The Law of Motion (Law Series) (3 page)

             
“Most men are hesitant to take the leap again, when their first marriage didn’t work. I’m telling you, talk to him.” Tawny suggested putting the folded clothes into the basket.

             
“Maybe.”  Joanne agreed sighing, the slight lines in the corners of her eyes looking tired. She caught the attention of my client Patricia, leaning against the wall, “But that isn’t why we’re all here.”

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She was right, I had called them all here, because I was stuck and at my wits end on this case. Patricia came looking for my help a little over three months ago. She wanted out of her physically and mentally abusive marriage to Craig Morgan. After seven years, she was willing to leave behind the stability his money had to offer and start all over. The only thing making her linger, was their six year old son, Conner.

             
Craig would often threaten that if she ever left, he would take their son away by discrediting her; get her arrested for kidnapping, and whatever else he needed to do to make her life hell. The problem was, he was a well-respected lawyer, and could follow through with every threat he made.

             
My plan was to get all the dirt on this guy that I could, so when she made the moves to leave we would have the leverage we needed to keep him away. The only problem was, the guy was practically a saint on paper, and we exhausted
all
of our resources, and needed Tink to take it a step further.

             
When Patricia called me at seven this morning hysterical, asking to meet me at my office I rushed out there, the last string of patience snapping when I got a look at the bloody nose, and bruised face that met me. We went to her house immediately, packing a few things for Conner and Patricia, and proceeded to the closest safe Gravity had. Lucky for him the bastard wasn’t home or I would have committed murder. I called Doc, and told her to bring whatever help was available with her. When she got here, Doc checked her out, and helped Joanne clean her up, bringing us all together.

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Tink took one look at her, and as no longer worried about my proposal. “Tell me what you need.”

             
“Anything, you can get me on Craig Morgan.” I sighed, “We have all been searching our asses off looking for information but the guy is practically untouchable.”

             
Tink pulled her laptop out of her bag and plugged it in, “No one is untouchable.”

             
“He has been so far.” Patricia sobbed. Her pale bruised face twisted in fear.

             
Joanne walked over to her, more consoling than I could ever be. “Gravity is going to make sure that you get away from this monster.” She promised handing her a tissue.

             
“
And
you’re going to get your son.” I swore sitting down next to Tink, slightly uncomfortable with the crying.

             
“But what about Conner? I have to pick him up soon, and when we don’t come home. He’s going to be so furious.” She wept thinking of everything that would go wrong if we failed, no doubt.

             
Doc sat her on the couch in front of us, “Macon, is going to be here any minute. You remember him, the big one?” She nodded patting her swollen eye and wiping the tears from the other. “He is going to take you to pick up your son from school, and then he is going bring you back here and keep you safe until we find whatever we need to keep him away. One of us will be by your side the entire time.”

             
“Whatever we’re doing we need to do it fast, Craig isn’t going to be happy when he realizes that she’s gone.” I whispered low enough for only Tink to hear me.

             
“Agreed.” She murmured typing away. “Interesting…”

             
Doc’s head perked up. “What you see something?”

             
I looked over her shoulder and mainly saw a few lists of properties owned by anyone with the names Craig or Morgan within the United States. A list that I had raked over seven times since the wedding, giving up when I couldn’t find any connections with our Craig Morgan, the thousands of possibilities
impossible
to narrow down.

             
“Maybe,” She mused pulling up the initial case file we had. “Does your husband have any connections to Alexandria?”

             
“Virginia?” She asked thinking, “I don’t think so. I have family there, but I haven’t spoken to any of them since the wedding.”

             
“Maiden name Spencer?” She asked looking up at her, her eyes sympathetic yet her demeanor focused on the task at hand.

             
“Yes.” She nodded wondering where her questioning was going.

             
Tink nodded and after another few seconds of typing, continued “There is a Craig
Morgan
that bought a warehouse just outside of Alexandria eight years ago, two years later the deed was switched to
Patricia Spencer
. If I had to guess I would say that is where you would find anything that you’re looking for.”

             
I looked over her shoulder at the address. “Holy Shit. I looked at this list for days trying to find a connection to anything involving him.”

             
“Well you didn’t go into past owners, but then again that list would have taken months to go through if you didn’t have the right program. An honest mistake.” Tink shrugged.

             
I exhaled a release at the first break we had in weeks. “Looks like we have somewhere to check out.”

             
Tink nodded, “Get a plan together, I’m going back to the office I can be more helpful from there.”

             
I walked to the front door, opening it just as Macon was about to knock. He looked tired, he had been up all night on a cheaters sting with Ross and I hated to call him, but he was the only one available. He caught one look at Patricia from the side and then looked at me. “Holy shit.” He swore low and in the doorway.

             
“I know right.” Tink agreed walking past him. “I’m getting to work.”

             
I handed him the key to the safe house. “Thanks for coming.”

             
“No problem, just tell me what the deal is.” He asked zipping up his leather jacket since we were going to have this conversation outside and out of hearing range.

             
“She showed up to the office looking like a bloody pulp this morning. I took her out of the house and got some of her kid’s things. She isn’t going back to that house, Mack.” I started.

             
“Good thinking.” He agreed.

             
“I covered all of the basics, but Tink found us a lead. A warehouse in Alexandria.”

             
Macon caught my drift, “Do you have a plan?”

             
I sighed shaking my head honestly, “No, but whatever we do it’s gotta be soon. Like
tonight
, I’m sure that Craig is going to kick into action as soon as he notices they’re gone.”

             
“You want me to pay him a visit?” He offered a hint or mischief in his grin.

             
I shook my head. “I wish we could do it that way, but no. Just take her to her son’s school so that she can get him before Craig does and disappears, then bring her back here and sit on her. Jackson promised to come relieve you when he gets everything settled back at his house.

             
“No problem.” He shrugged opening the door and following me in.

             
Patricia was still crying, but not as hard anymore. “See Macon is here,” Doc consoled. “He is going to keep you safe.”

             
She nodded as Macon helped her up, “Let’s go get your son ok? We’ll let Alyssa and Tawny do their jobs. It will end soon.”

             
I watched them leave as I helped Joanne pack up her things. “Poor dear.”

             
“I know, but I’ll take care of it. Thanks for all of your help Joanne.” She didn’t work for me, but I didn’t have anyone else besides Doc that was able to counsel and I knew I needed Doc helping me much as possible.”

             
“No problem dear. I’m going to check in on things at my office and then I am going to head home. Don’t hesitate to call me back out here if you need me.”

             
“Maybe you can find her a good therapist, someone for her to talk to. I’m sure she’ll need it, but we’re good on our end. Either way, this shit ends tonight.”

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"National Sperm Bank, you squeeze it we freeze it." Tink greeted, answering the office phone, causing the whole car to laugh.

             
I snorted, rolling my eyes. "
Really Margaux
?" I sighed. "We're at the warehouse. I need you to take a look at it. Is there power? Security?"

             
"No security that I can see, but these buildings are old. It could have one of those old school, bell type systems," she mumbled over my speaker phone. "There is power, but the bill has been almost the same for years. It's paid out...every month...on time."

             
"Which means no one has been here more than necessary," Ross concluded with a nod. "I'm going to make one trek around this building...look for the best entrance. I don't want to pick the wrong one and set off an old ass fire alarm or some shit."

             
"Well, you're lucky, because the surrounding warehouses are abandoned and up for auction next month," Tink stated. "That will give you an extra few minutes to get in, and then out again if you do happen to set something off. I could kill the grid, if you want..."

             
“No, Tink," Adrian rushed, stopping her. "Not necessary. I can't imagine this will take long. Tell me where the office is, while Ross does a prelim check." He turned to Ross. "Radio open," he commanded even though this was
my
operation, and we all tucked an earpiece in.

             
With that said, Ross left the car, closing the back door behind her.

             
"West side of the building, up a flight of stairs. It's one door, one room," Tink finally answered Adrian, typing away on her computer. "It should sit opposite everything else, according to the layout."

             
"Thank you, Tinky," he said, looking at his phone, which was showing a picture of the warehouse's plans. "We'll be on the radio from this point on."

             
"Okie dokie in the pokey," she sang, ending the call.

             
"So what exactly are we looking for baby?" Adrian asked, turning slightly in the driver's seat of his Charger.

             
"Anything that we can use as leverage, you don’t buy secret buildings unless you‘ve got shit to hide," I said, waiting, “He’s a lawyer, why would he need this place anyway? I don't get it, and I don't like it."

             
Adrian smirked, but reached into the back seat, pulling his bag to his lap. He rummaged around, only to find a few flashlights and a few sets of latex gloves, handing a set of each over to me and Doc. "We'll need these. I don't want to touch a single thing in ther
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not one light switch, and no fucking fingerprints left behind. If there is some shady shit going down I don’t want it leading back to Gravity."

             
The sun was slowly setting behind another warehouse as he tugged his black baseball cap on backwards, only to pull his gun out, popping out the clip and checking the chamber. We may not have been in danger, but Adrian and I never took any chances.
Ever
. He treated even the simplest of jobs with the utmost control and security. I'm not sure if he could not change that about himself nor would I want him to.

             
"Okay, guys," Ross called in over the radio. "Our best bets...back of the building, fire escape...the door up top."

             
"Let's go," Adrian said, and we all got out of the car.

             
He set the alarm, and we darted across the deserted lot, running around the back of the building. We looked up the rusted ladder to Ross waiving us on. We sent Doc up first, and by the time we'd carefully followed suit, she had already finished her job, the door unlocked and ready to enter.

             
Ross entered first, and I continued behind Doc because Adrian insisted on taking the back, letting us lead the way in. Once the door was closed behind us, we all turned on our flashlights, scanning the room. We were on some sort of balcony that lead to a door on the opposite end of the warehouse, or down to the main floor which was just a wide open space covered in crates.