***
A few hours later, Adrian and I have worked out, had breakfast with the Walker team, while discussing all the moving pieces of well, everything, and showered. Adrian and I get ready after that shared shower together, which is really surreal. It’s almost as if we can pretend that we’re normal, and that armed men aren’t roaming all around the house.
I dress for work, just in case I have to handle a problem, like a fight with Waters’ counsel over Adrian. Today that means a navy suit dress with a fitted waist. Adrian is as hot as ever in black jeans, a black T-shirt, and boots, his goatee neatly trimmed.
It’s mid-morning and I’ve set-up in the office upstairs when I get a call from the judge. “Your honor,” I greet.
“The defense is being bullish about this in-person testimony. They say their client has a right to an open courtroom and a jury who is allowed to watch the questioning. They’re not wrong.”
“You’re not even going to allow me to argue this with them?”
“I will, of course,” he says. “But you’re not going to win. I might want this to end, but I also have to do my job, and without bias. Do you want me to set a hearing?”
“Yes. Set it please.”
We disconnect and Adrian, who’s been talking with the guys, joins me, lifting his phone. “Lauren,” he says, placing us on speaker phone. “I have Pri here, Lauren,” he says, claiming the visitor chair across from me and setting the cell between us.
“Hi, Pri,” she says. “Nice to meet you. I wish it was under better circumstances. I’ve never seen anything as dirty as what I’m dealing with here. No one is following the rules of the law. I can’t get in front of the judge until tomorrow.”
We chat a few minutes, all of us, and when we hang up, my gaze is on Adrian’s. “The judge isn’t going to grant you recorded testimony. I just hung up with him.” I hold up a hand. “But before you go calling on Waters’ enemies, let’s talk about a few things.”
“All right,” he says. “Let’s talk.”
“For starters, there are two people who can undo this Chicago situation. My father, who we know is being blackmailed, and Logan. If we can trap him—”
“We can blackmail him?” he supplies, disapproval touching his brow. “Is that what you want to become, Pri?”
“Actually,” I say, “I was thinking more like forcing his hand and garnering some kind of confession from him.”
“What confession is he going to make that helps us and is worth forcing that confrontation on you?”
“If Logan pulled my father into this mess, he has to have a contact for Waters. That could be a member of Waters’ legal team.”
“We don’t know that.”
“It’s a strong possibility,” I say. “If we can prove Waters’ legal counsel is dirty, they might force him to take a deal.”
“How are you going to lead a conversation with Logan in that direction and get him to speak freely?”
“Just as I said before. He needs to be angry,” I say. “Really angry. I have to push his buttons.”
“Didn’t you do that already?” he asks.
“I did, but he’s shown remarkable restraint. I think I need to take it one step further.”
“How?”
I snatch my phone from the desk and call Logan. He answers on the first ring. “Pri,” he says icily. “Did you call to apologize?”
“I know what you did, Logan. I know everything and if you think I’m letting you take my family down, think again.” I hang up.
Adrian leans closer. “Now what?”
“Now, we wait,” I say. “He’ll demand to see me and I need to agree.”
“In public.”
“My house,” I say. “You can be there. Or that’s probably not a good idea. Adam or Lucifer, or whoever you choose, can be there. Logan won’t know.”
He studies me long and hard, and when I’m certain he’ll object, he finally concedes. “Your house,” he agrees. “But if I get a bad feeling about this, it’s off. Agree, Pri.”
“I agree,” I say, and the trap is set.
I just pray it’s really us setting it.Chapter Forty-ThreePRI
What I don’t want to happen is for Adrian to get more involved with more people like Waters to destroy Waters. I know we’re desperate, but I pray Logan represents a better way.
The problem is that Logan doesn’t call back. I’m certain he’s freaking out and doing damage control. But he’ll call. I know he’ll call. The day drags on though, and the call doesn’t come.
By afternoon, I’ve chatted with several members of my staff, and Blake has yet to identify the man who visited my father. We all agree, I’ll just ask my father. At five, I haven’t heard from my mother and I text her to confirm dinner. She answers back immediately and says, Yes. We’re a go.