"Manuel Salazar, you are under arrest for the disappearance of Mrs. Cassidy Jones," the police officer said as he handcuffed me. Manuel Salazar is a sex worker, a male prostitute who fucks the wives of the most popular men in Manhattan. He was the last person to see Cassidy alive after they spent the night at their usual spot, but he didn't kill her; he was being framed, but who would believe him? No body, no murder weapon, just a hotel room covered in blood and his DNA all over. He has to prove his innocence or risk going to prison for a crime he didn't commit. His lawyer Jill Baker is one of the best criminal attorneys in New York, and she suspects foul play, she is his only chance to walk away acquitted of all charges. The clock is ticking. Will they solve this crime in time?
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my name is Jill Baker."
I adjust my blazer as I stand up and start walking towards the jury box.
"And I am the lawyer for the accused," I look back and point to my client sitting at the right side of the courtroom.
He looks at me with a sorrowful stare, and I give him a reassuring nod as I begin my opening statement.
"The case before us is an unsettling and disturbing one and it is a tragic reminder that a night of intimacy can sometimes turn into something scary. My client has been accused of murdering Cassidy Jones. A woman whose future was so bright but was cut short due to her murder. Someone killed her but it wasn't my client."
"But as we begin, I'd like to urge each and everyone of you, the jurors, to dismiss anything you've heard in the media or anything you'll hear about this case, or my client during this trial. This trial is about nothing but the truth, and the truth will be revealed."
"Now, during the course of this trial I will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that my client couldn't have killed her and this is all prosecutorial bias from the prosecution." I take a step back and look at the prosecution.
"The evidence will show that my client and the victim engaged in a consensual sexual meet. But what happened after is a matter of grave concern, one we know nothing about."
"All we know is that during the early hours of the next day the victim was found dead."
"My client is on trial here, not because he is being accused of being a killer, but because of his line of work."
"The prosecution will present testimonies from forensic experts, who will detail the extensive blood evidence found in the hotel room and the DNA evidence that links the defendant, my client to the crime scene. We will also hear from witnesses who will testify to seeing my client leave the hotel while the victim was still alive."
"As the prosecution's case is revealed, I plead with you to consider the evidence carefully, and also keep in mind the the defendant's occupation does not define his guilt or innocence, but what defines his guilt is the evidence, and it is your job as the jurors to ...
As I continue to give my opening statement, the door of the courtroom bursts open and my assistant Sarah hurries in, my attention is drawn to her as she signals for me to come over to her.
"Your honour, please I'd like to verify a few things with my colleague" I ask the judge as I walk over to my assistant to hear what she has to say.
And what she tells me next is news that will change the trajectory of this whole case, flipping it on it's head.
A case that I didn't know would cost me my career and my life at the same time.
"Your honour, the victim's body has been found."
I announce and a wave of shock washes over the crowd.
Chapter 1 Proulge
09/01/2025
Chapter 2 Manuel's Arrest
09/01/2025
Chapter 3 The Beginning
09/01/2025
Chapter 4 Hope
09/01/2025
Chapter 5 The Fight Begins
09/01/2025
Chapter 6 The Victim's Husband
09/01/2025
Chapter 7 Grief
09/01/2025
Chapter 8 The Close Friend
09/01/2025
Chapter 9 The Puzzle
09/01/2025
Chapter 10 Pieces of the Puzzle
09/01/2025
Chapter 11 The Jiggolo
09/01/2025
Chapter 12 Trust me
24/01/2025
Chapter 13 The Club
24/01/2025
Chapter 14 Back to work
24/01/2025
Chapter 15 The Morning After
24/01/2025
Chapter 16 Plea Hearing
25/01/2025
Chapter 17 The Shrink
25/01/2025
Chapter 18 Still at the shrink
25/01/2025
Chapter 19 Planted
25/01/2025
Chapter 20 The Folder
28/01/2025
Chapter 21 Jill's POV
28/01/2025
Chapter 22 Rambo
30/01/2025
Chapter 23 New discovery, new faces.
01/02/2025
Chapter 24 Manuel's POV
02/02/2025
Chapter 25 Woman of my dreams
03/02/2025
Chapter 26 Jill's POV
04/02/2025
Chapter 27 Daniel's house
05/02/2025
Chapter 28 Cassidy's Safe
07/02/2025
Chapter 29 Daniel Jones
09/02/2025
Chapter 30 Manuel's POV
09/02/2025
Chapter 31 Jill POV
11/02/2025
Chapter 32 A short night
12/02/2025
Chapter 33 Daniel interview
13/02/2025
Chapter 34 Jeanine finds out
14/02/2025
Chapter 35 Stalker
25/03/2025
Chapter 36 Faux
02/04/2025
Chapter 37 Caught in a lie
03/04/2025
Chapter 38 Flight of Stairs
04/04/2025
Chapter 39 Someone is watching me
05/04/2025
Chapter 40 Three items
06/04/2025