Devoted Defender (16 page)

She started trying to figure out how to explain away whatever it was that she must have messed up.

“So,” he said, “I’ve actually got some exciting news. Or at least I hope you’ll think so because I do.”

“Okay,” she replied. Now he really had her attention.

“First, let me say that you’ve been doing great work on the Wakefield case. Really performing above your level and everyone has noticed including the client. They’ve been highly impressed with your dedication to this case. You’ve really been keeping this train on the tracks.”

“Thank you, sir.” She clasped her hands with nervous excitement.

“How many times have I told you not to sir me, Hope?”

“I’m sorry.”

He smiled. “And stop apologizing. Just listen up for a minute. You know I was supposed to try this case with Harry. But there’s been an emergency international arbitration for one of our biggest clients. Harry’s on a plane to Brussels right now and won’t be back for a couple of months. I decided to send him because they needed a partner over there right now with his international experience.”

She started to try to process what all of this would mean. If Harry wasn’t going to try the case with Sam, then who was?

He leaned forward in his chair. “Since you know the case so well, I want you to go to Maxwell, Georgia, and get us set up for trial next week. And then at trial you’ll be second chair. My number two. Also means a literal seat at counsel’s table and you examining and crossing select witnesses.”

“Second chair?” She heard herself say the words out loud but couldn’t fathom it.

“Yes, you’ve earned it. I know associates don’t get much trial experience around here since our cases have such a high dollar value. So you need to take this one head on. You’ll be working with our local counsel in Maxwell to prepare for trial. I’ll be coming down there in a few days, but I want you on the ground now. You up for this?”

She didn’t even know how to respond. “Of course I am.” This is exactly what she wanted. What she’d been working so hard for five years at the firm to show that she had what it takes to make it in big law. This was her time to shine.

“Great. Now have your secretary book you a flight for this afternoon. Get out of here and pack. I want you on a plane and in Maxwell by this evening.”

She nodded realizing it was probably better not to start gushing to her boss. “Thank you, I won’t let you down.”

She remained calm until she got back to her office and shut the door. Then she let out a squeal as she hopped around her small office. Second chair! And getting to go to Maxwell ahead of Sam to work with the client and the local law firm. This was a once in a career opportunity for someone like her. She hadn’t felt this happy in years. If ever.

She couldn’t let this chance slip away. She’d have to be on the top of her game the entire time. While Sam cared about all of his clients, he’d been college roommates with Lee Wakefield, the CEO of Wakefield Corporation. So Sam took this case personally. He wouldn’t accept anything but her best—and then some. She’d proven herself to be a hard worker, and it was nice to see that it was actually paying off. But her work was far from done.

Hope gave her secretary instructions on booking the flight to leave New York around lunchtime and then went home to pack. She’d never been to Georgia. Much less the small town of Maxwell. This would be an experience she’d never forget. And there was also an added bonus. Now she could ensure she wouldn’t run into agent whatever his name was again. Their altercation last night was strange, and it bothered her that he was making allegations against Carlos Nola.

A tiny shred of doubt crept into her thoughts. What if the FBI agent was right and Nola was involved in some illegal activity? Could her work actually be protecting and aiding a criminal? No. She refused to believe that.

She’d had a few meetings with Nola in New York, and he always seemed entirely professional. Friendly, a gentleman, and with a shrewd business acumen. There had never been any hint of impropriety in any of their discussions. She’d spoken to him on the phone quite a bit lately because of trial preparation, and she’d experienced no red flags of any kind. Wakefield Corporation was also a very well thought of business with board members who were highly respected in the community. No, there simply had to be some mistake on the FBI’s part.

The FBI was mistaken, and it was her job to protect her client, Wakefield Corporation. Nola wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize the business, because as a board member, he had a vested interest to stay above board with all of his business dealings.

She wasn’t one to just sit back, though. She planned to find out what the FBI was really after before it was too late.

Book 1: Trial & Tribulations (A 2016 Selah Awards Finalist)

Book 2: Fatal Accusation

Excerpt from Trial & Tribulations: A Windy Ridge Legal Thriller

When managing partner Chet Carter called, you answered—and you answered promptly. Just yesterday Olivia Murray had been summoned to Chet’s corner office and told to pack her bags for a new case that would take her from Washington, DC to the Windy Ridge suburb of Chicago.

But this wasn’t just any case. She would be defending a New Age tech company called Astral Tech in a lawsuit filed by its biggest competitor.

As she stepped out of her red Jeep rental, the summer breeze blew gently against her face. She stared up at the mid sized office building with a prominent sparkling blue moon on the outside, and she had to admit she was a bit intimidated. It wasn’t the litigation aspect that bothered her, though. It was the subject matter.

She threw her laptop bag over her shoulder, adjusted her black suit jacket, and walked toward the door. Ready for anything. Or at least she hoped she was.

The strong smell of incense hit her as her first heeled foot stepped through the door. She thought it was a bit cliché for a New Age company to be burning incense in the reception area, but maybe it was to be expected. It reinforced her thoughts that this was all a money making operation—not a group of actual believers in this stuff.

The perky young blonde behind the minimalist glass desk looked up at her. “How can I help you?”

“Hi, I’m Olivia Murray from the law firm of Brown, Carter, and Reed.”

The young woman’s brown eyes widened. “Oh, yes, Ms. Murray. I’m Melanie.” She stood and shook Olivia’s hand. “Let me know if you need anything while you’re here. The team is expecting you. I’ll take you to the main conference room now.”

“Thank you.” Everything was already proceeding as normal. She couldn’t let this whole New Age thing mess with her head. And besides that, she had her faith to get her through this.

Melanie led her down the hall to a conference room and knocked loudly before opening the large door. “Ms. Murray, please go on in.”

Olivia didn’t really know what she expected, but what she saw was a table full of suits arguing. She let out a breath. Regular litigation. Just like she had thought.

A man stood up from the table. “You must be our lawyer from BCR?” He wore an impeccably tailored navy suit with a red tie. He had short dark hair with a little gray at the temples and piercing green eyes.

“Yes, I’m Olivia Murray.”

“Great. This is the Astral Tech leadership team. Don’t let our yelling worry you. That’s how we best communicate.” He laughed. “I’m Clive Township, the CEO of Astral Tech, and this is my trusted inner circle.”

A striking woman rose and offered her hand. “I’m Nina Marie Crane, our Chief Operating Officer.”

“Wonderful to meet you,” Olivia said.

Clive nodded toward a tall thin man with black hair who stood and shook her hand. “And this is our financial voice of reason, Matt Tinley.”

“I serve as our Chief Financial Officer,” Matt said.

Everyone greeted her warmly, but she felt an undercurrent of tension in the room. It was now her job as their attorney to get this litigation under control and that also meant getting them under control. Half the battle of litigation was controlling your own client before you could even begin to take on the adversary.

“Have a seat and we’ll get you up to speed,” Clive said.

She sat down in a comfortable dark blue chair at the oblong oak table and pulled out her laptop to take any relevant notes. She opened up her computer, but mainly she wanted to get the lay of the land.

“So the more I can learn about your company and the complaint that Optimism has filed against you the better. One of the first things I’ll have to work on is the document collection and fact discovery effort. To be able to do that, I need the necessary background. I’ll be happy to go over the discovery process with you, too, at some point so we’re all on the same page.”

“Where do you want to start?” Nina Marie asked.

“It would be helpful if you gave me a more detailed explanation of your company. I did my own research, but I’d love to hear it from you. Then we can move onto the legal claims brought against you by Optimism.”

“Nina Marie is the driving force behind Astral Tech. So I’ll let her explain our business,” Clive said. “I’m more of the big picture guy and Matt is our number cruncher.”

“Sounds good,” Olivia said.

Nina Marie smiled. The thin auburn haired woman wore tortoiseshell glasses. Her hair was swept up into a loose bun, and she wore a black blazer with a rose colored blouse. “Astral Tech was my baby, but Clive has the financial backing and business acumen to make it happen.”

“I’d like to hear all about it,” Olivia said.

“We’re a company specializing in bringing New Age theories and ideas into the tech space. We felt like we filled a void in that area. Yes, New Age has been quite popular for years now, but no company has really brought New Age into the current technology arena and made it work for the next generation. Through the Astral Tech app and other electronic means, we’re making New Age relevant again. Our target audience is youth and young professionals. We don’t even try to reach the baby boomers and beyond because it’s a losing battle. They’re too traditional, and they’re not as tech savvy. We have to target our energy on the demographic that makes the most sense for our product.”

“Excuse my ignorance, but you use New Age as a blanket term. I need a bit of education on what exactly you mean in the context of your business.”

Nina Marie clasped her hands together in front of her. “Of course. I think a woman like you is in our key demographic. I would love to hear your thoughts on all of this. But to answer your question, New Age is a lot more than incense and meditation, although that is definitely a part of it. New Age is a way of life. A way of spiritually connecting. We care about the whole body—the environment, mysticism, spirituality. And we do that in an innovative way through the Astral Tech app that starts you on your path of self exploration from day one. You have to download it and try it for yourself. It will definitely help you understand our issues in the litigation better.”

“Yes, the litigation. I read the complaint on the plane. Optimism’s central claim is that Astral Tech actually stole the app from them.”

Clive jumped in and leaned forward resting his arms on the table. “It’s a totally bogus lawsuit. That’s why we’re hiring a firm like yours to nip this in the bud. We don’t want any copycat litigation. This app was developed totally in house by Astral Tech employees. To say that there is any theft is absolutely false. We certainly didn’t steal it. It’s just a trumped up charge.”

“What about the other claim regarding defamation?”

Clive nodded. “The defamation claim is actually a bit more concerning to me because it’s subjective. We won’t have a technical expert that can testify about that like we have on the actual theft claim.”

She sat up in her seat. “What was said by Astral Tech that they are claiming is defamatory?”

“A few off handed comments about Optimism and their lack of integrity. They claim they’re part of the New Age movement, but some of their actions indicate otherwise.”

“Could you be more specific?”

“I can elaborate,” Nina Marie said. “Optimism isn’t really centered on New Age techniques in the same way we are. Their original founder, Earl Ward, was a connoisseur of many New Age techniques, but when he passed away Optimism’s purpose shifted a bit under Layton Alito’s rule, solidifying their allegiance to the dark arts. Layton is a ruthless leader who doesn’t tolerate any type of dissent amongst his ranks.”

Olivia felt her eyes widen, but she tried to hide her surprise. “Are you serious?”

“Yes, very,” Nina Marie said.

“And Astral Tech isn’t like that?” She couldn’t help herself. She had to ask. It was better to know.

“We’re a big tent. We don’t want to alienate anyone who is seeking a spiritual journey,” Clive said.

Well, that wasn’t exactly a denial. What had she stepped into here? “And why New Age?”

Clive smiled. “Think about this as a lawyer. A businessperson. The world is becoming more and more open minded about spirituality. Which is obviously a good thing. Let everyone do what they want. We’re moving away from strict codes of morality to something that fits with the modern person in this country. It’s in. It’s now. That’s why we do it. We’re using principles that have been popular for the past few decades and bringing them into the tech arena.”

“For some of us, it’s more than just about what makes money and make sense,” Nina Marie said. “I’m proud to say that I’m a believer. A strong spiritual being. Those things have value. What we’re doing matters. We have the ability to revolutionize the way people think about New Age principles.”

Olivia could feel Nina Marie’s dark eyes on her trying to evaluate whether she was truly friend or foe. A strange uneasiness settled over her. There was more to all of this than Nina Marie was saying. This was much larger than a lawsuit. Spiritual forces were at work here.

Focusing on the task at hand, she stared at her laptop and the page of notes she’d typed while hearing her clients talk. “I’ll need to make sure you have a proper litigation hold in place to collect all relevant documents. I’ll also want to talk to your IT person on staff right away about preserving all documents. The last thing we want to do is play cute and get sanctioned by the court. If Astral Tech has nothing to hide, then there’s no reason to be evasive.”

“But that’s the thing,” Matt said. “We believe we haven’t broken any laws, but we also believe in our privacy and that of our customers.”

Olivia nodded. “We should be able to petition the court for a protective order for any sensitive information that is turned over in the litigation, including customer lists. That’s something we can handle.”

Nina Marie stood up from her chair. “Let me take you to the office space we have set up for you while you’re working here on this case.”

“Thank you.” While she was eager to get to work, she wasn’t so excited about being alone with Nina Marie. But she followed the woman out of the conference room and down the hall, reminding herself that Nina Marie was still the client.

Nina Marie stopped abruptly about half way down the corridor. “I know this will sound a bit strange, but I’m getting a really interesting vibe from you.”

“Vibe?”

“Yes. Do you have any interest in learning more about New Age spirituality? Anything like that?”

“No. That’s not really my thing.” She held back her direct answer which would’ve been totally unprofessional. She didn’t feel comfortable in this environment, but she was also torn between her job and her faith. Could she really do both? Would defending a company like Astral Tech really be possible?

Conflicted feelings shot through her. No, she didn’t believe in aliens or monsters, but she definitely believed in good and evil. Angels and demons. And this entire situation seemed like a recipe for disaster.

“I’m not giving up on you.” Nina Marie reached out and patted her shoulder.

Nina Marie was quite a few inches taller than her, but that wasn’t saying much considering she was only five foot three in heels.

“Once you learn more about our product offerings, I think you’ll be excited to hear more about what we can do for a strong and smart professional woman like you.”

“I appreciate your interest, Nina Marie, but my chief concern and responsibility is the lawsuit. So I think it’d be best if we could concentrate on that.”

Nina Marie quirked an eyebrow but didn’t immediately respond. Olivia followed her into another conference room, but this one was set up with multiple computer workstations around the large table. The rest of the décor matched the previous room they were in.

“This will be the legal work room for you. You should have plenty of space for everything you need in here.”

“This is a great workspace.” She looked around the room and was pleased by the size and technical accommodations. “I’m sure I’m going to run into a lot of factual questions as we start preparing for this first phase of litigation. Who is the person at Astral Tech I should go to with questions?”

“That would be me for pretty much anything that is detail oriented about the company or the app. Clive is good on the general business and philosophy but not so much on details. He’s also not in the office everyday like I am. Matt can also serve as a resource both on the financial aspects and the spiritual ones.”

“Got it.” She’d never worked on such a strange case in her seven plus years of practicing law. Thankfully, she was steadfast in her beliefs. She just hoped that nothing in this litigation would require her to do things that went against her faith. Because she’d have to draw that line somewhere. And if it was a choice between her career or her faith, she’d always choose her faith.

**

Grant Baxter reviewed the document requests he had drafted one last time. He enjoyed being on the plaintiff’s side of the table—even if it was for an odd client. Some wacky New Age group had retained his small but reputable law firm to sue Astral Tech—an equally wacky company in his opinion.