I walk out of the courtroom and come face-to-face with Quinn in the hallway. His client is just walking away.
“Sienna,” he says, calling me over to him. “Can I have a word?”
“Just one, I’m in a hurry,” I reply and keep walking, my heels clipping on the hardwood of the old courthouse.
“I’d like to get your thoughts on doing some of the research together,” he says. I stop in my tracks and stare up at him as if he just suggested we both get naked right here in the hallway.
“Seriously?”
“Judge Maxton is right, there’s a lot to comb through. Unfortunately, nothing was electronic in 1913.”
“I’m not opposed to taking your calls and helping, but I’m going to research this alone. I’m going to prove you wrong.”
He sighs, that muscle twitching in his jaw, and I start walking again.
“Have a good day, Sienna.”
“Good-bye, Quinn,” I reply without looking back.
“While the letter is being authenticated, you can be searching through paperwork to see if there is a letter stating that the money was paid back,” Dave says two hours later as we both devour pastrami sandwiches in his office. “Did your grandfather keep stuff from that far back?”
“His attic is full of papers; I’m sure it goes back that far. He was also an attorney, and never threw anything away.”
“And it hasn’t been touched yet?”
“No, my uncle Patrick said he did get started with one box, but that I can come pick it up from him. He was just getting a head start on going through things, but he’s stopped now that this case is in motion.”
“Good,” Dave says. “But I have to warn you, Si, you won’t have many business hours to dedicate to this. We’re just too busy. And this is going to take up a lot of your time. We just don’t have the man power to give you.”
“I know.” I take a drink of my Coke. “Dave, I can take a leave of absence. I know this tickles the line of conflict of interest, and I have to dedicate more time to it than you can give me.”
“This is shitty,” he says with a sigh, staring at his sandwich. “I don’t want to lose you and your work ethic for a whole month.”
“I will always have my phone on me if you need me, and if you don’t mind, I’d like to pop in and out if I need resources or research. Or if I just need to pick your brain.”
His lips quirk up in a smile. “My brain is always here for the picking.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” I take another bite of my sandwich, relieved that Dave is being such a good sport about all this. Not all bosses would be. “So, the saga gets better.”
“Tell me.”
“Judge Maxton ruled that Quinn and I should work together on gathering evidence in the case, since it’s so old, and we only have thirty days to prove our cases. After court adjourned, Quinn approached me about working with me, but I turned him down.”
“Why?”
“What do you mean?”
“Why did you turn him down? This isn’t a murder trial, Sienna. It’s a property case that dates back decades. I agree with the judge. You both just want the truth.”
“Because it’s odd, don’t you think, for opposing counsel to work together?”
“I don’t know, you’re both looking for the same information. It might go quicker if you’re doing it together.”
“I’m going to work it alone, at least to start. I want to prove him wrong without his help.”
I don’t want to admit that I don’t want to work closely with Quinn because I’m so damn attracted to him, and I’m determined to keep this professional. So I quickly change the subject.
“I guess I have to postpone my vacation.”
“Just let me know when you’d like to reschedule. Because, Sienna, you’re taking a vacation this year.”
“I know that too. I promise I’ll take it. Maybe I’ll go somewhere tropical.”
He nods and shoves his empty wrappers in the to-go bag, then tosses it in the garbage. “Keep me posted on what you find. Hopefully you’ll find something right away that shuts this down quickly and I’ll get you back in the office full-time.”
“That would be ideal,” I agree with a laugh. “Also, I need to look into who might still be alive and can talk to me about what they know.”
“The letter is dated more than a hundred years ago. Surely any adults from that time are long dead.”
“Adults, yes, but there might be children, or grandchildren, who might know something.”
“That’s a long shot. You are a grandchild, and you didn’t know.”
I sink back in my chair and wrinkle my nose. “True. But my great-grandfather had a butler.”
“Well, la-de-da.”
I stick my tongue out at Dave and keep talking. “And the butler’s grandson was my grandfather’s driver.”