Page 83 of Heist

Chapter Twenty-One

Austin sat in her office on Monday morning thinking about her weekend at Solitaire as she twirled the bracelet on her wrist. Patrick was back in California to take care of business, and she was due at the detention center in two hours for a visit with a client.

Her phone rang. Picking up without looking at the caller ID< she gave her traditional professional greeting.

“Miss Yates, I have another client I’d like you to look in on and take over the case for us.”

“Mr. Thorley,” she said, sitting up straighter. “What do you have for me?”

“I’m e-mailing you the details now. It’s another case that could really use a woman’s touch.”

Austin rolled her eyes. That meant it was a case with a female defendant.

Pulling up the e-mail, she gave the file a quick scan. Rosaline Nash, a very wealthy woman accused of trying to poison her husband. She had paid the firm a pretty penny.

“I’ll be happy to speak with her, Mr. Thorley. Is she out on bail?

“Yes. We’re the second firm she’s hired. Let’s try not to lose her as a client. She can be picky. I need all your attention on this one, so I’ve reassigned the Sutton case to Mike and Jack.”

Austin froze, her finger hovering over the arrow key on her keyboard. “Mr. Sutton was very clear that I’m supposed to be in charge of his case.”

“Mr. Sutton doesn’t get to decide that sort of thing. If he doesn’t like my decision, he can find another firm to work with. We don’t need him or his money.”

“And we need Rosaline Nash?”

“Watch it, Miss Yates. You’re just an associate.”

Austin fought the urge to growl. “I need to go, Mr. Thorley. I have a client to see.”

A knock on the door startled her as she hung up the phone. “Come in,” she called.

“Hey, Austin,” Mike said. “I’m just here to pick up the Sutton file.”

“I’m not done annotating it yet. I’ll send it over when I’m done,” she said.

Mike shrugged. “Whatever. The trial isn’t for another four months. I’m sure we’ll work out a plea before then.”

Austin pointed a finger at him. “Patrick doesn’t want a plea deal. You will never get him to agree to one.”

Mike scowled. “Mr. Sutton will be made to see reason. They want to send him to prison. He’s going to do time, it’s just a question of how much.”

Austin had to dig her nails into her palms to prevent herself from hurling her stapler at his head. “Just get out. I’ll send the file when I’m done with it,” she said through clenched teeth.

Mike backed out. “What are you fucking him?” he muttered as he closed the door.

Austin buried her face in her hands. She hated this place. But it was her penance for sending an innocent man to prison.

With a heavy sigh, she gathered her files and left the office wishing Patrick were here.

She tried calling him, but it went straight to voicemail, so she sent him a text.

Need to talk. It’s kind of urgent.

Thirty seconds after she hit send, his face lit up the screen and she smiled. It was a photo she’d snapped at dinner one night. His brooding dark brown eyes sent her heart into overdrive.

“Hi,” she said, breathlessly.

“Hi. What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice stern and no nonsense.

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