Page 16 of The Prey
“I hear you. I hear you. Just…If you make a move on her, good luck. And you’ll need to go very slowly and very gently. A woman like her—regardless of what she looks like or what she wears—she’s the real deal. She deserves a guy who treats her like she’s as special as she truly is. I’ve known what kind of woman she is for a long time. And if she wasn’t so damned nervous of men in general, I’d have already asked her out long ago. A woman like that…doesn’t come along often. A smart man goes after the treasure when he sees it.”
Hudson would have said more, but there was a knock on his office door. His admin showed the two men from the public defender’s office in. He’d heard there was a new attorney assisting the public defender now, who would eventually be taking over when Walters retired. The attorney had started off working for Hudson, around the same time Gia had, but had only stayed six months or so. The guy was an okay attorney, but not remarkable. Still, Barratt County was small. Finding someone willing to do the job was harder than he wanted to think about.
“Clarke, I heard you were back. Switched sides?” Hudson held out his hand to the other man. From what he’d heard last, Jason Clarke had been working out of Wichita Falls, where he had family.
“Doing this part-time. Money is better in private practice. You should try it sometime.” Clarke shook his hand and was introduced to Mike quickly. “I see Giavonna Hiller is still here—she’s the only one I recognize, or only one I remember. She married yet? Who’s the kid with her?”
He’d forgotten Clarke had had a thing for her before. When she’d first hired on. Until the man had left suddenly, leaving Hudson short an attorney. Fortunately, Mike had more thanreplaced Clarke. “That’s my son, Ryan. And my sister, Hala. She and Gia are good friends and have been for over a decade. Ryan is very close to Giavonna, too. As you can obviously see. Ryan adores her—and it’s mutual.”
“She looks just as good as she always did. Her hair is a lot longer though. I look forward to being in a courtroom with her. She always did get things…going. Always achallenge.” Clarke sent a look toward the bullpen. Gia and Hala were in a quiet conversation that looked intense. Hala hugged her and then his sister and son left. Leaving Gia sitting at her desk, an odd expression on her face Hudson had never seen before.
10
Jason had knownit was going to happen sometime. And soon. He had known exactly where she was. Like she’d been waiting all this time. She’d looked better than Jason had remembered. It didn’t seem possible, but she had.
It had been her hair that had first caught his attention two years ago—it had been braided and long. He’d always loved long dark hair on a woman. And then her eyes—the woman’s eyes were intense. Saw right into a man’s soul.
And she had been extraordinary. Beautiful. Smart. Connected.
He had wanted her instantly.
Jason leaned back in the chair, waiting for his current supervisor to speak. Jason kept his mouth shut and just waited. Walters would get around to it eventually. Jason needed this gig with the public defender’s office to work out. He had some things to…fix…after that little problem in Wichita Falls had become so public.
Now, he was playing the good boy.
Across from him, his superior shuffled through the file again. The guy always fidgeted. It wasn’t like he had sat still for fiveminutes. That was just one of the things about Walters that got under his skin.
Everyone said Tom Walters was good at the job. He was one hell of an attorney, no denying that. Walters could make a killing in Finley Creek or Barrattville. He’d once worked at Barratt, Barratt & Barratt, after all.
All the big money clients in the region filtered through that firm. The best attorneys in the state wanted to practicethereonce passing the bar.
Most didn’t make it to B-3. Only the best of the best, and it didn’t matter who you were or who you knew—B-3 didn’t offer partnerships often. He knew that for a fact—he’d met the daughter of the firm before. Charming her hadn’t worked one bit.
B-3 was one of Jason’s ownfailings.He was going to rectify that, as soon as he could. B-3 was his Holy Grail. He needed a partnership there. His goals depended on it. It was just a matter of time and proper connections.
As long as Hudson Hanan and that damned Mac Barratt didn’t stand in his way again.
He knew Hanan had put in a word with his pal Barratt two and a half years ago. It was the only explanation Jason had for why he had not been offered a position at B-3 back then. Jason had known he’d be running up against that bastard Hanan again. That was one reason he’d agreed to take on so many defense cases for the Barratt County court system.
After that little fiasco a year ago with that retired judge and his niece…things had just gotten out of hand. Hell, Jason was lucky he hadn’t gone to jail. The things she’d said about him—it really could have landed him in hot water if those rumors had gotten out.
Everything about Walters and his little friends annoyed him. Walters was always going on about how they had adutyto thepeople in this county. That public defenders were part of a noble system that protected due process for everyone, regardless of money or status.
Well, fuck that. The people of Value didn’t have two cents to rub together. Most of them were just ignorant hicks, anyway. But here he was. Stuck. Until he could get back to a better place—like Barratt, Barratt, & Barratt or somewhere like it in San Antonio or Houston. Somewhere more suited to his skill level. Even more than Wichita Falls had been.
And where the fucking money was.
Walters just kept talking. Jason kept pretending to listen.
“This judge—this judge, she’s a piece of work—a very beautiful woman. Real pain in the ass, though. She transferred here a month ago from Garrity County. She’s taking over Matt King’s seat.”
Jason knew all about Matt King. Supposedly the asshole had a heart attack two months ago. Jason had his doubts. There were…people…out there that had had a realproblemwith Judge Matthew King, after all. People who knew how to clean up their own messes.
King was another idealist, out to change the world for the better. Jason couldn’t stand fuckingidealistsone bit. Bleeding hearts just causing more problems trying to take care of those who were too lazy or stupid or poor to take care of themselves. Just getting in the way. Walters was looking at him, like Jason had missed something.
Walters had said something…about a woman? Being beautiful? He’d used ‘she’, hadn’t he?
“Tell me about her.” Jason leaned forward and smiled, though he certainly didn’t give a shit. What woman was Walters even talking about?
