Read Online Knock 'em Dead by Rhonda Pollero - Free Book Online Page A

obedience. Dane didn’t care for, nor did he share, my sense of humor or my irreverence. He was kinda like my mother, only with testicles.
    Running his palm over his artificially darkened hair, for a split second the sunlight glinted off his overly buff nails. The prisms of light arced across the ceiling, disappearing as soon as he laced his fingers and rested them on his desk.
    My heart rate picked up again. I’d seen this posture before. He’d assumed the same position just before he’d suspended me, without pay, for a month.
    “I’m sorry about this morning,” I said.
    “I’m sure you are,” Dane agreed, his tone tinged with annoyance. “Which is why we’re having this meeting.”
    I glanced over at mute Ellen. To my surprise, there was a touch of compassion in her green eyes. Thank God. Her feminism could have kicked in and maybe she’d be my ally. Now I was sorry I’d mentally berated her shoes.
    “Ellen and I have discussed your situation at length and have made some decisions that directly concern you.”
    “I didn’t do anything,” I insisted, hating that my words came out so wimpy and whiny. “My dear friend came to me for help and then the whole situation kind of snowballed out of control.”
    “We know,” Ellen said. “I’ve spoken with Becky several times today.”
    “But,” Dane injected quickly, “that doesn’t mean that we aren’t going to set some parameters.”
    That sounded a lot like new rules for me. Ones I wasn’t going to like. “O-okay.”
    Ellen crossed one unshaven leg over the other. “I made some calls at Becky’s request,” she began. “Jason Quinn is willing to meet with you at five at his Boca Raton office.”
    I blinked. Jason Quinn was an über-lawyer. And his services came at an über-price. “Thank you. He’s very expensive.”
    “Becky led me to believe that you and several other friends of the accused would be able to raise the necessary funds.” One of Ellen’s red brows arched questioningly. “Is there a problem?”
    Accused? Hearing Jane slapped with that moniker riled my temper. I shook my head. “No. I’m on it.”
    “You understand that you have to limit your involvement in this case, right?” Dane asked me.
    “That might be hard. The police have already taken my statement.”
    “I’m not talking about that. I’m simply reminding you that as an employee, you can’t use the resources of this firm for your own purposes.”
    “I wasn’t planning on using anything,” I said over the angry lump in my throat. “I’ve been focused on raising bail and finding Jane an attorney.”
    “Ellen has arranged for you to meet with one of the best criminal lawyers in South Florida. And just so we’re clear, that was a favor to Becky Jameson and it will be the end of your participation in any defense mounted by the accused.”
    “Jane and I are friends,” I explained, trying not to clench my jaw. “I’m not going to turn my back on her when she’s eyeball deep in sh—trouble.”
    “That’s not what we’re saying,” Ellen injected. “We’re simply telling you that in exchange for the introduction to Jason Quinn, we’ll need your word that you won’t go off half-cocked like you did the last time.”
    “I solved the case.”
    “Yes,” Dane acknowledged, though he looked as if he’d choked on the syllable. “But you also placed yourself in great danger and garnered a lot of press for this firm. Negative press. That isn’t how we do things around here, Finley. This firm exists entirely on reputation. I won’t have it impugned because you do crazy things like you did this morning.”
    “ I didn’t drag me off in handcuffs.” I could practically feel my blood boiling in my veins.
    “The way I understand it, you wouldn’t have been handcuffed at all had you not shoved that deputy, then been mouthy and argumentative with the detectives,” Dane said. “So I will repeat. After the arraignment, the only person from this office