Page 4 of Adam's Fugitive

After a while, I pull my head out of my ass and dial Roman Laurent’s number. “Laurent,” he answers on the first ring.

“It’s Adam Carlin.” I take a deep breath and pull my thoughts together. “I’m representing Cora Hargrove and Ophelia Crawford.” I hear Roman typing on the other end of the line.

“Before you go any further,” he interrupts me, “I’m not handling those cases. They’ve been assigned to Assistant DA Thomas.”

“I know.” Like I wouldn’t have already checked this shit out. “But I thought you might be able to help me.”

He sighs on the line. “I’m up to my eyeballs in alligators right now, but this is a minor offense. You can plea bargain it down. Just call ADA Louis Thomas.”

“I need the charges completely dropped,” I cut to the chase. “Cora Hargrove is a registered nurse, and she’ll lose her work license if the women aren’t completely exonerated.”

“Well, the young lady should’ve considered that before she broke the law,” he returns.

“Look.” Roman and I have been friends since high school. It’s time to forget the professional bullshit we’ve been spewing back and forth and level with my friend. “Remember the graduation trip to South Padre?”

“What in the fuck does that have to do with this case?” Impatience colors his voice.

“She’s the one,” I tell him, picturing his reaction. A week after our law school graduation, I got hammered and spilled my guts to Roman. My level-headed friend jumped into action and sobered me the fuck up. Then we both used all our resources to find my missing soulmate. After six months of searching, I was forced to admit that we would never find this needle in the big-world haystack. By that time, I’d learned to hide my devastation from my friend, but my heart never really gave up the search.

“Motherfucking A. How did you find her?” he asks, and I hear the shock in his voice.

“Pure fucking luck.” I explain how my law associate and head partner are involved.

“Wow. You need to go out and buy a goddamn lottery ticket, my man.” Roman gives a little laugh. “The odds of that happening are right up there with winning the lottery.”

“It’s why I need you to help me out.” I’m not above begging to get my girl off the hook. “If you watch the video, you’ll see that it’s clear the police were more at fault than the two women. You and I both know it’s a waste of taxpayer money to prosecute this. The whole purpose of this case it to assuage law enforcement’s fragile ego.”

“Let me see what I can do.” Roman sighs. “I’m not making any promises, but I’ll get a copy of the video and take it from there.”

“Thanks.” I sit back in my chair and stare at the ceiling. “I owe you one.”

“You fucking owe me way too many to count. We’ll add this to the list.”

A while later, Fischer texts me the time and place he set up the meeting with my soulmate. First, I’ll get this business out of the way, and then I’ll get to work making her mine. Forever. Now, I just have to survive the next few hours waiting to see her again.

CHAPTERTHREE

CORA

My phone rings, and I see Scarlett’s smiling face flash across the screen. “Good morning,” she tells me when I answer.

“What’s so good about it?” The current situation has dampened my normally sunny mood considerably. I’m about to be freaking unemployed after working my rear-end off for four years to earn my nursing degree. All because I’m a softy who can’t say no to an elderly hellion. Who am I kidding? I love taking part in Auntie O’s schemes. This one just got a little out of hand.

“Finn has friends working on your case.” Scarlett sighs. “It really is going to be alright.”

In my heart, I’m trying to stay positive. “I hope so.” I reach into the freezer for my emergency stash of chocolate cookie dough ice cream. If any day ever qualified for a “calories don’t count” day, today is that day.

After grabbing a spoon, I take the ice cream container into my living room and drop down onto my faded floral sofa. “I’m so sorry I lied to you.” I sigh as the cool concoction hits my tongue, soothing my frazzled nerves. Slinky and Yo-Yo, my twin Dachshunds, come over and plop down in my lap. It takes some finagling, but I manage to prop up the ice cream carton on the edge of the sofa, so I have a free hand to pet my little guys. These two have been with me through thick and thin, and having them close always soothes me.

“Aunt Ophelia is very persuasive.” Scarlett sighs. “And she feels horrible about getting you into all this trouble.”

“I know. She’s called to apologize several times.” I hate that my honorary aunt is so upset over this. “And each time, I tell her it’s not her fault. I’m a big girl, and I willingly went with her to the protest. I could’ve said no, but I didn’t.” I had a lot of time to think in the cold, icky jailcell. I might regret getting arrested, but I don’t regret going with Auntie O to make sure nothing happened to her.

“Don’t worry. It will all work out,” Scarlett tries to reassure me. It’s hard to stay optimistic with the threat of losing my job hanging over my head, but I hope she’s right.

Being a nurse was a dream of mine since my mother died of kidney disease when I was in grade school. I always swore I’d work to help those facing the same fate, but now I’ve put all my hard work at risk. It’s freaking time to stop feeling sorry for myself and put on my big girl panties. I’m going to fight these charges and get back to the job I love.

“Can you meet with Finn’s lawyer friend this afternoon?” she asks, causing me to groan as I glance down at my holey sweatpants and threadbare tank top.

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