Before She Dies (Alexandria Novels 3)

“That is their opinion,” Charlotte said, grateful for something businesslike to discuss. “The jury found Ms. White innocent.”

Joanna shared her brother’s intense gaze. “The evidence could have gone either way.”

“The jury did not agree.”

“Juries can be swayed by emotion.”

Rokov set his fork down and glanced at his sister. “Be nice, Joanna.”

Joanna arched a brow. “Hey, I was just asking questions.”

Charlotte laid her napkin by her plate. “Your questions don’t bother me, Joanna. I believe Samantha White is innocent, and that is why I took her case. There will be those that do not agree but I cannot help that.”

Joanna cocked her head. “How could you know she was innocent?”

Charlotte shrugged. “A gut feeling.”

“That’s it?”

“That was it.”

Joanna leaned forward, a signal she wanted to kick the discussion into high gear. Charlotte met Joanna’s gaze with a mixture of challenge and amusement. The girl reminded her of herself when she’d been in her mid-twenties: full of fire and fight. “That’s not very scientific.”

Rokov cleared his throat and glanced at his father. “I’ll be by to work on that shed as soon as this case is closed.”

His father waved a dismissive hand. “The shed will wait. Your work is more important. I know this.”

Mrs. Rokov cleared away their plates. “I’ve been following the case in the papers. It is horrible what I am reading. Those poor women.”

The mood in the room shifted from jovial to solemn. Charlotte thought about Mariah and the moment’s respite from her thoughts ended.

“Do you have any leads?” Ivan said.

Rokov set his fork down. “We’re working on it.” He glanced at Charlotte, seemed to note her change in mood. “And Charlotte and I have early calls in the morning.”

“Daniel, do not leave,” Mrs. Rokov said. “You just got here.”

“Sorry, Mom. I didn’t realize how late it was.” He stood and kissed his mother and grandmother.

Charlotte stood and smoothed her skirt flat. “Thank you for dinner, Mr. and Mrs. Rokov. It was a nice break.”

“It was lovely to meet you, Charlotte. I hope you’ll come again sometime.”

She nodded, touched by the woman’s genuine tone.

“Charlotte, can you take some dessert?” Mrs. Rokov said. “I’ve got enough to feed an army. You can put it in your refrigerator at home.”

“Normally I would. But I’m moving in a couple of days and trying to clean out what I have. But thank you.”

Rokov said his good-byes again, shook his father’s hand, punched a brother good-naturedly in the shoulder, and escorted Charlotte to his car.

The day’s stress hadn’t drained from her shoulders and she seemed, as she always seemed, braced for a fight.

He started the engine. “You’re moving?”

The comment had slipped out so easily when she’d spoken to Mrs. Rokov that she’d not thought about the fact that she’d told no one she was moving. “Yes.”

“Don’t you have a swanky condo overlooking the river?”

“Yes. It’s been great.”

“You moving to a bigger place?”

“Smaller. I don’t need so much space as I thought.”

“Mind me asking where?”

“You’re full of questions.”

He shrugged. “Just making conversation.”

She smiled. “I doubt you’ve ever just made conversation, detective.”

“You might be surprised. I do have my moments.”

“I’ve no doubt.”

He took the exit off the Beltway and wove through Alexandria toward her office. When he parked in front of her car, he shifted in his seat toward her. The light from a street lamp shone through and sharpened the angles on his face. “So where are you moving to?”

“Just a smaller place in Alexandria. Near Seminary Road.”

“Nice area, but not as nice as where you are.”

“It’s more convenient.”

His gaze narrowed. “How so?”

“Again with the questions, detective.”

“Just wondering why the step down.”

Her defenses strengthened. “It’s not a step down.”

His wrist rested easily on the steering wheel. “From river views to Seminary? Don’t kid yourself. Why?”

“Maybe I want a change.”

“Is your practice in trouble?”

He had a talent for striking to the heart of a matter. “It’s fine.” And it would be when she pumped in the profits from the condo sale.

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “Why can’t you just tell me?”

“There is nothing to tell.”

His smile wasn’t pleasant. “What’s made you so guarded? Was it the shooting three years ago?”

She arched a brow. “Are you always this direct?” “Yes. Are you always this evasive?”

“Yes.”

“Charlotte, just tell me.” He laid his hand on hers.

The warmth coupled with the strength and the cover of the night was her undoing. “I’ve been guarded since before I could walk. If you don’t have loving parents, you learn to hold your cards close. And the shooting didn’t help. In the moments I was in that bathroom waiting for that man to return and finish the job, I knew there was no one in the world that was going to save me. I had to save myself. And I did.” She released a sigh. “And I’m selling the condo because too much pro bono work and not enough high-profile cases have chewed into the firm’s bottom line. Selling my condo is the only way I can save the firm. The money should buy me six months.”

“And then?”

She smiled, hoping the simple gesture would bolster her confidence. “By then I will have landed another big fish, and I’ll be fine.”

“Just like that?”

“Don’t worry about me, detective. I’m a cockroach. I’m a survivor in every sense of the word.”

As he studied her, a smile that held no warmth curled his lips. “Good. Because I want you around for a long time.”

“I’ve redefined being careful. I’m all about security.” A quip danced on the tip of her tongue, but she let it pass. “See you soon, detective.”

“Sooner rather than later, counselor.”

A sad smile tipped the edge of her lips. “You know that’s where Sooner got her name.”

“How?”

“She was born a month early and Mariah took her first look at her and said, ‘The kid came sooner rather than later.’ Somehow Sooner just stuck.”

“It’s a catchy name.”

“It seemed pretty cool when I was sixteen. Now, I wish she had a more conventional name.” She gripped the handle of her purse tighter. “One more thing to add to the Things-I-Wish-I’d-Done-Differently list.”

“What else would you do differently?”

“It’s too late to get into that discussion. Maybe some other time.”

He nodded. “I’m sorry again about Mariah.” “Thanks.”

She got out of his car and hurried to her own car. She clicked the lock open and slid behind the wheel. As he waited and watched in his car, she started her car. Pulling out onto the street, she glanced in the rearview mirror and realized he was slowly following behind her.