Lone Witness

by Rachel Dylan

  “You wanted to talk?” he said. “I thought the police cleared me in the bombing.”

  “Yes. They did. They’re going down other avenues right now that have absolutely nothing to do with you.”

  “Then why are you frowning?”

  She took a deep breath. She could do this. “Juan, I think it’s best for us to part ways.”

  “What?” he asked with a raised voice. “Why?”

  “I’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty for you. I’ve gotten you through hard times, including Ricky’s trial. And I got you out of this bombing mess. Not to mention all the messes I’ve cleaned up for you over the past couple years.”

  Juan threw up his hands. “That’s all good. It shows we work well together.”

  She shook her head. “No. It shows I’m great at my job, but I refuse to be treated badly by you and those around you. I don’t deserve it.”

  He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “You’re talking crazy. I don’t mistreat you. I paid you on time.”

  “I’m not talking about the money. I’m talking about how you treat me on a day-to-day basis. The yelling, the physical threats and contact. That’s what I’m talking about.”

  He scowled. “People don’t leave me. Ever. I’m a lifetime commitment. You should’ve realized that from day one. There’s no leaving this life. Leaving me.”

  “Juan, listen to me. I am not going to work for you anymore. It’s as simple as that. I am not your lawyer going forward.” She kept her voice steady and didn’t break eye contact. There could be no hint of indecision or weakness on her part.

  “I treat you well.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh. “That is a lie and you know it.”

  “Is this your way of trying to get a raise out of me?”

  “Nope. I simply don’t want to work with you anymore.”

  Juan leaned forward, his dark eyes narrowing. “No one walks away from me. You should realize that better than most, after all we’ve been through together. You understand that?”

  “I do understand. Which is why you can say whatever you want about why you’re hiring a new lawyer. I don’t care. But you will have to hire a new attorney, because I quit.”

  He cursed and lunged over the table, wrapping his strong hands around her neck. He squeezed, and she started to choke. For a moment she thought he might actually strangle her right there. Using her legs, she was able to break his grip by shoving her swivel chair backward and away from the desk.

  She placed her hand on her neck and sucked in a few breaths. The skin burned from his violent grasp. But this outburst only confirmed her decision.

  “You’re dead,” Juan said, leaning threateningly over her desk.

  She smiled, trying to play a convincing role. “No, I’m not. Because if anything happens to me—and I mean anything at all—I’ve made arrangements to release all of your dirty laundry. Every single sordid piece.”

  His dark eyes widened. “You wouldn’t do that. That’s unethical.”

  “Try me.”

  “You’re out of line,” Juan said.

  “Then stay away from me, and you’ll never find out all the dirt I have on you and your family. I’ve given you fair warning, and I’m making this as easy for you as possible. But absolutely nothing you say at this point will change my mind. Your normal threats and intimidation tactics won’t work on me.”

  He cocked his head to the side. “I have to admit, Ashley, I vastly underestimated you.” He stared off into space for a minute.

  “This doesn’t have to end badly for either of us.” She slid a piece of paper across the table. “Here’s a list of top-notch defense lawyers who would love to have you on their roster of clients. But for me, I’m done. Do we have an understanding?”

  Juan stood up. “Yes.” He walked to the door and then turned around. “You’re going to regret this.”

  “I don’t think so.”

  As he walked out the door, she blew out a breath. She’d stood up to him. Now she could only hope he wouldn’t call her bluff.

  Chapter

  Twenty-Six

  Patrick arrived at Ashley’s office at about ten in the morning. He’d put in his notice first thing that day. Everyone might think he had sold out and gone to the dark side, but it really wasn’t like that at all.

  It was like his eyes had been opened to a completely different area of the law that he’d never considered. Maybe he could do his part to make sure that defendants got fair trials. That thought inspired him more than anything else had lately. Ashley was right. He was in a serious rut, and this would provide him the means to make a difference in a way he had never contemplated.

  He would have to come to grips with the fact that he’d still have to defend people who committed crimes, but he’d been up front with Ashley that he wanted complete control over his cases.

  She had asked him to swing by to discuss an important matter. She probably wanted to make sure he hadn’t changed his mind, but he was completely at peace with his decision. Even more than that, he was actually filled with excitement. Like he wasn’t just going through the motions anymore.

  He greeted Ashley’s assistant and then walked back to her office.

  “There you are.” Ashley stood to greet him.

  “What’s so urgent?” He sat down. “Is everything okay?”

  “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, especially after our conversation in the park, and there’s something I want to fill you in on.”

  “Tell me.” His mind raced as he waited for her to respond.

  “I had a meeting with Juan last night.”

  “How did that go?”

  “I’m glad you’re sitting down, because you won’t believe this. I told him that he needed to find a new lawyer.”

  “What? Why?” That was the last thing he had expected to come out of Ashley’s mouth.

  “Because you were right. I don’t deserve to be treated that way by anyone. It doesn’t matter that he pays the bills. I have plenty of business without him. I went the extra mile time and again for that man. I don’t owe him anything more.”

  Patrick stared at her. “I hope you didn’t do that purely on my account?”

  She shook her head. “No. But you did help spur me into action. I shouldn’t have to suffer at the hands of my clients. Not after all the work I do for them.”

  “How did Juan take it?”

  She laughed. “About like you would imagine. After he choked me and threatened to kill me—”

  He held up a hand to stop her. “What? Are you hurt?”

  “No. My neck is a little bruised, which is why I’m wearing this high-collared shirt. But I told him that he needed to back off. He gave me the whole no one walks away from Juan Wade speech, but I stood firm.”

  Patrick ran a hand over his hair and tried not to gape at her. “Did he really threaten to kill you?”

  “Yes. But I told him if anything happened to me, I had made arrangements to pull all of his skeletons out of the closet.”

  “Did you really do that?”

  “No. But I think I thoroughly convinced him that I would play hardball.”

  He didn’t think he’d ever met anyone with as much spine as Ashley Murphy. “How did you leave it?”

  “I gave him a list of new lawyers to consider, and he told me I’d regret my decision. I doubt I’ve heard the last from him.”

  “Do you think you’re in danger?”

  “No. I actually think once he cools down and gets a new lawyer, I’ll be a distant memory.”

  “For what it’s worth, I think you did the right thing.” He was really proud of her for standing up to the gang leader. She deserved better than Juan.

  “There will be other clients like him, though. That’s the nature of the business and something I also wanted to talk with you about.”

  “Okay.”

  “I want us to be able to work together well and for neither of us to have issues with clients the oth
er brings in. I was thinking maybe we could briefly consult on clients that may be of a more sensitive or high-profile nature to make sure we’re both comfortable with them.”

  He couldn’t believe she was actually considering his opinion on things. Maybe this really could be a successful partnership. “You continue to surprise me, Ashley. I agree with you. For this to work between us, we have to be honest about what cases we want and how we want to handle them. As long as we keep an open line of communication, I think we’ll be fine.” He smiled. “Also, I gave my two weeks’ notice at the DA’s office today.”

  Ashley grinned. “I’ve got the additional office all set up for you. Whenever you’re ready.”

  “In two weeks.” He couldn’t wait to start the next phase of his life.

  Tad pulled up in front of a large abandoned warehouse in College Park on the south side of the city. This was where he usually met Manuel Smith. Tad had held up his end of the bargain by taking out Whitney. Smith had promised him a little something extra, and it was time to pay up. But for Tad, it was even bigger than the money. Smith had also floated the idea of a promotion. If Tad had to be stuck in the cartel, he might as well make the most of it by working his way up the ranks.

  Smith’s black Escalade was parked in front of the warehouse. The lights of the SUV shone brightly, lighting up the surrounding area. Smith rarely went anywhere alone and always had a driver.

  Tad put his vehicle in park and opened the door. He knew Smith would expect him to make the first move. Then one of Smith’s men would check him for weapons, as was standard operating procedure. They could never be too careful.

  As expected, a man got out of the Escalade and patted Tad down. He’d left his weapon in his SUV. He knew the drill.

  The man gave a thumbs-up toward the Escalade, and Smith got out of the car and walked toward Tad.

  “Give me a minute,” Smith told the hired hand.

  The driver nodded and went back to the car.

  “You did good.” Smith patted Tad on the shoulder.

  “Thank you, sir.” Tad felt a sense of pride even though he’d hated having to kill Whitney. But now wasn’t the time to start forming sentimental attachments. It was all part of the job.

  “What did Whitney say to you when you confronted her?” Smith asked.

  Tad took a breath. “She was actually about to split town.” He debated about telling Smith the entire story, but thought it best not to hold back. It was the same advice he’d given Whitney, but she hadn’t taken it. “She also said she was going to tip off the cops about you.”

  Smith laughed. “Why would she have done that?”

  “I think she hoped it would be a diversion and that she could disappear.”

  Smith shook his head. “There’s no such thing as disappearing.”

  “I agree.” Tad’s palms felt sweaty. He was anxious to discuss his promotion and put all this Whitney business behind him.

  “Tad, you’ve been very loyal since we crossed paths a few years ago.”

  That was an interesting way to describe how they’d met. Tad considered it more like blackmail, but he’d learned long ago to hold his tongue with Smith. “I’m glad you can appreciate that. I’ve always had your back.”

  “And I want you to know how much that is valued.”

  Now would come the good news. The new position would definitely involve more money.

  “Here’s the thing.” Smith looked Tad in the eyes. “Shelton is gone, Whitney is gone, and there’s nothing linking me to any laundering scheme. Right now all the cops have is a wild theory and speculation. No hard evidence at all. There’s just one piece of unfinished business.”

  “I thought I’d taken care of everything, sir.” Tad had been meticulous in covering his tracks and making sure Smith was clean. The laundering scheme had been highly effective.

  “Not quite.” Smith took a step toward him. “You’re the only person who could ever tie me—and more importantly, the Sanchez Cartel—to this scheme.”

  “But I work for you.” Tad’s voice cracked.

  “I know. Which is why you have to understand that I can’t take the risk of you flipping on me one day.” Smith paused. “It’s not personal.”

  As those words came out of Smith’s mouth, Tad realized he was as good as dead. He kicked himself for not seeing it coming. What an amateur move on his part. He almost deserved to be killed for being so blind. And all because of the lure of more money and power. His pulse started to thump wildly. “I wouldn’t flip on you.”

  “That’s what they all say. But you have been a very good and loyal soldier to the organization, so we’ll make this as easy as possible.”

  Tad stood there, unmoving. There was no point in trying to run. Then he’d just get shot in the back. He took a moment and contemplated his life. He didn’t think there was anything to look forward to. Death was final. But he’d given it a good run. “Just do it, sir.”

  Smith nodded and pulled a gun out of his jacket.

  Tad took one final deep breath before he heard the loud crack of the gun.

  Sophie and Monica sat on the couch, watching a movie. Sophie had suggested a comedy to keep things light. Cooper had opted out of the movie and was grabbing a quick nap after dinner. Maybe she had overloaded him with too many carbs with the big Italian pasta dish she’d made. But cooking was one of the few things she could do here to keep her mind off the situation.

  Monica had been highly appreciative of the home-cooked meal. It seemed she wasn’t that handy in the kitchen, but she’d been a big help with cleanup.

  Sophie closed her eyes for a moment, not that interested in the movie. The volume on the TV went up, and she opened her eyes.

  “Sorry. I thought if it was louder, it would stop me from falling asleep,” Monica said. “I want to get a decent night’s rest tonight, but if I fall asleep now, that won’t happen.”

  “Sure. Turn it up as loud as you want.” She watched without much interest as the movie passed by. Her mind was far away, wondering what the future held. For her cases, for Keith and the office, and most importantly, for her relationship with Cooper.

  A few minutes later, Monica’s phone rang.

  “They gave me a temporary cell, and I gave the number to my mom. She’s completely worried about me. I should take this.” Monica stood up and walked toward the stairs.

  It was exactly times like this when Sophie really missed her mother. She’d talked to her dad earlier that evening before dinner, and he was doing fine. But she understood that there was nothing else quite like having your mother in your life. She tried to hold back her emotion, but it was no use.

  She was an emotional person, and that was never going to change. As she wiped the tears away, she hoped she could pull herself together before Monica got back. She was clearly more vulnerable right now, given everything that had happened. Usually the mere mention of someone talking to their mom wouldn’t have any effect on her. But right now, she was battling too many things at once.

  The loud laughter emanating from the TV was in direct contrast to her mood. She wished Cooper was awake to provide some comfort, but that was selfish of her. He deserved some rest.

  Instead she walked into the kitchen and tried to locate some chocolate. A couple minutes later, as she was rummaging through the cabinets, she heard footsteps.

  “Monica, I just found some chocolate, if you want to share.” She turned around with the large chocolate bar in her hand, and then dropped it to the floor.

  Monica stood in front of her with a gun drawn and pointed right at her head.

  “Monica, what’re you doing?”

  “We’re going outside. Our ride will be here any minute.”

  “You can’t do this. Are you working for SIB?”

  Monica shook her head. “Of course not.”

  If she wasn’t working for Whitney, then who had hired her? The answer was too awful to fathom. “The cartel?”

  “I couldn’t believe you never put
two and two together. I thought so many times that you might be on to me.”

  How could Sophie have been so wrong? “And Harrison?”

  “He has nothing to do with this.”

  “Are you even a lawyer?” A million questions flooded through her mind.

  “Yes. But I had to get my hands a little dirty for the family business.”

  Monica was a member of the Sanchez family. The news just kept getting worse. “What did you do to Cooper?”

  “He’ll wake up at some point. I dosed his Coke at dinner with a sedative. The organization doesn’t really care about him.”

  “But they care about me?”

  “Yes. It’s because of you that this entire deal went sideways. You had to go poking around instead of just taking Shelton and putting him away. It’s personal.”

  “Why not just kill me now?”

  “I’d prefer to have someone else do it.” Monica took a step forward. “But don’t try me. I will pull the trigger if I have to.”

  As she looked into Monica’s dark eyes, Sophie believed her.

  “Now move slowly toward the front door. I’m right behind you.”

  “Cooper!” Sophie screamed.

  “Stop it! We’re already behind schedule. Now move.”

  She couldn’t let the cartel remove her from the safe house. She had to stall. “I’m not going with you. Why would I knowingly walk to my death? You’re just going to have someone kill me.”

  Monica’s eyes widened in surprise at Sophie’s statement. She clearly hadn’t anticipated any resistance.

  Sophie did the only thing she could think of. She lunged at Monica, trying to knock her off balance. Sophie towered over Monica, but unlike the younger woman, Sophie had never been trained in any kind of fighting except a basic self-defense course her father insisted she take her first year of college.

  Sophie went at Monica again, grabbing her right arm, and the gun dropped to the floor.

  “Enough!” A deep voice rang out.

  Sophie turned and saw a man standing in the doorway. She’d only seen pictures, but she recognized this bald man with a dark goatee as Manuel Smith, and her gut clenched in fear. His dark eyes focused in on her.