Page 120 of Daring You

“Chavez is in the lobby,” I say.

“Yes, I’m well aware.”

“What is he doing here?”

“He’s a client of ours,” Yang replies. “Now sit down.”

“Ben is there with him,” I seethe out. “He’s sitting there across from—”

“How is that my fault?” Yang is nonplussed. “I didn’t tell you to bring Mr. Donahue here, did I?”

“I…” Frustrated, I sit across from his desk. “This is an incredibly dangerous situation.”

“I’m aware.” Yang picks up his phone’s receiver. “I’ll have Chavez moved to the conference room, in a non-obvious fashion, away from the man who by all accounts, should not be in this fucking office.”

I remain tight-lipped as Yang instructs his paralegal then sets down the phone. At least Ben has been distanced, but I hate that Yang’s right. Through the blur of rose-colored glasses, it seemed a good idea to keep Ben at my side. Now, it’s more like a time bomb.

“You wanted to see me?” I say to Yang.

“Indeed. This morning, I spent most of my time on the phone with the U.S. Marshal’s office getting my ass handed to me.”

“Oh?”

“It seems a deposition was done, at the request of the protected witness, where he laid out his recollection of the murder of his parents about twenty years ago.”

I nod, very aware of the delicacy of my words and when to use them.

“The transcript will be available by this evening, and, according to the U.S. Marshal, outlines the matter enough that I can decide what to do with our clients.”

“Okay.” I’m bracing for Yang’s ire, but none comes.

“I also spoke to ADA Rolfe.” Yang makes a show of opening up a folder laid out on his desk. “He assures me there is ample evidence to convict, the pompous prick.”

I continue to play dumb. “What kind of evidence?”

“Enough to identify at least one of the killers. I’ll know more once I read it, but I was under the impression—from you—that the witness didn’t remember anything.”

I shrug. “Minds change, I guess.”

Yang’s eyes narrow. “You guess.”

“Yes.”

Yang studies me for a while longer. “Either way, if any inkling of the witness’s identity leaks from his office, I’ve been assured there will be consequences. So, you’re here to assure me you will stay closed-mouthed and tight-lipped about this entire matter. Since you know the witness, I can’t give you the tirade I gave Mike and Miss Maddox, but you can pretend that I did. Are you ready?”

I sit straighter. “I’m sorry?”

Yang cuts a glance through the glass wall, towards the line of cubicles housing me, Mike and Taryn, among others, and out of fucking nowhere—

“HOW DARE YOU!”

My butt literally leaves my chair.

“You would think, being top of your class, you’d have the wherewithal to triple-check the fucking database a few times to ensure the accurate tracing of these alleged inheritance funds. You unintelligent but apparently educated twit.”

My mouth falls open.

“You got it wrong, Miss Hayes,” he roars. “The trail does not lead to one Benjamin Donahue. The funds were entirely withdrawn five years ago. The source is unknown. At least to us.”

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