by Rachel Dylan
LETHAL ACTION
Danger in the Deep South
Rachel Dylan
Copyright
This ebook is licensed to you for your personal enjoyment only.
This ebook may not be sold, shared, or given away.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the writer’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Lethal Action
Copyright © 2015 by Rachel Dylan
ISBN: 9781943772360
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
No part of this work may be used, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
NYLA Publishing
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http://www.nyliterary.com
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to my amazing agent, Sarah E. Younger, who is a constant source of support and encouragement. I’d also like to thank everyone at the Nancy Yost Literary Agency, including Natanya Wheeler for all of her assistance.
Chapter One
Five years. Hope Finch was celebrating her fifth year anniversary as an attorney at the prestigious New York law firm of Rice and Taylor by chugging down another cup of lukewarm coffee. She’d lost count at mug number six. As a fifth year associate, she still had a lot to prove. Not only to the firm, but to herself as well.
She glanced at the clock on her computer screen and saw that she’d worked late into the night and skipped dinner again. Nothing unusual for her. The Wakefield trial was taking up all of her time—and then some. But there was no way she was going to say she couldn’t handle the workload. As a midlevel associate, she should be able to run with the big boys. Or at least pretend like she could. If that meant coffee would be her only source of sustenance then so be it. If she wanted to make partner within three years, then she had to stick to the game plan.
Hope shutdown her computer and grabbed her laptop bag embroidered with the bright red R&T logo. It was very possible she’d still put in a little bit more time working tonight at home. Also part of her normal routine.
The big New York City law firm was relatively quiet for a weeknight. Only a couple of other associates were working away in their offices. She felt a tiny shred of guilt for leaving, but then quickly dismissed it. She was still on track for getting all of her work done in time for trial and sleep was necessary. She couldn’t afford to make any mistakes right now. There was too much on the line. Both for her client and for her.
When the cold winter New York air blew against her face, she was glad to be headed home to her cozy apartment. It cost her a good chunk of her lawyer salary, but it was worth it. She paid a hefty price to be close to her office, and she still lived in a five hundred foot box.
Cinching her pink pea coat tightly around her waist, she walked quickly down the dark street. Even at this hour, there were still plenty of people walking around. She loved the anonymity and hustle and bustle of the city. It gave her the freedom she felt like she’d earned. She never understood how people could live in small towns where everyone knew every detail about your life. If she had it her way, no one would know anything about her. Except what she chose to share with them.
When she arrived at her high-rise apartment door, she turned the key in the lock, and dropped her bag on the floor. Immediately, she kicked off her tall heels and unbuttoned her grey suit jacket. Home sweet home. It wasn’t much, but it was hers, and for that she was proud.
She started to reach for the light switch but a strong hand grabbed her wrist throwing her off balance. She screamed as her pulse thumped wildly. The hand moved to her mouth and the other wrapped securely around her waist pulling her into him. The intruder stood behind her, and she couldn’t see him.
This was it. This man was going to kill her. He was strong. She was no match for him. In that moment, she found herself clicking back through the events of her life like a movie reel. Her horrible childhood front and center. Not enough time to make all of her dreams come true and to fully recover from her past. Wondering how much time she still had left. And filled with regret. She fought harder.
“Stop struggling. I’m not here to hurt you,” he said. “I’m Special Agent Gabe Marino. I’m a federal agent. I work for the FBI.”
The FBI? What was an FBI agent doing in her apartment? She didn’t believe him, so she kept fighting. She bit down hard on his hand, and he let out a groan. Unfortunately, he didn’t let go. Not willing to give up, she gathered up her strength and stomped on his foot.
Nothing was working though.
“Listen to me, Ms. Finch. I am going to drop my arms and step away from you. Don’t scream.” He slowly pulled his hand away from her mouth and loosened his grip. Then he turned on the lights, and she got her first look at her assailant. He was tall with short dark hair and chocolate colored eyes. He wore a dark suit and a striped navy tie. He looked the part of an FBI agent, but he could be anyone.
“Here, let me show you.” He slowly reached into his suit jacket and pulled out his credentials. He showed her his FBI badge and identification.
His identification looked legitimate, but she also knew it was easy to forge credentials if you had the right resources. She didn’t believe him yet. “Why would an FBI agent resort to breaking and entering?” she asked.
“I didn’t break into your apartment. Actually, I have a warrant.” He reached into his pocket and handed it to her. “Go ahead, take a look.”
She didn’t want to take her eyes off of him, but she glanced down quickly and read the warrant. This guy might actually be legitimate. The fact that he hadn’t hurt her yet added to his credibility. But what if he was trying to gain her trust only to hurt her? Hadn’t she had enough struggles in her life?
“What do you want with me?”
He stood with his hands in his pockets. “Information. I need to know what your involvement is with Carlos Nola.”
She took a step back providing her a little distance. “Mr. Nola is a board member of Wakefield Corporation. My biggest client at Rice and Taylor. Or I guess I should say that Wakefield Corporation is technically a client of my firm. Not me specifically. I work on their cases. Have since I started working there.”
“I know that.”
“If you know so much about me, then why did you have to break into my apartment? Why not set up a meeting with me at the firm?”
“Because I needed to be discreet. I’m working on a very sensitive case.”
“I don’t understand what you’re after here.” She looked up into his dark eyes and wondered what was really going on. If he was really FBI and asking questions about her client, that couldn’t be good. He definitely had her attention.
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Ms. Finch.”
She crossed her arms not appreciative of his bossy tone. “I’m not saying another word, Mr. Marino, until you explain why you’re really here. If you really are a federal agent then you know that I can’t reveal privileged information about my firm’s client, Wakefield Corporation.”
“It’s not Wakefield I’m that interested in. At least not directly. It’s Carlos Nola. Like I said, I have a reasonable suspicion that you’re involved with him and his questionable business practices. You’ll get much more leniency if you work wit
h us rather than if you try to protect him. So let me help you.”
Could this really be happening? What was Nola involved in that was getting this scrutiny from the FBI? “Mr. Nola lives in Georgia. I’ve worked with him, and met him about five or so times in person, and every single time he was entirely professional. I would like to help you, but I really have no idea what you’re talking about. He’s a legitimate businessman. Respected in his community.”
“This is about what is going on in his community—Maxwell, Georgia. That’s where Wakefield’s home office is.”
“I’m well aware of that,” she shot back. She wasn’t telling this suit anything. She wasn’t guilty, so that led her to believe that he was purely on a fishing expedition. She’d worked enough government investigations of big corporations to sense when there was actual evidence. If he had solid evidence he certainly wouldn’t be hounding her.
“And you’re sure there’s nothing you want to tell me?” He took a step toward her.
“How do I even know you’re from the FBI? For all I know you work for Cyber Future.”
“Ah.” He smiled. “No, I’m definitely a federal agent. How is the litigation between Wakefield and Cyber Future going?”
“That is not your concern, Mr. Marino. Now I’m going to have to ask you to leave my apartment.”
“Are you sure you want to do that?”
“Yes. Please leave.”
He cocked his head to the side. “If you are innocent, it’s in your best interest not to say we had this conversation with anyone at your law firm. And if you’re working with Nola, you’re in danger. So don’t say that you haven’t been officially warned. This conversation isn’t over, though. We’ll be speaking again soon.”
Before she could say anything he turned and walked out of her door.
“No, we won’t,” she said to out loud to herself.
What should she do? Should she tell the partners at the firm? No. First, she needed to figure out what was really going on. And that’s exactly what she planned to do. If she went to her supervising partner at the firm right now he might pull her off the case. So she’d have to get to the bottom of this on her own. A constant theme of her life.
The litigation between Wakefield and Cyber Future had gotten ugly. The breach of contract case should have been all business and routine, but it had gotten personal between both the executives and the lawyers representing the two companies. Cyber Future wanted to take down her client. Cyber Future was quickly becoming a competitor of Wakefield. Was Cyber Future behind this FBI inquiry? She certainly wouldn’t put it past them. Cyber Future was out for blood.
***
Gabe Marino wrapped his navy scarf tightly around his neck and let out a deep breath. Hope Finch knew that he didn’t have a solid case against her. Even getting the warrant was difficult. She put on a good show that was for sure. When she looked at him with her big brown eyes and played dumb, he almost believed her. She would have most people fully believing her innocence, but she’d been working with Nola for five years. She admitted that much herself.
He’d been watching her for the past few days. All she did was go back and forth from the office keeping very long hours. It didn’t even appear that she even took a lunch break. He pictured her eating some microwavable meal at her desk and drinking coffee made in a fancy espresso machine purchased by the law firm.
He hadn’t really known what to expect. Her file had made clear that she was a rising star at Rice and Taylor. She’d graduated top of her law school class. Obviously smart. She was also an attractive woman. Not that he was taking particular note of that. Every time he’d seen her over the past few days she’d worn her long blonde hair pulled back in a low ponytail. Her suits looked expensive. Maybe even designer. But he wasn’t surprised given that she worked at one of the most prestigious law firms in the city and had the stellar salary to match. She would need to look the part. Her salary made his look laughable. It irked him that big firm lawyers were so grossly overpaid as they defended massive corporations. Meanwhile, federal agents who often put their lives on the line were often barely making ends meet.
He had a job to do, and he couldn’t help the feeling that Hope was right in the middle of it all. He didn’t believe in coincidences. Too many unanswered questions made him uneasy. Was she part of the plot that Nola was cooking up, or was she in potential danger? Gabe believed that Nola was running several illegal businesses in Maxwell using Wakefield resources to help him. Those businesses included drug trafficking and money laundering. All things that had no place in Maxwell.
As he walked to his hotel, he tried to focus. The cold New York City weather was messing with his brain. He could never live up there, and he couldn’t get back to Georgia soon enough.
This case was personal for him. He worked in the Atlanta field office of the FBI, but he was born and raised in Maxwell, Georgia. And he planned to always live there. The commute to Atlanta was forty five minutes. But it was well worth the drive and extra gas to live in Maxwell and maintain his quiet lifestyle. A lifestyle that was threatened by people like Carlos Nola.
There was something sinister going on in his town—the town he loved. And he intended to stop it. Hope Finch might be the key to unraveling the entire mystery. She knew more than she was letting on. She had to.
Carlos Nola was up to no good. Gabe knew that Nola was using Wakefield Corporation to help further his criminal enterprise that was infecting Maxwell. What he didn’t know is if it was only Nola who was involved. How far did Nola’s influence reach?
Hope had been telling the truth about her meetings with Nola. His research indicated that they’d met recently in New York and periodically at her firm before that. Even if she wasn’t working for him as part of his criminal ventures, she could still be useful in his investigation. As one of the Wakefield lawyers, she’d have unprecedented access to Nola. He wasn’t giving up on her. There was still a lot of work to do. And Hope Finch was the center of it all.
***
Hope didn’t know what to think when she’d gotten the email from her boss, Sam Upton, telling her that they needed to meet first thing in the morning. Sam was the partner in charge of the litigation between Wakefield and Cyber Future. Hope worried that she’d done something wrong. She recounted the work she’d completed over the past week. Nothing stood out in her mind that she could’ve messed up, but Sam was such an important partner at the firm she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. Not even a small one. If he removed her from the case, she’d be devastated.
She took a deep breath and smoothed down her suit jacket before walking to his office. His door was open, but she still knocked. Sam was nice enough to work for, but there was still a gulf between him being a partner and her being a mid-level associate. A pretty gigantic gulf—he held all the power, and she held none.
“Come in, Hope,” he said. Sam wore a custom made navy suit and blue striped tie. He’d been working at the firm for decades, and his personal tailor often visited him at the office.
She started trying to figure out how to explain away whatever it was that she must have messed up.
“So,” he said, “I’ve actually got some exciting news. Or at least I hope you’ll think so because I do.”
“Okay,” she replied. Now he really had her attention.
“First, let me say that you’ve been doing great work on the Wakefield case. Really performing above your level and everyone has noticed including the client. They’ve been highly impressed with your dedication to this case. You’ve really been keeping this train on the tracks.”
“Thank you, sir.” She clasped her hands with nervous excitement.
“How many times have I told you not to sir me, Hope?”
“I’m sorry.”
He smiled. “And stop apologizing. Just listen up for a minute. You know I was supposed to try this case with Harry. But there’s been an emergency international arbitration for one of our biggest clients. Harry’s on a plane to Brus
sels right now and won’t be back for a couple of months. I decided to send him because they needed a partner over there right now with his international experience.”
She started to try to process what all of this would mean. If Harry wasn’t going to try the case with Sam, then who was?
He leaned forward in his chair. “Since you know the case so well, I want you to go to Maxwell, Georgia, and get us set up for trial next week. And then at trial you’ll be second chair. My number two. Also means a literal seat at counsel’s table and you examining and crossing select witnesses.”
“Second chair?” She heard herself say the words out loud but couldn’t fathom it.
“Yes, you’ve earned it. I know associates don’t get much trial experience around here since our cases have such a high dollar value. So you need to take this one head on. You’ll be working with our local counsel in Maxwell to prepare for trial. I’ll be coming down there in a few days, but I want you on the ground now. You up for this?”
She didn’t even know how to respond. “Of course I am.” This is exactly what she wanted. What she’d been working so hard for five years at the firm to show that she had what it takes to make it in big law. This was her time to shine.
“Great. Now have your secretary book you a flight for this afternoon. Get out of here and pack. I want you on a plane and in Maxwell by this evening.”
She nodded realizing it was probably better not to start gushing to her boss. “Thank you, I won’t let you down.”
She remained calm until she got back to her office and shut the door. Then she let out a squeal as she hopped around her small office. Second chair! And getting to go to Maxwell ahead of Sam to work with the client and the local law firm. This was a once in a career opportunity for someone like her. She hadn’t felt this happy in years. If ever.
