Page 23 of Dead Man's Wish
“Yeah, kiddo.” He cleared his throat. “Her ladies’ group is getting together for a late lunch at the country club.” The way he admitted it told me he knew it was bullshit just as much as I did. “How’s work? Sorry I haven’t been able to call lately; we’ve been busy on this court case. The client is a pain in the ass,” he tacked on.
“Stressful,” I said honestly with a cheeky smile. “Still not as stressful as being a lawyer, though.” I looked over at Jaiden as he stuffed his mouth with a brownie to keep from laughing.
“I’ve given up trying to convince you, trust me.” My dad held his hands up in defeat. “I’ve caught your name in a few cases in my work circle; you’re really making waves.”
“Feels like it’s been waves in a puddle. We’re trying to expand to a few other areas in the state but no such luck. Took on a few patients for supplemental reasons. Other than that, the forensic work has been fine.” I fiddled with the hem of my shirt.
“If you need some contacts, I can try to get you in touch with some of my partners and local departments,” he offered genuinely. The difference between my parents is that my mother never offered anything that wouldn’t immediately benefit her.
“We’re in the middle of a big case right now, but I’ll probably take you up on that after we wrap it up.” My dad nodded and Jaiden leaned his forearms on the counter.
“Are you down long?” he asked my father. Before he could turn and face him, Jaiden shot me a mischievous glance.
“Just long enough to drop this off. I have a meeting in the morning and your mother will need to be carried out of the club at the rate she’ll be drinking.” He let out a sigh and Jaiden dropped his head to hide his face.
“Dad,” I chided. “You can’t just be so honest.” I laced my words in sarcasm to play along. When the light mood died down, I took my opportunity to ask him, “How familiar are you with lawyers in this area?”
“I know a few of the bigger names well and I see smaller firms frequently enough. Why?” Lawyer talk always got his attention.
“Just seeing if you know Jeffrey Peters.”
My dad looked away as he thought over the name.
“Peters . . .” He braced himself against the counter and looked at me with an answer. “Yeah, Jeffrey Peters rings a bell. I’ve been around him at events and went to court against him a few times. Everything okay?”
“Nothing important, and really, it’s just . . . He was in Bishop’s department last week and pushed his way into our case.”
“I say this with respect for the field but mostly caution for my girl,” Dad started. “While I don’t know the man intimately, his behavior is enough to give him a reputation. At least in court, he’s emotional and hotheaded. He’s influenced by his mood and temper. If it’s going badly, he’s easy to predict and you’ll be able to play your cards right if you’re paying attention.”
“What do you mean?”
“It wasn’t my case, but a friend from the club told me how the evidence started stacking against the defendant and Peters was flustered. At times, he even caught Peters arguing with his client. Extremely unprofessional, but when he saw that, he pressed again for a plea bargain and Peters folded. They were adamant to not accept any deals, but he wanted to be done. The man’s too emotionally led.”
“I noticed,” I mumbled.
“Well, I’m proud of you, and anyone who’s stupid enough to go up against you is a sorry son of a bitch.” My dad pulled me in for a hug and patted my back.
“Tell Mom that,” I quipped.
“You’d have been a fine lawyer, but all the same, you’re doing good work. I’ll get out of your hair and let you guys enjoy your afternoon.” He shook Jaiden’s hand and went to leave, but he quickly turned back and grabbed a brownie. “Your mom doesn’t have to know.” With a wink, he walked down the hall, and soon after, the front door closed.
“So,” Jaiden started, standing straighter and looking down at me. “Bending you over the counter and eating—”
“You’ll have to catch me,” I joked, ducking under his hand and heading for the stairs.
“Bex!” he called, but his steps were fast behind me.
“If you’re too slow . . .” I laughed while rounding the corner because my time was up. He scooped me up and threw me over his shoulder like I was his gym bag.
“Not too slow,” he corrected, only slightly out of breath. “I’m just gonna have to tie you up.”
August 3,2025
Jaiden Wells
Sundays weremy preferred admin day. The knowledge that by the end of the afternoon, I had our entire week planned and organized sent a delightful buzz through my system. Bex’s regular patient appointments were scheduled for Tuesday or Thursday afternoons, with less pressing consultation needs stacking the beginning of her week. Tomorrow would be the day she fielded email requests that interested her, and from my last check of the inbox, there were only a few I could count on her taking.
I reserved the middle of her week for trips down to Old Oaks.
