I Can Always Tell When A Lawyer Is Lying. Her Lips Move

I can always tell when a lawyer is lying. Her lips move.
Ginny — 16 Sep 1998, 7:22 AM

Asking directions from the youngest Lang girl, Clare made her way to the marshal's office. She entered the small, tidy front room to find the Marshal sitting behind his desk. Clare stepped forward, her elegant hand outstretched. "Clare Darrow, Marshal. I've been called in by the Janeway family to defend Sevenita."

"Attorney Darrow," The Marshal acknowledged, standing and taking her hand. "I'm Marshal Tuvok."

At the touch of his warm, dry hand, something electric passed between Clare and the slender, dark lawman. Clare's beautiful brown eyes widened, and she looked intently into Tuvok's calm sable gaze. A dozen images--of warmth, security, fidelity, devotion--flashed through her mind. Tuvok's face remained impassive, but Clare could have sworn that one of his eyebrows arched ever so slightly. They stood, hands clasped, for several long moments, then the attorney's natural pragmatism reasserted itself. Lawyers and lawmen, lawmen and lawyers--it never worked. With a rueful glance, she withdrew her hand.

"I'd like to see my client now, Marshal."

Tuvok nodded. "Certainly. I have also taken the liberty of assembling several pertinent legal documents, including the warrant for Sevenita's arrest, that I believe you will wish to review after you speak with your client." Tuvok indicated a set of papers on his desk.

Clare's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why, thank you, Marshal. That's very...reasonable of you."

Tuvok inclined his head in acknowledgement and indicated the door leading to the jail cells. "This way, Attorney Darrow."

As they entered the cell block, Tuvok removed a set of keys from the wall. He led Clare to the first cell and, unlocking the door, said, "Miss Sevenita, this is your attorney, Clare Darrow." Clare stepped into the cell, and Tuvok closed and locked the door behind her. "I'll leave you to your discussion. Please call me, when you wish to leave, Attorney Darrow."

Tuvok returned to his office, closing the door to the cell block behind him. Sevenita sat on the edge of her bunk in the shadowy rear of the cell. Clare put on her best professional advocate's expression, said, "I'm pleased to meet you, Sevenita," and extended her right hand. Sevenita rose from her bunk and stepped into the square of light from the cell's only window, hesitantly holding out an arm encircled by a strange, ornate bracelet. As she took her first good look at her new client, Clare's smile faded, and her mouth dropped open. Then she laughed out loud and brought her hand in a graceful gesture to rest at the base of her throat, appraising her client good-naturedly. "Well, Sevenita. I don't yet know all the particulars of the charges against you, but I can tell you this. My estimation of your chances of getting acquitted by a jury of twelve good men and true just went way the hell up. Let's you and I sit down and talk."