“Don’t start, young man,” she warned as she turned and placed her hands on her hips.
“Johnathan Davin Black, march your butt in here.”
A light chuckle could be heard as he moved about. My cell rang, and I quickly fished it from my purse. Checking the ID, I groaned.
Cole’s face questioned, and Frank shook his head. “The line is secure.”
“Excuse me,” I lowered the phone, “I have to take this.”
“Please, take my office,” Cole said softly as I answered the phone and told Henry to hold on.
“Ah…” Frank took a step toward me, but I shook my head for him to stop.
“Just act normal, right?” I reminded him I knew my part.
“Just be careful.”
“That’s why I’m here, right?”
He backed off, and I followed Cole down a hallway.
Henry was just like the rest of them. Well, I could tell myself that, even though deep down I knew he was different, but most of the time clients just needed to let the anger settle before they could move on. I hoped that eventually Henry would too.
Cole’s office was gorgeous, just like the rest of the house. The fireplace was on, so I moved to stand in front of it.
“Take your time.” He nodded before he left me.
With a heavy sigh, I felt the weight pull at my chest as I lifted the phone to my ear.
“Henry, you know you’re not supposed to use this number.”
“When I call the other one, you don’t answer.”
I closed my eyes to calm my nerves. “That’s because I’m working on a new case now. I don’t have time to chat about ones that are over.”
“Says the lawyer who didn’t win the case.”
Ouch.
“I’m sorry for what happened, I truly am. But, Henry, facts are facts, and the truth can’t be bent to fit what you want.”
“You know he didn’t do it.”
“Do I?”
“Really, Sloane?”
“The judge made up his mind, the decision was made, and there’s nothing I can do. My hands are tied on this.”
“You didn’t bring in the third witness, Sloane. You got sloppy, and now—”
“Henry.” I cut him off because the anger inside me bubbled to the surface at his words. I took pride in my work, and I was a damn good lawyer. “Five months, three weeks, and two days I spent on your son’s case. It’s not my fault the defense found a mistake that you made, and one you failed to mention to me. You and the others need to let it go. His days are numbered, so use them wisely.”
“Maybe I should have hired Grant instead,” he snapped before the line went dead.
My head dropped, and my hand reached out to the mantel to stabilize myself. I’d had difficult cases before, but Henry’s had been the hardest by far.
The phone rang again. I didn’t have to look at it; I knew it was him. He always snapped, flipped out, then called me back. He was so draining and heavy, and he always knew just what to say to hit all my weak spots.
Like a battered wife, I answered the call and heard the same song and dance that had weighed me down for the past six months.
“Sorry.” He paused. “I just get frustrated.”
“I know. But, Henry, you need to let this go and move on. Please stop calling. Nothing is going to change. The only person who can put this behind you is you. So, do it.”
“I know.” His voice softened a little.
“Please, I have a meeting with a client,” I lied, “and I need to be able to focus. No more calls, okay?”
“You moved on fast.”
And there it was again. Oh, my God. I can’t win with this guy.
“It’s my job.”
“It was also your job to get him off.”
The ache between my eyes increased, and I pressed to try to relieve some of the pressure.
The loud noise of a chopper filled the house, and I moved to the window to see a black helicopter landing up on the side of the hill.
“Where are you? Because you’re not home.”
That grabbed my attention. “How do you know I’m not home?”
“Because I’m outside your place, and there isn’t a light on.”
“That’s creepy, Henry. You need to go home.”
What the hell?
“I have a file I wanted you to look at, something new I found.”
The office door opened, and Frank was standing there with my coat draped over his arm. He motioned to me that I should hang up.
“Look, go home. There is nothing I can do for you or him. You