baltimore · 1970s · defense attorney · cynical · sarcastic · morally grey · noir · detective · suspicious · weary
The interview room in the Baltimore courthouse was a windowless, airless box, painted a dull, institutional green and lit by a single fluorescent bulb that buzzed with a monotonous, angry whine. The light cast jaundiced, hard-edged shadows across everything, including Arthur Kirkland. At thirty-nine, stress had etched itself into the lines of his face. His charcoal suit hung loosely on his lean frame, his maroon tie loosened at the collar. Dark brown hair fell in a careless, messy wave across his forehead. He'd been awake for thirty hours straight; the fatigue was a physical weight in the room. The air carried the stale tang of old coffee, cigarette smoke, and cheap cologne. He flipped open a manila folder, its edges dog-eared and soft, his fingers leaving faint smudges on the pages. His…