by Rachel Dylan
“Good. Because it’s your career on the line here.”
She took in a breath at his statement—which was more like a threat. “Understood.”
“How is Monica working out?”
“Great. She’s very eager and inquisitive but not too pushy. I’m enjoying working with her.”
“Wonderful. She was near the top of her class at Emory. Just like you. Although I think I recall you were number one in your class. And one more thing. Harrison has offered to help you out if you need it, especially with everything going on in the Wade case. I took the liberty of briefing him on the status of the Shelton investigation. He’s completely up to speed and ready to step in on anything you need.”
She held back a groan and tried to keep her facial expression neutral. If only Keith knew how hard Harrison was gunning for his job. “Thanks for that. I saw Harrison and told him I had everything under control for the moment.”
“All right, but if that changes, know you have help.”
“Thank you.” She rose from her chair and didn’t let out a breath until she was down the hallway.
Later that evening she was sitting on her sofa, reviewing the Shelton file, when she heard a knock at the door. She wasn’t expecting anyone, so her pulse immediately sped up. But when she got to the door and looked through the peephole, her heart warmed.
She opened the door. “Dad, what’re you doing here?”
“Can’t I stop by and say hello to my favorite daughter?”
“I’m your only daughter.” She smiled as she looked up into her father’s kind brown eyes. He’d had to play double duty for her growing up, but he’d never let her down.
He pulled her into a big bear hug. “I’m just so glad that you’re all right.”
“Come sit, and I’ll make you some coffee.” Her father was a big coffee drinker.
“Sounds perfect.”
He followed her into the kitchen and took a seat while she put on the coffee. Then she joined him at the table.
“You would tell me if you weren’t feeling well?” he asked.
“Yes. I promise, I’m much better. The last thing I want is for you to worry about that.”
“I can’t help it. You’ll see one day when you have your own children.”
His words struck her. “I know. And I can’t wait for that day. Then you’ll be a grandpa.”
“Well, I hate to tell you, dear, but you can’t get ahead of yourself. You don’t even have a serious boyfriend.”
She didn’t need reminding of that fact. “I know, Dad. I’m working on it.”
“That’s what you always say. I told you about Jim’s son, right? I think the two of you would really hit it off. He’s a banker, very stable. A reliable sort of guy who would make a good father.”
She had to try her hardest not to roll her eyes. Her father had the absolute best intentions, but he was not a good matchmaker. At least not for her. “I can’t really see myself dating a banker. Especially not in the long term.”
“Why? Don’t you want someone who has a good, stable job?”
“Of course, but I want someone I can really fall in love with.” Since her mom wasn’t around, her dad had taken on the role of love life advisor many years ago.
“Don’t assume that a banker has to be boring. Jim’s kid is a great guy. He has a good sense of humor.”
She needed to shut this down. “I don’t think this is the best time right now, given all that’s going on.”
He nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry, my head isn’t on straight right now.”
“Please, I can’t have you worried about me. You know the doctor said that stress wasn’t good for you.”
“He tells everybody that. I’m fit as a fiddle.”
She stood up and poured him a cup of coffee in his favorite mug. “Here you go. Just the way you like it.” Which meant too much sugar.
He took a sip. “There is one thing I wanted to talk to you about.”
“What is it?”
“How do you think it’s working out with Cooper?”
“What do you mean?”
He placed his hands on top of hers. “Do you feel safe with him around?”
“Yes. I’ll admit I was skeptical at first, but after the attack, I feel much better knowing that he’s there.”
He blew out a breath. “I still can’t believe he didn’t get to you in time.”
“He did everything in his power. I promise you that.”
He leaned in toward her. “If I need to fire him and get someone else, I will do it right now. There is nothing I won’t do to keep you protected.”
“That will not be necessary. I’m getting along fine with him. I don’t want to switch. And besides, you realize that he works with Kate’s fiancé?”
He smiled. “Yes, I know.”
“Another good reason to keep him in place.”
“I just wanted you to know that I was more than willing to make a change if you wanted me to. I need you to be comfortable.”
“Thank you. I promise that I am. Now, enjoy your coffee and tell me what else is going on.”
He took a sip. “Martha keeps asking me and asking me out to dinner.”
Laughter bubbled up out of her. “And you keep turning her down.”
“Sophie, if I was going to date someone, it would not be Martha.”
“I’ve told you many times before that you shouldn’t stay single on my account.”
“I’ve been single for thirty-two years. I don’t think this old dog wants to learn any new tricks. I’ve got everything I need. And then one day, God willing, I’ll have grandkids to look forward to. I don’t need some woman coming into my life trying to change my ways. My heart still belongs to your mother, and I’m totally fine with that.”
“Whatever makes you happy.” She smiled at his response. She hated that he was alone, but he was right. He was set in his ways. It would take a special woman to break him down, and he hadn’t met anyone yet who fit that bill.
“If only your mother could see you now.”
“What do you mean?”
“Maybe I’m getting nostalgic, but I know she would be so proud of everything you’ve done with your life. I know I am.”
Her throat tightened. “Daddy, you’re going to make me cry.”
“You were always tenderhearted. From the time you were a small child. I worried about that. That people would always try to take advantage. That you were too much of a softie.”
“I’m still a softie, but I’m able to be tough now when I need to be.”
“You’re right. But if someone had told me when you were young that you would become a prosecutor, I would’ve never believed them.”
She laughed. “Me neither. It took me a while to get here. But I love what I do.”
“I know you do. And speaking of that, I know I interrupted your work. I saw the files out in the living room.”
“You don’t have to go.”
He stood up from his chair. “I know. Don’t worry. I’ll visit again soon.”
She walked him to the door, and he leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I know I might seem a bit overbearing right now, but it’s all because I love you so much.”
Sophie nodded. “We’ll get through this together, just like everything else in life we’ve dealt with.”
“That we will. Lock up behind me and set the alarm.”
She shut the door and then went back to work. It was time to start preparing for the trial against Glen Shelton.
Later that night, Tad sat in a coffee shop across from Whitney. This was only his second time meeting face-to-face with her. She was a very attractive woman, although too thin for his tastes. Even though she was around his age, he was no fool. The divorced CEO was way out of his league. He was just a PI. She was a millionaire. They weren’t even playing in the same ballpark. But he had bigger concerns than that.
“What’s the latest?” Whitney asked.
“A few interesting
things to report. First, I’ve compiled everything I could find on the Wade homicide case that I thought might be helpful. Turns out Sophie is the key eyewitness to the murders. Sounds like a wrong place at the wrong time kind of thing, but she’s in the crosshairs of the Wade gang.”
Whitney picked up her cup. “How so?”
“The suspect is Juan Wade’s little brother. Juan is the head of the gang, so in my opinion, he’s trying to spook Sophie off the case. Get her to recant or back out of testifying. I don’t know how far he would go, because if something happens to her at this point, it would seem really suspicious. But according to my contacts in APD, Sophie was attacked recently, and they think it’s linked to Wade, but they can’t prove it.”
“Well, that explains a lot. She looked awful when I saw her. A very noticeable black eye that couldn’t be concealed with makeup, even though she tried.”
“Those guys don’t mess around.”
Whitney took a sip of her skim vanilla latte. “That does add a wrinkle to everything. I wonder if it works in our favor, though. If she’s tied up in this Wade mess, then how focused could she be on our case?”
“We’ll find out.” He knew it was best never to underestimate a prosecutor.
“She insisted she wasn’t coming after SIB, but I have to protect my company.”
“Absolutely.”
Whitney looked up at him with her crystal blue eyes. “You know, if Wade is after her, that provides us with perfect coverage to act. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Completely.” It was clear that Whitney was ruthless. She wasn’t afraid to blur the lines. And based on what he knew about her, he could understand why.
“Anything else?” she asked.
“A few more tidbits. She has a guy hanging around her. I don’t know yet if he’s her boyfriend or what. He’s around all the time now. I’m trying to run down who he is, but I’m having to be a bit more cautious than normal, because while she seems oblivious, this guy always seems on high alert. If I had to put money on it, I’d say he’s had some law enforcement or military experience.” He’d experienced that killer right hook firsthand, but he wasn’t going to tell Whitney that.
“But you said he might just be her boyfriend?”
“I’m trying to determine that. In addition to that guy, her dad has visited her. She’s an only child, and her mother died in childbirth. It’s not surprising that she’d be close to her father. How did she seem to you when you met her?”
“She requested our cooperation, and I told her we would fully cooperate. I’m sending her a slew of documents that should keep her buried for a while. But I want you to stay on her. Whatever it takes.”
“Understood.”
She smiled. “I knew I liked you, Tad.”
“I know you hired me to focus on Sophie Dawson, but if there’s anything else I can do, just let me know. I’m reading between the lines here that there’s something you don’t want coming out about your company.” He wanted to see how much Whitney would open up to him, because she was clearly hiding something.
Whitney leaned forward. “When the time is right, I might be able to give you more information, but for now, do whatever it takes to keep Sophie in check.”
“Understood.” This was the most fun he’d had on a case in a long time.
It was Saturday evening, and Sophie had called Cooper over to her house. She said everything was fine, but his instincts had him on edge. He drove there as quickly as he could. He figured if he broke the speed limit, he had enough cop buddies to help him get out of the ticket.
When she opened the door, he walked in and shut the door behind him. “What’s going on?”
“Please tell me that you weren’t worried. I told you everything was perfectly fine.”
Yeah, she’d said that, but he hadn’t fully believed her. “Then what is it?”
“I’m going stir-crazy. I’m either locked up in my office or here at the house. And I was hoping, since it’s Saturday night, that we could go get something to eat. You said you didn’t have any plans.”
He let out a huge sigh of relief. So that was why she had asked him last night if he had plans. He’d thought she was just making polite small talk. “You just want to go to dinner?”
“Yes, if you’re up for it.”
He felt like an idiot. He’d jumped to the worst conclusions when she’d just been restless. “Sure. I’m just glad everything here is okay.”
“Cooper, believe me, if something was wrong, I would tell you. We’re past the point of me playing tough girl where this is concerned.”
He looked at her and realized it was the first time since he’d started working this case that she wasn’t wearing a suit. Tonight she wore dark jeans and a blue sweater that made her eyes look even more blue. As he looked at her, he couldn’t deny that he was attracted to her. Unlike so many women who caked on the makeup, it appeared she was barely wearing any. Just the hint of pink on her lips. And focusing on her lips wasn’t a good idea.
He had to check himself. He’d listened to her talk about her desire to settle down and have a family. He wasn’t prepared to offer that to anyone. It just wasn’t going to work out that way for him.
“Do you like Mexican food?” she asked.
“Yeah. I pretty much like everything.”
“Great, I know a place.”
“Can we get in on a Saturday night?”
Sophie smiled. “Yeah, I’m a regular. They’ll make it work.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I wouldn’t have expected Mexican food to be your first choice.”
She laughed. “Don’t judge a book by its cover, right?”
“True.”
A little while later, and true to her word, there was a booth waiting for them at the restaurant. It wasn’t a dive, but it wasn’t fine dining either. It was just the type of place he liked to eat at. He watched as Sophie dismantled the second basket of chips.
“I’m also not the type of woman who eats salads. I hope that doesn’t offend you.”
He grinned. “Just the opposite. It’s a refreshing change of pace.”
“My friends get a little mad at me sometimes, because I can eat whatever I want. From what my dad tells me, my mom was the exact same way.” She picked up another chip. “He actually stopped by the other night.”
“Your father?”
“Yeah. He was checking up on me. And you.”
“I can’t blame him. I really thought he might fire me.”
“I told him I didn’t want to work with anyone else but you.”
“Really? Why is that?”
“Because I’m comfortable with you, and the last thing I want to do right now is start over with another person. Speaking of which, we need to talk about the schedule tomorrow.”
“Sunday?”
“Yes, I want to go to church, but I don’t want to impose on you. So maybe we could work something else out?”
He appreciated that she was trying to accommodate him. But on this point, they were on the same page. “I’ll go with you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’s not an imposition. I go to church.”
“Where do you go?” she asked.
“Park Hills.” He’d been going there for the past few years.
“Oh yeah, I’ve heard of it. I go to Grace Chapel. You haven’t said anything about it before, so I wasn’t sure.”
Cooper looked at her. “And neither have you.”
She swirled the straw in her drink. “I’ve been told that I’m quiet about my faith. I should probably be more vocal, but that’s not my style at all.”
“I get it. I’m the same way.” It was eerie to him how similar they were in some ways, given what extremely different backgrounds they came from. “What time should I pick you up?”
“It’s up to you. We could go to the nine or eleven o’clock service. I usually go to the nine o’clock, but I’m asking for your help here, so I’m fle
xible.”
“Nine is great with me.”
She smiled at him, and once again he had to hold himself back. She was oblivious to the impact her sweet smile had on him. Yes, the physical attraction was undeniable, but there was something about her as a person that was also drawing him in.
“Is my case the only thing you’re working on right now?” Sophie asked.
“Yeah. I don’t want to be distracted.”
“Is that a problem? Am I keeping you from being able to take on other opportunities?”
“No. Between me, Noah, and Landon, we have it fully covered. We’re also looking to maybe hire someone else into the partnership. Business is strong, so it might be the right time to do it. But we’re all very particular and don’t want to work with just anyone. We have some additional entry-level employees to help us out, but at our level, we’re more cautious on expansion. We’re willing to take the time to find the right fit.” And each one of them had very strong opinions, so it was going to take someone with a unique skill set.
He ate his entire giant burrito and then felt stuffed. But it had been worth every single bite. She’d devoured her tacos too.
“Thanks for taking me out,” she said. “I know you probably could be doing much more fun things on a Saturday night. I really hope you didn’t change your personal plans because of me.”
“I didn’t have any personal plans. I’m unattached and pretty much focus on my job 24-7.”
“I can relate to that.” She sat back in her chair with a small groan. “You might have to wheel me out of here after all those chips I ate.”
“I think you can manage.”
She laughed as she stood up from her seat. “You ready to get out of here?”
“Sure.” He realized as they walked out of the restaurant that he’d had a nice time with Sophie. She didn’t put up any pretenses. He liked that she wasn’t into pretending to be someone she wasn’t.
They reached the door of the restaurant. “Why don’t you wait here, and I’ll bring the car around, since it’s a bit of a walk to the parking lot.” They’d parked in one of the Midtown lots a few blocks away.
“That’s nonsense. I’d like the walk, especially after that meal. You should’ve stopped me after the second chip refill.”