Page 14 of The Allure of Ruins

There was a slight curl of his lip before Colton shook the offered hand. He never gave Burgess or Mayhew the time of day, but Mr. Somerset, he liked. Or at least didn’t hate. It was a fine line. “We had an emergency come up, so we have to go.”

“Well, I’m glad you at least put in an appearance.” He chuckled. “What’s with the sunglasses? Are you stoned?”

My boss was an occasional drinker, but narcotics, THC, or anything stronger than ibuprofen was never allowed in his system. To prove it to the man, he lifted the aviators and pushed them back into the mane that fell just above his shoulders. The black eye was wildly noticeable.

“Jesus, Colt, what happened?”

“One of the guys we talked to in lockup yesterday, Saul Blackburn, was suffering through a meth withdrawal, so he tagged me before I even noticed he was taking a swing.”

“Where is he now?”

“He’s drying out at the hospital,” I replied, looking for my coat. I had always liked the row of hooks Mr. Somerset had on the wall in his foyer, but at the moment, with so many there, my jacket was hidden. “We got him the last bed at county around one in the morning.”

Mr. Somerset shook his head. “And why are we interested in this man?”

“Because he’s the witness who can prove that our client, Demarcus Young, did not, in fact, stab anyone at a bodega out in Pilsen a month ago. We paid Mr. Blackburn’s bail, so he’s out of jail, and once his system is clean, we can take his statement before we put him into rehab.”

“Are we paying for his rehab as well?”

Colton squinted at him. “Of course. That’s the deal we’re making.”

Mr. Somerset nodded. “Well, all the partners are more impressed with your efforts than any other’s. They suggested we expand your department and add two more lawyers on rotation. I told them we’d consider it come next quarter.”

“If nothing else, we can use more help,” Colton stated. “But third and fourth years only. If another first or second year comes down to the basement—I’m armed now.”

Mr. Somerset’s eyes darted to me.

“Don’t worry, sir, he’s referring to his really big water gun,” I explained as I continued to look for my coat. “There’s a tactical display and everything.”

He glanced at Colton, who grinned evilly. I had to smile seeing that.

“I’ve made myself clear,” he apprised Mr. Somerset. “I’m not a teacher or a mentor. We use money and resources to get people the support they need. I can’t use anyone without trial experience. That doesn’t help me.”

Mr. Somerset could have argued with my boss, his word was law, after all, but he also knew that if he pushed, Colton would simply return to the state’s attorney’s office—he had an open invitation—or he might go into private practice. Either way, he’d leave. There was nothing holding him there, which was why Mr. Somerset had insinuated he’d pay Colton’s capital contribution so he could be an equity partner. Even saying it without really saying it had earned him the patented Colton side-eye that said, in no uncertain terms, as nothing else quite could, how insane he thought that idea was. But I understood his reasoning. As Libby had reminded me, he wasn’t an equity partner. He had no skin in the game.

“What is happening?” Colton asked me, irritation filling his voice.

“I can’t find my coat. It was originally on the fourth hook, but people must have moved things around when they came in and out.”

“Which one did you bring, your red one or the⁠—”

“I brought the shearling-lined leather one I stole from you.”

He went to look then, shoulder-checking me out of the way so I was standing by Mr. Somerset.

“I saw you talking to Jonah,” Mr. Somerset said softly. “I know we have some changes going on. Did you want to be moved as well?”

“No moving,” Colton declared, his voice holding a noticeable thread of warning.

Mr. Somerset looked concerned when he turned to me.

I smiled at him. “I’m happy where I am, sir.”

He nodded. “May I count on you to get him to a black-tie event tomorrow night at the InterContinental Chicago Hotel? We’ve spared no expense, as there will be new, potential clients as well as current ones we want to retain there.”

“Begging your pardon, sir, but is it something for the whole firm or more of a partner thing? Because as you know, as a non-equity partner, there’s not much point to having him attend. Not to mention, he’s more of a shoot-from-the-hip guy than one to charm potential clients. I mean, he had to get stitches yesterday because after the fight in lockup, we had to go remove a woman and her three kids from a house with her abusive spouse.”

“And the husband attacked Colton?”