Page 5 of Dial L for Lawyer
"Why?" Audrey leans forward, studying me like I'm one of her lab specimens. "Because you still have feelings for him?"
"I don't have feelings for him."
They all stare at me.
"I don't! I just... I can't sit across from him in some conference room, asking him to help me when I know I’ve been a total asshole. He’ll want to know why I did it. And…and I don’t have it in me to explain it to him."
"I'm not sure you need to explain why you didn’t show that night," Layla says quietly.
Audrey gives me a look that tells me she thinks I should. But for once, even she knows not to push.
I take a shaky sip of the wine.
"Even if I wanted to," I say, staring into the liquid, "what would I say? Hey, Caleb, remember that time I disappeared from your life with zero warning? Could you also drop everything and possibly risk your reputation to defend me against a multi-billion dollar corporation that thinks I'm a traitor?”
"Look," Bennett says. "Personal feelings aside, you need him. You trust David, right? You trust me?” I nod. “Both of us are recommending him for a reason. He's brilliant, he's connected, and he knows how to fight dirty when necessary."
"Plus," Audrey adds, "there's the added bonus that seeing you again might finally put him out of his misery."
"He's not in misery."
Bennett lets out a short, humorless laugh. “He’s my lawyer and my best friend, Serena. I see him every day. Trust me, the man has dedicated an impressive amount of billable hours to staring out his office window in your office’s general direction. It’s misery, with a view.”
“He’s not lying,” Layla murmurs, squeezing my shoulder. “But that’s not the point. The point is your career. Your reputation. Everything you’ve worked for. You didn’t do this. So you shouldn’t go down for it.”
My phone buzzes.
Victoria Chase:
Serena, I heard about what happened at Luminous. My offer still stands. In fact, given the circumstances, I'm prepared to improve it substantially. Call me.
I show them the text. Everyone explodes at once.
"The audacity!" Layla shrieks.
"Save that,” Bennett says. “Don't respond."
"I'll respond," Audrey mutters. "With a virus that destroys her entire digital existence."
Another text.
Luminous HR:
Ms. Morgan, This is a courtesy text to remind you that your administrative leave includes a non-contact order with all Luminous employees. Any attempt to reach out to team members will be considered interference with an ongoing investigation.
"They're isolating you," Bennett says, reading over my shoulder. "Classic legal tactic. Can't build a defense if you can't investigate."
"Which is why you need Caleb," Layla says gently. "He won't be bound by their restrictions."
I drain my wine glass. Refill it. Drain it again.
They're right. All of them. I need the best lawyer in Chicago, and unfortunately, that's the man I've been running from for six months. The man whose witty texts I still read at 2 AM when I can’t sleep. The man who made me believe, just for a night, that I could be something other than the perfectly curated image I sell for a living.
My throat tightens. Bennett is right. Layla is right. Even Audrey, with her threats of neurotoxins, is right. Pride is a luxury I can no longer afford. My career, my name—they’re worth more than my embarrassment.
"Fine," I whisper. "I'll call him."
"Actually," Bennett says, already pulling out his phone, "let me text him first. Professional courtesy."
