Free Tribal Court by Stephen Penner Page B

well-tailored jacket even tighter against her frame. "Did you see how I kicked your ass just now?"
    "Actually," Brunelle raised a finger, "you kicked Freddy's ass."
    The smile twisted into a grimace. "Yeah, I know. That was no fun at all. I already know I can kick his ass. It's your ass I want."
    Oh, Talon , Brunelle managed not to say. I want yours too.
    "Sorry about that," he said instead. "I didn't know he was going to argue that. I wouldn't have let him if I'd known."
    "Well, still," Talon pressed on, another step into his comfort zone. "You have to admit, my argument against your written brief was pretty amazing."
    Brunelle shrugged. "I'm sure it was. I wasn't really listening."
    Talon's perfectly shaped shoulders fell.
    "I was busy," Brunelle explained, "yelling at Freddy. In whispers, of course, but it distracted me from your undoubtedly stunning oral skills."
    Brunelle winced. Nice choice of words, counselor.
    Talon shook her head, apparently oblivious to his phraseology. "That damn Freddy. He's already screwing things up."
    "To your advantage," Brunelle noted.
    "Whatever. There's no challenge. No glory in taking him down. He doesn't even have a real job."
    Brunelle bristled at that. "Prosecutor is a real job, even a smaller assignment like tribal prosecutor."
    Talon cocked her head at Brunelle. Her eyes held back a laugh. "He's not the tribal prosecutor, Dave. There is no tribal prosecutor."
    Brunelle offered a puzzled expression. "But I thought…"
    "This court doesn't normally handle criminal matters," Talon explained. "That's why this is such a big deal. Usually it's just family and child welfare matters. And parking tickets. Lots of parking tickets. Pays for the casino."
    "I thought the casino paid for the casino," Brunelle remarked, recalling the fifty dollars he'd dropped the other night.
    Talon laughed lightly. A perfect little laugh. "Yeah, I suppose it does. Fine, the parking tickets pay the judge's salary. But they don't pay for a prosecutor too."
    Brunelle thought for a moment. "So where does Freddy normally work then? Pierce County Prosecutor's Office? Tacoma City Attorney?"
    Talon shook her head and let out another perfectly dark little laugh. "No, he doesn't have a law job at all. He couldn't find one after law school. He had given up and was working as a bank teller or something. But when the tribe decided to do this, they wanted tribal members as the lawyers. Freddy's a member and he's got a bar card, so voilà , he's the prosecutor."
    Brunelle pointed at her. "So you're not the public defender?"
    "Oh, please!" Talon scowled. "Don't offend me."
    "It's not an insult," Brunelle replied instantly. "The best defense attorneys I go against are public defenders. Dedicated to the cause, not the fee."
    Talon took a moment to consider. "So, you're complimenting me?"
    Fuck . Brunelle fought off a juvenile blush. "I suppose I am," he admitted. Then he pushed the conversation along. "So where do you work usually? Or don't you have a law job either?"
    "Oh, no, I have a law job," Talon nodded confidently. "I'm a senior litigation associate at Gordon, High and Steinmetz. I'm one experienced-homicide-prosecutor-ass-kicking away from making partner."
    Brunelle grimaced at the corporate ritual of 'making partner.' The reward for seven years of slavish, round the clock-and-calendar work for the already rich partners. "Well, congratulations," he managed to say.
    Talon frowned at him. "Don't judge me, Mr. Public Servant. It's a good job and I'm damn good at it. The tribe called me first. I could have chosen to be the prosecutor, but I chose defense."
    Brunelle's eyebrows shot up. "Why?"
    Talon laughed again. "Well, the first reason is, I'd rather defend the guy who killed the child molester than try to vindicate the child molester."
    "I'm not trying to vindicate anyone." Brunelle put his hands up. "I'm just trying to enforce the law. Murder is murder."
    "Unless it's justified," Talon teased.
    Brunelle just shook his head.