They sat in overstuffed chairs on the stone patio.Lauren’s yard was expansive, spanning six acres.There was a beautiful swing set, a playhouse, and a small dirt track where the older kids rode their bikes.
“Is everything okay?You look so serious,” Lauren said.
Annie sat back.She felt serious.“I’m going to ask you a favor, Lauren.”
“Yeah, I know.You’re making me nervous.What is it?”
Annie kept her eyes fixed on her friend.“Tell me how you got the Porsche.”
Immediately, Lauren’s eyes fell.“Annie, I can’t.”
“I need to know who gave it to you and if they had anything to do with the fire.”
Lauren gasped.“Of course not!Why would you think that?”She paused.“At least...I don’t think so.I mean, I would never be involved with that!”
Annie sat, her eyes fixed, her voice silent.
“I can’t talk to you about this,” Lauren said, lowering her voice.“The judge is already getting questions, and everyone at work is nervous.”
Annie raised her coffee to her lips and took a sip.
Lauren went on.“I don’t even know who gave it to me, technically.But I swear, I had nothing to do with the fire.I wouldneverdo anything like that.You have to believe me.”
“Was the car a bribe?”
Lauren set her coffee down, eyes wide.“Not exactly.”
“What did they ask you to do?”
She sucked in a big breath.“I got an email.It said they wanted to talk about the case.I thought it was from the other attorney’s office—I didn’t know.I told them I couldn’t meet in person because my car was in the shop.”She lowered her voice.“Then this guy showed up after work – he was just there, waiting for me.He was really nice, and he said he knew I was Judge Henly’s clerk.”
“I don’t understand,” Annie said.“What did it matter?Why didn’t they talk to the judge?”
Her shoulders dropped and she let out a breath.“Because everyone knows Judge Henly is old and waiting for retirement.My job is to research things for him, and most of the time he just agrees with whatever I come up with.”
“I see,” Annie said softly.
“But not always!”Lauren added.“The guy told me if I could make an argument against the fire department, he’d make it worth my while.I didn’t think the judge would actually dismiss the case.”
“I guess you were pretty convincing,” Annie said.
“Annie, you have to believe me.I didn’t think it would blow up like this.I didn’t think it was a big deal.I honestly didn’t think much of it at all.”
Clearly.
Annie set her drink down and leaned forward.“How can you be sure this guy didn’t have something to do with the fire?”
It was best not to tell Lauren she’d seen someone in the parking lot.Better to see what she would reveal.
“Why would they?”
“Because I was asking you questions about it at the fundraiser.”Annie paused.“Did you tell them I was asking about it?”
Lauren shook her head vigorously.“No, absolutely not.After he dropped off the car, I never spoke to him again.I swear.They wouldn’t have known you were figuring things out.Though now I’m sure everyone will put it together.”She rubbed the back of her neck.
Annie couldn’t say much on that front.Lauren and the judge would both come under a lot of scrutiny, though ultimately, it had been his call to dismiss the case, even if it was done out of laziness.
“So they don’t have any suspects?”Lauren asked.
