Page 35 of Cause and Effect

“Okay. I’ll file a petition with the court and gather some information on the birth mother. I’ll be in touch.”

After my clients left, I walked down to Parker’s office, but he wasn’t there.

“Do you know where Parker is?” I asked his secretary, Gretchen.

“He’s down in Roman’s office,” she said.

“Thanks.”

I walked down to Roman’s office, lightly tapped on the door, and stepped inside, only to find Julian and Parker sitting across from his desk.

“Morning, Laurel.” Roman smiled.

“Morning. Parker, I met with Tom and Claire Anderson. Which associate is going to be second chair?”

“We can put Linda in second chair,” he said.

“Uh, I have Linda working on an important case of mine,” Roman said. “How about Christopher?”

“He’s too busy right now working on one of my cases,” Parker said.

“I’ll be second chair,” Julian said.

“Uh, no.” I stared at him. “You’re busy enough.”

“No. I insist.” He grinned. “I am one of your bosses, so if I say I’m going to be second chair, then it’s happening.”

“We’re already working a case together,” I said.

“So what?” He shrugged. “Now, we’ll be working on two cases together.” A smirk crossed his lips.

I inhaled a sharp breath and left Roman’s office. Heading down to Morgan’s, I stepped inside and shut the door.

“Do you have a second?” I asked.

“Of course. Have a seat.”

“I need you to find out everything you can on a woman named Lindsey Burton. She abandoned her baby at a fire station a year ago. My clients are in the process of adopting the child, and now the birth mother wants her baby back. I need everything and anything you can dig up on her.”

“I’m on it.” She smiled. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“You don’t have to lie to me, Laurel. I can tell something is wrong.”

“Ugh, Morgan. I slept with Julian last night.”

“Oh. And?”

“I was drunk and didn’t know what I was doing.”

“He took advantage of you when you were drunk?” Her brows furrowed.

“Yes and no. He said we should stop, and I said we didn’t have to. He recorded me saying that.”

“He recorded you? What the fuck.”

“I won’t lie and say it wasn’t smart because it was. He was covering his ass, and I don’t blame him.”

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