Page 37
“How did you know I have a cold?”
“You—uh coughed a few times last night.” His eyes shift down to his shoes.
“Huh, guess you never miss anything. Even down to the smallest detail.”
Closing the door, I don’t offer him a seat or acknowledge the fabulous-smelling soup, this conversation does not warrant comfort.
“I have some questions,” I say. My voice is level, controlled. I have cross-examined men twice his size in rooms designed to intimidate me. I can do this. “You will answer them. Yes or no, where possible. If I want more, I will ask for more. Don’t elaborate or deviate from the question asked. Understood?”
Something moves across his face. Not quite a smile, but a glint in his eyes. “Understood,” he answers.
I look at him before beginning, trying to replace the man I was falling for with a witness on the stand before me.
“You came to Cascadia to acquire Cascadia Legal Partners.”
It is not a question, but I still need him to admit it.
“Yes,” Jackson confirms.
“You were sent specifically to review the team, the firm, and how we work. This was not a general assignment to ‘feel it out.’”
“Yes,” he responds, still with no emotion.
I nod once, all the information I was sure of; now we move into murkier waters. “The due diligence review identified irregularities at the firm.”
“Yes.”
“Financial irregularities with the firm’s billables, ones that predated your arrival.”
“Yes.”
“Cassandra Pierce initiated the sale; did she initiate the financial concerns?”
He holds my gaze. “Yes, and no. Cassie requested the acquisition, and our due diligence identified the irregularities. “
“Did Cassie help you identify who could be the cause of these problems?” I say her name with a sneer at the familiarity.
“Yes, she gave us her suspicions. I had my own.”
I pause, letting that fact stand for a second. “And you spent significant time with her, Cassie. Professionally and otherwise.”
“She’s the partner’s daughter. Keeping her cooperative was—”
“Answer the question you were asked, and only the question.” I stop him from continuing.
Jackson sighs before nodding in agreement.
“Was it you or dear Cassie who identified Daniel Davenport as a senior litigator with significant institutional knowledge of the firm?”
“Both.”
“So, you cozied up to him right away, joining his recreational basketball league for consistent access.”
The muscle in Jackson’s jaw moves. “I like basketball and I was new in town.” I arch my eyebrow at him before he corrects himself, “I went out of my way to befriend Daniel, yes.”
“Who identified Beth Harmon as head of contracts? She has access to every client agreement in the firm’s history.”
“I identified her as a strong potential source for leaked information.”
