Stuart doesn’t even question. “I’ll see if there’s any way to sway the prosecution. I’ve been out of the game a while, but maybe I still know somebody in the Maryland PD.”
“Go for it. Patrick will be here tomorrow.” Looking up, I see Nikki preparing to leave. “Nikki! Would you set up the phones before you go? We’re closing the office for the rest of the day.”
She nods and circles her desk. Stuart’s lips tighten, and he narrows his eyes at me. “You should’ve let her quit.”
I’m flicking through flights trying to find the next one I can catch. “I don’t know what’s between you two, but you need to put it on hold until we get Derek back.”
“Her incompetence makes us vulnerable.”
My eyes flash to his. “Bennett won. He got what he wanted. Derek’s behind bars...” My throat tightens, and I have to pause as despair tries to choke me. Deep breaths. “We don’t have anything left to lose.”
Two more clicks, and I’ve booked a flight. Powering down my laptop, I dig my phone out of my bag to call my mom. Dex will need to stay with her a few days longer.
“Damn, I hate research,” Stuart mutters, flipping through the book I now see is a legal text.
“Your brother will be in the office Monday.” My eyebrows rise. “I thought you were headed to Maryland?”
He exhales a laugh. “Are you suggesting I pass the buck?”
“Two heads are better than one.”
“Travel safe.”
* * *
The law offices of Merritt, Hampton, and Donnelly are located on the thirty-first floor in an office building on Chicago’s East Loop. Stuart called his mother during my flight, and by the time I made it in last night, she’d sent a car to pick me up. I hadn’t seen Sylvia since Patrick and Elaine’s Christmas wedding in Montana, but she had only been back in the city a few days herself. We’d agreed to have dinner tomorrow night, and I crashed—after taking an unexpected call from Derek.
“What’s in Chicago?” his voice is warm, and hearing him, knowing where he is, I can hardly keep the tears away.
“Not what. Who,” I say with a sniff, working for control. “Elaine’s older brother Marcus. He’s one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the country.”
“That’s right. Elaine was supposed to be a lawyer when she grew up.”
“Edward was such a jerk about that. You’d think she said she wanted to be a stripper instead of a teacher.”
He laughs, and I close my eyes. “I miss you so much. Are you doing okay?”
“As well as can be expected, considering.” He pauses a moment, and I hear shouts behind him. “I’m not a fan of orange jumpsuits.”
“You’re much sexier in Gucci. Oh, god! I’m sorry.”
He exhales a laugh. “My level of sexiness isn’t a problem yet. I have my own cell, so for now—”
“How did you manage that?”
“A guy I did police training with is one of the guards. He pulled some strings.”
Slipping my fingers over my mouth, I inhale quietly. “I can’t stand thinking of you in jail. Baltimore is horrible.”
“It was the right thing to do. We couldn’t go on with this hanging over our heads.”
“I’m afraid for you.”
Quiet moments pass. “I’m a little worried myself,” he says. “I’d just gotten you back in my arms, and now...”
“Bennett is such a bastard. I want to kill him.”
“Hey, don’t say things like that on a police line.”