Chapter 14 - The Attorney's Secret

Stella refused to believe it.

"Rachel is Jonah's lawyer."

"Exactly," Marin said.

Wyatt called Rachel immediately.

No answer.

Again.

Nothing.

His face tightened.

"She went into the courthouse with Jonah two hours ago."

Marin shook her head. "Dean has paid someone inside her firm for years. I don't know whether Rachel is involved or being used. But yesterday Dean said, 'The ledger is finally where Pierce will protect it for me.'"

Stella understood first.

"Attorney-client files."

Wyatt stared at her.

"If Dean hid it among legal material connected to Jonah, any search becomes complicated."

Marin nodded. "And if Jonah's people move it without knowing what it is, Dean can track where it goes."

Wyatt swore and called the courthouse.

This time Rachel answered.

"Where are you?" he demanded.

"Outside arraignment. Jonah's bail hearing is in twenty minutes. Why?"

"Did anyone send a file box to your office this week?"

Silence.

Then, "Yes. Yesterday. Labeled Pierce Holdings - Tax Review."

"Don't touch it."

"Wyatt, what—"

"Rachel, listen to me. Dean may have hidden the blue ledger inside."

Another silence.

"My assistant moved those boxes to our secure evidence room this morning."

"Who has access?"

"Me. My assistant. Two partners. Building security."

A sound came over the line.

Rachel's breath changed.

"What?" Wyatt asked.

"Fire alarm."

Stella's stomach dropped.

Rachel said, "The alarm panel says eighteenth floor. That's my office."

Wyatt was already moving.

They reached Midtown in eleven minutes.

Smoke poured from three windows of Rachel's law firm. Firefighters crowded the street.

Rachel stood outside beside Jonah, who had been released on emergency bail after the prosecution's key witness suddenly changed part of his statement.

Jonah saw Stella step out of the car.

His eyes went first to the bruise along her jaw, then to the blood on Wyatt's forehead.

"What happened?"

"Dean happened," Stella said.

Rachel approached. "The evidence room burned."

"The ledger?" Wyatt asked.

"If it was there, it's gone."

Marin emerged from the second car.

Rachel recognized her.

"You."

Marin looked startled. "We've met?"

"You delivered the boxes yesterday."

Marin went pale. "No, I didn't."

Rachel stepped closer. "Red coat. Dark hair. You signed the log as Marin Quinn."

Marin shook her head. "I was in Queens all day."

Jonah looked toward the burning office.

"Then someone wanted Rachel to remember Marin."

A firefighter walked out carrying a blackened metal lockbox.

"Ms. Sloan? We found this in your evidence room."

Rachel took it.

The outside was scorched, but the lock had held.

Inside was no ledger.

Only a photograph.

Stella picked it up.

It showed Dean standing beside Jonah's brother Gabriel four years earlier.

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