Read Online Sweet Peas in April by Clare Revell - Free Book Online

chest, and a huge lump filled his throat. It can’t be. She wouldn’t do something like that. He knew her. “ What? ”
    “I’ve got to go, sorry. Client just walked in. I’ll leave the files for you.”
    “Freddie, wait—”
    The phone went dead, and Adam looked at it. He didn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. Was he wrong? Were his feelings getting mixed up in this? Should he just back off now and get someone else to take over the case? Part of him didn’t want that because he wanted to protect her. He needed to protect her.
    At that instant he knew he still loved her.
    He closed his eyes, praying over the whole mess and asking for guidance as to where to go next and how to handle the situation.
    Adam glanced at his watch. He was going to be late.
    He arrived at court on time by the skin of his teeth, only to find the case postponed as the other party was not able to attend that afternoon, so the judge called a recess. He went back to his office and locked the door, telling his PA he didn’t want to be disturbed. Making a large pot of coffee, he sank into his chair and opened the first file.
    Adam worked all afternoon and all evening until eleven o’clock, tracing Sam’s personal and work history. He also traced Max Holder, Troy Branning, and Peter Carter. Any of those three could have been her VP as all three had clearance levels way above their pay grade. But the one name that he kept coming back to was Peter Carter.
    He left Freddie a voicemail message and headed home.
    He didn’t want to go home at all, but knew he had to at least rest as he was due in court again at ten.
    ****
    Adam had another rubbish morning in court. His mind was elsewhere, and when the judge ruled in his client’s favor just before lunch he was relieved. Not feeling any of the usual sense of elation, Adam trudged back to where he’d left his car.
    Crossing the road, he saw Sam and Peter standing in the entrance to the park. They were talking intently, Peter holding her hand. Then he hugged her.
    Jealousy stabbed at his heart. Adam turned the other way, deliberately going the long way around to the car park. Once he arrived back at the office, he shut himself away again, determined to go over every single paper with a fine-toothed comb.
    By four o’clock, his office resembled a bomb site. Papers covered every available surface, including the floor. Several empty coffee cups lay scattered across the room. His jacket hung on the back of his chair, his tie off, sleeves rolled beyond his elbows.
    He glanced up at his reflection in the mirror as there was a knock at the door. His hair stood at all angles, probably from where he kept shoving his fingers through it. He sighed. He looked so professional. Not. Oh well, nothing he could do now. “Come in.”
    Jo opened the door. “There’s a Mrs. Bryant here to see you.”
    “Thanks.” He stood. “Freddie, come on in. Sorry about the mess. There is just about a path from the door to the desk.”
    Treading very carefully, Freddie came in and shook his hand. “Working hard, I see.”
    Adam cast an eye over the mess. “Just trying to make sense of all this. Coffee? I just made a fresh pot.”
    “Thank you.” Freddie sat at his desk. “And have you made sense of it?”
    Adam poured the coffee. “No. I was hoping you’d help shed some light on it.”
    Freddie took the cup. “That’s not like you. I thought I’d spelled it out.”
    He sighed, taking his coffee back to the desk. “I guess I’m too personally involved. I see only what I want to see.”
    A faint smile crossed Freddie’s lips. “I hate being right all the time, but I did tell you that several days ago.”
    “I know. Can we just shatter what little dreams I have left here?” He rubbed the back of his neck.
    Freddie sipped the coffee, uncovering a coaster on a corner of the desk. “What have you turned up?” she asked.
    “Three names keep coming up. One of them, Holder, is dead. The second, Branning,