Suspect Passions Read Online Free Page B

priceless. “Bad news?”
    “I may be the newest kid on the block but I wasn’t born yesterday. You’ve got something on your mind and I’m not going to like it, am I?”
    “Probably not, but hear me out before you go postal on me. Okay?”
    “If I were going postal, you wouldn’t be at the top of my list,” Regan replied dryly. “What are we looking at?”
    “I’ve really been impressed with the caliber of your work. I want to give you another case, a more difficult case.” He hesitated.
    Regan knew his reluctance to deliver unpleasant news was a result of his kind heart and appreciated him for it, but sometimes it was just annoying.
    “It’s a civil suit against the city, the police department, and an officer involved in a line-of-duty shooting. I received the papers this morning.”
    “And you want me to handle this?” Terry knew what had happened in the Fowler case she’d screwed up in Nashville. She was amazed he had enough confidence in her to entrust something similar to her so soon.
    “You’re the best attorney I’ve got, Regan, and you’ve had the most recent experience.”
    “Which, if you recall, was a bad one?” The last thing she needed right now was another complicated case full of uncertainty. Building a track record of losing those could tank her career.
    “We all lose cases,” Terry said. “It’s part of the job. But we move on and you’ve done that.”
    “If you could call quitting my job and relocating almost five hundred miles away moving on,” Regan said with a slight edge.
    “I can’t justify leaving you in the spill-and-fill division forever.”
    Regan smiled at Terry’s reference to the landfill and employment cases she’d been handling since her arrival. “I don’t think I’m ready, for obvious reasons.”
    “You’re being too hard on yourself,” Terry responded softly. “And we both know you’re more than ready for a challenge. You’re so bored I’m amazed you can stay awake.”
    “Point taken, but can I at least think about it?”
    “Sure, you’ve got five minutes. We’re on a short turnaround for review and recommendations to the manager.”
    The discomfort in Regan’s chest increased. Not only was she being asked to handle a case exactly like the one she’d lost in Nashville, but she would also have the added pressure of the political microscope scrutinizing her once again. On the other hand, if she refused she’d be letting Terry and herself down.
    “What about my other cases?” She stalled for time while she considered her options.
    “You mean that single employment case you’ve been milking for days?”
    Regan laughed despite herself. “Okay, so I’m procrastinating.”
    Terry shrugged. His expression grew more serious. “I’ll be honest with you, Regan. This is going to be a messy, high-profile case, and the outcome will affect the city’s budget in a big way.”
    “All the more reason to give it to someone else.”
    He shook his head. “No, I think you need to do this.”
    She had to admit, he was probably right. She was going through her assignments with less and less enthusiasm. But that didn’t mean she was ready to take full responsibility for a case that could burn the city. There could also be ramifications for the police department, with a review of their policies and procedures, not to mention the bad press. And last, but certainly not least, the officer involved would have to live through the events at the center of the lawsuit over and over again until it was settled. Regan had heard horror stories from the parents and friends of her last client. The thought of going there again made her nauseous.
    She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. “All right. I’ll do it. I appreciate your confidence, and I’ll try not to let you down.” Collecting her scattered thoughts, she asked, “What’s our turnaround time?”
    “Two weeks from today.”
    “Two weeks? You’re kidding, right?”
    “I’m afraid not. Here’s