Chapter 188

Ella

“Morning, Ella.”

“Morning, Sarah.”

I was standing in the breakroom, pouring my morning coffee. It was strange, coming to work today after everything that had happened; I knew that I needed to continue building my ‘secret dossier’ against Logan, but it somehow felt even more convoluted now that he knew I was doing it—and he even condoned it.

But, like Logan said, we had an image to uphold. Marina couldn’t get suspicious, and she was likely getting suspicious enough as it was after last night.

There was no threatening phone call yet, but I knew that it was only a matter of time. After my mysterious disappearance into the desert followed by suddenly moving into Logan’s house due to a ‘roach’ problem, Marina sticking her nose into my business was guaranteed.

“Hey,” Sarah said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “I have a question for you.”

I quirked an eyebrow as I sipped my coffee. “What’s up?”

Sarah glanced around, then dropped her voice to a conspiratorial tone. “Mr. Henderson is taking his sweet time with those end-of-year raises and promotions, isn’t he?” she asked.

I frowned. It was true; we had all been expecting the announcements to come for weeks now. And with one of the other lawyers having quit to go to a new firm, there was a spot open.

“Maybe since Karl Whittaker left, Mr. Henderson is waiting to see who would be a good fit for the role,” I said, furrowing my brow slightly.

Sarah sighed. “Well, I want to know soon,” she said. “I’ve been working my ass off, and…”

“I hope you get Karl’s position,” I interrupted with a grin. “You deserve it, Sarah.”

Sarah’s eyes widened. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yes. Everyone can tell how hard you work, Sarah. And besides, you’ve been here for three years. Isn’t it about time for a promotion?”

As I spoke, Sarah’s face seemed to light up. She nodded, her face filled with a newfound determination. “You know what?” she said. “I think you’re right. And honestly, I’ve been debating talking to Mr. Henderson to tell him that I want the position. Would that be crazy?”

I shook my head vehemently. “Not at all,” I replied warmly. “Go get ‘em, Sarah.”

With a final grin, Sarah turned on her heel and began marching down the hall toward Mr. Henderson’s office, coffee cup in hand.

“Wow,” Ema chimed in. “I’m surprised you encouraged that. Six months ago, you would have been vying for that promotion against her.”

I sighed inwardly as I began to make my way to my office. “I’ve got enough on my plate,” I said. “And besides, she’s my friend now; I think she deserves it.”

As I stepped into my office, my resolve hardened even more. Sarah did deserve that promotion, and besides; I had realized over the past six months that this world of law wasn’t all about being the first or the fastest to get ahead.

Maybe sometimes, it was about lifting up your peers, especially in a field where women often got the short end of the stick.

…

As I reviewed the case files spread out on my desk in front of me, my thoughts raced. This secret dossier was feeling more and more convoluted, and it made me worried. One wrong move, and this could mean the end of my career.

With a slight sigh, I glanced at my phone. Still no call from Marina. It was a little worrying, but deep down, I wondered if she hadn’t suspected anything after all.

Hours passed as I meticulously crafted a fake narrative. The goal was to create the appearance of a business deal gone sour, a breach of contract that would make Logan look unethical.

I had to tread carefully, though, making sure the case seemed plausible without actually causing any real harm to Logan’s career—or mine, for that matter.

Suddenly, however, the phone on my desk rang. I jumped, my eyes widening slightly as I looked at the caller ID; it was a number I didn’t recognize. Fearing that it was Marina, I picked up with trembling hands.

“Ella Morgan speaking.”

“Good morning, Miss Morgan,”  a deep voice greeted me on the other end. “This is Samuel Lawrence. I believe you’re handling Mr. Logan Barrett’s case.”

My heart skipped a beat. Samuel Lawrence was the lawyer working for the business owner who was suing Logan. “Yes, Mr. Lawrence,” I replied, maintaining my composure. “How can I help you?”

Mr. Lawrence continued to prattle on about his client’s requests; everything from an enormous sum of money to a public confession.

“Of course, I’m sure you know about my client’s… agreement,” he said, referring to the arrangement between Harry, Marina, and the client. “I assume we’re still on the same page.”

“Absolutely,” I said, somehow managing to keep my voice steady. “Everything is running smoothly.”

Mr. Lawrence hesitated for a moment, then spoke. “Good. Have a nice day, Miss—”

“Wait,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. I cringed slightly, but continued. “Mr. Lawrence, I would appreciate a detailed history of your client’s business dealings.”

Another pause. Then, he replied in a gruff tone of voice, “Is that really necessary, Miss Morgan?”

His words made my heart race, but somehow, I knew I needed that information. “Yes, Mr. Lawrence,” I confirmed. “It will help me immensely in this… case.”

Mr. Lawrence paused, then let out a heavy sigh. “Alright. I’ll send the files to you. Make good use of it.”

“Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Lawrence,” I said, masking my excitement. “I’ll review this information carefully and get back to you.”

We exchanged pleasantries, and I hung up the phone, my hands still trembling.

“What the hell was that?!” Ema hissed. “Are you trying to increase suspicion?”

I sighed, passing my hand over my face as I leaned back in my chair. “It just struck me,” I replied cautiously. “Curiosity got the cat, I guess. But perhaps if I could find something good…”

Ema scoffed, but I was determined. I waited patiently for the files to come in, but it wasn’t until the sun was lowering in the sky that my email finally dinged. I jerked my head up from the pile of papers I had been ensconced in and quickly navigated to the email.

And there it was: all of Mr. Lawrence’s client’s business dealings.

For hours, I pored over that email. But as time went on, my heart began to sink; there was nothing of note. Just restaurants, laundromats, the usual sort of businesses. Any money laundering would be difficult to pinpoint with a mobster of this caliber.

But then I saw it: a business opened just two years ago—a dry cleaner—with some… suspicious overseas activity.

I furrowed my brow as I clicked on the file. The transactions were labeled under purchases for the dry cleaner, but something just felt… off.

But then, suddenly, a text from Logan arrived: “I’m here. You ready?”

I frowned as I looked at the clock; it was already past six, and perhaps working overtime would be another cause for concern on Marina’s part. I decided to shut my laptop for now and save this strange overseas business for tomorrow.

And yet, as I walked out to meet Logan, I couldn’t help but think about it. These overseas accounts… Were they a trap, a test to see if I would take the information and try to use it against that mobster?

Or maybe, just maybe, was it a tangible opportunity to help Logan win the case?