by Regan Black
“What do you think you’re doing?”
“Picking up lunch? Your accounts are still frozen, right?”
She gave him a brusque nod. “I’ll pay you back as soon as this is sorted out.”
“You’re welcome,” he teased.
Her eyes went wide as they stepped aside to wait for the food. “This isn’t a game. And thank you.” She smoothed a hand over her hair. She’d gathered all that gorgeous hair up in a glossy clip, exposing the long column of her neck, but the breeze was teasing a few strands free. “Why are you really here?”
“I’m creating a buffer for you,” he replied, sticking closer than a polite client would. He hovered enough to give the impression he was enamored with the new woman in his life, while trying not to irritate her with too much physical contact. He wondered if she held everyone at arm’s length or just him. His money was on everyone.
“Oh.” Her lips made a perfect, rosy circle. “The camera at my building. Did you see who left me that note?”
He wished he could give her a better answer. “No,” he admitted, regretting it as the little surge of hope drained from her face. Worse, she started scanning the people milling about the park. “Searching for a certain orange cap?”
“Aren’t you?”
“No. I’m not useless to you. I know you wanted a different answer, but we’ll get there.” That brought the full force of her attention back to him. He liked it a little too much. “Your doorman and I didn’t make much progress on that front yet,” he emphasized. “But I spent the rest of the morning reviewing Falk’s arrest and events leading to it. Which is why I surprised you at the office. Again, I apologize.”
She waved it off. “I’m over it. Do you have a lead?”
His explanation was delayed by the food pickup and their brief search for a spot to eat. He could tell she felt exposed, but he figured his presence as an unexpected boyfriend would be enough to have her stalker reassessing the situation if he was out there watching.
When they were settled on a bench under a tree, he waited until she’d eaten some of her sandwich before he began. “Falk’s gang or followers or whatever you’d call them are suspected of a few arsons around the city in recent years.”
She nodded, her gaze sweeping across the people moving around them.
“None of those left enough evidence to prosecute a particular individual.”
“Which is related to my stalker how?”
“I’m a curious guy,” he replied. “After the momentary dead end in the mail room, I went looking for a better lead.” He decided not to mention his trek home for his clothes and his computer.
She blotted the sauce from her lips with a napkin, bringing his attention to her very kissable mouth. “Start making the connections. Please.”
Stay on point. It was his turn to scan the park. He didn’t spot anyone with an orange cap, but he felt as if they were being watched. A small measure of paranoia was to be expected, he supposed. “People take pictures at fires. Arson investigators gather them up when they can, hoping to find the firebug. That was my approach, comparing the media shots of fires suspected of being connected to Falk’s organization with the picture you caught yesterday, but it didn’t pan out.”
“I know it’s a lousy picture.” She shifted on the bench, crossed her ankles and tugged the rising hem of her skirt over her knees. “None of this explains why you barged into the office.”
Her unrelenting green gaze made him sympathize with any witness or client who landed on her bad side. She must be hell in a courtroom. Mitch swallowed, bracing for the worst. “Who did you share the news with when you were added to the case?”
She froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. Slowly she lowered the food to her lap and pulled the wrapper around what was left. “N-no one.”
“Come on, being assigned to the Falk case is a big deal. Your mom?”
Her teeth sank into that rosy lower lip for a split second. “No. We’re not close.”
“What about your friend Aubrey?”
She shook her head. “It’s not the kind of thing you share,” she said.
That startled him. Clearly he didn’t understand lawyers at all. She’d said it was a career-making assignment—wouldn’t she celebrate it? “Why not? Some confidentiality thing?”
“Sometimes,” she allowed. “In this situation, I was thrilled, but it’s a very public case and most people don’t want to see Falk get acquitted. Plenty of my peers in the office would rather take my place than pat me on the back.”
“Okay.” He obviously didn’t know how to think like a defense attorney. “Does it bug you that your stalker knew you had the assignment even though it’s not public knowledge?”
“Of course.”
“Me too. I think it’s an important clue.”
“You think the stalker works at Marburg?” She pressed her fingers to her lips. “Am I safe at the office?” she asked behind her hand.
Hearing her voice, thin and frightened, pissed him off and his self-control started to unravel. When he found her stalker, he’d wring the bastard’s neck. His free hand flexed and fisted. Bullying a woman was a coward’s game. Mitch put his arm around her shoulder, wishing he could make this go away with a snap of his fingers. “That very concern is what had me barging in and scaring you. Let’s do hourly check-in texts. I want you to let me know the minute anything makes you nervous.”
“All right. Though now I’ll probably be jumping at every shadow.”
“No problem since I’ll be close by. My earlier overreaction aside, I think you are safe there,” he said. Unwrapping the cookie that came with his meal, he offered half to her. “None of the pictures were from inside. I think if he had that card to play, he would have done it.”
“That’s something, I guess.”
“Eat up and I’ll walk you back.”
He downed his half of the cookie while she nibbled around the edges, watching people go by. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head. “Do you think your stalker holds the kind of clout to pull strings and get you specifically assigned to the case?” He felt terrible that the question made her tremble just as she’d started to relax.
“Choosing me makes no sense.” She jerked back, putting a little more distance between them. “Anyone with real clout would ask for someone more important or more informed. All I know about Falk came from media reports and the case files I’ve been allowed to see.”
“Anything sensitive?”
She glared at him, refusing to answer. “Why would anyone believe I’d cave to this kind of intimidation?”
He preferred the defiance in her eyes. “Every contact so far implies the stalker intends to use you as an inside source.”
“Yeah, I got that loud and clear.” She pursed her lips. “We both know I can’t do what he wants. What happens then?”
“We’ll burn that bridge if we get there.” Somehow he’d make sure the stalker didn’t push things that far. “You won’t have to face that dilemma.”
“Hmm. Your confidence is impressive, Mr. Galway.”
He shot her a grin. “Hopefully it’s contagious, too, Miss Cooper. Take all you want.”
She smiled, genuinely amused despite the lingering worry shadowing her green eyes. “Thanks.”
As they walked back, she slid her hand into his. That expression of budding trust slipped over him, made him feel ten feet tall and invincible. This wasn’t the first time he’d made a promise with no foolproof plan for how to back it up.
He wouldn’t let this be the first time he let someone down.
*
With his hockey team ball cap turned backward today, Leo Falk watched Miss Cooper exit the Marburg offices with a man he didn’t recognize. They looked cozy heading down the same route she’d used on every clear day for her lunch break. In another deviation from her regimented schedule, today they stopped at a food truck. Watching the new guy pay the bill, he gave her credit for finding someone to ease the bite o
f the cash flow crisis he’d created.
He’d followed her for two weeks straight before deciding the young associate could expedite his plans and assist in his brother’s acquittal. She’d proved to be more work than play, keeping her nose to the grindstone at Marburg except for short jaunts to the park for lunch and three visits each week to her health club. She lived alone, didn’t have regular contact with family by mail, phone or email, and, until now, her social life had been limited to only two obvious friends, both from the law office.
He’d assumed the trek to the nightclub last night had been an effort to blow off steam after he’d seized control of her finances and convinced her to cooperate. The idea that his careful investigation of her life had missed a detail as big as a boyfriend troubled him. He preferred to view this as some demonstration of her resourcefulness.
How unfortunate for her if this new man turned out to be someone significant, someone she cared for. He’d chosen Julia because her loner tendencies and lack of a support network worked to his advantage. His plans to help his brother beat the multitude of criminal charges could work regardless, but her isolation had been a distinct benefit to their unified cause.
Now, when he was ready to advance, he had to pause and reassess the angles and potential pitfalls of his plan.
He used his phone to snap a few pictures of them in the park before moving along to find a better vantage point for their return to Marburg. When they walked into his view, he used his camera and telephoto lens to get better close-ups for his investigator’s benefit. They needed to know everything about this man as soon as possible.
Who is your new friend, Miss Cooper? Leo’s thumb hovered over the send button for a long moment. Rethinking his approach, he deleted the text.
No sense wasting a move too early in this game. He’d wait until he understood what sort of player she’d added to the board.
Chapter 4
The conversation with Mitch prickled at the back of Julia’s neck throughout the afternoon. The notion that she’d been chosen because of something other than her skill and dedication to the law rocked her confidence. The stalker might not be in the building, but why did he believe she was weak enough to be manipulated?
It worried her that she was missing a critical connection. She reviewed every name associated with the case from petty thieves all the way up to Falk himself, including the missing and dead witnesses. She couldn’t find a point where she’d crossed paths with any of them. What did the stalker expect her to share?
To and from lunch she’d seen flashes of orange everywhere and yet no one she could point to as her stalker. It felt as if the whole world had decided to support the hockey team today and the season hadn’t started yet. Though she knew it was a symptom of her fear, the feeling that she was being watched followed her through the building. As much as she wanted to, she couldn’t shake the image of someone lurking in the shadows, right here in the firm, ready to spring a trap. Her solution to any vulnerability was to face it head-on and power through, but this time there wasn’t a target.
The stalker’s silence continued throughout the day. Contrary to all logic, the lack of more threats or direct demands put her on edge. The only alerts on her phone were the check-in messages from Mitch and teasing inquiries about her new “client” from Bethany, the receptionist on her floor.
When summoned by a call from her boss, she sent Mitch a text message and then silenced her phone as she headed upstairs to join the rest of the defense team in the conference room for a status update. Being new to the case, she only had to sit and listen.
And pray no names were mentioned.
Every minute of the meeting was an ordeal. Two days ago, this glass-enclosed space had felt like a pinnacle of achievement. Today it felt as if she were in a fishbowl, exposed and vulnerable to anyone who cared to look in this direction.
After an exhausting hour hiding her personal distress, a wave of relief left her shaky when her prayers were answered. The team had discussed strategy rather than plea deals or the names of people Falk might turn on to gain favor with the prosecutor.
Moving along with the others as they left the meeting, Julia felt a heavy hand land on her shoulder. Panicked, she spun around, raising her elbow. The reflexive strike landed on the chest of her boss, Eddie Haywood. Recognizing him and realizing there was no danger, her hands came up in surrender this time.
Stalker or not, this was inexcusable. “Sorry,” she murmured into the stunned hush.
“Easy there, Cooper,” Haywood said. “You okay?”
“Yes. My apologies.” She was a mess. “I was distracted.” The rumors about why she’d strike her boss were probably flying through the firm already. At least she’d have something to talk about with Mitch tonight. They could debate whether today had turned out worse than yesterday.
“Distracted?” He stared down the severe angle of his nose at her. His lips spread into a cold, toothy smile. “My office, please.”
Miserable, she trailed after him, silently cursing the stalker who’d made her too jumpy to function normally. Getting kicked off the case or suspended wouldn’t fix anything. Julia didn’t believe the stalker could really hurt Aubrey or her mother, but she couldn’t imagine any explanation that would convince the man who’d upended her life.
When she saw Mitch again, she’d be sure to tell him confidence was not contagious. She trusted Haywood and had learned a great deal from him, including his zero-tolerance policy for weak links on big cases.
“Close the door,” Haywood instructed, rounding his desk. He dropped the thick file he’d carried from the meeting onto the glossy desktop. Hands on his hips, he gave her a long study. “I’d say the gym membership is paying off.” He rubbed the spot where she’d planted her elbow. “What’s going on with you?”
“I’m not sure what you mean.” She wouldn’t volunteer anything. Though he’d added her to the case, he couldn’t be her stalker. He had full access to the case and more access than she did to Falk.
One dark eyebrow arched as the other dipped low. “You were quiet in the meeting. I recommended you for this case because you aren’t afraid to speak up like the rest of our chicken-liver new hires.”
“Thank you?” As compliments went, she’d received better.
“Sit down.” He settled his lanky frame into his oversize executive chair after she sat. The proof of his power and her debt to him was stamped all over his body language.
“Well?” he demanded. “Have you made any progress on the research I gave you?”
“I’ve been working on it.”
“No excuses, Cooper. We need to get some of this evidence tossed out.”
“Yes, sir.” She nodded. Her hands in her lap, she forced herself to keep her gaze on his. She might not have the results he wanted yet, but she couldn’t let him cow her. Although she’d sought help from Escape, she had to draw the line and stand on her own two feet at every opportunity.
She would not let this stalker change her entire way of interacting with the world. Who was she kidding? She’d just thrown an elbow at her boss in the hallway. Such a blatant mistake, fueled by ridiculous paranoia, could undermine everything she’d done to land on her feet at Marburg. She needed to keep her head on straight until they identified the man behind the threats.
“You’re feeling restless?” Haywood queried. “Having second thoughts representing a man like Falk?”
“I’m fine,” she lied. “I believe Mr. Falk deserves the best possible defense and he has it with us.” It was the only truth she could offer convincingly.
“I don’t think so.” He leaned back, those sharp eyes raking over her, waiting for her to crack. “I’ve watched you, Julia. From the first day you joined us as an intern. I know you.”
What? She pressed her knees together to hide the fear surging through her and waited him out.
“You’ve never left work behind in favor of clubbing.” Haywood reached for his cell phone.
“I beg y
our pardon?”
“Consider this a warning about your erratic behavior. A case like this is the worst time to pick up a ‘distraction’—” he put the word in air quotes “—like a boyfriend.”
A dozen protests came to mind, along with a few demands as to how he knew where she’d gone and with whom last night. “You’re having me followed?” Had the stalker stunt been a test or hazing tradition? She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or appalled. Should she file a formal complaint or laugh it off as paying her dues?
Haywood sneered at her suggestion. “God, no. I have better things to do with my time and resources, Cooper.” He pushed his cell phone across the desk toward her. “Take a look. A friend sent me this just before the meeting.”
There she was, sitting at the bar at Escape, moments before Mitch put the glass of water in front of her. She couldn’t recall a single friend she and Haywood had in common. Either her boss was lying about the source or the stalker was somehow dragging him into this mess. Nothing on the picture showed the sender’s information. Asking for details would make her sound defensive and lend weight to his accusation that she was slacking off.
“I was verifying a witness statement,” she improvised. “On another case.”
“That’s the Cooper I know. Always overachieving.” Haywood’s smile warmed a fraction. “One of your best traits,” he added, retrieving his phone. “Drop the other case. Push it off on someone else. The Falk case is your only priority until I say otherwise. Am I clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. There are no small jobs on this one. It’s going to take every last one of us to get Falk acquitted.” He jerked his chin to the door. “Get to it.”
“Yes, sir.” She could practically hear the whiz of the bullet she’d just dodged passing by her head. “Thank you for—”
“Thank me by doing the job.”
Dismissed, she retreated to the relative safety of her cubicle. As furious with herself as she was with the stalker who’d made her so jumpy, she sent a text message to Mitch.
