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“It’s an open door,” I say, texting Reese with an update. I stand up. “I’m going to check on where the prep for court stands.”
“I’ll be here,” she says. “I put a call into that judge I told you about. I want to set a meeting for you to talk to him about his case.”
Tension radiates through my body at the mention of the case I’d hoped she’d let go. I walk to her and pull her to her feet, my hands on her shoulders. “This case is not our case.”
“Because it’s too high-profile and you don’t want another Roger,” she says flatly.
“Because I’m being smart as a managing partner of a newly merged firm. It’s a political case and that means the firm is assumed to be political. That means there won’t be one Roger, but many. And they won’t be coming after just you and me but everyone here. We cannot do that, go after the DA, and manage a crisis of management in Houston.”
She inhales and lets it out. “Right.” She softens and presses her hand to my jaw. “I understand. Completely and I was shortsighted on this.”
I kiss her hand. “Not shortsighted. Excited about what you do. It’s important to choose cases that you feel passionate about, but there is more than excitement and even guilt and innocence to consider.”
“A lesson learned.” She kisses me. “Go do your job. I will continue my hunt for the perfect case.”
Relieved, I exit the office as Royce sends me a text: Can you talk? Alone.
Not liking how that sounds, I dial him immediately. “What’s happening?”
“My brother hacked the hospital records, which stated that the restraining order was cancelled. No notification was needed.”
“Which isn’t true.”
“Which means the paperwork was tampered with. This DA is powerful and dangerous. He must know that he’s being investigated and that didn’t come from my team.”
“Reese’s wife has been digging around,” I state.
“She needs to stop and you need to convince the DA there is a truce in the making. Get on his good side. You don’t go at a man like this full frontal. Let my team do their jobs.”
“I’ll talk to them,” I say. “What else?”
“More soon.”
We disconnect and I walk straight to Reese’s office, motion to his door, and his secretary confirms he’s alone. I enter and shut the door. “The paperwork was changed on Roger’s discharge papers. Royce Walker thinks the DA is behind it.”
“Good. Lori is safe and we can use this to take him down.”
“He wants us to back off. He seems to believe the DA is dangerous. He believes the DA knows we’re coming for him and Royce wants us to make a truce with him and let him set the asshole up. Pull Cat back.”
He tosses his pen on the desk. “That’s like pulling a tornado back that’s already spiraling, but yeah. I’ll pull her back. What else?”
“More soon.”
He nods and I exit the office, and holy hell, I’d invite a good case to dig into right now. Lori is right. We need a case and we need one now.
It’s nearly seven when Lori and I join Cat and Reese at their apartment. We’re gathered around their island finishing off a pizza waiting on Reid and Royce for a plan when Royce shows up. He claims the endcap. “We have leads on some low, dirty actions by this DA that don’t just border on criminal, they are criminal. We need some space to pull together damaging evidence but he’ll cover it up as long as he feels watched. He’s now on guard. We need to back-up, give him space, and act slowly but precisely.”
My cellphone buzzes with a call from Reid and I let him know who is in the room before I put him on speaker. “Look all,” he says. “I have a company takeover in process. I can’t stop by, but here’s what you need to know. One of the board members of this company I’m managing somehow got word that I’m suing the DA. He’s tight with him. He let me know he is not pleased.”
“And you’re pulling out,” Lori assumes.
“Hell no,” he says. “I’m not pulling out. Sorry, ladies, but I told him to go fuck himself and I’d buy him out. He acted like I stuck something up his ass when I didn’t get the pleasure and then went on his merry way. I’m in. I’m going after the bastard, but I’m damn glad circumstances didn’t allow you all to charge into his office with me. I’ll get you your settlement, but this board member suggested you’re going after the DA on a bigger level. I need to know what I’m into and not on the phone.”
“I’ll come see you tomorrow,” Royce says. “Where?”
“I’ll text you the address. Call me directly to coordinate.”
“Will do,” Royce says and when I disconnect the line, he adds, “Let Reid go at the DA on this lawsuit, and then it’s over. Back away.”
