Just a brief intro this time. Once again, a huge thank you to Blind_Justice for his critique. Also, please remember to vote, and as always, I adore the feedback, so keep it coming!
-redskyes
Chapter 72
I was packing up my camera, having just finished a fashion shoot with Sophia, a knockout of a model from Germany. She was a little taller than me, lean and fit with long legs, and had the prettiest blue-green eyes I'd ever seen. Think Diane Kruger, but with light brown hair, and you'll get a pretty good idea of what she looked like. This had been only my second shoot with her, but she was a real joy to work with, a true natural in front of the camera. I watched her flirting with Darren, bright eyes and easy smile, brushing her fingertips down his forearm when he made her laugh. She hadn't yet figured out he was gay, but when she did, I knew I'd sympathize with her. Darren was definitely a hottie.
"You about ready?" he asked, coming over to join me after Sophia left.
"Yeah," I nodded, slinging my camera bag over my shoulder, then remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot to give you this."
I took a photo from my back pocket and handed it over. It was the better of the pictures I'd taken of Phillip with my phone. Darren looked it over and nodded appreciatively.
"Good looking guy," he said, handing it back to me, then he grinned. "But I'm taken."
"I wasn't offering you a butt-buddy, Darren."
He laughed.
"Actually, I was wondering what you thought of his potential."
He raised an eyebrow. "Do I think he could model?"
I nodded.
Darren held his hand out so I gave him the picture again. He gave it a longer look, and without looking up, asked, "You take this with a phone or something?"
"Best I could do at the time. Spur of the moment kind of thing."
He nodded. "Well, it's kind of hard to tell for certain from this, but...yeah, I think he might have potential." He looked up then. "Can you get a better picture, something I can show Clarisse?"
"Absolutely."
"Good," he handed the picture back. "That's a good angle for him, so use that as a reference for the next one."
"Thanks, Darren," I pushed up onto my toes and kissed his cheek.
We walked back to our cars together, and he took me to mine.
Darren touched my elbow. "Listen, some of us are going out for drinks. Care to join us?"
I chewed my lip. "Uhm, I would, but there are two problems with that plan."
"Oh?"
I held up my finger. "First, I'm not twenty one."
Darren chuckled. "I keep forgetting that."
I held up a second finger, "And second, I have a shit-ton of homework to do."
"Surprised you don't have a fake ID," he told me with a smirk. "I know a guy, if you're interested."
"That's okay," I smiled, waving a hand. "I can wait a little while longer."
Darren started to say something else, but my phone rang.
"Sorry, one sec," I told him and answered my phone. "Hello?"
"Amy," was the curt response.
I recognized the voice instantly, and my breath caught.
"Detective Willis?"
"Todd Redding made bail," he told me gently. "Judge imposed a restraining order, so he's not allowed within a hundred yards of you or Paula, but still, I thought you should know."
When I was able to breathe again, I nodded, even though he couldn't see it. "Thanks."
"You okay?" he asked when I didn't say anything else for a while.
"Yeah, I just...who posted his bail?" I asked, and Darren gave me a sharp look.
Detective Willis grunted. "Who do you think? The one and only aspiring Senator Redding."
Todd's dad was running for senator? When did that happen? The question I asked next was only because of all the TV shows and movies I'd seen.
"Is he gonna get off?"
"Todd?"
"Yeah."
"Because his father might or might not become Senator? Hell no."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Detective Willis continued. "He's in the middle of a campaign, so he's going to keep this as quiet as he can. That means a plea bargain with the DA's office. Todd will see jail time, I can guarantee you that, but just so you know, it probably won't be much."
I snorted. "If it doesn't take more than twenty-four hours for him to get ass raped by a bigger inmate, that's enough time for me."
Detective Willis laughed out loud.
"Has the trial date been set?" I asked.
"Third of February," he told me, and he didn't sound happy. "Courts are backed up with sexual assault cases. Assholes are hitting bars and clubs all over the city, doping up women left and right. I've worked five of those cases since I took on yours."
Darren whispered, "Everything okay?"
I gave him a nod.
Detective Willis said, "Amy, if you so much as see him, you call me right away, day or night, no matter what time it is."