Page 41 of Intrigued
“Oh my God,” I said as we hugged.
At least I knew who Bryn had been having sex with earlier in her bedroom. His face beamed with the postsex glow. However, I wondered why she was keeping him a secret. Instead of questioning him about his involvement with the current lady of the manor, I decided to play along.
I leaned back to get a better look at him. “You look so Chris Hemsworth meets David Beckham.”
“Wow, that good, huh?” he said, joking.
I nodded emphatically. “Yeah, that’s pretty good.”
We laughed then decided to get something to eat. As we walked, we talked about what we were doing these days. I noted that he’d read both my books. That factor could’ve been a clue that he was in on whatever Bryn was truly cooking up under the guise of “writing the family memoirs.”
After selecting our food, we found a cocktail table and sat. Dale revealed that he’d clerked for an appellate court judge in Washington, DC, up until eight days ago. He’d decided the law wasn’t for him. Instead, he was heading out to Los Angeles to start a career in television and film. Apparently, he’d written a screenplay about a powerful family like the Christmases. AEE, one of the most popular cable networks in the world, was interested in turning his story into a prime-time television series.
“You know, I can always use an advisor like you on my team. That book you wrote on the Howsleys… Shit, that was an epic takedown.”
I smiled tightly.
“You don’t agree with me?” he asked, perhaps reading my expression.
I shrugged indifferently. “Sure.” Then I shifted abruptly in my seat. “But why are you here in Rhode Island? Did Bryn invite you?”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how did your radar land on the Howsleys?”
I narrowed an eye suspiciously. “Interesting that you asked me that, counselor.”
“Why is that?” he asked with a straight face.
“I never said. My source was deep background. I’m pretty sure I mention that in the book.”
He smiled lopsidedly. “You did. I just thought I could get you to tell me anyway.”
I folded my arms tightly across my body and opened my mouth to ask him what the current nature of his association with Bryn was.
“Dale,” Jasper said as his hand came crashing down hard on Dale’s shoulder.
Dale twisted his body to see the man standing behind him. He then stood to shake Jasper’s hand. “Jasper, good to see you.”
“What are you doing here?” Jasper was smiling, but I could tell his inquiry wasn’t meant to make Dale feel welcome.
My gaze captured Bryn walking into the ballroom and linking arms with a handsome man with dark hair. Perhaps he was her lover and not Dale. When I turned back to set my attention on Dale, Jasper had shifted his position so I had to look around him to see Dale.
“Do you have a minute?” Jasper asked.
“Um…” Dale leaned to the left to see me sitting behind Jasper.
“I want to talk to you about the Carmichael Trust case.”
Dale smiled at me timidly. That was definitely his way of letting me know he was still interested in continuing our conversation. “Ah, yes, that. Well, you know I left Justice Nylander’s stable.”
Jasper’s strong hand came down on Dale’s shoulder. “That’s okay. I’m sure you can lend me some perspective.”
“Sure. I could call you after the—”
“How about now?” Jasper asked.
“Now?”
“I won’t be available after the holidays, so now. I promise I won’t take too much of your time.”
