InsaneJournal

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Who: Nish and Kate
What: Lawyer consults librarian, but gets more than she asked for.
Where: Tierney Law Library
When: very backdated to April 27, 2017



She’d consented to represent her new client, as a favour to someone else, even though business law wasn’t her area of practice. The money would be good, and the client was a decently well-connected person that may lead to even more work for her, so she accepted. The only problem was that the business law she knew related to Illinois, and so she had to consult California law on the issues. Jessica had found her a nearby law library that specialised in that sort of thing, and so she left the office early in the afternoon to go do a bit of research on the case.

It was warm out, far too warm for Nish, so stepping into the cool air of the library was soothing to her overheated skin. She wiped sweat off her forehead on the back of her sleeve and adjusted her shoulderbag containing the file, stepping into the quiet room full of stacks of books.

She spotted a woman behind the counter and caught her attention, flashing a brief friendly smile at her. “Hi, I wonder if you could help me?” she asked pleasantly. “I’m a lawyer in private practice; I’m looking for precedents relating to the California Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Do I need a library card or something to use your resources?”

Kate looked up from her computer, where she’d been working in her research guides to update broken links related to the ever-changing wage and hour law landscape. She smiled at the newcomer and stood up. “Welcome, and no, you don’t need a card, but all resources do need to remain in the library. Which practice are you from?” Tierney Law had agreements with many other law firms in the area since it boasted a uniquely large private collection, and she was proud of what she and her family had built over the years. She extended a hand over the counter. “I’m Kate Tierney, by the way. I’d be happy to help in any way I can.”

Nish took the other woman’s hand in a firm shake. “Nishka. Bariss,” she added as an afterthought. “I’m a sole practitioner, I have a my own little office downtown, Bariss Law. I...normally do criminal cases, but I’m taking on a civil business case as a favour,” she said with a little smile. A favour that she would be paid well for, she didn’t add.

“Certainly, Ms. Bariss. Deceptive Trade Practices, you said, right?” Kate walked over to a computer kiosk available to library patrons, motioning for Nishka to follow. She pulled up a database list. “California doesn’t have a uniform act, so is there a particular aspect you need precedents for? If it’s confidential, I can just walk you through the databases we usually use and let you get what you need.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure standing as if waiting for assistance. She hadn’t even heard the person come into the otherwise empty library. “I’ll be with you in just a moment,” she said, nodding toward the figure while still focused on getting to a particular database.

Nish listened to her, already thinking about what she would say in response, and then glanced in the same direction Kate did when she spoke to another patron. Only, there was no one there. Nish blinked, looked at the spot for a moment, and then focused back on Kate. “Yeah...uhh,” she said, a little taken aback by the strange behaviour. “My client has been accused of malicious false-advertising, so I’m looking for precedents for that sort of thing,” she said. “I was actually trained in Illinois, so my limited knowledge of business law isn’t for California,” she said with a smile. She’d been concerned about this when first taking the case, and had told her client as much, but he’d seemed confident that she could pull it off, so she’d decided to give it a try.

“Sure.” Kate nodded, familiar with exactly what Nishka was looking for. “California has specific statutes here…” She showed Nishka the relevant databases and walked her through a sample search in one. “Does that help you get started? I don’t want to hover if you feel comfortable taking it from here, but I’ll also help you as long as you need.” She smiled at the other woman.

Nish sat down at the computer and watched patiently as Kate walked her through how to find what she needed. Her eyes lit up when she spotted a few things that looked helpful. “Thank you,” she said gratefully, “is it okay if I print some of these? I can pay for the paper…” She clicked on one of the links that had caught her attention and started to skim it for relevant details. Without noticing, a slight chill made Nish shiver, though if she noticed it at all, she would have assumed it was due to the building’s air conditioning.

“Yes, no need to pay for paper. The printer is over there.” As Kate looked and pointed, she missed the shiver than ran through Nishka. “I’ll be nearby if you need anything else.” With that she stepped away and turned toward the person she had addressed earlier, and then blinked to see the figure--a woman--standing closer and utterly stock-still. She hadn’t heard any footsteps or clothes rustling that would normally indicate a person walking, and the stiffness of her body unnerved Kate. Nevertheless, she said, “How can I help you?”

The girl was young, perhaps sixteen, with long brown hair that seemed as dull and washed out as her skin. She wore jeans and a t-shirt, though her feet were bare. She locked eyes with Kate, her own a pale and faded brown, her expression blank and confused, as if she hadn’t been expecting anyone to notice her or speak to her.

At the computer, completely unaware of the scene behind her, Nish pulled up several documents that would be helpful to her, briefly skimming each one and then printing them to bring back with her to her office.

Kate frowned at the girl’s continued silence, concern overtaking her focus as she took in the bare feet and uneasy expression. “Are you all right?” she asked gently.

The girl stared silently at Kate, eyes unblinking; wide and blank and vacant. She held Kate’s eyes for a moment and then turned away from her, stepping silently across the carpet towards Nish who was skimming a new article, focused on the screen in front of her. The girl moved to stand next to the computer Nish was working on, her gaze drifting down to watch the older woman work. Her expression didn’t change from one of vague awareness and wistfulness, and she gave no more notice to Kate.

Nish glanced briefly behind her shoulder at Kate, assuming she had spoken to her. “Ohh, I’m fine thanks, I think I’m just about done. There’s a lot of material here for me to go over,” she said, turning back to the computer and printing what was on her screen and then swiveling her chair back towards Kate. “I’m really glad this library is here, I’ll have to remember to come here if I ever need anything else.”

Kate blinked in confusion, a cold feeling of dread starting to pool in the pit of her stomach. Nishka had looked straight through the girl, as if she weren’t there at all. Kate examined the girl again, the unnaturalness of her posture, the vacant and unchanging expression, and shivered. She thought these visions had left with the resumed normalcy of the apartment complex, thought she’d be able to put it all behind her. But if now she was seeing...things...in her waking moments, anywhere she went--

She shivered again and tried to focus on Nishka’s last words. “Of course,” she said shakily. “You’re welcome anytime.” She couldn’t help glancing between her living guest and the clearly dead one, wondering who she was, and why she was so young...

Nish smiled and pulled the papers from the printer next to her, opening her shoulderbag and carefully sliding them in. As she did, the dead girl reached out for her, one hand just barely touching Nishka’s hair, as if lovingly caressing it, but as she did so it exposed the deep and horrible slash on the inside of her wrist, dark with blood, but dried up, as if it was a very old wound. The girl pulled back when Nish stood, shouldering her bag and smiling politely at Kate. And then her expression changed, as if she’d forgotten something. “Ohh, do you have a business card or a brochure or something with your contact information on it?” she asked in a friendly tone. She had a book in her office filled with various resources she used for different types of files that she’d be stapling it into.

Kate forced her attention away from the awful image and grotesque possibilities to focus on Nishka. It took a moment for her guest’s words to register, so Kate’s response came a beat or two late. “Contact information?” she asked, her voice cracking slightly in her dry mouth. “Yes, of course.” Welcoming the distraction, she became business-like once again, retrieving a business card from her desk and bringing it back to Nishka. She glanced to the specter and back again; would it leave with Nishka? Was the lawyer in any danger? But no...Nishka hadn’t seemed to notice it at all. Kate decided not to scare away her patron by mentioning ghosts that only she could see. “I’m glad you found what you needed.”

Nish smiled back at her, thank you, this is a big help,” she said, indicating the computer behind her. She headed towards the door. “Have a good rest of the day,” she said to the other woman before heading out. The young girl spared a brief glance over at Kate, and then followed close behind.