Her Best Defense. Jackie/Lori Merritt/Myles
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“I’ve just spent time with my newest clients, and I don’t mind admitting that I’m confused and unnerved. Larry, I need anything and everything you can dig up on Chandler and Glory Witherington.”
“I heard their name on the radio this morning while driving to work. Something about a corpse in their front yard? Imagine waking up to that.”
Lisa was in no mood for humor. Ignoring Larry’s comments, she plopped into the nearest chair and moaned, “It’s already in the news?”
“The Witherington name is always news. Anyone with money is news. What are Chandler and Glory like in person?”
“You know I can’t discuss clients. But I don’t think I would be too far out of line by mentioning raw nerve endings and the threat of a massive headache lurking on the fringes of consciousness.”
“All happening to an unknown person, of course.”
“Whatever you say. Larry, the dead guy is Mateo Ruiz. From what I’ve gathered so far, he was an odd-jobs yard boy. Look him up, too, would you?”
Larry wrote the three names on a pad and murmured, “The multimillionaires and the yard boy. Makes for some interesting speculation, don’t you think?”
Lisa got to her feet. “I’m looking for facts, not speculation. Give me a buzz when you have anything, all right?”
“Perfectly all right, but don’t try to convince me that a good lawyer—and you are the best—doesn’t do reams of speculation when putting a case together.”
“Larry, you’re too much for me today. Talk to you later.”
Lisa was back in her own office for only a few minutes when she got a call from Grant Gowan. It was difficult for her to even take the call, let alone not sound as though she had just been run through a hay bailer, but she did her best.
“Hello, Grant.”
“Lisa, how’re tricks?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
He chuckled lightly in her ear. “I can take a hint. You’re swamped, right? Okay, we’ll make this short. The party starts at seven. Are you planning to go home first, or what?”
“No, there isn’t time for that. How about we meet in The Pub and go from there? I should be able to get away by six.”
“That sounds fine. See you then.”
As Lisa hung up, she hoped that the conservative three-piece taupe suit she was wearing would work for tonight’s party.
Do you really care?
“Not a whit,” she mumbled and got to work.
The rest of Lisa’s day was much calmer than the beginning. She filled it with paperwork from her previous case and a little research of her own on her new one. Lunch with Pamela took up an hour and a half and then several phone calls later, she was finally out the door to meet Grant.
Over lunch, she and Pamela had discussed the evening ahead. She had tried in several ways to argue that it really wasn’t a date, but in the end had to admit that it probably was, although Pamela should not think of it as a romantic date. It was funny, but until Grant Gowan had actually asked her to attend Faith’s birthday party with him, she had never considered him as anything but another lawyer.
Grant was attractive and Lisa had heard his name mentioned more than once during a gab session between the single women in the office. He was, after all, an eligible bachelor, a successful attorney and, supposedly, from a good home and background. All the makings of Mr. Right. But to her, he’d always just been a colleague of sorts and as she rode the elevator down to the first floor, she couldn’t help but wonder why she’d never been drawn to him, as so many of the other women in the building were.
Oh, well, maybe by the end of the evening I’ll have my answer.
True to his word, Grant was waiting in a booth near the front doors of The Pub when Lisa entered. He was alone and drinking a beer. “Would you like something before we go?” he offered. “We have a few minutes, unless you want to be the first to arrive at the party.”
“A beer would be good,” she said, sliding into the booth opposite him. What was it about arriving somewhere first that had such a stigma attached to it? Someone always had to be first, so why didn’t anyone want it to be him?
Lisa watched Grant go to the bar for her drink. He wasn’t particularly tall but he was tall enough for her, and his body was lean and fit. Of course, it could just be the suits he wore that made him look so good. Nothing off the rack for Grant Gowan, Lisa was sure of that. His clothes looked as if they were made for him.
“Here you go,” he said, placing a cold glass of beer in front of her.
“Thank you.”
“Thank you for coming tonight,” he replied, resuming his seat. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
“Why is that?”
Grant shrugged. “I don’t know. You always seem a little distant, I guess. I was beginning to wonder if I smelled bad or something.” He made his last statement with a chuckle.
“Why? Because I don’t throw myself at you like some of the other women in the building do?”
A boyish grin crossed Grant’s lips. “Well….”
He understood exactly what she was talking about, Lisa knew. He was a hot commodity in the singles scene, a role he was obviously enjoying. And it was a role that was putting Lisa off. Perhaps she already had her answer about why she wasn’t all that attracted to him.
“Maybe we’d better get going,” she said as she stood up and straightened her skirt.
Grant stood as well. “I think we still have a little time. We don’t need to rush.”
“I really don’t want to be out too late, Grant. I have a new case and I’d like to get into the office early tomorrow.” Besides being the truth, it was as good a reason as any to cut the evening short, she figured.
“Oh, all right, then.”
They left The Pub and went around the corner of the building to the parking garage. “I’m on the second floor,” Grant told her as he steered her to the elevators.
When they reached his floor and then his car, Grant opened her door first and then went around to the driver’s side and slid in behind the wheel. His car was as elegant and expensive as his suits. Lisa took note of the plush leather she was now seated on, as well as the dark mahogany trim. She also noticed the hood ornament—a leaping jaguar. Grant Gowan reeked of money, old and new.
“Nice car,” she said.
“Thanks,” he said proudly.
The party was just getting under way when they arrived. Lisa recognized several other attorneys in attendance as she and Grant passed through each room of the apartment that had been opened up for the occasion. There was food—mostly yummy little bits of finger food—set up in the dining room and drinks in the kitchen. To get to either, one had to pass through the living room where Lisa saw two junior partners from her own firm. She nodded at them and received friendly smiles in return.
“Grant!” Lisa heard some woman exclaim from across the room. “Where have you been keeping yourself?”
Lisa watched as a flashy blonde approached. The curvaceous woman had a martini in one hand and a cigarette in the other. She stopped about a foot away from Grant and bent forward, kissing the air on either side of his cheeks. It was a scene right out of the movies.
“Oh brother,” Lisa said under her breath.
“Hello, Deidra,” Grant said to the woman. “How have you been?”
“Fabulous, as always. And who is this gorgeous creature by your side tonight?”
“Deidra