Point of View: Kevin
I was going to get Nick out of that fucking prison if it was the last thing I did. Even if I had to break him out and hide him somewhere, anywhere, I was getting him out of there. Even if I had to go to jail myself. First, I'd try the legal way, of course, but Nick was not spending the rest of his life in that place. No fucking way in hell could I allow that. No way. For one, it would not be a very long 'rest of his life' if he were to stay there, and for two, I could not bear to see him like that. It tore me to my very soul.
I called my lawyer, Dirk Bentley. Dirk was an old friend of mine. We'd gone to high school together, and though I was doing acting and he was doing law school, we'd been room mates in Orlando until Dirk had transferred to UCLA in 1992. It worked out well because I'd joined BSB a couple months later and Howie had moved in, and later Brian, too. Nick also became a regular face at the apartment, sleeping on the couch nights when he didn't want to go home for the myriad of reasons he would've had at that time. I wouldn't have had the room for all those room mates if Dirk had stayed. But Dirk and I had remained friends and in later years, when I needed assistance legally, Dirk was always where I turned.
Dirk Bentley was a miracle worker.
And I sure as fuck needed a miracle.
"Kevin!!" he greeted me when I called him from Brian's house, only a couple hours after my visit with Nick, "How are ya, my old friend?"
"I'm doing okay, Dirk, and yourself?" I asked.
"Pretty well," he replied, "Very busy, though, seems everyone in the world has a case in need of a legal miracle..." he laughed, then after a brief pause, "I am assuming you, too, need some help?" he asked.
I swallowed, "Yes, actually."
"Well, I don't have much time over the next few months, I regret to say, but what is it, I'll see what we can work out."
"Frankly, Dirk, the next few months don't really effect my case," I said with a chuckle.
"Years?"
"Dirk, what can you do with three days?"
"Three days?" Dirk exclaimed, "Days? Kevin, what---" he paused. The pieces clicked. "The State v. Carter case, for that Amaletto woman?" he asked.
"Yes," I confessed.
I could almost hear Dirk's mind whizzing. This was an extremely high profile case... it was a huge challenge - something Dirk had always been up to... and if he won it he'd be famous.
"I can make some time," he said.
"Can we do lunch?" I asked, looking at my watch.
"Most definitely."
I was getting ready to go meet Dirk at a sandwich shop in Malibu when Brian called up the stairs, "Hey Kevin? There's someone here I want you to meet!"
I adjusted my tie and jacket and ran the comb through my hair one last time, analyzing myself carefully in the mirror. Satisfied, I turned and, tugging at my cuff links, made my way down the stairs.
In Brian's dining room stood a woman, leaning against a pair of crutches. I knew her from somewhere, but I couldn't quite place where I knew her from. I paused, studying her, my mind racing over the image of her in my mind. Where the hell...
"Kevin?" Brian smiled, "I'd like you to meet Nick's friend Zoe--"
"Sinclaire," I finished, interrupting him.
Both Zoe and Brian looked surprised. "How did you know my--" stuttered Zoe.
I looked her over head to foot, drank in the existence of the crutches. "You were an amazing dancer," I answered.
Zoe stared at me, blinking breathlessly. "Thank you," she gasped after a long moment.
Brian looked at her, then at me, confused.
"That accident," I muttered, "It was truly a tragedy. The world of fine arts lost a masterpiece in motion." I reached for the chair nearest Zoe and pulled it out for her to sit down, she looked uncomfortable standing there with the crutches tucked into her arms. "I followed your work for some time," I said, "The performance on Broadway of Deces d'un elegant Entre was..." I hummed and closed my eyes, remembering the beauty of the form, the simplicity, the passion of the dance, "...magnificent."
Zoe slid into the chair, "Thank you..." she whispered. "That was a very... meaningful... performance to me."
"It was brilliant. You moved with such passion... such conviction... you could feel the agony."
Zoe smiled, "I poured everything I had into it."
"You were spectacular," I said.
Brian looked at Zoe, "You were a dancer?"
Zoe nodded. "I danced ballet."
"And she was brilliant at it," I added.
Brian looked impressed, "Wow." He glanced at me, "I guess I didn't need to introduce you to Zoe, then."
"What do you do now?" I asked her.
Zoe smiled, "I teach driver's education. I own my own school, it's just a little thing, but I have fun with it, and I teach my students safe driving so that maybe I can prevent others from losing their dreams after collisions." She sighed, "I was Nick's rehabilitation driving instructor."
"What a beautiful way to reverse tragedy," I commented.
Zoe blushed.
Brian piped up, obviously feeling left out of the conversation, "Zoe is Kayla's aunt. Remember, I told you about Kayla? Nick's girlfriend."
"Ah yes," I said, nodding. I looked to Zoe, "Does Kayla dance?"
"Some," Zoe replied. "But she's a singer in the heart."
"I would love to hear some demos," I said.
Zoe laughed, "Nick's been working with her on that."
"Marvelous," I replied.
"Zoe came over so we could go over Nick's suit for the trial," Brian explained, "Zoe's volunteered to go up and clean him up and get his suit to him so he looks good for the trial."
"Excellent idea," I commented. An image of Nick's appearance floated through my mind. "He needs it, badly. The judge will take his case a lot better if Nick looks clean."
Zoe nodded, "Exactly."
"He looks... terrible... right now," I warned.
Zoe frowned.
I looked at my watch, "I need to go, I'm meeting with my lawyer in Malibu and I don't want to be late." I took Zoe's hand in mine, "It was a true honor meeting a woman of such unrivaled talent," I said, kissing her hand softly. "I hope I get to see you again."
"Oh I'll be at Nick's trial if nothing else," Zoe responded, "No way am I letting my baby go through that hell without being there to support him."
I smiled, "I know what you mean." I waved to Brian, and headed out the door to go meet my miracle-maker.
