Close To Danger (Westen #4)(30)

“When you were here for the wedding, you mentioned Bolden Construction had been one of your firm’s clients.”

“You remembered that?” The man really did pay attention to things. She’d forgotten they’d talked about it.

“While Gage and Bobby were gone on their honeymoon, I had a little to keep me busy, besides making sure his crazy ex stayed locked up.” He typed on his laptop, then stopped to read something. “Ray Bolden, owner of Bolden Construction was tried for negligent homicide in the death of two of his construction workers due to his use of materials not up to code and lack of safety protocols. He’s currently serving twenty to life for each death.”

“That’s him.”

“Why would you think he’d be angry enough with you to stalk you or in this case hire someone, since he’s locked up? You’re a junior partner and not on the trial team.” Wes fixed that intense stare on her, making her squirm a little in her seat. “What did you do?”

Damn, he was way too perceptive. She shrugged. Stared back into his eyes unashamed. “Some records of the arrogant bastard’s expenditures and invoices for his materials used on the project, may have somehow found their way into a junior DA’s files one day.”

“Whoa.” Wes leaned back in his seat, astonishment written all over his face. “Isn’t that a little against the code of ethics for lawyers?”

“Yes. Normally, I would turn a blind eye because we were the defense team. However, when our senior partners asked me to do a financial background on Bolden to confirm they could get a large fee from him, I stumbled upon evidence that proved he’d knowingly put those two men and others at risk, as well as anyone in the building should it have collapsed.” She turned her head to one side, letting the joint in her neck crack. “Again, I should’ve kept the information in house, except I happen to hear Bolden ridiculing the dead men for not knowing to be careful. When Mr. Berger, the most senior partner in the firm laughed along with him, I had to make a decision. Do what my bosses would expect or do what was fair and just for the dead men, their families and any potential victims in the future.”

“You chose justice, even if it meant you’d get disbarred if anyone found out.”

It wasn’t a question.

She nodded. She’d just confessed to a deputy sheriff. Her career could end at that very moment.

“Good for you,” was all he said, before returning to his computer once more.

Slowly, she let out the breath she’d been holding.

“How about anyone at your firm?” Wes asked.

“There’s Dale Napier,” she said, glad to be on another possible suspect. “He’s a senior partner and my immediate boss. You met him last night.”

“Mr. let-me-get-you-alone-and-try-to-intimidate-you in your office? I could see why he’d be on your list, for that reason alone. A male chauvinist of the first order. Any other reason he stands out on your radar?”

Chloe couldn’t help a chuckle at Wes’s description of her leach of a boss. “Three months ago he made a pass at me when no one was in the office to hear him.”

“Bastard.” Wes said, all teasing gone from his features. His lips pressed into a tight line, the muscle on the left side of his jaw twitching and his eyes hot with anger.

Wow. The man could give intensity a scare. Then it hit her. He was angry for her. Angry that her boss would try to manipulate her into a compromising position. Other than Bobby and Dylan, she didn’t think she’d ever have someone who wanted to defend her.

“I quickly shut him down.”

His fingers already typing on the keyboard, he gave her a nod. “Good for you. How’d you do it?”

“I asked him if he really wanted a sexual harassment suit. He’d backed off immediately.”

“I bet he did.” The admiration in the former secret government operative’s voice, sent a shiver of pride through her.

“In fact, until last night, he’s been very circumspect about not being alone with me.”

“Really?” Wes paused in his typing. “What was different about yesterday?”

What had been different yesterday? Well, for one thing, Wes had walked back into her life. She was pretty sure he wasn’t talking about them or the few days they’d spent together two weeks earlier.

“You mean besides you showing up unannounced and sitting like a guard dog in the lobby?”

The corner of his mouth twitched, but he didn’t say anything. Obviously, he wasn’t going to bite on that comment. He simply waited for her to move on.

“I had a morning meeting with a merger case I was the lead counsel on.”

“Who with? Or can you tell me without crossing client confidentiality?”

She arched a brow his direction. “You mean if I tell you, I’d have to kill you?”

Again with the twitching of the lips.

Somehow teasing him brightened her mood. The fact that he was amused, helped her relax. Most men found her intimidating and her comments more confrontational than flirtatious. Good God. Was that what she was doing? Flirting with Wes? She couldn’t remember the last time, if ever, she’d flirted with a man.

Quickly shoving the idea out of her mind, she focused on his question. “No, I can tell you, it’s public record. My client is Dawes Mechanical Gears. A larger company, Hinkley Global, wants to buy them out. I had to go to their offices for the meeting yesterday. It was an intimidation tactic on their part.”