The witness laughed. “If I did, I wouldn’t be working as a nanny. I’d be home with my own kid.”
“Who takes care of your child while you’re working?”
“My mother.” Clara shrugged, unimpressed but belligerent just the same.
“So, the eight hundred thousand dollars in offshore accounts and foreign companies does not belong to you or your child? It appears there’ve been no taxes paid according to your returns.”
“What? I don’t have any money in foreign accounts!” The nanny half stood, then sat when the nearest bailiff approached, hand on his gun belt.
Panic and fear overtook her expression. “I swear, judge, I don’t have any other money. It’s all I can do to keep food on the table for Timmy and me. The only reason I took this job last year was because of the benefits. My boss lumped me in with the rest of his employees, so I’d have health care.”
“I object, your honor. Miss Wagil’s finances are of no concern to this case.”
“Oh, but they are, Your Honor. And I can prove it.” Abby tried to smother her grin.
“Approach the bench. Now. I’ll speak to both of you.” The judge drummed her fingers on her desk.
This was the part where Abby had to tread lightly. She noticed Royden standing in the back, murmuring to another officer. She hadn’t seen him arrive. He caught her eye and grinned wide. He knew her tactics.
“Ms. McAllister. Explain yourself now or face sanctions.”
Abby cleared her throat. “My investigator discovered documents yesterday that are extremely relevant.”
The judge sighed. “Let me see them and I’ll decide. If not, this won’t go well for you.”
Abby handed over the reports, noting the husband’s pallor. Once in the judge’s hands, the documents would change the entire workings of the case.
A slight gasp preceded the frown. “Okay. I see there’s a lot of money involved, but I don’t see the witness’s name or the husband’s name on these. You’re still on shaky ground, counsel.”
Abby smiled. “I know there’s a lot of documents but let me show you.” She took the thick sheath of papers and sorted to the one she wanted before handing it back.
“Oh, I do see. I take it this is the child’s name?”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
The judge narrowed her eyes at opposing counsel. “And are you going to say you had no knowledge of these documents?”
Horus shook his head vigorously as he accepted the papers from the judge. His jaw dropped and he closed his eyes. “No, your honor. I have no knowledge of them. However, I do wonder why I haven’t seen them before now.”
The judge drummed her fingers on the podium while narrowing her focus on Abby. “Well?”
“They just came to my attention yesterday, Your Honor.”
“Ms. McAllister. Do you have other questions for this witness?”
“Yes, I do. Just a couple and I’ll be finished.”
Abby’s smile turned predatory, recognized by the prey sitting in the witness chair and evidenced by the nanny’s shrinking back in her seat with a frightened gaze.
Time to nail this case shut. “Ms. Wagil.” Abby retrieved the sheath of papers and handed them to the witness. “Please explain these.”
Numb and dumbfounded, Clara accepted the offering and glanced over the documents. “I don’t know what they are. I’m not a businesswoman.”
“Let me explain briefly.” Abby sorted through the stack until finding the specific damning evidence. “This,” she pointed to a signature on the bottom of a page, “is the owner of the foreign-based companies, to the tune of over eight hundred thousand dollars. Read the name and social security number that is underlined.”
Clara squealed and shoved the papers in Abby’s direction. “That’s my son’s name and social, but it’s not his money! This is a forgery.” Her expression morphed from confused to dawning to angry within sixty seconds.
“Clara. Shut up. I did this for you, for us.” The husband’s face turned red with panic or rage.
“Screw you! I—”
A loud thud halted any further conversation. The judge set aside her gavel. “Knock it off. Both of you, before I clear this courtroom.”
Needless to say, the affair was over.
“I assure you, Ms. Wagil, the documents are real. Do you realize the IRS takes a very dim view of taxpayers hiding money to avoid paying taxes? There are stiff penalties in place. Do you recognize the names of the companies?”
“Yes. William—Mr. Marchem said he owned them, but that his wife couldn’t touch any of them. God, this isn’t real... Listen.” Anger churned in her gaze as she focused on the husband. “Yes, I’ve been having an affair with your client’s husband. It’s been going on for over a year. He promised me he was getting a divorce and that we’d move out of the country and live well, but I don’t know anything about this. Are you saying this money is mine?”
“Oh, I very much doubt you could get your hands on it no matter how hard you tried. My investigator hasn’t finished digging yet, but it’s only a matter of time when it all comes to light once the federal agencies get involved.”
At the very least, she’d proven adultery. That alone changed the tide of the case. The financial details would take time to sort. Abby took a deep breath and straightened her suit coat before addressing the judge. “I think that will about do it, Your Honor.”
“Ms. McAllister, I assume your investigator is here to answer my questions?”
“Yes, ma’am. He’s waiting in the hallway.”
Turning to Horus, the judge asked, “Would you like to question him, also?”
“No, Your Honor. Ms. McAllister’s work ethic is always beyond reproach.” Frustration edged the gritted words.
At the back of the courtroom, Royden grinned, his shoulders shaking.
* * * *
“I love watching you in court, though I thought for a minute the judge was going to eat you for dinner.” Royden had parked behind Abby’s car at the courthouse, wanting to catch the tail end of her case. Watching her in action reminded him of an apex predator at work.
“Sounds painful.” In one simple move, she pulled a clip from her hair and let the heavy mass fall in waves down her back. The dichotomy of observing her during proceedings and striding beside him with free-flowing hair, sultry smile, and heels made him harder than a rock.
“Not the way I do it.” The feel of drawing her close with his arm around her waist lent a comfort to sustain him, until he could get her alone. He let his fingers drift through the silken locks then reminded himself to pay attention to his surroundings. Everything she did proved distracting.
“Hmm. I could use a glass of wine and a victory bowl of chocolate yogurt.”
“Sounds good. I took steaks out this morning.”
“What made you think I’d win?”
“Because I know you.” Tugging her car door open, he waited until she settled in before starting to close it. “You didn’t tell me about this case.”
“I didn’t know what the husband was hiding. Did you see his face? He had no idea I was onto his game.”
Something moved in the back seat of her sedan.
Without preamble, he jerked her out of the vehicle using a maneuver performed on drunken drivers in his earlier days on the force. Her squeal barely registered.
“What the hell, cowboy?” Abby stumbled on her heels before latching onto his arm to right herself.
“Back seat, snake.” It was all he could get out before slamming the door and yanking her against his side. Royden visually followed the length to the end where he saw the rattles. The fact it stretched out on the back seat indicated its need to soak up heat concentrated by the car’s window.
“Oh, hell. I hate snakes.”
Royden was already on the phone and leading her back to the safety of the building. “Sonofabitch.” Once in the back door using her keycard, he explained the findings to the sheriff’s deputy staffing the m
etal detector.
His first phone call included epithets laced with threats. A minute later, he took a deep, calming breath. “We’ll wait here for a few minutes.”
Her hands shook as she snagged her cell.
“Who are you calling, Abs?” Royden held his phone away briefly.
“Katt. She hikes all the time and will know what variety it is. I should’ve taken a picture of it.”
“It’s not going anywhere.” Royden listened as Abby explained her situation, knowing the combination of court and finding the snake would supply enough adrenaline to keep her up for a week. Her conversation consisted of stutters and hand gestures. He hadn’t pointed to the telltale rattles at the time, knowing she needed to vent.
“What kind was it? I don’t know, Katt. That’s why I’m asking you. Brown. It was a brown snake.”
When she hung up, Royden took her in his arms, needing the contact.
“Katt said it probably laid on the back seat for warmth. Sunning itself. Otherwise, I might not have known until after the accident.” Tears formed in her eyes yet didn’t breach the perimeter.
“We’ll find him, sweetheart. We’ll find the bastard.”
“But he keeps coming at me from different angles. Every time, it’s different.”
Chapter Five
Late morning sunlight brightened the office, so contrary to Abby’s outlook. The rattlesnake in her car may or may not have caused an accident, but it sure as hell scared her witless.
Matters didn’t improve when her supervising attorney strode in and plopped down in an empty chair. His assumption that her time was free aligned with his general attitude that women remain subservient. He’d proven himself as frustrating as he was arrogant.
She’d long perfected the fake smile and knew Brad would recognize it as such.
“What’s up?” She couldn’t help but wonder to what depth he measured her disdain. She hoped one day to see him as opposing counsel. The thought warmed her heart.
He’d foregone using his good looks and position to coerce her on a date or sway her opinion. It remained a good bet he’d been the one that began circulating her nickname, ballbuster McAllister.
Current tactics involved innuendos and veiled concerns over job performance. Her good standing with the partners provided a direct link whenever insecurity bit her in the ass, much to his chagrin.
“I wanted an update on the Rollison case. The partners are a bit nervous with so much on your plate.”
“Hmm, not according to the atta boy I received after yesterday’s trial.”
“Lucky draw. Fill me in.”
“Phyllis is picking up stakes and moving back east to be near her family. She still wants me to handle her divorce.” Abby had long recognized the greed lurking within her supervisor’s gaze. It flared whenever her career surged forward.
“We’d like her to stay in the Portland area.”
So you can manage her money when the divorce is over. “I can’t influence her to remain here. It’s not ethical. She and her child need family support. I think it’s the best situation for them both.”
Months of conversations with Royden helped her pinpoint the small details defining Bradly’s deceptions. The penchant to add details to flesh out his claim accompanied the slight shifts in his gaze. The trifecta included covering his mouth as if deceitful words burned his mucous membranes.
“The only reason the father agreed to it is because it puts his wife too far away to meddle with the company. If she’d stayed for a bit longer, we could’ve convinced her that keeping the child in familiar surroundings would’ve provided a greater benefit.”
No, you wanted to get in her pants and her bank account in one fell swoop. “Well, she has already left. We finalized some details along with her new will this morning.”
“I’ll take a look at them both, thank you.”
Expecting her boss’ interference, Abby had requested Mitzie make copies before filing the documents. As added protection, they’d prepared identical wills based on the client’s description of her husband’s figurative reach.
“Here you go. I thought you’d want to see them.” She handed him a folder with copies of her work to date.
“Where’s the original. You know I prefer them.” A sneer twisted Brad’s handsome features.
“At the courthouse.”
“The partners are concerned with your caseload in regard to your personal problems arising. You should convince the client that I would be a better fit to, ah, see to her needs.”
“My personal and professional lives are and will remain separate. Since my track record ranks as high as any in this firm, I should think that would reassure them. The client trusts me. I’ll have a chat with Salsman before leaving today to make sure he’s okay with it.”
Brad switched subjects on a dime. “You spend too much time working. Hell, this was the first vacation you’ve had, and it turns into a nightmare. Not to mention someone putting reptiles in your car. You need time off.”
“How do you know about that?” Abby’s gaze drifted to the open door, wondering if Mitzie worked behind her back.
“I have friends in the sheriff’s department. It was still the hot topic of the courthouse this morning.”
“I’m not taking time off. If you force the issue, I’m pretty sure the client will follow me out the door.”
The thinly veiled threat hit its mark. Brad narrowed his eyes before pasting on the smile that got him into most women’s panties. “Why don’t you let me take you out to a working dinner and we can talk about it.”
“Thank you, but no. I prefer meetings in this building and during office hours.”
Not to be put off, his smile widened as if that would increase the gap between her thighs. He’d tried many tactics to seduce her during the past three years, none of which would ever work.
Her desk phone buzzed, supplying a breather from the oppressive aura suffocating her. “Excuse me, this must be important to be put through during a conference.” Mitzie deserves a raise. Abby picked up the phone and sighed her relief. “Hello?”
A familiar hissing broken up with a telltale rattle almost made her drop the receiver. Heat drained from her face and she closed her eyes. Nothing could erase the flashback of a snake stretched out on the back seat of her car. Had it not been close in color to her seats, she would’ve seen it before getting in.
Her fingers trembled in hanging up the phone.
“Abby? You look white as a sheet. Who was that?” Brad leaned forward in his chair, concern etched in his furrowed brow.
“No one. You were saying something about my caseload?” Folding her hands in her lap reduced their shake.
Unconvinced, Brad let it drop as he continued his spiel. “You know, I went to bat for you just this morning.”
She doubted the truth but had to ask, “Oh? How?”
“The partners don’t approve of your choice of pro bono work. They’re afraid you’re stepping too far away from your normal workflow.” Picking an imaginary piece of lint from his tailored suit pants, he added, “I vouched for you though. Told them you had it in the bag and that any limelight in your direction helped the firm.”
The calculating gleam in his gaze proclaimed the fib. He probably complained that I’m using firm resources.
“How is that rape case progressing, anyway?”
“We got the DNA results back, finally. It matched. We also found the sample matched other victims of open cases—but outside the statute of limitations.”
“Which means the DA isn’t going to prosecute as vigorously without other victims or corroborating witnesses. Tough case.”
“We have a DNA match. She deserves justice.”
“I agree, though it took months to get the results. Bruises fade, memories dim. You look tired. I hope you don’t let your work swallow you whole. You still need to have fun in life.”
“I am.” Royden’s exuberant lovemaking explained part of her exhaustion. “I’m goin
g spelunking next weekend. I’ve always wanted to explore caves. My brothers use to scout and mark passageways in the underground tunnels when we were kids, but they’d never let me go.” It never hurt for a woman to reveal her tomboyish side.
“They don’t realize how tough you are. Surprising since you ran afoul of trouble three months ago.”
Brad’s never-ending probe into her life would yield no more information than it did before. If not for the police soliciting his opinion as to her current stalker, he wouldn’t have known about the near-fatal incident in New Zealand.
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”
“But I do. Apparently, your boyfriend isn’t taking good care of you. It’s a dangerous world out there. Be careful.”
“I’m. Fine. Thank you.” In standing, he offered the patronizing smile, one probably perfected after hours of practice in front of the mirror.
Like the snake she compared him to, he slithered out of the office. His attempt to seduce failed at every turn. He’d since redirected his charisma to Mitzie. Unfortunate that it took months for the assistant to see his true colors. After several lunchtime conversations where they compared Brad’s various tactics to get his way, her assistant proved resistant to his charms.
If he’d flung the last comment out as a veiled threat, she had two choices. First, she could inform one of her brothers. Matt, her eldest brother, and K9 detective would have an official chat. Lucas and Caden, PIs after leaving the force, would provide a more hands-on approach with a warning of their own. If Royden found out, he’d tear her immediate boss to shreds.
It didn’t seem plausible that anyone from the firm would mean her harm. There’d be no gain, and she didn’t peg any for a closeted sociopath. The only client of contention, the CEO’s wife, would surely find another female attorney if Abby dropped out, probably in her home state once she arrived on the east coast. Abby had made that point clear to all.
Once alone in her office, Abby called her assistant in to inquire about the threatening phone call, which no doubt came from a public source.
McAllister Justice Series Box Set Page 30
