Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 52699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
I’ve submitted a formal letter of resignation to Human Resources, a thank you letter to Mr. Hamilton, and several appreciative notes to all the firm associates who helped me while I was employed.
Farewell to the firm,
Elizabeth Tanner
CONFLICT OF INTEREST (N.)
A SITUATION IN WHICH A PERSON HAS A DUTY TO MORE THAN ONE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION, BUT CANNOT DO JUSTICE TO THE ACTUAL OR POTENTIALLY ADVERSE INTERESTS OF BOTH PARTIES
DAMIEN
One Week Later
Michelle’s desk was covered in cupcakes, flowers, and “Welcome Back” gift bags. To contribute to the mess, I added a stack of files and a summary request.
“When did we get a personal coffee barista?” She set a latte on my desk.
“A couple months ago,” I said. “You should ask her to make you the Cuban flavor. Andrew swears by it.”
“He put a ‘Only for Mr. Hamilton’ sign in front of that one.”
Of course. “I’ll get you some eventually. Do you need something from me?”
“Yeah,” she said. “The Maroltos have been waiting for half an hour now. They’re starting to suspect something is wrong.”
“Sorry.” I pushed up my chair and grabbed my notes. “Have you seen Elizabeth?”
“Who?”
“My partner.”
“You have a partner?”
“I’ll catch you up to speed after my meeting,” I said. “Tell Jessica to send Elizabeth down to the boardroom as soon as possible.”
Where are you? The Maroltos are here.
Better yet, how long will it take for you to arrive?
She never answered.
I double-checked to make sure I had every dollar bill from my deal and closed the briefcase.
“Ready for me to take that to the bank for you?” Jessica held out her hand.
“Yeah.”
“Does Andrew know that you overcharge certain clients, so you can keep more money?”
“I’m sure he assumes.” I narrowed my eyes. “Are you planning to tell him?”
“As long as you keep giving me a cut, I’m fine.” She laughed. “Need anything else?”
“Yes. Tell Elizabeth to meet me at Mars at six thirty for a stakeout.”
“Damien, Elizabeth quit.”
“You mean she took some time off?”
“No, I mean she no longer works here.” She tilted her head to the side. “I’m pretty sure she emailed you.”
“I didn’t open it,” I said. “I figured it was something petty or emotional. Did she quit me or just the firm?”
“’Both.”
“Fine.” I shrugged, deciding to hold off on reading her words for another night.
She was simply being stubborn, giving me another “romance test,” and I was willing to fail this one spectacularly.
Whenever she came to her senses, we’d be partners again and pick up where we left off.
CARRYING ON BUSINESS (V.)
PURSUING A PARTICULAR OCCUPATION ON A CONTINUOUS AND SUBSTANTIAL BASIS
ELIZABETH
The public defender’s office looked as if it hadn’t been renovated since the nineties. Loose threads hung from the plaid furniture in the lobby, and the ferns near the door were dying.
“Miss Tanner?” The receptionist called my name. “Mr. Pennington is ready to see you now. He’s down the hall and to your left.”
I followed her directions, stopping when I saw a salt-and-pepper haired man pacing the floor.
“Are you Mr. Pennington?” I asked. “I’m Elizabeth, and I have an interview here today.”
“So, you’re a real person and not a bot?” He smiled, extending his hand. “I was super suspicious when I received your application.”
“Why is that, sir?”
“Because you accidentally applied to be an intern.”
“That wasn’t an accident,” I said. “That’s where I want to be.”
“Ha! That’s not happening.” He snorted. “If you were good enough to practice law for Hamilton & Associates, that’s a verification in itself. You’re hired.”
“Sir, I’m honored by that, but—”
“Let’s get you settled,” he interrupted, ushering me down a winding, cluttered hallway.
He opened the door to a small corner office and hit the lights.
“This is where all the magic happens!” He smiled. “It’s not fancy, but it’ll get the job done.”
“It’s perfect for a fresh start.”
“I’ll send someone from tech support to get your laptop set up to our system by the end of today. Any questions?”
“Only a couple,” I said. “When can I speak to your private investigators?”
“Our what?”
“The people on staff who do the investigations,” I said. “You know, to make sure we know everything we need to know about our clients and check their claims.”
“We represent people who can’t afford counsel, Miss Tanner.” He looked amused. “We don’t need to know that much about them, and we let the prosecution give us whatever evidence they have. We only focus on hitting our billable hours and getting through the trials.”
“Okay. Well, how many cases am I expected to handle?”
“As many as you can.” He shrugged. “These people are lucky to get a defense, and we have a capped salary, so don’t work too hard.”
I nodded, keeping the rest of my questions to myself.
“Welcome to the team!” He left my office, and a part of me felt like I was making the biggest mistake of my life.
Then again, falling in love with Damien already filled that category.