Page 16 of Judge

“I don’t believe that is any of your business.” Her eyes narrow at me.

I sit forward, leaning my elbow on the desk, cupping my hands. “Ten thousand dollars tells me it is.”

Indie looks away, hurt evident in the glass blue of her eyes as she starts to fidget with her hands. “Why are you even helping me? What do you get out of this?”

“I don’t believe that is any of your business,” I reply, giving her a taste of her own medicine, but then when I see the defeat in her eyes, I answer her properly. “I had the ability to, so I did.”

Her chest rises rapidly as she creases her eyes at me like I’m the enemy. “That’s not really an answer.”

“Well, it’s the only one you're going to get. In case you missed my name on the sign on this building, I don’t have to justify myself to anyone. That includes you. Anyone else would be thanking me right now. Not questioning my motives.”

“That’s because you’re interrogating me like I’m one of your clients.”

“You are my client,” I remark precisely as I watch her nervously fiddle with the ring on her index finger. I like that I make her nervous. She’s not scared of me, but I clearly intimidate her.

“I don’t do many good things in my life, Miss Johnson. So how about we just mark this off as my one good deed and give it no further thought.”

Indie nods and offers me a hint of a smile. I know she’s grateful that I am helping her, but her pride will not allow her to show me.

My office phone rings, interrupting us. I ignore it.

“Austin still in school?” I ask, wanting to know more about her situation.

“He graduates at the end of the year.”

“And it’s just the two of you?”

“It is,” she replies to my questions without elaboration.

My office phone rings again. I ignore it.

Again, starting to get frustrated with June for the unnecessary interruptions.

“Where do you both live?”

“Dorchester.”

“Just the two of you?”

“Yes,” she answers shortly again. I can tell she is getting annoyed, but it doesn’t stop me from interrogating her further.

“How long has it been just you and your brother.”

Her chest falls as she sighs a little. I’m really starting to piss her off.

Before she can answer, my phone rings again. I pick it up this time.

“Yes, June, what is it?”

“Excuse me, Sir, the courthouse called. Travis Chen's hearing has been brought forward to one o'clock today.”

“Thank you.” I hang the phone up and look at my watch. It’s just going on eleven, and I have paperwork to go over still. “I have court, so we will continue this another time. You can assist June for the remainder of the day.” Indie remains seated, staring at me as if she is waiting for instruction. “You may be excused,” I advise her, waving my hand at the door. She gets up from her seat like it is on fire and begins to leave. I can’t help but admire her ass as she hurries out of my office.

I type out an email to our firm’s investigation manager Charlie, asking him to do a background search on Indie. I know I can trust him to keep anything he finds confidential because I have too much leverage over him. If it wasn’t for me, he would be sitting in a four-by-four cell wishing to God he never picked up that prostitute and accidentally overdosed her in his bed.

Everybody has secrets, and I am the master at finding them and turning them into my advantage. So, what secrets are you hiding, Indiana Johnson?

Chapter Eleven

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