“He was a character,” Trent said.
“You’re still here? Unbelievable.”
Amanda turned to the doorway where Dominique Sharp was standing. She’d changed since the hospital into a tight-fitting blue leather pencil skirt paired with a white blouse. She was wearing a strapless bustier vest over it, a few shades to the cream side of the spectrum. There was no explaining some people’s fashion sense. Though Amanda didn’t set the bar. “Have you heard anything from the hospital on Joel’s condition?”
“He’s out of surgery, and the doctors are cautiously optimistic.”
That wasn’t exactly something to celebrate, yet Dominique said it as if it were promising. The words of the senior partner came back to mind, about Dominique having a bomb lit beneathher without it raising a reaction. She saw O’Neil’s point in action. Here, her lover, who she must have some feelings for, was lying in a hospital bed after taking a bullet, and she seemed fine.Amanda wouldn’t have left his side in this woman’s place.
“I’d like to know when you two should be wrapped up. My employees aren’t getting anything done with you here.” Dominique perched her hands on her hips and beckoned a response with an arched eyebrow.
“We’re sorry to be a distraction,” Amanda pushed out, impressed by her restraint. They were only there trying to determine if someone in this woman’s camp had ordered a killer to take her out, but that made them a nuisance. “We shouldn’t be much longer. But since you’re here, could you…?” Amanda gestured to the chair across from them.
Like Chris, Dominique sat at the end of the table. “I don’t have much time.”
Even less if you don’t cooperate with the police…The thought zipped through her, and it was hard not to let it slip out loud. “We were just speaking with Chris Ritter.”
“Let me guess. He was bemoaning the fact I won’t commit to giving him a promotion to senior partner. But there’s no way that kid has it in him to take me on.”
“You’d be surprised what people are capable of, especially the ones you least expect.”
“I don’t think so.” She crossed her arms and jutted out her chin. “I’ve gotten pretty good at reading people over the years.”
So have I…And what Amanda saw before her was someone so embedded in her own ego she didn’t exist in reality. “Why deny him the promotion?”
“You met him. He’s arrogant, and it impedes him from being a good lawyer. It makes him emotional and reactive.”
“He said his billings are better than the other junior partners with the firm,” Trent pointedout.
“Sure, but by comparison to the talent at Gabay, Finch & Earnest, Chris is found lacking.”
Amanda cringed at Dominique’s summation of a human being, no less an employee, who by his words dedicated his career to her firm since passing the bar. But she wasn’t under any illusion the woman whose life they were trying to save was a saint. But the woman who died in her place had been. Amanda would do what she could to protect Dominique, but her primary motivation was finding Christine’s killer and getting her justice. “Thank you for your honest answer.”
“Honesty is the only way I roll. So? When should you two be leaving?” Her eyes drifted to the table. “Has Casey not brought you the sale and financial paperwork yet?” Dominique never waited for a response, got up with a huff, and left the room.
Trent leaned in toward Amanda. “We want to keep her alive, right?”
“It’s the job,” she muttered. “But I look at it this way. We find out who wants her dead, then we find justice for Christine Lane.”
“I like the shift of focus.”
“It’s the only way I’m going to get through this.” Amanda could have said more, like how Dominique Sharp was almost unbearable. She had a grating personality to be sure. But even though Amanda could justify her feelings toward the woman, she didn’t deserve to get killed.
“I’m sorry for the delay.” Casey came into the room holding a portfolio and handed it to Amanda. “This is a copy of all the sale paperwork and financials from both sides of the deal.”
“Thank you. Before you leave, we just have a question for you.”
“Okay.” Spoken with the hint of a whine, like she’d wanted to hit and run. But Casey sat down anyhow, walking back to the chair across from Amanda and Trent.
“When we spoke earlier, you struck us as being afraid of something,” Amanda said, easing into things. “Is there something you should be telling us?”
Casey licked her lips and nodded. “Though it’s nothing serious, I’m seeing Chris Ritter. If this got back to Dom, she’d have a conniption. She’s not a fan of office romances.”
Amanda was disappointed that’s all Casey had been holding back. “I can see her side. They often blow up.” This was out of Amanda’s mouth before she gave her response any thought. There were times her attraction to Trent seemed unavoidable, and he made no secret in the past that he had feelings for her too. They’d shared stolen moments a few times. A kiss here or there. But they had kept their relationship all business to avoid romantic complications.
“Yes, well, if I’m being honest, things have run cold between us. He’s obsessed about Dom closing the firm here.”
“So we heard. Thank you for the paperwork.” Amanda pointed toward the portfolio.
