A DANGEROUS LIAISION

Chapter 1: Suspect

Disclaimer: The characters are the property of the fantabulous Stephenie Meyer.

Summary: Famous supermodel Victoria Nomad is found dead, stabbed in her home. Her amber-eyed husband is the main suspect. Is he innocent, or a cold-blooded killer? Public defendant, Bella Swan, gets tangled in a race to find the truth… BxE

AN: For all of you on alert, I thought you all might want a new chapter since I have been busy with finals. Blue 42's new chapter will be up as soon as it is done being edited by my beta Shaps!

A little different than my average story…

I will try to keep this one as in character as possible. I'm not guaranteeing anything, though. This is rather short, but I promise it gets juicier.

Don't forget to review!

BPOV

Knock, knock.

"You can come in," I answered.

"Miss Swan," my personal assistant Jessica called in her high voice. "You are needed downstairs in interrogation room four."

"Thank you Miss Stanley, I will be right down. Can you make sure that my case briefing is available?"

She nodded, causing her dirty brown hair to bounce up and down. Jessica Stanely. Textbook example of a frenemy: someone who you don't really like, but you have to pretend like you do. She has been trying to get in with the bosses so she can get a promotion.

However, the two leading ladies at the firm where I work are a little cold to confront. Strangely though, something drew me to them…

I stood up from my plush leather chair and stepped away from my thick mahogany desk, where my new name plate was proudly displayed. I smiled inwardly.

In perfect gold letters on a black silhouette it read:

ISABELLA SWAN

PUBLIC DEFENDANT

As much as I loathed being called Isabella, I knew it was much more professional. And boy was professionalism important in the life of a lawyer. Just last week, I was promoted from a lowly personal assistant, like Jessica, to a big-time public defendant. And that is quite a big deal in the state of Washington with all the corruption in government officials.

Ever since my mother was killed when I was fifteen by a serial killer, I knew that I wanted to protect the people I love. Seeing as I am only 5'4'', weighing 110 pounds, going into the field of police force, like my father, would not exactly be a wise decision. I had to find another way to stop criminals.

So I decided I should become a lawyer, to make sure I can prosecute the horrible people on this Earth and make sure they pay for their sins. The horrible man who murdered my mother went free because the police didn't find enough incriminating evidence to lock him up. It sickened me that he was still out there, somewhere.

Unfortunately, another man was framed. My dad put a lot of pressure on the investigators to put someone, anyone behind bars. So much so that high profile prosecutor, Aro Volterra locked up an innocent man. How did I know? I know it's silly, but it was a gut feeling.

I know in this field you have to trust the evidence, but I could tell something just didn't fit…

Because this an innocent man who is going to suffer in jail for the rest of his life for a crime he didn't commit. Because of this, I also wanted to protect those who were wrongly accused, which got me where I am today: a public defender in the state of Washington. I graduated first in my class at Fordham University with a Pre-Law degree and took that to Harvard and was again, valedictorian. I was offered numerous jobs at big time agencies, but I chose to stay close to home until I found my mother's murderer.

The firm that I currently work for in Seattle is AR Defense. And today, is my first big break. All week I have been anxiously sitting in my desk, filling useless papers, creeping on Facebook, and ordering home appliances online, until a new case opened.

Today was my lucky day.

I straightened out my plum blouse, and smoothed the wrinkles in my charcoal gray pants. I took a deep breath and smiled, while stepping out of my office into the hectic hallway. Soon, I reached the office outside Interrogation #4, where I saw one of my bosses looking frantic.

Alice was normally about the bubble person I know, scratch that, she is the bubbliest person I know. Her petite frame and playful black spikes give her this pixie-esque vibe that is completely contagious. She has this infectious spirit that could make the coldest of men giggle like a Catholic school girl.

Today, however, she looked drained. Scared out of her mind. Confused. Shocked. Her normally bright butterscotch eyes seemed dull and drained, especially highlighted by her worse-than-usual pale skin and purple bruise-like patches under her eyes.

"Alice, is everything alright?" I asked. I was really starting to worry about her when she didn't answer after a good thirty seconds. Normally, Alice dominated the conversation, so I was a little concerned when she remained silent. It was so eerie, she was staring straight at a wall, her eyes clouded over, looking empty.

I began to shake her shoulders light because quite frankly, she was scaring me. This was not the Alice I was accustom to.

Seconds later, she gasped and frantically shook her head.

"Bella," she gasped.

"What's wrong?" I cried.

Suddenly, she grabbed my hand and pulled me into the break room where a local T.V. station was reeling news for the day.

The channel showed a woman in her mid-thirties in a black business suit with a crisp white shirt underneath. Her eyes were filled with sorrow. She was standing in front of a mammoth white house that was now surrounded with yellow caution tape and hundreds of people.

"Hello everyone. This is Veronica Volterra. It is with my deepest sadness that I must report the loss of one of Seattle's most prominent runway models. A fiery redhead with piercing violet eyes and pale skin, Victoria Nomad was loved by all who knew her.

She was married last year, but decided to keep her last name for professional purposes. Many of you have seen her grace the covers of Vogue, GQ, and even PlayBoy with her stunning physique. However, her modeling days are now over.

This morning at approximately 2:32, she was founded in her Seattle abode, with four stab wounds to the chest, four bite marks covering her porcelain skin, and it appears that she was strangled. She was found by a neighbor who heard a commotion while walking his dog. This witness disappeared after he told the police about his information. So far, it seems obvious who is behind this horrid attack of a public icon.

Police have not released any information as of right now, minus the fact that they have a few suspects they need to interview. If you have any information regarding Victoria's death, please come to the police. We need to find her killer.

We all would like to give our support to her family during this tough time. We will continue to update you with all breaking news. For ABC news, I am Veronica Volterra."

I stared at the screen until it ran to commercials about vacationing in Mexico. Wow. I couldn't even imagine being on a case as high profile as that. It would be the chance of a lifetime.

I glanced over to Alice and noticed that she was snarling at the T.V.

"Alice?" I inquired.

"Bella, I have a new case. And it is vital that you protect this man," she said while shoving a manila folder into my hand.

My first case briefing as a public defender was in my hands. I was apprehensive to look at it. What if it was horrible? What if it was horrible?

Before I went crazy, I decided to open the envelope. As I did, a large picture fell onto the floor. I went to pick it up and my eyes nearly shot out of my head.

The man in the picture was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

His face was accented by high cheekbones, a strong jaw, and a perfectly sculpted nose. A disarray of bronze hair was falling into his glorious eyes. To be honest, he looked like an Adonis. Strangely, he had the same golden eyes as Alice; and the same pale skin; and the same purple bruises under his eyes. It was very peculiar.

I slowly lifted the paper up off the ground. When I picked it up, I looked from the picture to Alice, and again.

"Alice? Is that-?" I asked dumbfounded.

"My brother. And your first case. He's waiting for you in I-4."

I glanced back down at the envelope.

Edward Cullen.

Well here goes nothing, I thought pushing the door open.

AN: REVIEW PLEASE! I know that the police gave out a lot of information they wouldn't give out, but hey, it's my choice and I didn't want you guys to have to wait to know who the suspect is. Although… I bet you all had it figured out before.

Frankie326.