Love's Verdict

by Carsen Taite

  * * *

  The next morning, Landon sat propped up on her elbow, watching Carly sleep, debating whether to wake her. By now, Jane and Judge Grafton knew what had happened yesterday and neither one of them could fault Carly for staying at home, especially since she and Skye could provide the details necessary to support a motion to dismiss or at least continue Trevor’s case until everything could be sorted out.

  “Are you going to stare at me all day?” Carly said, her eyes still closed. “Because if you are, you’re going to have to follow me to the shower. We’ve got to get to the courthouse soon.”

  “Is that an invitation?”

  Carly opened her eyes and smiled. “Maybe, but only if you promise to be good. I don’t want to be late.”

  “Oh, I promise to be good all right.” Landon pretended to be offended when Carly play slapped her. “Okay, okay, I get it. Sometimes a shower is just a shower.” She shifted to a more serious tone. “Are you sure you want to go? Everyone would understand if you need a day.”

  Carly sat up against the pillows and tugged Landon into her arms. “I’m positive. Besides, I have my very own letter of resignation to deliver.”

  “Babe, you don’t have to quit. Jane will probably give you the partnership now. Besides, you deserve it.”

  “I know I deserve it. I deserve it every bit as much as you do, but I don’t want it anymore. Not with Sturges and Lloyd. There’ll be something else out there for me. Something new and fresh. Besides, I have a pretty nice nest egg after five years of making good money and essentially living like a hermit.”

  Landon hadn’t thought past her own resignation to what the future held other than being with Carly. “You don’t have to worry. I have a sizable trust fund I’ve never tapped into.”

  “I thought you didn’t want anything to do with your family’s money.”

  “I didn’t have a good enough reason before, but you know I think after everything that’s happened, I actually earned my share. Besides, while you were sleeping, I had this crazy idea.” Landon spent the next few minutes telling Carly her plan. “Don’t tell me what you think now. Think it over, okay?”

  Carly rolled on top of her and lowered her head for a long, lingering kiss. Landon moaned with want, wishing neither one of them had to get out of bed. When Carly slowly pulled back, she was wearing a big grin. “When I’m around you, thinking is not my strong suit,” she said.

  “Right back at you.” Landon ran her hands up Carly’s side. “To be continued.”

  “Most definitely.”

  * * *

  The courthouse lobby was crammed with reporters, and Carly ducked her head and tried to ignore the flurry of questions directed her way.

  “When did you learn Shelby Cross was the killer?”

  “Are you going to represent her?”

  “Is it true she tried to shoot you and you overpowered her?”

  Landon ushered her through the crowd, placing her body between Carly and the shouting press. When they finally reached the courtroom, it was packed, but much more quiet and subdued. Carly nodded at Jane and took her regular seat next to Trevor. He leaned close and whispered, “Are you okay?”

  “She’s fine,” Landon interjected. “But she doesn’t want to talk about it.”

  Carly gave him a sympathetic look but didn’t bother trying to smooth things over. She didn’t blame Trevor for what happened, but there was a part of her that wondered if in all the years he’d known Shelby, he should’ve noticed something off about her and the way he was the sole focus of her life. She supposed his stardom had led him to expect no less from the people in his orbit, but if he had paid attention, Vanessa and Jocelyn might still be alive.

  Donna walked over to their table and handed Jane a stapled set of papers. “DPD searched Shelby’s house last night.” She shook her head. “You wouldn’t believe what they found. An entire shrine to your client, along with enough evidence to definitely tie her to this case and the one in Houston.” She pointed at the papers. “I filed that motion this morning, and I’ve asked the judge to rule on it before we go any further. I don’t think you’ll have any objection.”

  Carly looked at the papers in Jane’s hand and saw that the motion was styled Motion to Dismiss in the matter of the State of Texas vs. Trevor Kincade. A rare move in the middle of a trial. The evidence against Shelby must’ve been rock solid.

  “All rise.”

  Judge Grafton took the bench, and a few minutes later it was all over. She granted the state’s motion, dismissed the jury, and told Trevor he was free to go. Carly watched him open his arms as if to hug her and then veer off at the last minute to hug Jane instead. She looked over her shoulder and saw Landon standing directly behind her, staring at Trevor.

  “He’s harmless, you know.”

  “He might be, but I’d rather he keep his hands to himself.”

  Carly whispered in Landon’s ear. “Yours are the only hands I want on me.” As she said the words, she started plotting the fastest way to get out of the courthouse and back in bed.

  Jane’s voice snapped her back to reality. “Carly, Landon, I was hoping we could have a moment to talk.”

  Carly looked at Landon who shrugged. “I suppose we can hear what she has to say.”

  “Okay.” Carly looked at her watch. “We have somewhere to be, but we can give you five minutes.”

  Jane looked offended, but she quickly smothered her annoyance with a fake smile. “Mark and I had a long talk last night. You’ve both done such good work on this case, we decided we couldn’t choose between you. We’re making you both partners of Sturges and Lloyd. Effective immediately.”

  Carly choked back a laugh. “Is that so?”

  “Yes, it’s true.”

  “Landon, what do you think about this generous offer?” Carly asked, purposely not looking at her for fear she’d lose it.

  “I think I’ll take a pass. Besides, I already quit.”

  “And you know, I was planning to quit this morning,” Carly said. “So, that’s a hard pass for me too.”

  “What?” Jane appeared flummoxed.

  “We appreciate that you came here with a plan to make us both partners, but we’ve got plans of our own.” Carly reached down and took Landon’s hand in hers. “Big plans.” Carly didn’t wait for a response. Instead she walked hand in hand with her lover out of the courtroom and toward a future they would share together.

  Epilogue

  Two months later

  Landon stopped one of the cater waiters carrying food pans and surveyed the contents. “Are those fritters?”

  He nodded. “With pimento cheese and a pepper jelly drizzle.”

  “Be still my heart.”

  Carly grabbed her from behind. “Do not give your heart away to a bunch of fritters.”

  Landon turned in Carly’s arms and smiled. “Not to worry. My heart’s all yours.”

  “I think we might have too much food. Have you seen how many pans are already in the kitchen and Ian keeps sending more.”

  “The proper response is ‘my heart’s all yours too.’” Landon gave Carly a light, quick kiss, hoping to distract her from obsessing over the party preparations.

  “It is. I promise. I’m just worried. What if no one comes?”

  Ah, so that was it. Landon reached into her pocket and pulled out a ragged slip of paper. She’d been carrying it with her since the morning Trevor Kincade’s case had been dismissed. She set it on the nearest table and smoothed it out. “This,” she pointed at the words Pachett and Holt, Attorneys at Law, “is going to be the very best law firm in Dallas. With the winning combination of Pachett’s supersonic brain and Holt’s ability to charm retainers out of even the stingiest of clients, they are destined for greatness.” She reached for Carly’s hand. “And it all starts tonight. With lots of food.”

  “Don’t forget the drinks.” Ian appeared next to them holding a fancy glass beverage dispenser filled with a light blue concoction. “A specia
l recipe just for you. I’m calling this the Not Guilty.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” Landon said.

  “So will I.” Carly squeezed Landon’s hand and watched Ian walk back to the kitchen. They’d all worked hard to bring the grand opening of their law firm to fruition. “I’m going to take a page from your book and envision a wildly successful night.”

  “Make that a wildly successful lifetime and you’re on.” Landon reached into her pocket and pulled out a small red leather box. “I was going to wait until Valentine’s Day, but I’m not very good at waiting when I know exactly what I want, and I want you to be my partner in everything life has to offer for the rest of our lives. Carly Pachett, will you marry me?”

  She held her breath while she waited for Carly’s response, but she didn’t have to wait long.

  “There is absolutely nothing I’d rather do more. Yes. A thousand times yes!”

  About the Author

  Carsen Taite’s goal as an author is to spin tales with plot lines as interesting as the cases she encountered in her career as a criminal defense lawyer. She is the award-winning author of numerous novels of romance and romantic intrigue, including the Luca Bennett Bounty Hunter series and the Lone Star Law series.

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