Both of their fathers had died in prison, and they’d also grown up without a mother. While Jane had known the facts, she hadn’t thought of it as something they had in common.
“The prison system’s flawed. For example, their health care is a joke.”
“So I’ve heard. Buckley had a toothache for a month before he could get in to see the dentist. Don’t get me wrong, the man was a bastard, but a backlog to see a dentist is fucked up.”
“Don’t even get me started. Prisons are schizophrenic.” Jane downed another shot. “Are we trying to reform prisoners or punish them? We need to pick a purpose and stick to it. And if they’ve served their time, why do we continue punishing them when they get out? Haven’t they paid their debt to society?”
Even thinking about it made her angry.
“Amen.”
“I mean, we make it hard for them to settle back into everyday life. They have to disclose their criminal past when finding employment.” Jane balled up a fist. Over the years, she’d given more than one politician an earful. “And, newsflash, when you make it hard to find legitimate jobs, people turn to crime. I’m not saying they shouldn’t background-check someone involved in sensitive jobs like working at a bank, but you shouldn’t have to reveal a felony to work in fast food.”
Byron whistled. “Damn, I love it when you get all riled up, Legal Eagle.”
Should I be flattered? Angry? I don’t know. Pet names and endearments were foreign territory. After pondering it a moment, Jane decided she loved the nickname. Legal eagle meant a very astute lawyer, which she was, thank you very much.
“They broke society’s rules, so I expect it makes most folks cranky. They don’t give a damn about prisoner’s rights.”
“I care. If my mother had been taken to a real hospital, she might still be alive. As a human being and a citizen, she has rights, even if they were having ‘budget cuts’ at the time.”
Jane used to fantasize about meeting her birth mother, because she’d always been a mystery. If Joanne had survived, Jane would’ve taken her case on after she finished law school.
“Is she the reason you became a defense attorney? I always wondered because your daddy’s a federal judge.”
“Yes, though I have nothing against my father.”
“He was good to you, then?”
“Absolutely.” Jed adopting her had been a saving grace. She hated to think what her life might’ve been like without him.
“Must be nice.” The words held no inflection and his face was a smooth, blank canvas, but she could somehow sense the pain beneath it. Before this situation, she’d written him off as a flashy, playboy mobster. Perhaps she’d been wrong about Byron.
“You had a bad childhood, didn’t you?”
“Put it this way, the day Buckley died, I felt like dancin’.” Byron smirked. “I might’ve even done a two-step when I heard the news.”
“You really hated him.”
“Yeah.” He didn’t elaborate. “You like bein’ a lawyer?”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Damn, you noticed.”
“Of course, I noticed. I earn my living making people answer questions they’d rather not respond to.”
“Too bad, I ain’t ’fessin’ up. Now, answer me. Do you like it?”
Jane blew out a breath. “I love the law, but this situation, and something my dad said to me, has got me rethinking it, wondering if I’m practicing law in the right area.”
“What did he say?”
“He asked me if the job made me happy. And I realized I don’t know what all this hard work is for. More money? A more prestigious office?” It all seemed empty. “I’d originally thought I’d be helping more people like my mother, but I started working for the firm and took on a wealthier clientele.” She still did pro bono work, but not as often as she’d like. “Jed said I needed to find my passion. He doesn’t think I’m living up to my potential.”
“What do you think?”
“I think he’s probably right.”
“You help people.”
“For a price. I love protecting people from the state. The government is powerful. The state can do anything to a citizen—kill them, take their property, deny their rights. The way I see it, I’m a knight, a champion for the people. I stand up for John Q. Public.” Jane hiccupped. She was very, very drunk. “The prosecutor in a case might represent ‘the people,' but it’s a bunch of hooey. They defend the state. I advocate for the people—well, a person, anyway. The way I see it, I stand up against tyranny.”