Presumption of Innocence: David Brunelle Legal Thriller #1 by Stephen Penner Read Free Book Online Page B

But I just want you to know there's a reason I'm asking and please don't shout out the question back to me in this crowded, already suspicious of me coffee house."
    Kat listened intently, then laughed again. Brunelle really liked how her mouth looked when she laughed. "Okay, David. Wow. I promise. Now you've got me curious. What piece of information do you want to know from my examination of a dead thirteen year old girl's body?"
    Brunelle took a bracing sip of his coffee. "Was she a virgin?"
    Kat pursed her lips and took another long drag from her coffee. "Please tell me you're not a pervert."
    Before Brunelle could respond, Kat added, "Well, at least not that kind of pervert."
    Brunelle was pretty sure he blushed, although he wasn't exactly sure whether it was because of what he had asked or what she had suggested. "No, not that kind of pervert."
    He explained what Holly had said about Karpati needing a virgin for a victim.
    "Are you fucking kidding me?" Kat said. "He thinks he's a vampire?"
    Brunelle shrugged. "That's what the girl said."
    "Does he sparkle?" Kat laughed.
    "No, he's old school. Transylvanian royalty and all that."
    Kat drank again. "Well, Mr. Pervert. I guess I can help after all. Yes, she was a virgin. We checked for evidence of sexual assault. There were no signs of trauma, and her hymen was in tact."
    Brunelle nodded and sipped at his coffee.
    "Happy now?" Kat asked.
    Brunelle frowned. "Not really. She's still dead."
    Kat's usual smile faded a bit. "She was dead before you got involved, David. You can't change that. You can just try to bring her and her family some justice."
    Brunelle nodded and managed a faint grin. "Thanks, Kat."
    He looked at his watch. "I better get back to the office."
      "Aww," pouted Kat. "I haven't finished my coffee."
    Then she tipped her head back and downed the rest of her drink all at once. "Okay, that's better. Thanks for the date, David."
    They both stood up. "We'll have to do this again sometime," Brunelle said casually.
    "Great," Kat slipped an arm through his. "When?"
    Brunelle was taken aback. But he was used to thinking on his feet. And taking advantage of a beneficial statement.
    "How's next Friday?" suggested Brunelle. "Dinner maybe. I'll even let you buy."
    Kat laughed as they stepped out of the door. "Oh, how kind of you. But you'd owe me."
    "Right. That was the plan."
    Then Kat slapped her forehead. "Wait, next Friday? No I can't. My daughter has a recital that night."
    "Ahh," said Brunelle, but what he meant was 'Ohh, you have kids.'
    "Yes, I am divorced and I have a daughter, Mr. Brunelle," Kat replied. "A wonderful fourteen-year-old daughter named Lizzy, who has a ballet recital next Friday night. Is that gonna be a problem?"
    "Not for me," Brunelle answered. "But she's probably gonna be upset that you're missing her recital."
    Kat laughed. "How about the Friday after that? She'll be visiting her dad in Portland that weekend."
    "Oh yeah?" Brunelle asked.
    "Oh, yeah," purred Kat.
    Brunelle smiled. "It's a date."

Chapter 11
     
    Yamata's briefs were, in fact, exquisite.
    Welles was a lying sack of crap. Brunelle knew it, but Yamata reduced it to writing.
    "Very nice," Brunelle said to her over the pleadings as he finished. "Let's get these filed today."
    He looked at the last page. It was prepared for his signature. "One change though. Make these for your signature."
    "Oh," said Yamata. "I just figured, since you're lead..."
    "I'm co," corrected Brunelle. "And you wrote them, so you get to sign them."
    Yamata shifted in her seat.
    "You're not at a private firm anymore, Michelle. And I'm not some partner looking for an ego massage."
    He immediately regretted the 'massage' reference, but figured she knew what he meant.
    "That's nice to know, Mr. Bru—, er, Dave. But there's something else. What if they're no good?"
    Brunelle smiled. "No worries there. They're great. In fact," he leaned forward, "why don't you argue it?"
    Yamata choked. "Me? You're lead."
    "Co.