A Matter of Life and Death

your messages and I felt awful. I hope you didn’t worry too much.”
“I did. I thought something had happened to you, that you’d been in an accident.”
“That’s so sweet that you worried, but I’m fine, and I’d like to prove how fine. Do you think you could come over?”
“You mean now?”
“If you’re not busy.”
Ian’s mouth went dry, and he felt a stirring in his nether regions. There were trials to prepare for Monday, but he had the weekend to do that. He did have the short court appearance in Judge Carasco’s court, but that was a few hours away.
“I’ll be there as fast as I can.”
“Good, because I’m naked and very horny.”
Ian stared at the ceiling in the bedroom of Stacey Hayes’s apartment and tried to remember what had happened during the last hour and a half. It was a blur, and he was certain that the mind-blowing sex he’d had with Stacey had given him short-term memory loss. Ian grinned. Life was great. No, his life was greater than great since Stacey had come into it.
The toilet flushed, and Stacey came out of the bathroom. She walked to the bed slowly, which gave Ian an eyeful of her perfect breasts, flat stomach, long legs, and the shaved place between her legs that had occupied his full attention since they had stripped and tumbled into bed. Life didn’t get any better than this!
Stacey pulled back the covers, and Ian felt a soft hand begin to stroke him. After what they’d been doing, Ian was astonished that he could get another erection. He closed his eyes, barely able to concentrate on what Stacey was whispering in his ear.
“I need a favor, Ian. Will you help me?”
Ian grunted. Right now, he would do anything for Stacey.
“I have something to confess,” Stacey said, her voice low and shy like a little girl. “I lived in Portland a few years ago. And I did something bad.”
Ian opened his eyes. “What happened?”
“I was down on my luck, and I was going to be kicked out of my apartment. I was forced to do it.”
“Do what?”
“I slept with men for money, and I was arrested.”
“What?”
“I got scared, Ian. I ran away.”
Ian sat up. “What are you talking about?”
Stacey moved away. “I knew you’d get upset.”
“No, no, I’m not upset. I just … Are you in trouble?”
Stacey cast her eyes down. “I could be, but you can help me.”
“How? What can I do?”
“There are warrants. You can—I don’t know—maybe make them go away.”
“I could look at the file. Maybe there’s not enough evidence.”
“What if there is? I mean, I did do it.” Stacey trembled, and Ian thought she might cry. “I’m scared, Ian. Can’t you get rid of the warrants so no one would know?”
“What do you mean?”
“Can’t you go into the computer and erase them? Or take the file and make it disappear?”
“That’s illegal, Stacey. I could be fired or arrested.”
“If you were caught. But you’re supersmart. You’d do it right. No one would ever know.”
“I’d know. I think the world of you, but I can’t break the law. I’ll talk to the DA who has your case.”
“Then he’d know I’m in town, and he’ll arrest me.”
“I’m not going to break the law.”
Stacey smiled. It wasn’t a nice smile. She got out of bed and took something from the drawer in her nightstand.
“Aren’t you breaking the law by paying me for sex?” she asked.
Ian was shocked. “What are you talking about?”
“What would your boss say if she learned that you’re paying a prostitute who has warrants out for her arrest? Do you think she’d be open-minded?”
“I haven’t paid you to sleep with me. It would be your word against mine.”
“Not exactly,” Stacey said. “I’ve got a sex tape for show-and-tell. But I don’t need the tape. Look at you. You’re a pathetic loser, Ian. What are you going to say in your defense? That I gave myself to you because I love you?”
“Goddamn it,” Ian said as he started to get out of bed.
Stacey pointed the gun she’d taken from the nightstand. “Whoa, Ian. Control yourself.”
“You’re going to shoot me?”
“If you try to hurt me. I’ve done it before when a man tried to take advantage.”
Ian felt sick. This had all been a scam, and he was the sucker who’d fallen for it. Stacey was right. He was a loser, and he’d been a fool to think that someone like Stacey would fall head over heels for him. But he’d wanted to believe so badly that Stacey could love him that he’d put himself at her mercy.
“Pay attention, Ian. You’re going to put on your pants, go to your office, and make those warrants go away. Do you understand me?”
Ian glared at Stacey as he got out of bed.
“I didn’t hear a yes,” she said.
“Yes,” Ian forced himself to say.
“Good boy. Now run along and call me when you’ve done what I’ve told you to do. And don’t take too long. You don’t want to upset me.”
Ian left Stacey’s apartment in a daze. If he did what Stacey wanted, he would be committing a crime. If he disobeyed her, he would be ruined.
Ian had just started his car when he remembered that he had a hearing in Judge Carasco’s courtroom in an hour. Carasco was the person who’d introduced him to Stacey. He wouldn’t be in this mess if it weren’t for the judge. Maybe Carasco could talk to Stacey or help him figure out how to get out of this predicament.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The court appearance lasted longer than Ian thought it would. As soon as it wrapped up, Hennessey asked to see the judge. The bailiff came out of Carasco’s chambers and told Hennessey that the judge was tied up on a conference call, but wanted him to wait.
Hennessey had brought the case files for his Monday trials. He tried to work on them, but he couldn’t concentrate. It was almost six when the bailiff told Ian that the judge could see