The Steele Collection Books 1-3: Sarah Steele Legal Thrillers Read online

  I looked at the phone number and the name written on the torn paper.

  Solomon.

  Next, they took pictures of the cut and the bruise on my face. The only part of the story I’d left out was the last thing I’d seen. I wouldn’t tell them—I couldn’t even believe it myself. It was ridiculous. After all, I’d just seen Hank Williams in handcuffs that morning.

  The detectives left, handing me their cards and promising they’d get results. It was a kind thing to say, but I knew they didn’t have much to go on. The men were still out there, and unless they attacked again, there wasn’t much the police could do about it. The creepiest part was that I’d be in the most danger after I won the case.

  I looked in the bathroom mirror and winced as I dabbed the small cut above my eye. After I cleaned it, I saw that it wasn’t much, but I could feel a bruise forming underneath. Nothing some foundation couldn’t cover—I had to be in court in the morning.

  Someone pounded on the door. I jumped, my heart in my throat, but then I realized it must be Mandy. Creeping down the hall, I looked through the peephole and saw my best friend’s shock of red hair and signature black leather jacket.

  “What happened?” Mandy asked when I opened the door. “If that creep Dan did anything to you, so help me—” She stopped when she saw my face.

  At the sight of her, my bottom lip trembled. Taking a shaky breath, I tried to get ahold of myself. She followed me inside, her face pale—even paler than it usually was.

  “Who did that to you?”

  “I was kidnapped,” I said. Mandy gasped. “My driver tranquilized me, and I woke up in a basement …” I told her the rest of the story as I made us some tea. Thoughts and emotions were so strong inside me, I couldn’t sit still.

  “And then I charged him. Rammed him with my head,” I said as I poured honey into my cup of green tea.

  Mandy grabbed me by the shoulders, speechless, which was rare for her. She just looked me in the eye. I looked back, taking in all the love and concern and sympathy she sent through her expression. There were no words—I knew that. I didn’t need words. I just needed her there.

  My phone buzzed.

  “Could that be them?” she asked quickly.

  “What? No,” I said automatically, and then realized that it actually could be. But it turned out to be Dan, calling for the ninth time. “I better get this,” I said.

  The moment I answered, he began yelling. “Where are you, Sarah? Do you know what kind of hole you’ve dug for yourself? You know everyone’s working late and you’re a no-show. I’m taking you off this case and putting—”

  I interrupted him. “I was kidnapped, Dan.”

  Silence.

  “You were not.”

  “I was,” I said gravely, and then took a sip of tea.

  “I’ll be right over,” he said.

  “No!” I almost shouted. “Don’t come. The police just left and I have my best friend with me now.”

  “It was Williams, wasn’t it?” he said.

  “It was Williams,” I said. “Some guys took me to a basement and threatened me. And then they knocked me out and I woke up in my apartment.”

  “Tell me everything,” Dan said. I’d rarely heard him sound so serious.

  I recounted the story again, this time with less nervous energy. The facts had settled and I could talk about them with objectivity.

  After I finished, Dan heaved a deep sigh. “I’m so sorry,” he said. “That shouldn’t have happened to you.” I was surprised at how genuine he sounded. And sad. He usually didn’t get involved, no matter what. “If you want off the case, I completely understand.”

  “No, Dan,” I said. “I’m more devoted to it than ever.”

  Without missing a beat, he said, “Then will you give a statement to a reporter friend of mine about your experience and how far Williams is willing to go to win?”

  I should have known he’d have an angle. “Of course,” I said.

  “Good. I’ll send him to your place tomorrow morning.”

  “No,” I objected. The thought of more people knowing where I lived was uncomfortable. “I’ll meet him at the office. I need to go in early anyway. Like you said, I’m in a hole.”

  Dan paused. “We’ll get him.”

  I couldn’t speak—I just nodded.

  Mandy had set out my pajamas and turned down my covers as if I were at a hotel or something. This was a side of her people rarely saw. She was a brilliant architect and computer engineer who owned her own business—she even got contract work with the police department. She rode a huge Chopper, and frequented drag races on the weekends. Her past was rough—she’d even been in prison once for hacking a bank’s security system while in college. She’d calmed down a lot since she met Rick, her boyfriend of eight years. But this was the Mandy I knew—a growling fox to the rest of the world and a mother hen to those she loved.

  After a cold shower and pulling back my hair in a pony, I felt like a new person. I had a few sensitive spots on one rib and the middle of my back. Nothing showed, but I felt it nonetheless.

  Mandy and I finished the rest of our tea. I asked about her day and listened as she told of a computer account she’d saved for a panicked employee. It was good to get my mind off what had happened. She talked about a fight she’d had with Rick, and then I blushed when she told me how they made up.

  Pulling me in close, she gave me a quick hug. “It’s going to be okay,” she said.

  I nodded, starting to believe her words.

  “You need something more in your life than just work,” she said. “Did you hear about the new club that opened up?”

  I shook my head at her, bemused. “A club is not what’s missing in my life. A loud, writhing mass of people is the exact opposite of what I need.” Her face fell and I said quickly, “What’s it called?”

  “The Ru.”

  “That is a lame name for a club.”

  “Maybe, but it’s a fifty-dollar cover and they have a dress code.”

  I whistled. Most of the clubs in Boise didn’t even have a cover, or if they did, it was like five bucks and only for the guys. “So what’s so special about this one?”

  “Well, you have to be on a list and you have to sign up online and consent to a background check—that way you know that not just anyone can get in. And they have three floors—one with a private room where you can sit on beds and talk or hang out and the other for a restaurant and lounge. It sounds so cool, and who knows what’s on the third floor.”

  “You should sign up. See if you and Rick can get in.”

  “Already did, and—” she hesitated, and then spit it out. “I signed you up, too. We’re approved.”

  “Mandy!”

  “Hey, you need to get out, stop working so much. This really has me worried. Not only are you always busy, but now your job is getting dangerous. It isn’t worth your life. I don’t like it. I want something more for you.” I could tell she meant it, mostly because she was a really bad liar. “We’re going there Saturday night and I won’t take no for an answer. You need to get away.”

  “No,” I said bluntly. This case was my life—I didn’t need another. Especially not one with dancing and drunk men.

  She tilted her head at me, full of concern.

  Okay, so I did miss being with her. I did miss having days off where all I got done was reading and sleeping. I did miss going on dates and meeting new people. There was still a part of me that wanted that.

  “Okay,” I said. She broke into a grin. “But not until this case is over.” She groaned. “I have dozens of things—big things—to get done and I can’t take any time off.”

  “Even on Saturday night?” she asked with eyebrows raised, as if she seriously doubted the direction I was taking with my life.

  “Even on Saturday night,” I confirmed.

  “Then let’s get this freak behind bars for the rest of his life so you can have yours back.”

  I smiled and nodded. T
here was nothing I’d like more.

  She slept on the couch. I kept the hallway light on because I kept seeing shadows outside my door that weren’t there.

  My gun was only a few feet away from me, but did I have what it took to point it at a man’s face and shoot?

  Yes … no … maybe. I didn’t know. When I thought about what was in my heart, the dark side of my heart, I knew there was something deep inside that would pull that trigger without even thinking. But then what? I couldn’t live that life. I was an attorney, for goodness’ sake; I was supposed to be against violence of any kind.

  I’d never been afraid of being alone, or the dark. Not ever. And here I was, needing a nightlight and for my best friend to tuck me in. Pathetic.

  They’d done this to me. I was going from scared to angry.

  MY ALARM WENT OFF at 5 a.m. My blankets were warm and I felt like I had melted into the mattress. I could hear Mandy’s deep breathing from the living room.

  I soaked it in. It was like I’d woken with new strength. Part of the fear I’d felt yesterday was hidden deep inside—the other half I turned into righteous anger. Today, I was going to nail Williams.

  After a shower, breakfast, getting ready, and a promise to Mandy that I’d call her when I left the courthouse, I was on my way to the office.

  I’d driven there so many times, I was on autopilot. The streets weren’t very busy. I mentally went through my notes—taking out this, putting in that, and rearranging them the way I wanted.

  The reporter was waiting on the steps of the large concrete-and-steel building. The thing I loved most about the office was its landscaped yard. There was a pond with a fountain, trees and ferns lined the back, and there were even benches and picnic tables. I told the reporter we should go out by the pond, which was my favorite spot.

  After I told him the story and he asked the usual mundane reporter questions like “What did it feel like to be kidnapped?” and “Is there any doubt in your mind it was Williams?” I took over.

  “This threat has made me more confident than ever that Williams is guilty, and he’s capable of anything. Tell that to the public.”

  The reporter wanted more, but I had to go. There was a to-do list as long as my forearm that I had to finish before court started at ten o’clock.

  I texted Joshua as I walked to my office. He was already on his way. Good man. That’d earn him some extra-credit points.

  Once I sat on my chair, I noticed a bundle of notes on my desk. Joshua had gotten an appointment with Hannah Williams for tomorrow at three o’clock. It would’ve been better if it had been today, but I knew it was the best we could get. He also wrote that when he’d searched the database, he’d discovered another woman by the name of Hannah Williams who had lived with Hank Williams as a child, but she’d later changed her name to Heather Dade. That was curious. Why was this the first I’d heard of another child? And why would anyone give two of their kids the same name? That gave me something else to ask Hannah at my appointment.

  For the next hour I went through my notes and retyped what I had. Taking out the DNA evidence and the witnesses’ testimony, I filed them away and put them out of my mind. I’d moved on. There was no time to dwell on the past. It was still a strong case, as the police testimony was coming up today, as well as a presentation of Williams’ previous offenses like the drug possession and a few DUIs.

  By the time I’d wrapped my mind around the new and evolved case, I was once again confident I had what it took to prove him guilty.

  That was, until I got the phone call.

  It was Dan, saying the same thing he did yesterday. “Judge called an emergency meeting. Meet me at the courthouse. Now.” He didn’t have to say how bad this was. I got a sick feeling in my gut. Pressing my hand to my case notes, I just sat for a moment, as if saying goodbye to the work I’d just done.

  And then I ran to my car, Joshua in tow, after gulping down the cup of coffee he brought me. He got extra points for that, too.

  THE COURTHOUSE WAS SWARMING with TV vans and media all trying to get a good shot. I felt like a movie star, but without all the money. I brushed past them and got inside where cameras weren’t allowed. The judge made a smart move there.

  The judge’s room was already full when I followed Dan in. I sat stiffly and crossed my legs. No doubt everyone had already heard of my kidnapping. News like that travelled fast—especially when you had a boss like Dan, who wanted to milk it for all it was worth.

  I could see it in their eyes, too. The other attorneys looked at me with pity and a small amount of disdain, as if I were a baby that needed tending. I made my face as peaceful as I could and did not spare an extra glance their way.

  We all stood when the judge came in, but he waved us back into our seats. His eyes were red and baggy, as if he hadn’t slept well.

  “More bad news,” he said as he flopped into his chair. He looked at a paper as if he were reading off it. “We found another jury member who has been bribed. The woman will be charged, but I won’t order another replacement.”

  It was hard to keep my face peaceful. All this work, all this hardship, and all that I had gone through last night was about to be flushed down the toilet. I knew what was coming, and it made me want to run from the room.

  “I have no choice but to declare a mistrial,” the judge said.

  Dan groaned. I clenched my jaw. It was still hard to hear, even though I was expecting it.

  He went on to say how we could appeal and begin again, but I didn’t want to listen. It felt like ants were crawling under my skin. I just wanted to bolt out of there.

  Sawyer spoke up. “We’d like to request that the defendant be released on bond. After all, there’s hardly any proof he’s guilty.”

  I opened my mouth to argue, but then shut it again. If I got started, I wouldn’t be able to stop.

  Let them wait. Within a few weeks I’d have enough evidence to bury them in it. Then I would argue and they wouldn’t have a word to say against me.

  So I was silent, even when the judge set a 900k bond, which I knew would be easy for Williams to post. Even when he said Williams would need an ankle tracker and couldn’t leave the state. Even when Dan protested and said that Williams was a dangerous criminal and the last person who should get off on bond.

  I kept quiet; there was nothing to say. Things had been set in motion that would take more than words to stop. Williams was free. Blind Lady Justice had been tricked.

  But I wasn’t about to let him trick her for long.

  DAN AND I DIDN’T say a word. Joshua shyly asked what had happened, and I gave him the stark answer: “Mistrial.”

  He groaned and collapsed into a chair.

  “Get up, bucko,” I said. “If you think we were buried in work before the trial, you haven’t seen anything yet. Better bring your pillow to the office.”

  My pep talk wasn’t exactly gracious, but it got the job done. Joshua jumped out of the chair and followed me down the hall, taking notes as I gave him a list of paperwork he needed to pick up for me. Dan left without saying goodbye, off to lick his wounds. This was going to hurt his run for office.

  After a few hours at the courthouse filling out forms and other paperwork, we were finally free to leave.

  “Are you hungry?” Joshua asked as we walked outside and down the steps.

  At the question, I suddenly realized how famished I was. It was already past lunchtime. “How about—”

  “The Casaba?” he finished for me. It was our favorite gyro joint. “What do you want to drink?”

  “Orange juice. And order me a second helping of fries,” I said, grinning up at him.

  He patted his round belly. “I think that’s just what I need, too.”

  “And fill up on gas on your way back to the office,” I said. “We’re taking your car to the scene of the crime.”

  “I’ve never been there.” His eyes crinkled in worry.

  “It’s important to see it,” I said. “It’ll
help us start fresh, see if we missed something.” We were pretty desperate. “I’ll need your eyes.”

  He looked down, embarrassed but pleased.

  There was still something bothering me from the kidnapping, and I had to check it out. “Oh, and call the prison and see what Hank Williams was doing last night, if he had any visitors or doctor’s visits.”

  Joshua gave me a strange look, but nodded.

  I heard my name called in a high-pitched voice from across the road. Angela, Jessie, and Cassandra waved at me with huge smiles plastered on their faces.

  A bus drove by, blocking them from view. My head was still in the case, but I quickly put up a mask for the girls. Once the bus passed, blowing my hair out of my face with its speed, they galloped over, waving medals.

  “I did it, I did it,” Angela exclaimed. She clutched my arm and shoved her 1st place medal in my face. “I won the tournament!” She giggled, her eyes shining. “I couldn’t wait to see you, so we came here.”

  I brought her in for a hug. “I’m so proud of you,” I whispered in her ear. “You worked hard for this. And now you’re the best of the best.”

  Jessie winked at me. “Well, she hasn’t fought you yet, so we can’t say that.”

  I high-fived Cassandra and ooo’d and ahh’d over her 3rd place metal. And then I listened as Jessie told me that she landed on her ankle wrong and had to withdraw from the tournament early. “If I hadn’t,” she said, “I’d have beat Angela for sure.”

  Angela rolled her eyes and I laughed. Joshua took a step back. “You wish,” Angela said.

  “Oh, hey,” I said. “You have to meet Joshua Tasi. He’s an intern at the DA office, and he’s my right-hand man on this case.”

  Jessie and Cassandra looked down shyly, intimidated by his powerful form. But Angela stuck out her hand for a hearty handshake.

  Suddenly, a shadow fell across my face. I turned and saw Hank Williams. His attorneys stood a few feet away next to a dark limo that idled by the curb. No reporters in sight—I guess they were on to the next story.