The Bad Judgment Series: The Complete Series (44 page)

“Tammy, thank you so much,” I said, beaming. “I can’t believe we’re so close.”

B
ut other things were close
, too. The silver sedan finally pulled down our road early the next morning, right at daybreak. I hadn’t gone to bed yet. Tammy had uploaded the files and I’d read through them all, seeing how the client funds had been deposited into our firm’s trust account. A few entries later, right around the time of the explosion, there was a deposit coded with the Advent file name.

It was for five million dollars.

I hadn’t spoken to Alexa yet; I was curious to know how she’d finally pulled it off.

The sky was just getting lighter when I heard the car coming down the road. I woke Walker and we took turns watching through the binoculars as it pulled down the drive, into the parking lot, and circled it. It came to a stop near the dock and sat there for a while, idling.

I wondered if Teddy was still okay, and how the person driving the car knew we were here. After they drove away I made Walker some coffee and he grabbed his phone.

“Louise,” he said. She must have answered on the first ring. “Did you have any visitors recently?” His brow furrowed for a minute as he stalked around the living room; even though I was bleary from pulling an all-nighter and staring at a computer screen for ten hours straight, I still admired the way his muscly thighs looked in his boxer shorts.
Who knew boxer shorts could be so sexy?
I wondered, senselessly, and I felt the old, familiar urge to slap myself across the face.

Walker nodded to me as he continued to talk to Louise. I caught snippets of what they were saying.
How many were there? What sort of questions did he ask? What time did he leave?

“Thanks Louise,” Walker said. “Call me if there’s any follow-up. And be careful.”

He hung up and came over to me, dark circles like bruises forming underneath his eyes. He’d only gone to bed a few hours ago, when I’d assured him that I’d found everything we needed to implicate the Proctor firm in a conspiracy, at the least. It wasn’t what I ultimately wanted — which was to tie them directly to the murders, and to show that they had actual knowledge that the case against Walker was fraudulent — but I was relying on Lester Max for those pieces.

“Louise sends her regards,” he said, wrapping his arms around me and squeezing me.

“What else did she say?” I asked.

“She said there was one man who came in the night before last. Mid-to-late fifties, with glasses, but she didn’t have any other information. He didn’t even ask about us, he just asked her about room rates but didn’t rent anything. She thought he was suspicious, but didn’t want to risk the call because, as she said, South Beach gets lots of weirdoes and she’d be calling us every other day.”

“And?” I asked. I raised my eyebrows and looked up at him, my heart thudding.

“And that was it,” he said. “She said she went by the Blue Securities office later, and there was no sign of life — no sign that it had been broken into, or used, or anything. It was just empty. Like she’d left it.”

“So who was it?” I asked.

“Pick from one of the many boxes of enemies we have,” Walker said. “You’re bound to be right eventually.”

We looked at each other for a beat, and then looked out at the water. It was another overcast day. The sky looked like it was ready to burst.

“You better call Teddy,” I said. “Make sure he’s okay. Tell him we’ll just order takeout for the next few days.”

I
was restless
, pacing. I tried to call Alexa again, a little while later.

“She’s in the shower. I’ll have her call you in a minute,” Tammy said, reassuring me.

I called April and Lester Max next. “He’s still here,” April said. She didn’t sound as disgruntled as I’d expected. “Let me get him.”

“Is he treating you okay?” I asked, curious, as I heard her move through the apartment.

“He’s almost acting like a regular human being. With manners,” she said. “He must want something.”

“I’m pretty sure you know what that something is,” I said.

“Well, he might need to slip me some roofies in order for me to give it to him,” April sniffed. “Still, it makes him being here more bearable.”

“If he gets unbearable, please let me know. I’d be happy to send over some help,” I said.

She handed the phone to him. “Lester,” I said, “tell me everything.”

“I’m fine, Nicole, thanks for asking,” he said, in a fake-nice voice.

“No really — I don’t care,” I said, slapping my hand to my forehead in frustration. “I need news. We’ve got company down here. We’re officially out of time.”

“Well, I have a meeting with David and Norris this afternoon at my office,” Lester said. It sounded like he had me on speaker-phone now; I pictured him knotting his tie and smoothing it, his copper-penny face looking appreciatively back at himself in the mirror.

“I’m going to go back through the credit card charges with them. I’ll tell them that one of our government connections was nervous about it, and that we need to make sure the trail back to us is clear. I’ll also try to put those tracking devices on their computers. I’m not sure how I’m going to pull that off, though. Any ideas?”

“Bring April with you,” I said. “Have her set the room up for you, get everyone coffee…maybe she can either distract them, or do it herself.” I sighed. “Tell her to wear something low-cut that shows off her assets.”

“I heard that,” April called from across the room. “He’s got you on speakerphone.”

“I know — I meant it as a compliment,” I said. “Lester, don’t forget to bring your recorder. But both of you: call me afterwards with details. I’m going to draft affidavits for you both about the meeting, and what you know. I’ll email them to you with instructions, about getting them notarized and where to send them.

“We need to wrap this up,” I said, as I watched Walker stare out the window, his jaw clenched. “We’ve officially run out of road.”

“
H
aven’t I done enough
?” Alexa wailed, ten minutes later. I was on speakerphone again; our voices echoed off of the bathrooms walls in the high-end, high-security apartment where Alexa was currently applying her makeup.

“You have,” I said. “You did exactly what I needed. But now I need another favor.”

“You’ve seriously worn out your welcome,” Alexa said.

“I need you to organize a surprise party. For Norris Phaland. And I need you to invite some government officials.”

Alexa didn’t say anything for a moment. Then she laughed.

“Hello, God?” she said. “It’s me, Alexa Blake. Can you tell me what you’ve done with Nicole Reynolds? You know that goody-goody lawyer I used to work with? Because I’m talking to someone who claims to be her. But she’s gone totally off the reservation.”

Alexa chuckled to herself again and I sighed. “Can you just be serious?” I asked. “I mean it. I need to get them all in the same place at the same time. For the big reveal.”

Now it was her turn to sigh. “When,” she said, flatly.

“Later this week. Friday.”

“You’re going to be ready to go by then?” she asked, and I could almost hear her skeptically raising a perfectly-waxed brow.

“We’ll have to be,” I said, standing up and looking out the window. The rain was pelting down, making circles on top of the water. I walked to the other side of the apartment and looked out: no sign of the sedan. The boats sat, docked and rocking, as the storm let loose.

I wondered what the trip would be like to the Bahamas on that boat, in the middle of hurricane season. Then I briefly wondered if we would even make it that far.

“You and Lester Max have gotten us almost everything that we need,” I said.
Almost.
“And I’m pretty sure that somebody found us down here. So we’re trapped — we can’t move again. We have papers and computers all over the place. We’re past the point of being able to pack up and go.”

“Who’s down there?” Alexa asked.

I shook my head. “I don’t know,” I said. “It could be any number of people who would be better off if we were dead.”

“Well, don’t get dead,” Alexa said. “I’m expecting a large reward when you and Walker are cleared of all charges. Along with that luggage collection.”

“You got it,” I said. And then I remembered, right before I hung up: “How did you get Linda away from her desk, anyway?”

“Well, I went and bought David Proctor his favorite turkey sandwich, on a baguette, from his favorite deli. And I bought him a
Herald
. He asked me why, and I told him it was because I was trying to suck up to him,” she said. “He was reading the sports section while I hacked her computer.”

I shook my head again, but this time for a different reason.
Typical Alexa.
“He fell for it?” I asked.

“He loves me. And I wore a low-cut shirt,” she said. “Duh.”

I rolled my eyes but I refused to say
double duh
. “And Linda?” I asked.

“Oh,” said Alexa dismissively. “I just told her that the annual half-price shoe sale was going on at
Nordstrom
.”

“That was it?” I asked.

“You have to know how to motivate people, Nicole,” she said and sniffed. “Now, I gotta go. I’ll do my eye makeup, then I’ll go to work and pretend to be a lawyer, all while planning your secret surprise party for our good buddy, Norris Phaland.”

“Thanks,” I said. “I mean it.”

“Good for you,” Alexa said. I heard her snort in disapproval right before she hung up.

“
D
id you talk to Teddy
?” I asked Walker, a few minutes later. He nodded at me. He was reading documents online and rubbing his temples as though he had a headache. I put my hand on his shoulder. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine,” he said. “I just can’t believe the government paid your law firm five million dollars to shut up and pitch in, to help the cause of my early demise. And yours.”

He looked up at me. “They’re unfuckingbelievable.”

I patted his shoulder. “I know,” I said. “But I still believe it. And remember, it’s not the whole government, it’s one person whose greed got in his way.” I paused for a beat. “What did Teddy say?”

“He said he was going to check the boat later, make sure it was secure, and keep his eyes out for any strangers. There’s not many people out because of the weather and he knows this island like the back of his hand. He also told me he can handle himself with a gun, if he needs to.”

“He told you that?” I asked.

“I asked him. He’s a hunter, so he’s used to shooting,” Walker said. “He also said he and some of the other local boys will watch out back. If they need to.”

I looked back out the window: the storm was starting to pick up. “Here’s hoping they won’t,” I said.

“What’s new on your end?” Walker asked. “Alexa? April and Lester?”

“Lester and April are meeting with David and Norris today at Blue. Lester’s going to secretly tape them, try and get a statement about my credit card, anything damaging he can get,” I said. “Even if he gets something on tape, it’ll be inadmissible. It’s illegal for him to do it. But at least if we get it in front of someone with authority, it might give them the push they need to look into it further and hopefully bring charges.

“They’re also going to try to put your tracking devices on David and Norris’s computers, but I don’t know if they’ll have time. And John Tobin’s, if Lester sees him again soon. After that,” I said, shrugging, “the best I can use them for is current affidavits. I’m going to draft those today. If we have written testimony about what they know, what they witnessed, it’ll further strengthen our case. I’ll have that in addition to the statement that Lester made for me here. It’s not testimony before a jury, but it’s all we’re gonna get.”

“Because Lester, and quite possibly April, are going to skip town as soon as possible?” Walker asked.

“As soon as you pay them,” I reminded him.

“You mean, as soon as Lester Max pays himself. I’m going to give him all the access codes to the corporation’s accounts — but I won’t do it until we’ve confirmed they’ve turned in the affidavits. Then, before he runs, he’s supposed to wire the balance of the money to me. That’s the big ‘if’ —
if
he wires us the money, like he’s supposed to do, before he skips town,” Walker said. “It’ll be dangerous for him, and tempting to just keep it for himself. If he wires it to us like he’s supposed to, it will immediately alert the authorities that he’s up to something, and that something’s up.”

“The timing on this is all a little tight,” I said, and grimaced.

“I’ve had tighter,” he said, looking at me hotly and wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Ha-ha,” I said. “But we don’t have time for that right now. Where is he going to wire the money to?” I asked. “Last time I checked, we didn’t have access to a Swiss bank account.”

“I’ve always wanted one, but no — you’re right. The money’s not coming to us. It’s getting wired to a bank in Miami. The account is listed under one Ms. Louise of South Beach. She’s going to take her cut, and
if
she does what she’s supposed to, she’ll wire the rest of the money to an account on Boca.”

I raised my eyebrow at him, waiting.

“Which is the account Teddy just opened up in his name. And then ….”

“
If
Teddy does what he’s supposed to, he’ll take his cut and then give us the rest in cash,” I said, staring at Walker with my eyes wide. “That’s a lot of
ifs
.”

“It’ll be all right,” Walker said, with his typical bravado. Ah, the confidence of the extremely gorgeous, muscled, brilliant, self-made billionaire.

“Alexa is going to start working on that surprise retirement party for Norris Phaland. I asked her to invite John Tobin, and anyone else you can think of from the SEC who might be directly involved. I told her we wanted them all there. If they’re in one place, they can all be taken in at once. No one will get the chance to run: they’ll be surprised.”

“That’s great thinking,” Walker said, “but exactly who is going to be doing the arresting? The Feds are after us. The local police are after us. That leaves…who, exactly?”