Page 66 of The Note

“And is that why you let it slip just now that Kelsey doesn’t want a lawyer who’s paid by her father?”

She said nothing.

“Did you find out something else new since you called me the other night?” he asked.

“You’re a good cop, Decker.”

“I certainly think so. See you tomorrow at the courthouse?”

“You’re going to the arraignment?” A detective’s police report was more than sufficient for an initial probable cause hearing.

“The DA wants me there.”

It was further confirmation that this wasn’t any old misdemeanor case. Tomorrow’s hearing was one small step in a homicide investigation.

“Thanks for letting Lauren and Nate get their belongings out. They’re free to leave now, right?”

“Yep, standard protocol for non-suspects. And trust me, from what I heard about her phone call to the station, that landlady does not want any of you stepping foot near this house again.”

She felt herself smile involuntarily.

When she stepped out of her office, Josh was staring at her from the sofa, a glass of what appeared to be whiskey in his hand. “Is this the way you plan on treating me now? I thought we got past your little secrets with your friends when you came back from the Hamptons. Now you’re holed up in your office whispering? That’s not okay.”

“Josh, there’s a whole situation out there that I’m trying to handle. They arrested Kelsey for providing false information. Lauren and Nate think her father might be behind all of this, so she needs a lawyer who’s truly independent from him.”

“Meaning you? No, May. That is a terrible idea.”

“It’s just a first appearance. It’s no big deal. She enters a not guilty plea and I get her released from custody. We can deal with the rest of it afterward.”

“And I don’t get a say-so in this?” He took a sip of his drink, holding her gaze.

“In what I do for a friend in my capacity as a lawyer? No, you actually don’t. This doesn’t affect you.”

“No, but your whole relationship with your crew or whatever does affectyou,” he said, hisvoice rising. “It’s too much. And you and I are supposed to be getting married, so of course it affects me.”

“Supposedto be?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m sorry, Josh.” Was she really sorry, though? “I don’t have time for this. I just need to get through the hearing tomorrow, okay? You and I will be fine.”

“And a couple of days ago, you just needed to call that police officer, and now here we are again. You’re never going to extract yourself from this, are you?”

“Just when I thought I was out,” she said, slipping into her best Michael Corleone imitation.

“It’s not funny, May.”

“Little bit, little bit.” Now she was De Niro. “I swear it’s just an arraignment. A well-trained monkey could probably handle it. Then Kelsey can find another lawyer for the hard stuff. I promise.”

“Fine,” he said grudgingly. “Okay. Tomorrow.”

“I love you.” She leaned in for a quick kiss and he kissed her back.

“Love you too, even if you are being infuriating right now.”

He walked away toward the bedroom as she redialed Lauren. “So I tried to see if Decker could do anything to drop the charges, but no luck. I’ll handle the first appearance tomorrow and then help her find a lawyer for the long run.”

“Or that can be you,” Lauren said. “You’re Sasha Fierce in a courtroom.”

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