Maybe this Time

Chapter 4

"Ceylin," Ilgaz sighed heavily, censoring her decision. But the expression in his eyes was patient as he looked down at her, silently asking the lawyer to elaborate on what she'd discovered.

"I need to know who these people are, okay?" Ceylin dropped her fork on her plate and raised her eyes to stare at him. "How can I defend myself if I don't know what I'm up against? It became clear to me that I can't count on the law to protect me. These people are dirty, Ilgaz. They have eyes and ears everywhere and they have infiltrated even the police force. I don't want to spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder in fear of going through what I experienced in Ankara again..."

Ilgaz understood and respected her motives, but he still didn't feel comfortable seeing Ceylin act on her own in a dangerous situation like the one they were facing.

"I'll find out who was responsible for causing you so much pain, and then I'll make sure they can never do it again," Ilgaz looked at her with a determined gaze. Ceylin didn't doubt him. She knew him well enough by now to see the prosecutor wouldn't rest until he made sure her kidnappers were in jail. Ilgaz made justice to the reputation that preceded him. Not only was he determined and dedicated, but he was also extremely competent at what he did. "And we will do everything according to the law," he added with conviction, looking at Ceylin very suggestively.

She immediately looked down at her plate. Ceylin didn't share his faith in the justice system, but it didn't seem like a good idea to get into that merit right now when the prosecutor was so selflessly trying to help her.

"You see, I've done some research, and I think you're closer to the truth than you might think," Ceylin revealed, noticing the spark of interest in his eyes. "A while ago, the Prosecutor's office received a complaint about improper disposal of biological waste."

"Yes," Ilgaz narrowed his eyes suspiciously. The case had been given to the Prosecution not long before, and the complaint had yet to be made public. If Ceylin knew about it, she'd undoubtedly gotten it from an inside source, and he could only imagine the ploys she might have used to get the information. "How do you know about that?"

"That's beside the point," Ceylin answered evasively, shrugging. "What matters is that the company accused of doing it has a connection to Crux," she explained, watching as Ilgaz processed the information. She could practically see the gears moving inside his head. "Here's what I know..."

Ceylin spent the next fifteen minutes detailing to Ilgaz everything she'd uncovered during the late nights she'd spent awake investigating Crux and its sister companies. The lawyer saw admiration in his eyes when she told him how she'd tied all companies together and revealed her suspicions that Tigris, the company she worked for, might also be a part of their dirty schemes.

Ceylin elaborated on her suspicions, pointing out that she hadn't been able to discuss her doubts with Professor Sinan since he was an idealist who had immediately rejected her hypothesis that the company he was so devoted to could be, in fact, directly responsible for illegal activities.

Ilgaz listened to her mostly in silence, occasionally interrupting her to ask questions pertinent to the cases.

After Ceylin was done sharing the information she'd garnered, she felt a lot better. It was as if a heavy burden had been partially lifted off her shoulders because now she had someone to share all that weight with.

"So, it seems like this whole thing is about much more than one company doing shady business," Ilgaz summed up concisely. "Do you think there might be a cartel of corrupt companies?"

While the case was of great interest to him since unraveling a scandal of that magnitude would be a national achievement for any prosecutor, Ilgaz did not even consider how it could potentially influence his career. His primary motivation for further investigating Ceylin's suspicions had far more to do with his concern for her well-being. Ensuring the lawyer's safety was his priority.