Irrevocable Trust (Sasha McCandless Legal Thriller Book 6) (9 page)

“
ICE. In Case of Emergency. Mom always kept the ICE envelope in the freezer. You know, with the ice,
”
she explained to Leo with a tremulous smile.

“
Sure.
”

She handed the envelope to her brother, and they stared down at it together. Leo looked over Cole
’
s shoulder.
“
OPEN ICE
”
was printed across the front of the envelope in neat, feminine lettering. But that isn
’
t what caused Leo
’
s heart to thump in his chest. Clipped to the front of the envelope was a cream-colored business card with distinctive navy blue lettering. He leaned forward and peered at the words to confirm what he already knew: Sasha
’
s business card was in the dead woman
’
s freezer.

CHAPTER NINE

Tuesday

Sasha gulped her coffee as she hurried along South Highland Avenue toward her office.

Her late-night work session had allowed her to catch up on her caseload but it had come at a cost. She was exhausted.

Of course, that wasn
’
t all due to the hours spent researching the available remedies for a breached contract to build a retail space to suit. The nightmares had contributed, too.

It was always the same story, even though the details changed. She dreamed about Bricker, out there, getting closer. He was coming for her.

She balled her hand into a fist then released it. To her surprise, her primary emotion wasn
’
t fear, it was anger. She
wanted
to face Bricker.

She was looking forward to being there when he was captured and dragged away in handcuffs. Bricker had killed her friend. He
’
d crashed her wedding. To the agents who were spread out across the country searching for him, he was a faceless danger
—
the larger-than-life mastermind who
’
d nearly succeeded in starting a pandemic and who
’
d managed to escape from a federal prison. But to her, he was a very specific, very personal threat: And she was going to kick his ass.

Her heart rate was rising. She checked her calendar. No meetings until after lunch.

Good
. She
’
d call Daniel and see if he could squeeze in a sparring session at noon. She had some aggression to work out.

She took another swig of coffee and gagged. Was there anything grosser than cold coffee?

She charged into the building and beelined for Jake
’
s coffee shop for a fresh, hot coffee.

Jake waved good morning on his way through to the kitchen as she joined the short line at the coffee bar. It was a little early for Jake
’
s usual clientele, herself excepted.

The new guy at the counter greeted her with a grin and two fresh mugs of coffee.

“
Nicaraguan dark, right?
”

“
Thanks. I see my reputation precedes me, but I don
’
t usually double-fist coffees.
”

He laughed.
“
I figured your friend could use a warm up.
”

She stared at him blankly.

“
You know, your friend with the crazy eyes? She was waiting here when I opened. She said something about having a Property exam tonight.
”
He jerked his head to the doorway.

“
Oh, right. Thanks.
”

She scooped up the mugs and headed for Naya
’
s office.

Out of hands, she rapped on the door with her foot.

“
Come in,
”
Naya called.

“
Open the door. I come bearing caffeine,
”
she shouted back.

The door opened inward, and a smiling Naya appeared in the doorway.

She grabbed one of the mugs from Sasha
’
s hands.

“
Awesome. Thank you!
”
She spoke rapid-fire and too loud, like someone who had had far too little sleep and far too much coffee.

“
You
’
re in a good mood for someone who has a Property final looming on the horizon,
”
Sasha said as she eyed the mug, wondering if she should try to ease it out of Naya
’
s hand.

Naya seemed to sense her plan and gripped the handle more tightly.

“
The hard exams are behind me now. Property
’
s a breeze. Home stretch, baby, hoooooome stretch!
”

Sasha swallowed her skepticism. Different strokes, and all, but she didn
’
t recall there being anything particularly easy about the rule against perpetuities, vested remainders, and conditions precedent.

“
Whatever gets you through.
”

“
Right. Hey, you and Fly Boy want to grab a bite with me and Carl after my exam? I could use a little break.
”

At the mention of Connelly, Sasha felt herself stiffen.

“
He
’
s out of town, but I could meet you guys for a late dinner
—
unless you
’
d rather just make it a date. I
’
m sure Carl hasn
’
t seen much of you lately.
”

Naya rolled her eyes.
“
No, he hasn
’
t. And he
’
s been moaning like a baby about it. I was hoping Leo could provide some perspective on being with a powerful career woman. Where is he, anyway?
”

“
I don
’
t know.
”

Naya
’
s eyes widened

“
What do you mean you don
’
t know?
”

“
I told you yesterday. He
’
s not telling me everything.
”

Worry flashed across Naya
’
s face.
“
Do you think it
’
s Bricker?
”

“
Maybe. Don
’
t worry about it. I
’
ll get it out of him eventually. You focus on exams. Talk to Carl and let me know about dinner, but I think you should just give him some one-on-one attention tonight.
”
She winked.
“
That
’
s my advice, from powerful career woman to powerful career woman.
”

Naya laughed.
“
Yeah, you
’
re probably right. Rain check on dinner?
”

“
You know it.
”

Sasha turned to leave.

“
Hey, Mac
—”

“
What?
”

“
You should call Aroostine. If something
’
s going on with Bricker, she ought to know.
”

CHAPTER TEN

“
I
’
m sorry I can
’
t help you, but I
’
m still
persona non grata
at Justice. No one
’
s telling me anything.
”

Aroostine
’
s frustration was palpable through the phone line.

Sasha clucked her tongue sympathetically.
“
You
’
ll be back in the saddle soon.
”

It had taken her the better part of the day to catch up with Aroostine, and after all that phone tag, it turned out she was just as in the dark as Sasha was
—
maybe more.

Aroostine had been unfairly demoted from a plum spot in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice to a field position with the U.S. Attorney General
’
s Office in Johnstown, Pennsylvania.

Her mistake? Missing jury selection to save the lives of two innocent people and thwart an international criminal
’
s efforts to control vulnerable and sensitive national information. But, rules are rules, and her boss had shipped her off to the hinterlands in a snit.

“
I don
’
t really care if I ever get back to headquarters. Honestly, I
’
m happier back home with Joe and out in the community working with local law enforcement. D.C. was a hornet
’
s nest. But I do care that they
’
re freezing me out of the Bricker investigation.
”

Sasha found herself nodding even though Aroostine couldn
’
t see her. Aroostine was within her rights to be angry. She
’
d been part of the original criminal investigation into Jeffrey Bricker and his prepper group, and she
’
d been held hostage by Bricker
’
s mercenaries at Sasha and Connelly
’
s wedding. She had her own reasons to want to see Bricker back behind bars.

“
I
’
m glad you
’
re happy in Johnstown, at least.
”

“
Thanks. Listen, for all the good it
’
ll do, I
’
ll send some feelers out. Are you concerned about something in particular or are you just interested in a general status?
”

Sasha hesitated.

“
Uh, just a general status. But listen, don
’
t do anything that
’
s going to get you in trouble.
”

Aroostine laughed dryly.
“
How much more trouble could I get into?
”

“
I don
’
t know, are there any crappier U.S. Attorney postings vacant?
”

They laughed together for a moment, then something caught Sasha
’
s eye out her window. A passenger van pulled into a spot across the street and Connelly got out of the driver
’
s seat. He waited for a teenage boy to join him from the rear of the van. They dodged the late afternoon traffic and darted across the street toward her building.

“
Hey, I gotta go. I
’
ll talk to you soon.
”

She ended the call and waited for Connelly and the kid to show up in her office. She didn
’
t have long to wait.

The sound of heavy footsteps falling along the outside corridor announced their arrival, followed by two short raps on her half-open door.

Connelly stuck his head into the office without waiting for her to call out an invitation.

“
Hey, do you have a minute?
”

He looked worse than she felt
—
pale and tired, with dark half-rings under his bleary eyes.

“
Hey yourself. Come on in.
”

He pushed the door open and walked into the office followed by the teenage boy.

She put the boy
’
s age at about sixteen, maybe a little older. He was tall and lanky. He had pale, freckled skin. She couldn
’
t see his eyes because his gaze was fixed on the floor just ahead of his feet, and his light brown hair hung over his forehead.

Something about the way he carried himself was familiar, though.

Connelly reached behind him and pulled her door shut.

“
You remember Clay Bricker, don
’
t you, Sasha?
”
he asked.

At the sound of his name, the boy jerked his head up, eyes flashing.
“
It
’
s Cole Bennett now.
”