phone so she wouldn’t forget and then applied her substantial focus to the Falk case.
Marburg attorneys were famous for putting the client above all else. The firm’s core philosophy had been exactly what she’d wanted, what she’d needed after graduating law school. Career was the best, most acceptable reason to put the skeletons of her personal life to the back burner.
The hours flashed by, afternoon giving way to evening and then a late night, marked by the exchange of all-is-well text messages with Mitch. At ten thirty, Mitch’s response changed.
Bring the work with you, but I’m picking you up in fifteen minutes at the front door. Wait inside until you see me at the curb.
She dug her fingers into the dull ache in her neck and decided he had a point. Haywood wanted Falk to be her sole focus. The stalker was connected to the case, so she could work on both fronts in good conscience. Gathering up what she needed, she packed her purse and laptop bag to bursting before she powered off her desktop computer.
She didn’t have long to wait for Mitch to arrive. The beefy engine purred as the restored beauty glided to a stop, and she felt a happy zing in her pulse. Probably not a smart reaction, but after the past two days, she needed the boost of cheer.
He came around and opened the passenger door for her. “Your chariot.”
She laughed, giving him style points for the lighthearted theatrics. “Thanks.” Her stomach rumbled loud enough for him to hear when he slid behind the steering wheel and buckled his seat belt.
“You didn’t eat?”
“Crackers and a cup of coffee around seven,” she admitted.
His brow wrinkled in concern. “The Escape will have food.”
“No.” She thought of the picture on her boss’s phone. “Thanks, but no. Just drop me at the apartment. I got reprimanded for going clubbing last night.”
“You didn’t go clubbing,” he countered, driving farther away from her building. “Who reprimanded you? What are you talking about?”
Reluctantly, she filled him in on the elbow strike and the meeting that followed.
“You should have told me.”
She laced her fingers, keeping her gaze on the view through the windshield. “It was a bit much for a text message and I could hardly discuss this on the phone.”
“Fine.” He flexed his hand around the gearshift, knuckles white. “All the more reason to check in with Grant,” Mitch said. “I’ve bumped into a couple of things outside my expertise.”
“Fires and cars, by your own admission, are your expertise.”
“And you now.” His smile flashed. “Thanks for letting me pull back that veil.”
“Was that meant to be comforting?” She shifted in the seat, wishing she could ditch the suit and heels and crawl into her sweats to relax. “If so, it failed.” The comment left an icy ball of dread in her stomach. It didn’t matter that he had valid reasons. She didn’t want a stranger poking at the past she’d worked hard to leave behind. The law firm was different. Being her dream job, Marburg had a right to make sure she wouldn’t be an embarrassment by accident or design. Would the stalker ruin that before she had a chance to show her real value?
“Hang on.” He reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. “I’m here to help, not judge you. This guy is intent on the case. I think you’re just a pawn.”
“Stop. Just stop talking.” She choked back a bitter laugh. “You’re making me feel worse.”
“Well, in your shoes I wouldn’t like a stranger poking through my life.”
“Or sleeping on your floor?”
“Probably not that, either,” he admitted with another grin. He found a space in Escape’s employee lot and parked the car. Swiveling to face her, the sincerity in his brown eyes was unmistakable. “I want you to know I searched from law school forward, not backward, Julia. No sense digging up crap that’s irrelevant.”
She nodded. “Thanks,” she said, gratitude clogging her throat.
Marburg attorneys were famous for putting the client above all else. The firm’s core philosophy had been exactly what she’d wanted, what she’d needed after graduating law school. Career was the best, most acceptable reason to put the skeletons of her personal life to the back burner.
The hours flashed by, afternoon giving way to evening and then a late night, marked by the exchange of all-is-well text messages with Mitch. At ten thirty, Mitch’s response changed.
Bring the work with you, but I’m picking you up in fifteen minutes at the front door. Wait inside until you see me at the curb.
She dug her fingers into the dull ache in her neck and decided he had a point. Haywood wanted Falk to be her sole focus. The stalker was connected to the case, so she could work on both fronts in good conscience. Gathering up what she needed, she packed her purse and laptop bag to bursting before she powered off her desktop computer.
She didn’t have long to wait for Mitch to arrive. The beefy engine purred as the restored beauty glided to a stop, and she felt a happy zing in her pulse. Probably not a smart reaction, but after the past two days, she needed the boost of cheer.
He came around and opened the passenger door for her. “Your chariot.”
She laughed, giving him style points for the lighthearted theatrics. “Thanks.” Her stomach rumbled loud enough for him to hear when he slid behind the steering wheel and buckled his seat belt.
“You didn’t eat?”
“Crackers and a cup of coffee around seven,” she admitted.
His brow wrinkled in concern. “The Escape will have food.”
“No.” She thought of the picture on her boss’s phone. “Thanks, but no. Just drop me at the apartment. I got reprimanded for going clubbing last night.”
“You didn’t go clubbing,” he countered, driving farther away from her building. “Who reprimanded you? What are you talking about?”
Reluctantly, she filled him in on the elbow strike and the meeting that followed.
“You should have told me.”
She laced her fingers, keeping her gaze on the view through the windshield. “It was a bit much for a text message and I could hardly discuss this on the phone.”
“Fine.” He flexed his hand around the gearshift, knuckles white. “All the more reason to check in with Grant,” Mitch said. “I’ve bumped into a couple of things outside my expertise.”
“Fires and cars, by your own admission, are your expertise.”
“And you now.” His smile flashed. “Thanks for letting me pull back that veil.”
“Was that meant to be comforting?” She shifted in the seat, wishing she could ditch the suit and heels and crawl into her sweats to relax. “If so, it failed.” The comment left an icy ball of dread in her stomach. It didn’t matter that he had valid reasons. She didn’t want a stranger poking at the past she’d worked hard to leave behind. The law firm was different. Being her dream job, Marburg had a right to make sure she wouldn’t be an embarrassment by accident or design. Would the stalker ruin that before she had a chance to show her real value?
“Hang on.” He reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. “I’m here to help, not judge you. This guy is intent on the case. I think you’re just a pawn.”
“Stop. Just stop talking.” She choked back a bitter laugh. “You’re making me feel worse.”
“Well, in your shoes I wouldn’t like a stranger poking through my life.”
“Or sleeping on your floor?”
“Probably not that, either,” he admitted with another grin. He found a space in Escape’s employee lot and parked the car. Swiveling to face her, the sincerity in his brown eyes was unmistakable. “I want you to know I searched from law school forward, not backward, Julia. No sense digging up crap that’s irrelevant.”
She nodded. “Thanks,” she said, gratitude clogging her throat.
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