HARPER
I tapped on the dark wood of my desk, chewing the end of my pen as I waited for Ben to bring in my new "client." Today when I walked in, dressed in my usual tight, dark turtle-neck(today a deep violet) and black leggings, with my black heals, my boss shoved a folder into my hands and when I saw the name, I looked up at him. Because unlike most cases, it only had the first name: James. I blinked.
"James?" I raised my eyebrows at him. Me and my boss, Liam, had been friends since middle school, so he didn't take this as an offence.
"Doesn't have a last name. Parents left him in the street." Liam patted my shoulder. "You'll recognize him from his most recent scheme, the Dark Days Killing." My eyes widened. I peeked quickly inside, just at the first page, and, yep, that was him. Dark green eyes and messy blonde hair. He didn't seem worried, or vengeful, only resigned, like when you walk into a classroom the day of a test you didn't study for.
"You trust me with this?"
"Harp, I've known you since we were twelve. I trust you with my life." He ran his hand through his black hair. "Look, he'll be in your office at nine. Do with him what you will, but Harp, be careful. He's dangerous, and knows how to put on a show."
"I got it, Li. I'll be fine." I smiled. "And besides, if he does kill me, you'll see that he did and can add years on to his sentence."
"Real funny. Head up to your office." He ordered.
"You don't have to be so bossy about it... Boss."
"I hate you."
"I know."
"... Go." I did, skipping up the stairs, and... Here I was.
Ben finally opened the door and walked in with the man, James. He was the only person I was seeing for a while, to make sure he was stable.
After James was clipped in he looked at me, blankly. "Who are you?"
"I'm... Well, do you know what a forensic phsycologist is?"
"Yes." His hands, although they were in shackles tightened into fists. "Here to diagnose me with depression, Doctor?" He mocked. "I already know I got it, so-"
"The first three to five days we will get to know each other better. For the first two weeks I do not look into your folder unless you ask me to. Each day I will slightly untighten your shackles- on your hands- before I take them off. Then, if I deem you're safe, I will remove the ones on your ankles. Any questions about anything? Anything at all really."
"What's your name?" His deep voice sounded commanding, like many of the criminals I worked with, but I stayed calm, and, as always, appeared unafected.
"Harper. Now, it is my turn to ask a question." This was where the first appointment usually went south. "What is one of your favorite things to do-legal, of course."
James chuckled at my joke. "Reading. Anything from Harry Potter to Percy Jackson to The Heir Chronicals."
"So, fantasy. Your turn."
"Why did you choose this job?" His forest-green eyes inspected me as he asked this.
"It was either this or being a teacher, I knew that when I was eleven. When I heard that Liam, who is my best friend, was working here, the "big boss", I could finally make up my mind and came to work here." I smiled as I recalled it. "Seven years of my life... And I don't regret a single one." I felt his gaze on me and it fell silent before the buzzer sounded and Ben came in to remove James.
"See you tommorow, Harper." He said as he walked out with the guard.
"Goodbye, James."
"Hold on- you mean he was cooperative? When I tried to just tell him where the cafeteria was he looked at me like he was going to bite my head off!" Liam rambled as he paced our appartment.
"Are you done acting like a child? I have to get to work on my plans for tomorrow; what questions I'm gonna ask him-"
"Why don't you sleep and just, I dunno, be normal and come up with questions on the cuff, like you did today?"
"Liam-"
"You. Need. Sleep. This is coming from your boss, not your friend- sleep woman!" He pointed at my room and I bregrudingly walked to my door so I could get my night clothes on. I wrote a note to myself, reminding morning me to grab an orange for James on the way out. The food at the prison was awful, so I always grabbed something for the people I was seeing in the morning to eat, and anyone after lunch I grabbed something for during my break. But, since, for the first time, I had the same person two times in one day, I'd get him both breakfast and lunch. Hopefully he would take it as a sign of friendship and not me trying to butter him up. I slipped off my clothes and pulled on a long, black nightdress. "Goodnight!" I called out before reaching beside me and turning off my lamp.
