Page 12 of Bad Situation

“Any more questions or can we get back to business so you can be on your way?” Patrick Moss might not be a trial lawyer, but not because he couldn’t kick some ass in front of judge and jury. I’ve been in enough courtrooms to know he’d hold his own with the best of them and, right now, he’s spearing Bree with daggers. My guess is he’s counting the ways he can discredit her investigation methods on the stand.

Bree has transformed into a barracuda faster than Megatron, hungrily leaning forward as she puts her forearms to the conference table. “How long has this been in the works, Jensen?”

A gasp escapes Jen’s lips and at the same time another attorney growls, “Do not answer that.”

Bree narrows her ravenous eyes. “The shell companies were incorporated eight months ago. This has been in the works for a while, hmm?”

“We were under the impression you were here to gain insight, not to interrogate, Agent Newman,” Patrick adds.

After going over the case last night, I wonder if she knows something more, because Bree sits back in her chair and smiles like she has the upper hand. “We came today so Ms. Montgomery could explain herself. But she hasn’t been able to shed any light on the case, let alone an explanation to clear up the evidence mounting against her.” She throws her hand out toward Jen. “Unless you’d care to add anything now while there’s still time?”

I’ve had enough.

It doesn’t matter that I stepped over the line with the main target of this case. If it were anyone else, I’d do the exact same thing. Bree Newman has no fucking clue how to build a case or deal with a target. This isn’t how we represent the Bureau with someone who’s not under arrest.

“I think we’re done here.” I hit the table with my open palm and push my rolling chair back to stand. If nothing else, I finally get Jen’s attention—her big brown, anxious eyes spearing mine for the first time today.

Bree doesn’t move and frowns. “I’m not done.”

Glaring at her, I refute, “You are. They’ve offered nothing new and we’re wasting everyone’s day.” I turn to her lead counsel, Patrick Moss, and extend my hand. “Thanks for your time.”

Patrick, all too happy to get this shit done, accepts my shake and doesn’t offer a thanks in return.

“But—” Bree starts to argue.

I ignore Bree and turn my attention to the woman I can’t get out of my fucking head. “Ms. Montgomery.”

Jen stands slowly, staring at me before saving face by taking my hand from across the table. I give her a firm squeeze and hold her gaze as long as I dare before regrettably letting her go.

I look to Bree, who’s been nothing but unprofessional, and Dean, who’s been nothing but a mute, and wonder if he possesses a set of balls. Holding out my arm to gesture for Bree to exit first, I wait anxiously to get out of here and find out what’s really going on with this case.

Chapter 4

Right to Remain Silent

Eli

“Would you like to explain what the hell that was?” I demand.

Bree, Dean, and I are standing in the parking lot of Montgomery Industries. We barely made it to our cars before Bree bit my head off for interrupting her line of questioning which only made me rip back into her.

“This is my case, Pettit.” Bree pokes me in the chest with her boney finger. “A case that’s going to put me on the map. I’ll make a name for myself and it may just be enough for me to move up. Not all of us get the opportunity to embed ourselves deep in the Sopranos.”

Fuck her. She has no clue what she’s talking about. She also has no clue to how to build a solid investigation. Her so-called case has more holes than swiss cheese and she’s so ravenous, she’s blinded to them.

“Your case is circumstantial. They invited you in there under good faith that you wanted more information and you did nothing but go bad-cop from shitty network television. Look at that building, Bree.” I point to the large glass structure leering over us. “You think they don’t have cameras in the conference room? The place is locked down like a bunker ready for World War III and you just made yourself look like a federal agent out for blood who wasn’t willing to look for all the facts. And you had a room full of eyes to witness your shit-show. Not to mention most insider trading cases are conspiracies and not carried out by individuals, let alone by the heir of the whole damn company. Have you ever testified in federal court?”

She doesn’t answer me but takes a step back, crossing her arms.

I’ll take that as a big, fucking no.

Still, she contends, “My case is not circumstantial. I’m on my way to the U.S. Attorney’s office—I have an affidavit ready and enough to support an arrest warrant.”

“You have something I don’t know about? Because those Excel files aren’t enough on their own. No self-respecting attorney would take the case on that evidence.”

“Just tell him about the shell corp addresses,” Dean pipes up, bored, if not a little frustrated.

I look back to Bree.

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