Page 17 of The Prey
A look of interest flickered through Walters’s eyes. Intriguing. Walters was widowed, in his early sixties—and he’dalways likedwomen.Even before his wife had died two years ago. Jason prided himself on knowing all of hiscolleagues’dirty little secrets, after all.
“Men look at her. I certainly have; but Beatrice Collins bites their heads off to their knees. She’s one of the Garrity CountyCollinses.Old Texas money. She’s very intelligent and she knows the law. Keep that in mind. She doesn’t tolerate shit. And she’s far more vicious than she looks. Like a little viper when she wants to be.” And it was clear Walters found that intriguing. Well, Jason had always enjoyed a woman with somefire,too.
Jason leaned back in his chair. “Defineshit. And…vicious.”
There wasn’t a single small-town judge that scared him. Jason had seen it all before.
Walters’s blue eyes narrowed, right on Jason’s face. His entire demeanor turned…tense. “You know exactly whatshitis. I know all about what happened in Wichita Falls. Any creative liberties with courtroom procedures won’t work with her. Anything she suspects is theatrical, she’ll rip you up one side and down the other and feed you your own liver. You won’t know what hit you. Save it for another judge. Don’t mess with Beatrice Collins.”
Jason was going to look forward to the challenge. Surely something in this bumfuck town would be worth his time. A battle of the minds with a female judge might be diverting. “I get it. She’s strict. I’ll make sure everything I do is by the book.”
“It always had better be by the book. I take this office very seriously, Clarke. You need to remember that. This case will be challenging enough for you without making it worse by irritating her from the onset. Your best bet, honestly, is to plead it down.”
Jason wasn’t going to make a deal with that asshole Hanan. He just wouldn’t. He wasn’t going to start off giving Hanan that kind ofwin.He knew how to handle clients like this punk. Andhe knew how to handle Tom Walters. He also knew how to handle judges like this bitch Collins, too.
He was just so damned tired of everyone underestimating him.
Walters just kept talking. “You’ll have to watch closely on this one—look for any technicality you can find. The evidence is overwhelming. And Hanan’s people don’t mess up.”
“Heard he was in an accident recently. Didn’t even slow him down.” Jason had his thoughts about that, but for now, he was going to keep them to himself.
Walters snorted. “Nothing slows that man down.”
“Which prosecutor is taking first chair?” Jason suspected he knew. He wasn’t worried about that Mike Tavler guy. Guy had come across as just a good old boy when Jason had been introduced. That just left Hanan andGiavonnaand some girl he hadn’t met yet Hanan had told him was just a year out of law school. Jason wasn’t worried about her at all.
Hanan and Giavonna,thosewould be his challenges.
Walters shook his head. “Hanan’s taken this one personally. He sent word over this morning about the change. Thought it would be Giavonna, honestly. She usually handles cases with female victims. You will be dealing directly with him.”
Interesting.
He’d known he’d be facing Hanan eventually. Jason was the kind who always did his research. He was looking forward to the challenge. It was all part of his plan. He would take Hanan down. Make him pay for every damned thing he’d said about Jason behind his back two years ago. Fix things with B-3.
And then…
Jason would do whatever he had to do to make sure Hanan and the Barratts of Barratt County never fucked with him again.
11
His sister was waitingfor him—and Halapounced.
“What is that creep doing back in Value?” Hala asked moments after Hudson stepped inside his front door that evening, fury in her tone.
“What creep?”
“Jason Clarke. I saw him. I know it was him. Why is he back?”
“He moved back three weeks ago. I didn’t realize you knew him.”
“I’ve met himoncebefore.” Hala was almost vibrating. Hudson placed his messenger bag on the entry table and looked at his baby sister. She was a taller, older, feminine version of his son, and he utterly adored her. And he did not like the look in her big brown eyes one bit.
“I take it that it didn’t go well?” Clarke had a reputation with women, but when he’d been in town three years ago, Hala would have been far too young for him. He couldn’t think of where their paths would have even crossed—except at Hudson’s own office. But she’d apparently remembered him—after one meeting. “Tell me about him.”
“Just promise me you won’t ever let Gia be alone with him. Or any woman, for that matter. Ever. But especially Gia. Don’t ever.”
Hudson tuned into his sister more than he had been. She was pacing around his living room. Ryan was crashed out on the couch, at least. And Hudson hadn’t seen Hala this upset in a long, long time. “Why? What do you know that I don’t?”
“Just…” Hala stopped pacing and stared at him. Hudson just knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say. “I probably shouldn’t tell you. But I know she won’t and youneedto know. To protect her. Youhaveto protect her, Hudson. No matter what—no matter what you two are fighting about, no matter what is going on at work. He’s going to be trouble. Especially for Gia.”
