Little Miss and the Law Read Online Free PDF Page B

she had found a gem in a coffee shop, who knew what today might bring. She strolled towards the large glass doors of her firm's building, moving her sunglasses to sit atop her head as she drew nearer, her long frame encased in a snappy pinstriped power suit, her two and a half inch heels clicking on the concrete pavement in a short, staccato war cry.
     
    “Mackenzie!” a voice emanated from what Mackenzie had at first assumed to be a bundle of rags tossed on the side of the street. As she looked on with mild interest, the bundle unfolded and stood up with a cheerful wave.
     
    “Jake, what are you doing here?” Mackenzie exclaimed in surprise. The bundle of rags had transformed into a smallish, short haired young woman with an impish grin and an Australian accent far thicker than Mackenzie's. She stood with her hands in her pockets, her elbows splayed boyishly and was clad in a what Mackenzie now realized were a right yellow t-shirt and wide baggy jeans that did her slim frame little justice. Her blonde hair fell into her eyes and she brushed it out as Mackenzie approached. Jake was the spitting image of Mackenzie's younger sister, but a great deal more trouble. Tina had always been mild mannered, how on earth she'd managed to spawn a hellion like Jake mystified Mackenzie.
     
    “Mum said you worked here.” Jake shrugged as if it were the most natural thing in the world for her to have materialized in front of Mackenzie's office.
     
    “I do. What are you doing in the country? Shouldn't you be back in Australia in college?” Mackenzie said, one hand on her hip as she looked down at her wayward niece.
     
    “Graduated mate!” Jake declared. “Jumped on the first flight out of Perth.” She scratched at a bit of peeling, sunburned skin on her nose.
     
    “Where are you staying? Does your mother know you are out here?” Mackenzie fired the questions quickly, cross examination style. They did not phase Jake one little bit.
     
    “I emailed her from the airport. I reckoned I'd find somewhere to stay,” she grinned up at Mackenzie.
     
    “I bet you did.” Mackenzie said dryly, thinking quickly. As tempting as it was, she couldn't leave the urchin on the street.
     
    “Come on in then, I've got some work to do, then I'll take you to my place and we'll figure out what to do with you,” she said, opening her arms up to welcome Jake into a hug. With a giggle of delight, Jake hugged her tightly. Mackenzie shook her head as she looked down at the dirty short blonde mop that was resting on her shoulder. It had been a good five years since she had seen her niece, she'd grown in that time, but it was clear that her essential nature had not changed one whit.
     
    “Come on, let's get you a coffee,” Mackenzie said when Jake had extracted herself from her arms. She opened the large polished doors and ushered Jake inside. The young woman looked entirely out of place in her dirty trainers and nigh comical clothing, a small ragged backpack the only evidence of any form of luggage.
     
    “I'm going to backpack and hitchhike across all the states!” Jake announced, trailing Mackenzie through the lobby.
     
    “No you're not.” Mackenzie vetoed the idea as they waited for the elevator.
     
    “You can't tell me no,” Jake laughed.
     
    Mackenzie raised a brow at the young woman. If she thought that, she had clearly forgotten the last time she'd butted heads with her aunt. “It's dangerous. Too dangerous,” she clarified.
     
    “More dangerous than a swamp full of crocs?” Jake asked flippantly.
     
    “Much more.” Mackenzie replied dryly.
     
    ***
     
    Jake busied herself with the coffee machine in the staff room as Mackenzie attended the meeting she was now regretting having scheduled. When she emerged three hours later, it was to find Jake lolling about on the reception desk, her feet dangling off the ground as she regaled the wide eyed receptionist with tales of killer 'roos.
     
    “Mate, they'll tear your guts