Blood in the Water(6)

“Killers come in all shapes and sizes. And if you find him so handsome, why don’t you go out with him?”

“’Cuz he doesn’t even know I’m alive. He’s too busy makin’ eyes at you. If he ever noticed me, I’d be all over him like a duck on a June bug.”

Jane deliberately turned her attention to a file on the desk.

“Don’t ignore me. I’ve seen the way he gets you all flustered. All I’m sayin’ is, if you’re gonna compromise your ethics, he’s the one I’d go for.”

“I’ll never compromise my integrity.” She liked to handle things by the book. Jane handed the note back to her. “Call him back and tell him I’ll stop by later. Make certain he knows I’m billing him for mileage, as well as the time spent meeting with him.”

“Fine.” Georgia rolled her eyes.

“Thank you.” Jane glanced at the clock. It was nearly five. “I should be heading out. I’ve got a long night ahead of me. ” If Jane had her choice, she’d spend the evening with Brady, eating macaroni and cheese and watching cartoons.

“I still don’t like this.” Georgia shook her head. “Make him come to the office and sign the papers tomorrow morning—in the daylight, with witnesses. Where are you meetin’ him?”

“At his lake house.”

“Let me get this straight. You’re meetin’ a serial killer in an isolated cabin in the woods? Over my dead body…or actually yours.”

“No, it’s a lake house—so, it’ll be a cabin on the water’s edge.” Georgia was more melodramatic than usual.

“I appreciate your dry wit, but it doesn’t sound any less murdery.”

Jane expelled a breath.

“He’s a killer. Why can’t you see it? Bein’ convicted of a crime and committin’ one are two different things, Jane. It just means he’s smart enough to scrub his DNA from the crime scenes. Somethin’ about him ain’t right.”

“Well, after he signs the papers, Valentine won’t be our problem anymore.”

“Hallelujah. At least meet him in a public place.”

“I promised him I’d stop by his home, and I’m going to keep my word.” She cleared her throat. “We’re going to have a signature party, eat dinner, and celebrate the win. It’ll be perfunctory and professional.”

“To hell with bein’ sociable.”

“You think he invited me over to murder me?” Jane stood and packed up her briefcase. It was going to be a long evening. With the lengthy drive to Beauregard’s place, she wouldn’t be getting home until the wee hours of the morning.

“I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s more slippery than a pocketful of puddin’.”

“Don’t be absurd.”

“Jane—”

“I’m going, so drop it.”

Georgia’s mouth flattened into a thin line. “Fine, will you at least call me afterward?”

“It won’t be necessary.”

“Yes, it is, and keep your phone on you at all times while you’re there.”

Jane paused. Even she could read the concern on Georgia’s face. One little phone call wasn’t too much of an inconvenience to alleviate Georgia’s fears.

“Okay, I’ll call you,” she said gently.

“Thank you.”

Jane opened the closet and scrutinized her appearance in the mirror on the back of the door. She looked every inch the no-nonsense lawyer in her charcoal pinstriped suit, which looked sharp on her full, hourglass figure. Jane had creamy white skin and poker-straight, short black hair, which fell to her chin. A pair of black-framed glasses straddled her snub nose.

“Have you made an appointment with the professional consultant yet?”

“Not yet. I keep meanin’ to, but my time’s limited.”

In addition to being a single mother and working full-time as Jane’s paralegal, Georgia was finishing her law degree at the University of North Texas. Jane would miss her terribly when she graduated.

“Do it soon. You’ll be taking the bar exam in a couple months, and interviews are right around the corner. You want to be as polished as possible before you start meeting employers.”

After her own law school graduation, Jane had worked with the consultant to polish her people skills, dial down her Southern accent for juries, and for assistance choosing a wardrobe which conveyed competence and expertise.

“I’ll do it tomorrow mornin’. I promise.”

“Good.” Jane turned to her. “I think you’ll make an excellent attorney—with some much-needed discipline.”