Worst Date Ever (Scandals #3) Read Online Free Page A

me.”
    “And we’ll bail you out,” Christopher assured his friend. “We need to take this in order.  You know you can’t avoid the arrest.  Once you’re admitted to the hospital, they won’t take you to jail until you’re released.  You still using the same attorney?”
    “Jeremy?  Wouldn’t go with anyone else.”
    “I’ll call him and let him know what’s happening.  He can get your bond hearing over so that you can go straight home from the hospital. Okay?”
    Michael glanced around the room and exhaled.  “Okay.  Call the ambulance.”
    Christopher nodded to Pam.  “Tell them no lights and sirens.  I don’t want to attract any attention right now.”
    “Hope they have some major drugs in the buggy,” Michael muttered, looking like he was about to pass out.
     

     
    We watched the ambulance drive out of the parking lot before we returned to the conference room. 
    “You guys ready to jump into the match game?” Christopher asked.  “Tulsa, I’d like for you to take the lead on this one.  You’ll know what questions to ask and what to look for.  Think you’re up for it?”
    I was pretty excited at the challenge, but it wasn’t my style to show enthusiasm.  “Sure, I’ll see what I can find.  I think the big question is why.  These two events are probably related, but I just can’t figure out why someone would go to so much trouble.  It’s just a dating service…not a cure for cancer.”
    “We’ll work on that angle.  You find out how.”
    I liked Michael, but I wasn’t convinced he was telling us the whole truth.  “You know, it all points to him.  Are you positive he’s not doing this for publicity or insurance or because of some kind of lover’s quarrel?”
    Christopher didn’t hesitate.  “Hmmm…Roger’s rule number 4.”
    “Oh my God!  Another Roger rule?”  Reno spoke for all of us.
    Christopher ignored him.  “Roger said to never jump to conclusions or to take anyone’s word about guilt or innocence…look for the proof.”
    “If it’s in the computer system, I’ll find it,” I promised.
    “Good, and we’ll work on the rest.”  Christopher stood and walked to the big white board that was mounted on the wall next to a framed portrait of Roger.  “Let’s start with the facts.” He drew a black line down the middle.  On the top left corner he wrote GUILTY and in the top right corner NOT GUILTY . He turned and started twirling the marker in his hand.  “So what do we know?”
    “The grand jury said Michael’s clients were damaged when their identities were stolen because of his negligence.” Killeen pointed to the left column.  “I think we have to start with that.”
    Christopher wrote Negligence in the left column.
    “Michael didn’t get his identity stolen.  Wouldn’t a hacker go for the top dog if he was trying to do some damage?” Dallas pointed out.  “I’ve always heard you should follow the money, and in this case, he didn’t lose a dime in actual cash.”
    “Except for the hit to his business,” Christopher said.
    “But did it really suffer?  He said he’s been doing better than ever.  Maybe it was all about the publicity.”  Dallas didn’t seem any more convinced that Michael was innocent than I was. 
    Reluctantly, Christopher added Publicity? to the GUILTY column.
    “He seemed to be genuinely upset about Tamara’s death.  I think he really loved her,” Liberty added her opinion.
    Christopher wrote Tamara in the NOT GUILTY column.
    “Unless he wasn’t being honest with us and it was his way of breaking it off,” Reno suggested.
    “Kind of extreme, don’t you think?” Christopher asked.  “Breaking up through a text message would have been better than murder.”
    “Some women don’t take no for an answer,” Reno pointed out.  “He said it was a big secret, even from you.  Maybe it was a one-night stand gone wrong or even something kinky that got out of hand.  It might not have been a