. “I’m certain he will be overjoyed to have you back at his side.”

Trembor wanted to rip the male’s throat out. He wanted to paint the wall with his blood, to eat his heart. When Barany placed a hand on his arm to calm him, Trembor considered eating him too, but he calmed himself at the cautious expression on his lawyer’s face. At least he wasn’t overjoyed at being handed exactly what he wanted.

“Have your office write the documents stating everything you want my clients to agree to in exchange for the case to be dropped,” Barany said. “I will go over it, and once I’ve decided there are no hidden clauses tricking my client into taking full responsibility for the crime, I will discuss it with him.”

“We would never try to trick your client,” the komodo dragon said, offended. “Mister Goldenmane is a valued member of society. His work as a Registered Investigator is without reproach. Even his history with the enforcers is impeccable. I, personally, am hoping he can get past this bad scent and move on so that if we ever need to call on him in the future, he will have no issues working with us.”

“As I said, once I’ve read over the document, I will discuss it with my client. I’ll contact you to set up a meeting.”

The dragon smiled and stood. “I’ll get on that immediately.” He looked at Trembor. “I look forward to the chance of working with you in the future.”

Once the male was out of the room, Barany let out a soft curse. “Don’t tell your father I said this, but you might very well be fucked.”