Courting Death - Carol Stephenson [35]
His observation sucker punched me. Granted, I had burned out for a little bit, but I hadn’t lost faith in the justice system. I hadn’t sold out. My fingers tightened on the cell’s case. “Did I?”
Dad ignored my question in his typical quest to get what he wanted. “If she could spend a few weeks working for you, I figure she’ll see the light and come home.”
“Dad.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “It’s not so simple. I have two partners. I’ll need to discuss Melissa interning at our office with them.”
Both Kate and Carling straightened, looked at each other and then at my sister. Kate smiled. “We’ve been talking about advertising for a law clerk at one of the local schools.”
I stared at her. “We talked about it as one of the stepping stones when we had enough business.”
Carling waved a hand. “And we do. All that publicity brought in a flood of new clients. I could use a hand with research.”
“We could use someone to run to the court,” Kate added.
Melissa gave me a cautious look. “I’ll work real hard for you, Nicole. And I can help you out around the house. I’ll sleep on the sofa if there’s no room.”
Hence the suitcase. Dad and his family lived in Hallendale along the beach so it would be quite a drive every day in congested traffic.
Kate said, “She could help fill in for Sophie and give you time to look for a good caretaker.”
Everyone stared at me, waiting for my answer. I ventured a glance at Sam and he cocked his eyebrow in silent challenge. I pressed my forehead against the palm of my hand and wondered what the hell I was getting myself into.
“Fine, Dad. Melissa can stay with me and work at our office as a clerk.”
Kate and Carling high-fived each other and then hugged a stunned Melissa. Dad and I made a few more arrangements before hanging up. My sister swallowed. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“I found the album, Nicole,” Mom sang out as she entered the room. The conversation halted and everyone’s mouth dropped open. She wore a leopard-spotted unitard with tufts of hair. The scent of mothballs drifted on the air.
I had to hand it to her; she always knew how to make an entrance. I settled back for the show. “Oh good, Mom. Cats. One of my favorites.”
Chapter Nine
Later that afternoon I set up my laptop and eraser board in the Florida room. Since Melissa was taking the spare bedroom I used as an office, I had enlisted my friends to help move my stuff out. Once the game was over, everyone had left. However, Sam had lingered until I booted him out after returning his prized cap. With Mom taking her afternoon nap and Melissa settling in, I had craved that rare moment of peace and quiet and no people.
I perched on the edge of the sofa and started to gather the newspaper tossed about the glass-top coffee table. The words hospital and grant in a headline caught my attention, and I scanned the article. When I finished reading, I whistled softly.
“Something interesting in the news?” Melissa stood uncertainly just inside the room.
Might as well see how my suspicions sounded aloud. “A biomedical facility called OraGen has donated a large grant to the Oceanview Medical Center.” Suddenly, the name clicked, and excitement hummed inside me. One of the institute’s brochures had been on display in the Depp Funeral Home.
“Oceanview’s where you were attacked.”
“Yes.” Despite the hospital’s attestations that it wanted the culprit caught, its team of attorneys had effectively stymied the police investigation. I rose and drew a triangle on the eraser board. One point I labeled suppliers, listing funeral homes and hospitals. The second point, distribution. I noted ice cream trucks and a ? for others. The third point I tagged collection/sales center.
“What are you doing?”
“I like to map out a case from timelines to all the possible suspects.”
“But I thought your client hasn’t been charged with anything yet.”
I paused and gave Melissa a tight smile. “You’re correct.”
“Then