While Justice Sleeps(53)
TWENTY-ONE
While Avery absorbed the news, her cell phone beeped. “Excuse me.” She glanced at the screen but did not recognize the number. “Hello?”
“Did you get my present?” Nigel asked. “I thought you might need a little incentive to stay in the game. Hope the funds help.”
Avery hurried to the far end of the conference room. “What in the hell were you thinking?”
“I thought your reluctance might be mitigated by financial incentive.”
“Whoever you are—because of your ‘gift,’ I’m under investigation by the FBI,” she explained harshly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Now they think I’m conspiring with someone to do harm to Justice Wynn.”
“You didn’t seem gung ho about your assignment, Avery. Keeping Howard Wynn alive is of critical importance to a great many people. We simply require assurance that you will hold the line until we determine the best course of action. I may also require some intelligence gathering.”
“I don’t work for you.”
“According to what I’ve heard, you don’t work for the Court anymore either. Let’s be clear. Administrative leave is the least of your worries.”
“I have no control over his vote,” she insisted. “I can’t help you.”
“You don’t know what I want yet.”
“And I don’t care. I’m relinquishing the power of attorney. His wife will have guardianship.”
“You won’t do that.”
“Why not? Because of you, I’ve lost my job and possibly my reputation.”
“No, I’ve merely put them in jeopardy,” he corrected smoothly. “If you cooperate, you’ll emerge from this period with a shiny halo and a healthy bank account.”
“All I want is to practice law, which you’ve now made all but impossible.”
“You protect Justice Wynn and tell me what I want to know, and I’ll make sure you never have to work another day in your life.”
“No.”
“Don’t you owe him your loyalty?”
The echo of her conversation with Justice Wynn tightened her hand on the phone. “What I decide to do is between me and Justice Wynn. Take your money back and leave me the hell alone.”
“Keep Justice Wynn alive and stay out of trouble, and we’ll all be happy.”
“Go to hell.” She cut off the call and pressed a hand to her throat.
“Everything okay?” Noah asked as she returned to his side of the room.
Avery waved the question off. “Did he have any other instructions?”
Noah reached into the pile of items. A beige envelope had been clasped and taped, and the seal carried Wynn’s scrawl to certify that nothing had been tampered with during its stay at the offices of Lowry Kihneman. “This should have the keys to his town house. Codes for the door and the safe should be inside as well. Perhaps the codicil is in the safe.”
“Maybe,” she replied noncommittally. She had no idea what Justice Wynn meant or what he thought she knew. But apparently, he enjoyed having her operate in the dark with her hands tied behind her back. “Is there anything else?”
“I have made copies of the wills and other documents for you.” He pointed to a small blue-and-white box on the carpeted floor. “It also has miscellaneous contracts and agreements he’s executed through the firm. I’d planned to go over them with you as well.”
“Another time, maybe.” She reached for the envelope. If the contents got her inside Wynn’s house, she could look for answers. Nothing prevented her from reneging tomorrow. One more day. “I appreciate you meeting me today, Noah. My apologies for the melodrama.”
“You’ve had a shock. We had no idea he hadn’t told you.” He stood and shifted a sheet across the blotter. “I’ll need you to sign this form indicating that you’ve agreed to accept the responsibility for holding his power of attorney subject to the terms and conditions I’ve laid out. Take your time.”
Without a word, Avery read the simple form and scribbled her signature above the words Legal Guardian.
As she signed, she reminded herself that she wasn’t lying to him. Any good lawyer understood that a signature could be undone. Once she saw what was inside Wynn’s safe, she’d make her choice.
She laid the pen on the conference table. “Can you hold the box here until later? I have some errands to run, and I’m traveling by cab.”
“Sure.” Noah fished in his pocket and removed a business card. “Avery, I know this must be very difficult to absorb all at once. I hope you’ll call me if you have any questions.”
Avery accepted the card with a short nod. “Thanks.”
“Of course.” He rounded the table and led her out of the conference room to the elevator.
The car dinged, and Avery stepped inside and pressed the button. “I appreciate your help. I’ll talk to you soon.” When the car reached the lobby, she walked out to the street to hail a taxi. “Georgetown, please. R and Wisconsin.”
The cab pulled into traffic, and Avery tore open the envelope. A key ring fell into her lap, and she tugged out a single sheet of paper. The sheet had three sets of numbers scrawled across in Justice Wynn’s handwriting.