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“I can’t do this here.”
“Then let’s have coffee. Tomorrow morning?”
“I need to get my footing here first. Let me call you later in the week.”
“You better.”
“I will,” I promise, disconnecting the line just as Cole appears in my doorway.
“Maria ordered us lunch. We have a case. I need you in my office.” That’s it. He disappears.
I stand up and hurry to follow him, relieved that he’s left me behind. That’s what a boss does. I think. I don’t know. It feels appropriate. “I have the food,” Maria calls out from behind me.
I turn and meet her a few steps away, taking the bags she’s holding. “Thank you. I have a temp coming in tomorrow to help Cole so you aren’t stuck with this stuff.”
“Oh good, I hope that person works out. Remind Cole that his team is still doing overflow work. They’re his. He’s just going to have to trust them to do the work.”
“I’ll definitely remind him.”
I head to his office and enter, food in hand, to find him on the phone. “Don’t be a pussy,” he growls. “Tell your client that he doesn’t run up a marker with a casino and expect not to pay. That’s a good way to end up six feet under. Then tell him to get a security guard, not a law firm. He’s going to need one.” He hangs up. “Jesus,” he growls, standing up and walking to the door to shut it. “I hate wet behind the ears attorneys with no balls.” He sits down in front of me. “And who runs up a marker with a casino and doesn’t pay?”
“My father,” I say, before I can stop myself.
“Holy fuck. You’re kidding me?”
“Forget I said anything.” I reach for the takeout bags.
He moves them out of reach. “Talk to me.”
“I’ve handled it. I was just remembering why I’m so pissed at my father. That call brought it back.”
“I need the name of the casino and the details.”
“You will not pay my bill.”
“Did you have representation of any kind?”
“You just said I needed a bodyguard, not an attorney.”
“Consider me both. Name and amount.”
“A dive place. Double Down, it’s called.”
“Fuck. Those places are the worst. How much?”
“Now? Only twenty-five thousand. I paid off a hundred and fifty thousand with life insurance.”
“I’m paying it off.”
“No. No you are not.”
“I am and if that makes you hate me, hate me, but I am not leaving you like this. And Reese and Cat wouldn’t either. If you need a reason to agree, they could come at you here. They could come at your mother at work. I’m shocked they haven’t. End of topic. Moving to work.”
“We’re talking about this later.”
“We have a new case,” he says. “We’re going to visit him in the holding facility he’s at this afternoon.”
I force aside the personal and try to focus. “What’s he accused of doing?”
