Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 554(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
I blanch. “What? Why?”
“They’re targeting all of you as suspects. My job is to protect my client, even if that means creating questions about other people.”
“Now I know why Gabe didn’t want to be in this meeting. You protect Gabe, not me.”
“That’s not what he wants and my partner—”
“No. You’re fired, and while you’re protecting Gabe, remember the email I sent to Jean Claude. Throw me under the bus, but Gabe and my mother can’t go down.” I stand up and Reese follows.
“Abbie—”
“Thank you for the help, Reese. I hope to celebrate Gabe being out of this mess quickly.” I turn and walk out the door.
Chapter seventy-four
Gabe
Abbie bursts out of the doorway and I catch her arms. “Whoa. What’s happening? Where are you going?”
“You told him to represent me, not you? No. No. And no. In case you didn’t get that. No. I fired him. He’s all yours. We’re done.”
“His partner is representing me. And his partner is damn good.”
“No, Gabe. You aren’t—”
“I am. Cole is just as good as Reese, which is why you’re staying with Reese.”
“He’s your brother-in-law.”
“Exactly. He’s partial to me. The police know this.”
“Good. They need to know.”
“They also know he won’t represent anyone he thinks is guilty. You need him.”
“If he drops you, it looks like he thinks you’re guilty.”
“Damn it, Gabe,” Reid snaps. “I told you, you should have fucking talked to her about this.”
“Yes,” Abbie says. “You should have. Why didn’t you?” Her eyes go wide. “Reese thinks I’m going to be charged. Is that it?”
“No, he doesn’t. Reese and I exchanged text messages about this, this morning when you were sleeping. We made this decision before—”
“You and Reese made this decision,” she says flatly. “Gabe, what happened to together? Together does not mean just you.”
“I meant to talk to you this morning but the new developments were overwhelming you.”
“I wasn’t overwhelmed. I was shocked, as anyone would be in this situation. Don’t make me seem like I’m a delicate flower. You didn’t even warn me before I walked in the door.”
I scrub my jaw. “I needed to talk to Reid and Cat, and Reese is in a rush. I thought you’d hear about it from Reese and it would make sense to you.”
“I’m going to hire my own attorney.”
“Because I’m not good enough?” Reese challenges from the door.
“And I’m not good enough to defend Gabe?” Cole asks, joining us, brushing the façade of lint off his blue suit. “Hell. He’s not even going to be charged. Do I suck that badly?”
Abbie’s gaze catches on Cole, a man who is not only a hell of an attorney, he’s confident, arrogant. A friend. “You’re Reese’s partner?” she asks.
“Yes. And like Reese, I’ve never lost a case. I consider Gabe a close friend. Cat and my wife are best friends.”
“We are,” Cat interjects. “And Cole is Reese’s best friend and partner. The attorney we’re setting your mother up with is amazing as well.”
“We can’t divide loyalties,” Reese states.
“If no one is being charged, then why would you be dividing loyalties?” Abbie challenges, but she doesn’t give him time to reply. “Protect Gabe. I got him into this. Please just get him out.” She turns to me. “We can’t see each other until this is over.”
“That doesn’t help us, Abbie. We’ve had this conversation.”
“It helps you get your head on straight and think about you and your family, not me.”
“Abbie, damn it—”
“You matter to me, Gabe. You matter more than I wanted anyone to ever matter again, but that’s why you can’t win this argument. That’s why I’m leaving and you can’t stop me.” She pulls away from me and when I would go after her, Cat steps in front of me.
“Let me talk to her.”
“No, I don’t want you to talk to her. Now step aside. I don’t want to have to move my pregnant sister.”
“Trust me. She needs to hear this from me, not you.” She doesn’t wait for my reply. She takes off running after Abbie.
I turn to follow but Reid catches my arm. “Trust Cat.”
“And talk to me,” Reese says, motioning me into the conference room.
“No way in hell am I sitting down when she’s running away.”
“Then stand,” Reese says, “but get your ass into the conference room. I don’t have a lot of time here.”
I grimace and walk into the damn conference room with Reid and Cole on my heels. “I’m your new counsel,” Cole states, “and you and I need some one-on-one time, but Reese needs us to multitask.”
“Obviously, Abbie’s being set up,” I say, scrubbing my jaw. “She needs you more than I do. I can’t do this now. I have to go after her.”
“Trust my wife and your sister to get her back,” Reese says. “Have you forgotten how resourceful and convincing she can be?”
“She and Abbie barely know each other,” I argue.