Page 37 of Filthy Lawyer

“Where are you?” It was Damien.

“At home. I’m getting ready for work.”

“That’s impossible, Miss Tanner,” he said. “You’re supposed to already be at work.”

“I thought you said—”

“We have a discovery hearing with Judge Harrison at the main courthouse in an hour, and two preliminary hearings this afternoon,” he said. “I suggest you meet me there with the Reardon files and your notes from the last surveillance session.”

“Wait a second.”

“Yes?”

“It’s going to take me a little longer than usual to get there today,” I said. “I parked in the garage down the street.”

“Leave your deathtrap where it is,” he said. “There’s a town car downstairs waiting for you already.”

At the courthouse,Damien stood apart from every other lawyer, even from a distance. His bespoke suit was tailored, his cufflinks shone bright, and a few passersby stared at him as they walked by as if he were some celebrity.

He looked up from his phone, watching me as I neared.

“Hello, Miss Tanner,” he said. “Did you bring the files?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He held out his hand. “Do you plan on giving them to me?”

He was looking at me like I was just another associate, like we’d never had sex…

“Yes, Mr. Carter.” I handed them over, trying to sound as formal as him.

One of the firm’s interns, a brunette named Robin, suddenly stepped in front of us with two cups of coffee.

“Here’s your usual, Mr. Carter,” she said. “I overheard you order a mocha latte yesterday, Miss Tanner, so I hope you won’t mind a repeat.”

“Not at all.” I smiled at her. “Thank you.”

She disappeared again.

“There’s an issue with today’s case,” I said.

“Okay.” He flipped through my notes. “I’m listening.”

“He’s one hundred percent guilty. He covered his tracks pretty well since it took me days to unveil them, but he stole from that company.”

“And?” Damien shrugged. “Skip to the ‘issue’ part, Miss Tanner.”

“I thought you’d want to know, so you can tell him to find another lawyer after today’s hearing.”

“Why would I stop representing him?”

“So you won’t have to deal with him lyingunder oath.”

“Thank you for my daily dose of morals,” he said. “I’m starting to believe that you don’t understand what it means to be a lawyer.”

“It means fighting for the truth.”

“No, it means fighting for whoever pays you.”