by Rachel Dylan
Hope didn’t know what to think when she’d gotten the email from her boss, Sam Upton, telling her that they needed to meet first thing in the morning. Sam was the partner in charge of the litigation between Wakefield and Cyber Future. Hope worried that she’d done something wrong. She recounted the work she’d completed over the past week. Nothing stood out in her mind that she could’ve messed up, but Sam was such an important partner at the firm she couldn’t afford to make any mistakes. Not even a small one. If he removed her from the case, she’d be devastated.
She took a deep breath and smoothed down her suit jacket before walking to his office. His door was open, but she still knocked. Sam was nice enough to work for, but there was still a gulf between him being a partner and her being a mid-level associate. A pretty gigantic gulf—he held all the power, and she held none.
“Come in, Hope,” he said. Sam wore a custom-made navy suit and blue striped tie. He’d been working at the firm for decades, and his personal tailor often visited him at the office.
She started trying to figure out how to explain away whatever it was that she must have messed up.
“So,” he said, “I’ve actually got some exciting news. Or at least I hope you’ll think so because I do.”
“Okay,” she replied. Now he really had her attention.
“First, let me say that you’ve been doing great work on the Wakefield case. Really performing above your level and everyone has noticed including the client. They’ve been highly impressed with your dedication to this case. You’ve really been keeping this train on the tracks.”
“Thank you, sir.” She clasped her hands with nervous excitement.
“How many times have I told you not to sir me, Hope?”
“I’m sorry.”
He smiled. “And stop apologizing. Just listen up for a minute. You know I was supposed to try this case with Harry, but there’s been an emergency international arbitration for one of our biggest clients. Harry’s on a plane to Brussels right now and won’t be back for a couple of months. I decided to send him because they needed a partner over there with his international experience.”
She started to try to process what all of this would mean. If Harry wasn’t going to try the case with Sam, then who was?
He leaned forward in his chair. “Since you know the case so well, I want you to go to Maxwell, Georgia, and get us set up for trial next week. And then at trial you’ll be second chair. My number two. Also means a literal seat at counsel’s table and you examining and crossing select witnesses.”
“Second chair?” She heard herself say the words out loud but couldn’t fathom it.
“Yes, you’ve earned it. I know associates don’t get much trial experience around here since our cases have such a high dollar value. So you need to take this one head on. You’ll be working with our local counsel in Maxwell to prepare for trial. I’ll be coming down there in a few days, but I want you on the ground now. You up for this?”
She didn’t even know how to respond. “Of course I am.” This is exactly what she wanted. What she’d been working so hard at the firm for five years to show that she had what it takes to make it in Big Law. This was her time to shine.
“Great. Now have your secretary book you a flight for this afternoon. Get out of here and pack. I want you on a plane and in Maxwell by this evening.”
She nodded, realizing it was probably better not to start gushing to her boss. “Thank you, I won’t let you down.”
She remained calm until she got back to her office and shut the door. Then she let out a squeal as she hopped around her small office. Second chair! And going to Maxwell ahead of Sam to work with the client and the local law firm. This was a once in a career opportunity for someone like her. She hadn’t felt this happy in years. If ever.
She couldn’t let this chance slip away. She’d have to be on the top of her game the entire time. While Sam cared about all of his clients, he’d been college roommates with Lee Wakefield, the CEO of Wakefield Corporation. So Sam took this case personally. He wouldn’t accept anything but her best—and then some. She’d proven herself to be a hard worker, and it was nice to see that it was actually paying off. But her work was far from done.
Hope gave her secretary instructions on booking the flight to leave New York around lunchtime and then went home to pack. She’d never been to Georgia. Much less the small town of Maxwell. This would be an experience she’d never forget, and there was also an added bonus. Now she could ensure she wouldn’t run into agent whatever his name was again. Their altercation last night was strange, and it bothered her that he was making allegations against Carlos Nola.
A tiny shred of doubt crept into her thoughts. What if the FBI agent was right and Nola was involved in some illegal activity? Could her work actually be protecting and aiding a criminal? No. She refused to believe that.
She’d had a few meetings with Nola in New York, and he always seemed entirely professional. Friendly, a gentleman, and with a shrewd business acumen. There had never been any hint of impropriety in any of their discussions. She’d spoken to him on the phone quite a bit lately because of trial preparation, and she’d experienced no red flags of any kind. Wakefield Corporation was also a very well-thought-of business with board members who were highly respected in the community. No, there simply had to be some mistake on the FBI’s part.
The FBI was mistaken, and it was her job to protect her client, Wakefield Corporation. Nola wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the business, because as a board member, he had a vested interest to stay above board with all of his business dealings.
She wasn’t one to just sit back, though. She planned to find out what the FBI was really after before it was too late.
***
About the Author
Rachel Dylan writes Christian fiction including the Danger in the Deep South and the Windy Ridge Legal Thriller series. Rachel has practiced law for a decade and enjoys weaving together legal and suspenseful stories. She lives in Michigan with her husband and five furkids—two dogs and three cats. Rachel loves to connect with readers.
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