Page 4 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

Sabre nodded. “Okay. Here’s what’s going to happen next.”

The girl looked relieved.

“First,” Sabre said, “I’m going to find out more about this victim. I’ll read the police report as well as do some independent checking. Then I’m going to figure out why you think I was your lawyer.”

Bay didn’t respond. She simply watched Sabre with the same strange certainty she had in the courtroom, like she already knew the outcome.

Sabre felt the unease return. This girl wasn’t just trusting her. She was expecting her to win. And Sabre had no idea why.

Chapter 3

Monday late morning

Sabre left the courthouse with a knot in her stomach. She stood beside her car for a moment, cool air brushing her face, trying to clear her thoughts.

The girl’s words replayed in her mind. You said if anything ever happened, I should find you.

Sabre had said that many times to clients, but she didn’t think this girl was one of them.

Yet the girl believed it. That was the unsettling part.

Sabre pulled out her phone and scrolled to JP Torn’s number.

He answered on the third ring. JP had spent twenty years chasing killers before trading his detective’s badge for a private investigator’s license. Some habits, however, didn’t retire with him.

“Well,” he said, “this is either very good news or very bad news.”

Sabre almost smiled. “Why’s that?”

“You only call me in the middle of the day when something interesting is happening.”

“This qualifies.”

Sabre slid into the driver’s seat but didn’t start the car. “I just met a teenage girl accused of murder,” she said. “She asked for me as her lawyer.”

“Murder is a serious charge, but asking for you isn’t unusual if she’s a previous client.”

“I’ve never seen her before. I’m sure of it. Or, not. But it’s not like me to forget any of my kids.”

“That is unusual. But maybe you represented someone she knew. You have quite a reputation.”

Sabre leaned back against the seat. “She claims I represented her when she was younger.”

“And you didn’t?”

“I don’t think so.”

JP was quiet for a moment. “Maybe you forgot.”

Sabre shook her head, even though JP couldn’t see her. “In this line of work, you remember the ones who look at you like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re the only person standing between them and something terrible.”

“How old is she?” JP asked.

“She says she’s fifteen, but I’d bet younger.”