Courting Disaster

by Carol Stephenson

  He brought my hand to his mouth and kissed my fingertips. “But I kept tabs on you.”

  “How? Kate or Nicole would have told me.” I was certain on that score. We stuck together.

  “Your mother.”

  “Mom?” My mouth dropped open. “My mother squealed on me?”

  He shrugged. “What can I say? I’ve always liked your family. She didn’t seem to think anything was wrong when I continued to call after we broke up to find out how you were doing with your rehabilitation.”

  I was going to have a long talk with my devious mother.

  “But every time I thought I had the trap set for the Russian mob or the killer, something happened. The informant would be killed, die under mysterious circumstances or disappear.”

  At my questioning look, he explained. “The man I met with at the racetrack is missing. From the bloodstains in his apartment, presumably dead.”

  His eyes darkened. “Then you had your car accident and began to remember things.”

  “Bad luck, huh?”

  “Not entirely.” He began to massage the palm of his hand with his thumb. “We’re back together.”

  Everything went very still in me. “Are we? I thought you couldn’t take the new Carling.”

  “Ah, but that Carling no longer exists. Sitting beside me is another improved version. Stronger than the woman I first fell in love with and wiser than the one who left me.”

  Was I? I wish I had Jared’s confidence in me. I still didn’t feel at peace with my unfinished business. However, I wasn’t about to walk away from this man again.

  “I’m going to keep the Mustang.”

  “It suits you. You’re also going to continue to be contrary, argue with me and pretty much do what you damn well think is best.”

  I pursed my lips. “Sounds like an accurate summation, Counselor.”

  “But in closing—” he tugged me down, “—once I wrap up this case, I’d like…” His voice trailed off, his face going pale.

  “The flash drive from the amusement park. What happened to it?”

  Rolling away, I pushed myself to a sitting position on the side of the bed. I reached under the chair and grabbed my bag. Opening it, I held up the thumb drive. “You mean this?”

  “Damn it, Carling. The shooter’s still on the loose and you kept it?”

  “Like I was going to turn it over when the Hedeon have someone in your office on their payroll.”

  “The amusement park wasn’t the only action last night. We had a multi-agency sting going down as well.”

  “You didn’t tell me.”

  “Sam was supposed to take care of you.”

  “Sam was rather busy.” Not to mention that I had stolen away in the ambulance with Jared while his back was turned.

  Jared threw back the covers.

  “Where do you think you’re going?” I tried to push him back, but it was like pushing against a rock wall. “The doctor hasn’t been in yet to check you out.”

  “We got to get that drive to an expert. I’m hoping it contains the vital evidence I need to bring down the rest of the Hedeon.”

  Unspoken was his burning need to catch the traitor in his own department.

  I heard a sound at the door and, looking over, smiled in greeting. “You don’t have to go anywhere. I ordered a house call…or actually a hospital call.”

  “What?” Jared glanced at me and then toward the door.

  Standing in the entrance were Kate and Gabe. With a big smile Kate held up a laptop.

  “Have computer, will travel.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  The next afternoon I stood outside the courtroom and straightened the edge of my jacket. Taking a deep breath, I released it slowly along with any butterflies.

  Game on.

  I pushed open the door and walked inside. At the front, before Judge Brent Goldberg’s bench, stood State Attorney Andy Lopez and Mike Staminski with a bailiff close by. A court reporter sat poised by her machine. Even though proceedings were electronically recorded, a written transcript would be necessary if there was an appeal.

  “Your Honor,” I called out.

  The judge looked up from reading a document and glowered. “Ms. Dent. I’m in the middle of a plea hearing. Do you have the wrong room?”

  “No, Your Honor. I represent Mr. Staminski.”

  Stunned, the judge and prosecutor looked at each other and then the truck driver. The judge addressed him. “Mr. Staminski, you told me that you had no attorney and declined advice of counsel. What game are you playing?”

  I reached Mike’s side and patted his shoulder. “Mr. Staminski isn’t playing a game, Your Honor. He’s been in fear for his family.”

  “Counselor, don’t try my patience.”

  “I don’t intend to, Judge Goldberg. I have Mr. Staminski’s written retainer in case you need to see it.”

  “No. You’re an officer of the court and know the ramifications of lying to me.”

  “Yes, Your Honor.”

  The judge held up the document he’d been reading. “Are you aware of this plea deal? In exchange for the defendant pleading guilty to trafficking, the state will agree to a reduced sentence.”

  I set my briefcase on the table and pulled out a set of documents. “Your Honor, if I may approach the bench, I have a motion to dismiss charges and to request a speedy trial.”

  When I’d checked on Galina in the hospital, she’d been frantically trying to call me at the office. Her father had a court appearance this afternoon and her family feared the worst for him.

  With good reason. My entire office had kicked into high gear, producing all the necessary motions.

  The judge waved me forward and Andy approached with me. “What do you think you’re doing, Carling?” His tone was angry. “I have a good deal for him.”

  “Just doing my job.” After handing the original set to the judge, I extended a copy of the motions to Andy, making him reach out with his left hand. He winced slightly.

  Flipping through the motions, Judge Goldberg paused and frowned. “What’s this objection? You’re asserting Mr. Lopez has a conflict of interest and should be removed from the case?”

  “What?” Andy ripped apart his clipped set and found the motion. His jaw clenched as beads of sweat formed on his brow.

  Gotcha.

  “What is the state’s position, Mr. Lopez?”

  “Well, of course, the state—”

  “The state concedes the defense motion, Your Honor.” Accompanied by two sheriff deputies, Jared walked down the aisle.

  Bemused, Judge Goldberg leaned back in his chair. “Why don’t you join the party, Mr. Manning?”

  “Your Honor.” With a smooth move, Jared came to a stop between Andy and me, his shoulder brushing against me.

  With his crisp shirt, neatly knotted tie and navy suit, he radiated authority…and safety. I relaxed marginally. The final play of the game had begun.

  “The state attorney’s office is removing Mr. Lopez from this case and—” Jared’s smile was downright feral as he aimed it at Andy, “—from the department. As of this moment, Mr. Lopez no longer works for our office.”

  In a split second Andy’s expression went from anger to cool assessment. “You couldn’t beat me in the office, so you’re choosing a public forum to smear my good name? You’ve screwed up big time, Manning. By the time my lawyers are finished with you and the state attorney’s office, I’ll have your job and early retirement.”

  “Gee, Andy.” I barely restrained a snort. “Your Hedeon pipeline must not be working. I wonder why?”

  When he swung his gaze to me, I snapped my fingers. “Of course! I’ve got it. All your buddies are in jail. Vladimir Petrov, Grigori Navka, George Chudzik and Bill Murphy.”

  The thought of the last man still gave me a pang. The detention center guard I had shared so many jokes with over the years had been PG 2. While Chudzik had been the one to disconnect the security camera when Andy Lopez had ente
red the conference room to execute Borys, Murphy had stood by and let it happen.

  With grim satisfaction, I watched the realization dawn on the Hedeon hit man.

  Jared reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a document. “I have here an arrest warrant for you, Andrei Navka Lopez. You’re going to join your cousin Grigori in jail.”

  Andy cursed and lunged at me, but the deputies grabbed his arms. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the judge and court reporter hightail it out of the room.

  As Andy continued to struggle, the deputies wrestled him to the ground. One officer kneed him in the back, pulled his hands back and handcuffed him. Blood trickled down Andy’s hand.

  The officer dragged him to his feet. Andy glared at me. “You bitch. I should have let Clark have you.

  I opened my hands. “Why now? The Hedeon left me alone for a year.”

  “You called Vladimir on his private line like you knew him. How you got his number, I don’t know.”

  Most likely Borys, I thought. I’d probably seen or heard him dial the number and had memorized it. I must have dialed it in my confused state following the car accident.

  “Vladimir freaked out and demanded that I find out how much you remembered and where Borys had hidden the evidence.”

  Jared wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

  “The great Manning,” Andy sneered. “I should have finished you all off a long time ago.”

  “Why didn’t you?” Jared asked.

  “The hit was just for Borys. I wasn’t paid a bonus for an extra person.”

  “Here I thought you abstained because you had the hots for me,” I shot back. Jared’s fingers tightened in warning.

  “Like I stood a chance,” Andy said with disgust. “You never had eyes for anyone but Jared.”

  “And people didn’t think I had standards.” Since Andy was being so chatty under stress, I had to know something.

  “Why did you kill Sheree? Hadn’t that poor girl suffered enough?”

  Andy stiffened. “That damn Uri. The deposition acted like a cathartic agent on her. She began remembering details she hadn’t recalled before. Even talked about how she thought Uri was running a prostitution ring at the park. She became a danger.”

  Suddenly, Andy jerked, breaking free of the deputies. He staggered toward the center aisle, but Mike Staminski rushed forward. He swung his large fist, striking Andy square on the jaw. Bone cracked and Andy screamed. He sank to his knees before crumpling to the ground.

  Mike stood over him. “That’s for Galina.” He looked at me. “This dung heap told Uri to hurt my girl to keep me in my place.”

  I crossed and touched his arm. “You and your family will be all right now.” I glanced over my shoulder at Jared. “Won’t they, Mr. State Attorney.”

  He nodded. “Yes. When he leaves here, Mike and his family will go immediately into the protection program.”

  “Counselors!” There was a rapping sound. We paused and looked up at Judge Goldberg, who had returned and was hammering his gavel. “It’s about time you heard me. We need to close this proceeding.”

  “Yes, Your Honor,” Jared and I replied in unison. The court reporter resumed her seat and began typing.

  “I find the defense’s objections to Mr. Lopez to be totally reasonable and will note the appearance of Mr. Manning on behalf of the state.” He lowered the gavel.

  “I will also accept the ore tenus motion to vacate the defendant’s prior plea deal. I will entertain at a later date the state’s dismissing any charges against the defendant.”

  “Thank you, Your Honor,” I said.

  The judge looked from me to Jared. “Are you two back to dating again?”

  Jared squeezed me. “We’re getting married, sir.”

  Judge Goldberg rolled his eyes. “God help the judicial system. Well, let me congratulate you. Court is now adjourned.”

  Jared pulled me aside as the deputies escorted the whimpering Andy out. I hoped that the orthodontist fused his broken jaw shut forever. When I saw the bailiff prepare to lead Mike out, I drew away and went over.

  “Mike.”

  The driver’s eyes were red. “Thank you. For everything. For saving my Galina.”

  “You’re welcome. The state attorney’s office is working with the federal authorities to arrange for the safety of your family members in Russia. But the Hedeon are going to be in disarray for awhile. Just long enough to get you all into the witness protection program.”

  “I owe you so much. I do not know how I’m going to be able to repay you.”

  I touched his arm. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll pay me when you’re able. The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to stay out of trouble and any stray Hedeon.”

  He smiled. “That I can do.”

  “Good.” I nodded and the bailiff led Mike out.

  I sank down on the front bench seat. It was all over. Borys’s killer had been caught. If the evidence played out as I thought it would, we also had Drew Powell and Sheree Greiner’s killer as well.

  However, if Andy had also dispensed with Larry Clark and Uri Popov, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over their loss.

  “Promise me, my Natasha,” Borys said wearily as if he knew his fate was already sealed. “If anything happens to me, you will help my sister and nephews. I did something stupid, but they are innocent. They shouldn’t have to live in fear all their lives because I was weak.”

  I reached out and squeezed his hand. “I promise, Borys. But I’m going to work a deal. I’ll get you and Drew into the witness protection program. You’ll be safe.”

  I promise.

  I wrapped my arms around my middle, staring around the courtroom.

  “Jared, it wasn’t just recklessness all this time. Without realizing it, I’ve been trying to keep a promise made to Borys.” Relief filled me. I hadn’t taken on Rocket as a client because I didn’t care. I’d done it because I had cared too much for a man who had been caught in a nasty criminal web from which he wanted to break free.

  Jared sat next to me. “Are you okay?” He leaned over and kissed my temple. “I’m glad your demons are gone.”

  I reached out and took his hand. “Guess what?”

  “What?”

  “I like being a defense attorney.”

  “Good thing as you’re a great one.”

  I blinked at his compliment.

  “Don’t look so surprised.” He linked his fingers with mine. “So that’s settled. You and I will continue to butt heads in court.”

  He stood and tugged me along with him. “I do have one question—an observation really.”

  “What is that?”

  “Are you ever going to answer ‘yes’ to my question?”

  “Oh.” I placed my hands on his shoulders. “I don’t recall any pending questions, Counselor. I do recall an assertion presented earlier to Judge Goldberg about marriage.”

  “And?”

  “It occurs to me that you missed one crucial point.”

  “That I love you?” He drew me closer. “Yes. I love you, Carling Dent. I love your courage and your ferocious defense of your clients.”

  He kissed the tip of my nose. “I want to wake up every day with you by my side. I want you standing toe-to-toe arguing with me.”

  “You want to fight with me?”

  “Oh yeah, honey. Because there’s nothing like making up with you.”

  I smiled. “Good closing remarks, Counselor. The verdict is ‘yes’.”

  About the Author

  Award-winning author and attorney Carol Stephenson keeps the light burning well into the night. Originally a Midwesterner, she learned to love books at an early age because of her parents’ nightly reading ritual.

  Best known for her emotionally drawn, hard-driving romances, Carol’s first book, Nora’s Pride, won the 2002 National Readers’ Choice Award for both Best First Book and Long Contemporary. Her legal thriller Courting Danger won the 2006 Gayle Wilson Award of Exc
ellence in the Long Contemporary category. Shadow Lines, an international thriller, is the fourth book in the Madonna Key series about seven women, unthinkable danger and a lost history waiting for those who dared. Chasing the Truth revved as a thrill-a-minute Harlequin NASCAR story.

  Carol lives in southeast Florida with her beloved Shih Tzu. As her five basic soul food groups are romances, movies, photography, travel and a good cup of tea, into her nonexistent spare time Carol crams travel with her trusty 35 mm camera in one hand and tea bags in the other. Points of interest include Alaska, Canada, the Grand Canyon, Great Britain, Italy, Napa Valley and Nova Scotia. She’s also on a trivia team that competes weekly all in good fun.

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  ISBN: 978-1-4268-9137-3

  Copyright © 2011 by Carol Stephenson

  All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.