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“About fifteen grand in debt. There’s a bank account with enough in it not to get overdraft fees. She manages to shuffle her bills around so nothing gets cut off. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
Like everybody, the woman could use the money, but suing someone for fifty million when she wasn’t sure seemed like a desperate move.
“Michael was a typical twenty-something. Worked in IT, had a few friends online from his gaming addiction,” I continued, knowing Whitley well enough to see where his mind was headed next. I picked up a shrimp with my fingers, dropped it in my mouth, and chewed. “Interesting thing. Kid had a safety deposit box we’re pretty sure Mama doesn’t know anything about.”
Whitley sat up. “Oh yeah? What’s in it?”
I looked at the ceiling with impatience. “Still working on it.”
He pointed at me. “You’re losing your touch.”
“I can’t exactly have my man break into a bank,” I muttered.
“What about . . .” Whitley glanced at JoJo, seeming to choose his words carefully. “The other girl?”
“Food blogger.”
“You’re looking into Naomi?” JoJo asked incredulously.
“The restaurant they were set to meet at that night is her family’s. They’re being stubborn about the camera footage,” I said, ignoring her question.
“She’s a good girl,” she insisted.
“Am I going to have to kick you out of here?” Whitley asked. His tone was soft, though he wasn’t joking.
I touched her knee. “Everyone is fair game.”
“Even Penelope?” she asked bitterly.
“Hell, no,” Whitley said. “We do everything we cannotto find out if our clients are guilty.”
“My daughter didn’t kill anyone.” JoJo folded her arms over her chest.
Whitley held up two fingers. “Strike two. One more and you’re out of here.”
She pressed her lips together. At least I wasn’t the only one annoyed with him.
“Anyway, our guy should have the footage today. He’s reviewing the recordings from her firm as we speak. Karl was actually cooperative.”
The founding partner at Penelope’s law firm and I went way back. We’d faced off a few times in the courtroom in the early days, and naturally I’d wiped the floor with him. At least he didn’t hold a grudge. Though if he knew Penelope was my daughter, how would he feel about having her so close?
I hated she was working for someone else. She was too smart to have her talents wasted at another firm.
Maybe I did have a separation anxiety problem. I’d already brought JoJo to my office when she had a perfectly good one of her own. And I was hell-bent on convincing Penelope to come here too.
Patrick snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Anybody home?”
“I need you to file a restraining order against Alma for JoJo, Penelope, and me.” My brain shifted to the other pressing problem at hand.
“On what basis?”
“She’s making threats,” I said through my teeth.
“That’s thin, but Judge Robard likes me.” He typed something into his phone.
“She has a picture of JoJo and me in an intimate position. If we don’t give her our money, she’s going to tell Penelope the truth.”
“Ruthless.” Whitley let out a low whistle. “It’s going to be so much fun watching her get nothing.”
