settled next to Lauren. Though she’d caught a strong whiff of floral perfume when Chloe had walked in, Lauren was surprised when the subtle cologne Jason wore cut through it. Strong. Sharp.
Forcing herself to mentally step back, she focused instead on the rest of the room.
Both Jason and Chloe had legal pads in front of them. Lauren wished she’d thought to bring paper to make notes. It always helped her focus and remember questions she wanted to ask later. It also gave her the ability to communicate independently, if need be.
The question about Tina’s appearance came to mind and she signed to ask to borrow some paper and a pen. Jason quickly complied, tearing off a couple of sheets and sliding them and a pen across the table to her.
She reached for it, her hand brushing his. She froze as the sensation of his skin touching hers seeped over her nerves. Warm. Solid. Her gaze couldn’t move away any more than her hand could. His hands were big, and for an attorney, oddly scarred. Not damaged—just showing evidence of use beyond shuffling paperwork.
Looking up, she met his gaze, and for a long minute held it. His eyes were green, with flecks of brown scattered in the iris. A pretty combination, though she doubted he’d appreciate the compliment.
“Let’s get started.” The interpreter sat forward as Chloe’s lips moved.
Dylan was just as focused as Lauren on the interpreter. Lauren answered in sign, with Anne speaking her responses as Chloe asked for introductions. Anne explained how Lauren was Dylan’s ballet teacher, a good friend, and that he’d contacted her when he’d first gotten into trouble, knowing she’d understand the challenge of his deafness in the legal system.
Dylan spoke for himself, signing at the same time and confirming his wish to have Lauren present.
Body language was a part of sign language. Frowns for negative or intense words. Smiles for happy inviting words. Head tilts also had meaning. But with an interpreter, it was an artificial emotion.
Lauren found it too easy to lose the meaning of the speaker without the correct body language. She tried to glance at the others as they spoke, to read them, but then she missed words. Her frustration grew.
Dylan told his story, which thankfully she already knew. When he talked, he faced Lauren and signed to her so she could see his face and body as he spoke. The others could hear him.
When it was her turn, Tina made no attempt to sign at all, though she was fluent in ASL, having grown up with Dylan. Lauren could tell it disappointed Dylan, and she lifted a hand to ask her why she didn’t.
“I’m not deaf.” Tina lifted her chin.
Ah, there’s the girl we all know and love.
“I don’t have to,” she spat out the words.
“It makes it easier for Dylan,” Lauren signed and saw Anne’s lips move to repeat.
Tina shrugged and continued to talk without sign. Luckily, Lauren knew Tina, so reading her lips was easier. Dylan’s disappointment took up space in the room, and he chose to watch the interpreter instead of reading his sister’s lips.
Lauren put a hand on Dylan’s arm beneath the table. He nodded, nearly imperceptibly, thanking her before moving his arm away.
* * *
TINA WAS A BRAT. Jason watched the inhabitants of the room as she talked. He saw Lauren’s indecision as her gaze flitted from the interpreter, then to the girl and finally to Dylan. The foster parents kept sharing glances of approval, then a flash of fear at Tina’s defiance.
“I don’t know why Dylan came and got me that night.” Tina met Chloe’s gaze with a glare. “You’ll have to ask him.”
Chloe didn’t miss a beat. “I’ve already heard his story. Let’s try this again.” She pulled out a copy of the police report.
Jason watched her closely. This female shark in the beautiful suit homed in on the girl’s attitude. He admired Chloe’s skill, but she scared the crap out of him.
“Tell me where you were when Dylan showed up.”
“At the park.”
“Who were you with?”
“My friends.”
“Which friends?”
This was like pulling teeth. Jason wanted to push Tina on her behavior, but he held his tongue, waiting for Chloe’s next move. This was her case now, and she knew how to handle it.
“Just friends.”
“Can you give us their names?”
The girl just glared.
“Okay. No problem.” Chloe wrote on the notepad in front of her for a long minute. “We’ll just have the court locate them.” She met Tina’s stare. “I’d probably be prepared if I were you.”
“What for?”
“The backlash when your friends are picked up in a squad car at their homes. Their names are in this report. I’m simply confirming them. I’m not sure they’ll be thrilled at having you for a friend after this.”
Scare tactics worked great on kids. Jason remembered his mother being quite adept at wielding that particular tool. He almost laughed as Tina started naming names and Chloe checked them off the list. But she only gave the girls’ names.
“And the boys?” Chloe sat with pen poised over the list.
“Boys?” Rhonda Hancock gasped.
Tina swallowed. She reluctantly gave the boys’ names, too. They’d get a statement from each one of them. Hopefully they would confirm Dylan’s version of the truth.
Now that the battle was nearly over, Jason turned his attention to Lauren. She was tense, her shoulders tight.
He’d scooted over next to her after handing her the paper. This way he was directly across from Anne, hoping to learn more about reading sign, as well as see things from Lauren’s view.
It was nuts trying to focus on the woman’s hands and the person talking. At least he could hear the words. What the hell did Lauren do?
He tried and finally gave up. He’d need to learn a lot more sign. He’d missed half the conversation.
An hour later, they wound things up. Anne breathed a sigh as she flexed her fingers in an absent-minded exercise.
“Thank you,” he said to her and smiled.
“You’re welcome.” She continued to sign, though he couldn’t tell if it was to be polite to Dylan and Lauren, or habit. She and Lauren headed to the door, their hands engaged in what he assumed was the small talk that Jason normally exchanged as he escorted clients out. It was strange to watch, and not participate.
The room quickly cleared. The Hancocks ushered both Dylan and Tina out, as if they couldn’t leave fast enough. Jason’s radar went up. Something
