Page 55 of Alpha Bait

Manslaughter

RICH

"We're fucked," Ames growled.

My brother and the rest of the Carter clan insisted we ignore the banal legal details until after Selena's funeral. We stepped away from her private mausoleum in somber black tuxedos. My brother opened an umbrella over my head, preventing the drops from seeping into my wool suit.

"We have Haverford on the case," I rebutted.

"Jamal fired his family lawyers."

My brother must have been sitting on this news for over a week.

"Shit."

I paused, "How did you find out?"

"I have my sources."

"Talk to Haverford. He can fight this," I insisted.

"I don't think he can, Rich. They're talking manslaughter. Maybe even self-defense."

"Manslaughter? He killed her in cold blood."

"She instigated. If we're unlucky they may plead self-defense."

"Self-defense?" I scoffed, refusing to acknowledge what I saw as unlikely once more.

I'd been busy managing the company and directing my assistant in managing Selena's funeral. We'd had white lilies flown in from Spain, a hand-carved coffin and then I'd had the contractor make updates to the family mausoleum.

If it weren't bad enough I had to bury her, Carmichael Inc. had to brace ourselves for the Holloway acquisition and how the deal would inevitably tank our sales in the next quarter. The dip would be unavoidable but we'd have to let go of a chunk of our staff. I didn't want that to happen.

I'd worked twelve-hour shifts, each one punctuated by a clandestine evening with Indie, who refused to speak of family matters at all.

We'd postponed vanishing from New York, but the tension only thickened the longer we remained.

My problems weren't going anywhere. Ames had only confirmed what I feared. This fight would be long and drawn out. Selena's death and the pending legal decision were only the beginning. Hearing the news of Jamal's lawyer change caused me to consider for the first time that we might not win this war -- or this battle.

One of the most brilliant financial minds on our team had just died and her replacement still had two semesters left at Harvard Business before he could come out to the city and work for us.

Selena was dead, and Donnie might get away with it.

Previously, my faith in the Carmichael lawyers had been unwavering. As Ames spoke to me somberly after the funeral, my concerns mounted.

We needed action, not discussion.

"We have to do something," I said again.

My brother snorted in response.

We entered the back of the town car and prepared to drive back into the city.

"Can you get any information from Indie?" He asked.

I glared at him.

"No. And don't bring her name up again."

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