Page 24 of Delivered in White

“Charlie!” we both cheer, then put our hands up in apology to the guy in the red suspenders.

“Ladies,” he greets us, looking prim as ever. “At least one of you looks showered.”

“Hey!”Jacky slaps her binder.

He kisses her on the cheek hello to say he’s just kidding, then grabs both my hands as he sits down. “Capri. Is everything okay?”

I wrinkle my nose. “Yeah, why?”

“Uhm. Your dad is all over the news.”

I chuckle nervously, then shrug. “Yeah. I try not to get involved in all that.”

And the biggest-lie-of-the-century award goes to me.

“But yes, Dad is pretty stressed about it. His reputation is ruined.”

“Nah.” Charlie takes a printed agreement and stacks it perfectly against the table. “Anyone with half-a-brain knows that Esko Lucrazi was done for with that bombshell evidence. But either way, I’m glad there’s no turbulence with his… clientele.”

Charlie is the only one who has the balls to talk openly about Dad’s dealings. Jacky cowers like the little mermaid she is, but all the conversation halts when Gil starts down the stairs. He smiles wide at me like I didn’t screw him over on Saturday morning, and I appreciate that, so I smile back.

He immediately starts talking about the customer he had after me. The dude really does have a passion for this stuff. More importantly, he’s keeping up the no-questions-asked policy about calling the cops yesterday. Two points for Gil.

Eventually, stories die down and work kicks up. We havesomany old documents to go through to ensure our current proposed dissertations against the Stinnel Pipeline is ironclad.

Hours go by. I’m glad no one asked me about my new suit. I guess taking the blazer off and being seated most of the day makes the outfit appear close enough to what I normally wear. I check my phone here and there – no text from Trino. Makes me a little nervous, knowing what’s out there after him.

Late afternoon approaches. We usually call it at a normal hour on Sunday. So I wonder where that’s going to leave me if I don’t hear from Trino soon.

“Hey, you have to sign in. Hey!”

I feel the blood drain from my face when the security guard starts raising his voice on the floor above us.

Oh my God.

The Lucrazis.

Chapter 8

Cipriana

Oh shit. Oh shit.

I squeeze the arm rests of my chair tight to calm my nerves, but the security guard shouting from the top of the stairs sends lightning bolts through my belly. The Lucrazis… they’re here for me. They wouldn’t open fire on a group of innocent lawyers though, right? No. Trino assured me they wouldn’t. But that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t question me. Pull me out of here with a gun to my back…

Jacky, Charlie, and Gil start to notice the noise. They all turn toward the steps.

My heart thunders in my chest as I hear a shuffle between two people. They’re coming closer, the struggle growing louder. Should I run?

No. Then I’d be putting everyone in danger. I have to stand up and accept that they’re looking for me.

Pressing one hand tight over the other does nothing to stop my trembling.

You can do this, Capri. It’ll be okay.

Just channel that inner Beatrix Kiddo from Kill Bill. You’re an assassin samurai bitch who’ll take down anyone—

“Sit. I’ll only be a minute.”

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