Chapter 3
Quinn
The waitress set my plate down on the table so hard the cutlery rattled.
She didn’t look at me as she refilled my water and left the table without a word.
The diner was cute, in a rustic sort of way. One of the few options available to sit down and eat in Ember Hollow. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as welcoming as the atmosphere indicated.
My bosses, the two lead lawyers and partners in the firm, invited me to lunch after the success in court today. Celebrating the small wins.
Preston’s attention flicked from me to our waitress, who stood at the hostess stand, whispering with the other employees. They sent us tight-lipped glares, as if we couldn’t see them from our table.
He sighed. “Seems word has gotten around about who we are.”
I straightened my spine, annoyed. “They don’t have to be rude.”
George nodded, the wrinkles around his mouth deepening. “Don’t let it bother you. Small towns can be protective of their own.”
“I’m pretty sure our client is one of their own,” I muttered darkly, distracted by the glares drilling into my back. It was like the whole restaurant was watching us. Judging us.
Preston sipped at his third cup of coffee. I wasn’t sure how he functioned. All I ever saw him consume was caffeine and very little substance. The sandwich on his plate was untouched.
“You know how this works.” He set his mug down and smoothed back his blond hair. “We’re the villains in this story. We always are.”
Clenching my jaw, I suddenly lost my appetite. I grimaced down at the grilled chicken I’d taken one bite of. “Everyone deserves a fair trial.”
Preston nodded, sneering. “No one cares about that until they’re the ones behind bars.”
I understood how it was; of course I did. I’d been working for this firm for eight years. And before that…well, I was intimately aware of how people treated the accused. It never failed to enrage me, though.
I had long ago decided that this was what I wanted to do with my life. Never have I had aspirations of being well liked, and that was needed in criminal defense. A thick skin. Mine was one toughened by time and experience.
What kept me going was knowing my work made a difference. Even if ninety-nine percent of my clients were guilty, it was worth the fight for the innocent. Even the one.
I stifled a shiver, pushing my food around my plate as Preston and George prattled on about the case.
We were happy to get this win today, no matter how small it felt.
After our motion to move the trial outside of Ember Hollow was rejected months ago, it was hard to hold on to any hope.
We doubted there was a soul in the county who hadn’t heard of our client—of the murders he’d allegedly committed.
He was a serial killer, everyone said. A monster.
Even if it was true, it was my job to fight for his rights.
“Your direct examination of the psychologist was…impressive,” Preston said, gaining back my attention.
I blinked at him. His hair was slicked back, beard perfectly trimmed as if he’d come straight from the barber this morning. Preston wasn’t even forty yet, but the firm was his family’s legacy. He’d taken his father’s place after his sudden battle with cancer took him much too soon.
Preston’s dark eyes roamed over me, and I forced myself not to fidget under his heavy gaze.
Preston was someone I’d long looked up to. His father, Gary Holloway, hired me as an intern. He’d believed in me, something I’d never experienced before. It made me crave the hustle even more. Made me starved for the opportunity to work my way up.
I’d always had my sights set on being a partner one day, and his father had made me believe it was possible.
Gary was the only person who’d ever said he was proud of me. He had become like a father figure to me. A mentor. He was gruff around the edges, but he knew how to push people to want to be better and work harder. I’d been honored to work for him and his firm.
When he died, Preston took over and so much changed. When he looked at me, something had shifted in his eyes. There was a different kind of hunger in them. The kind that soured my stomach and made my blood cold.
Preston knew how much I wanted partner someday, too. Unlike his father who had used it to motivate me, Preston used it to get something else.
Perhaps he was taking advantage. Or perhaps we were both using each other. I didn’t trust him, either way.
His lips pulled back in that smile that wasn’t quite a smile. It was too cold for that. Everything was a game with Preston, and I’d been playing for far too long.
It wasn’t clear when I’d ever get the upper hand.
I returned the smile, nothing more than a flash of my teeth. “Thank you. I’ve been working hard on it.”
Doctor Ramsey being the same man who I’d ran into at the library wasn’t expected, but I thought I handled it well. Those stupid baby blues had been so…distracting.
Preston and George shared a look, and something in the way George shifted in his chair made my nerves resurface.
“You know how much we value you, Quinn. We wouldn’t have you assisting with this case if we didn’t,” Preston began.
George looked away, his wrinkled face pinching with something that could’ve been disapproval.
“I’m glad to help. I’m always willing to do what needs to be done.”
Preston’s mouth curled into another grin, and I tried to ignore the clawing shame digging into my spine.
“That’s what I’d hope you’d say.” He took another gulp of his coffee, pushing his untouched food away as he leaned his elbow on the table, his face suddenly serious.
“We’ve spoken to our client today after your impressive performance.
He’s requested something a little—unusual. ”
“Unusual?” I echoed.
“He wants someone here in Ember Hollow to keep him updated on his case until his trial. He’s requested that you meet with him once a week in the jail now that we’ve managed to get him transferred locally.”
I stared at him, not comprehending. He wanted to meet with me once a week? The trial was still a couple of months away. “That’s—that’s a lot of travel,” I said, slowly, unease seeping into me. “With the workload I have, I’d be afraid I wouldn’t be able to keep up with his trial preparations.”
Preston glanced at George again, who looked away.
“Mr. Anderson wants you to stay local until the trial. And frankly, I don’t think that it’s a bad idea to have someone here for the next couple of months.
George and I can handle some of your bigger clients, and your assistant can help you with whatever work you don’t think you can handle. ”
I clamped my mouth shut, refusing to let it gape open as I absorbed the information. Preston looked at me like this was the most normal request in the world. Like it wasn’t something I could—or should—want to refuse.
“My clients would be expecting me…” I began, but trailed off as Preston waved a dismissive hand.
“They will be well taken care of, I assure you.” He leaned toward me again, the scent of his expensive cologne hitting me and turning my stomach.
“This is the biggest case our firm will see for at least a decade.” A muscle in his cheek ticced as annoyance spread over his features.
“I would’ve thought you’d be grateful to become such an integral part of it. ”
Silence gripped me in a vise. My lungs ached, and it felt like I couldn’t breathe. I could not spend the next two months in this town. Alone. He couldn’t take my other clients away from me.
This couldn’t be happening.
“I—I only packed for an overnight stay,” I said, embarrassed about how defeated I sounded.
“We can have your things shipped. Just let your assistant know what you need and we will take care of it. This case is our number one priority, Carpenter.”
I almost flinched at the use of my surname. Preston only ever called me by my first name when he wanted something that wasn’t related to work.
As the reality sunk in, helplessness threatened to choke me. I forced my shoulders back anyway. I saw it in the look on Preston’s face, in the way George was still avoiding looking directly at me. I was going to spend the next two months working in this place.
I inhaled deeply, knowing in my bones that I couldn’t refuse if I wanted to stay on track with my professional goals.
This case had always been an uphill battle, but it was the most high-profile on the docket.
Even if we didn’t win, all we had to do was look competent.
We had to make people believe that we would fight tooth and nail for our clients and their right to a fair trial.
And if we somehow did win…there was no telling what that could do for the firm—for me.
“All right.” I nodded absently. “If Mr. Anderson requested me personally, I’d be honored to work as hard as I can for him.”
A look of approval flashed on Preston’s face. “We’ve already made arrangements with a local B&B.”
My nose wrinkled. “A bed-and-breakfast?”
Preston rolled his eyes, losing his patience. “It’s the only place available in town. The next hotel is almost a thirty-minute drive.”
“Of course it is,” I mumbled.
“You’ll get used to it.”
I nodded, unconvinced.
“This isn’t an ideal situation.” George finally cut into the conversation. “But it might do you good to get out of the city for a while.”
I liked George, for the most part, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. I tried to keep my face straight as I nodded again. “Perhaps.”
“You are a great lawyer, Quinn,” George continued, finally looking at me. “I’m sure you’ll excel at this challenge, too.”
This time, my nod and small smile were genuine. I clung to that truth. If this was where I was stuck until the trial, I would put everything I had into this case.
If there was any shot at winning, I would find it. I had made it too far and worked too hard clawing my way to where I was—nothing was going to stop me.
Preston grinned over the top of his mug, but it was too sharp to be mistaken as encouraging.