The Professor's legal team was aggressive, but fair. They approached their opponents with arguments from many different angles. Carson’s team deflected every attack with Schadenfreude. It was an effective shield for the culprits.
As the courtroom drama unfolded, Betty realized. "The company was there to hide behind, just like her Jewel disguise."
The Professor’s team was losing. Betty wondered if she could tip the scale of justice to the side of right and help influence the trial's outcome. Curiosity got the better of her and she called Carson, as Jewel, on the direct line to his office.
Once Carson heard Jewel's innocent voice on the line he asked, "Why did you quit?"
She said in Jewel's subtle southern drawl. "I was scared. I didn’t know what to do."
He asked. "Why are you calling now? Do you want your job back? I can’t stop thinking about you, precious.”
Nearly weeping she said, "I was so worried about you."
He said. "I need to see you again."
She agreed to meet him for dinner. He sounded distressed, and might be vulnerable enough to make some confessions. She was ready to do whatever it took to get him. He was waiting for her at the restaurant when she arrived. He was already seated in a darkened booth in the corner and working on his second scotch.
Betty was disguised as Jewel. The maitre d helped remove her coat. Under it, the platinum blonde beauty wore a tight oriental dress. It was red and silky with an ornate gold print that wound from the hemline, across the long slit at her thigh, to the high collar. She looked stunning. The dressed accentuated her curves and made men look. Even the most handsome men, with the loveliest dinner companions, were struck by her appearance. She stopped them mid chew. The host led her across the dining room. Carson ogled her from his booth.
He stood and greeted her with a long, passionate kiss. She matched his performance. He confessed, "I really missed you, gorgeous."
She smiled.
They sat for dinner but shared more conversation than food. The trial appeared to be taking a toll on him. He was nervous and manic at times. He weaved in and out of trial talk, but admitted to nothing she could use. He came close to telling her many things he shouldn't have been discussing. When he did Jewel tried to pry more information but he changed the subject. Betty became frustrated, but Jewel never showed it.
Eventually, Carson seemed burned out of words. With a relieved smile he told her, "It's so nice to have someone I can trust to talk to again. I've really needed you, and it was like you knew it. You called me out of the blue, while I was at my worst. We have a special bond. I always knew you were the one I could count on. I need you in a bad way, Jewel."
"You have me." She replied as she kissed his hand. "We can talk all night if you'd like."
"I just can’t relax anymore. Do you want to get out of here and go some place private?" He held a longing look through bedroom eyes.
She looked away from his gaze and gulped. She knew precisely what he was asking. She thought about her answer. He seemed so vulnerable right now and she knew how chatty men could get in bed once they had been relieved. If there was a possibility she could ply him with pleasure and milk information from him, she had to take it.
She acted shy. She looked down at the table. She nodded yes.
He said. "You understand what I’m proposing? I want to be inside you."
She smiled and looked at him with big innocent eyes. They began to water. She looked so happy like he just proposed to her. She nodded and said, "Yes."
The fake girlfriend was offering her fake boyfriend her pretend virginity. As far as Carson knew, he just got what he wanted. His lips parted into a relieved smile and he said, "Let’s go."
The fake couple slinked out of the public setting.
Outside, in the night street, Carson looked around for cabs. There were none. His date kept smiling at him, like a little girl about to get a present. He looked around again. He smiled and led her away from the streetlight and into the alley.
He pushed her up against the cold brick wall and kissed her long and deeply. Passion consumed them. His kisses were wet and sloppy. Betty was swept away in Jewel's performance. She hated this bastard but controlling him this way felt so devious. She loved it, and wanted more.
Her hand slid down his body. She reached to embrace his manhood but found something else. He pulled away from the kiss and said, "I know who you are."
It was a kiss goodbye. Carson shot her.
BANG!
She grabbed the gun tightly as he fired a second round into her abdomen.
BANG!
She disarmed him, staggered a few steps deeper into the alley, teetered and collapsed into a pile of garbage.
He backed out of the alley as he yelled at her. "You think you can trick me? I figured it out. It had to be you! You gave my files to the D.A.! You stole them from my bank! I trusted you! How could you betray me like that, you Mata Hari!”
She coughed.