Chapter
Four

That afternoon, Kate got the news from Judge Freeman’s clerk that she had been waiting for. The judge had chosen her as lead counsel! It was a tremendous accomplishment, but with it came an enormous responsibility. She wanted to prove herself to the rest of the PSC members and other lawyers who may have doubted her.

Her struggles with confidence had gotten better over the years as she became more seasoned, but the little voice in her head still made her wonder if she was good enough to take on this big of a challenge.

The first thing she had to do was to get her house in order. The next morning, she sat with her fellow partners Bonnie Olson and Adam Fox in one of the firm’s many conference rooms and prepared to bring them up to speed on the case.

Bonnie had a strong sense of style and today wore a heather gray fitted crossover suit jacket and pants. Her sparkling diamond stud earrings probably cost more than Kate’s entire jewelry collection.

Adam was much more understated. The tall and lanky fifty-year-old attorney with thinning dark hair and glasses was often a bit disheveled. He focused much more on his work than his wardrobe, and it showed.

Bonnie and Kate had a lot in common, or so Kate had initially thought. They were both self-starters who had risen up through the ranks of a highly competitive plaintiff’s firm. But their personalities and approaches were polar opposites. Kate had found that out the hard way.

Right after she arrived at the firm, she’d been a late addition to Bonnie’s trial team and had suggested a strategy that Bonnie didn’t agree with. Bonnie ignored Kate and lost the case. Some partners at the firm believed that if Bonnie had taken Kate’s advice, it would’ve been a different story. Bonnie still held a grudge.

Kate smiled at her to try to break the ice, but Bonnie didn’t reciprocate, her eyes showing no hint of warmth.

“Should we get started?” Kate asked.

“Sure.” Adam’s bright blue eyes confirmed that he was ready.

Unlike Bonnie, Adam was easygoing and a consummate team player. He had always helped Kate out in a pinch, and she had done the same for him. They were true partners. She couldn’t say the same for Bonnie.

“We should get going, because I have other meetings I need to prepare for,” Bonnie said.

Of course, it would always be about Bonnie’s other work. Since Bonnie wasn’t lead on this case, she wouldn’t make it a top priority. Whether she wanted to deal with it or not, though, Bonnie was a highly skilled attorney, and Kate would utilize her if she could.

Kate recited the facts of the case as she knew them, leaving out the parts about Ellie. She didn’t want to bring that up until she had a better grasp of the situation. It would just send the entire discussion into a tailspin that she couldn’t afford.

“How can I help?” Adam asked.

“Would you take the lead on our expert witnesses?” One of Adam’s strengths was his work with experts. He knew the medical field very well because he’d gone to a couple years of med school before he switched over to the law.

“Sure thing.”

“And what about me?” Bonnie asked. “My time will be limited.”

She decided to put the ball back in Bonnie’s court. “What aspect of the case would you like to work on?”

Bonnie tucked her blond hair behind her ear, flustered by the question. “You’re running the case, not me. I shouldn’t be making those types of decisions.”

Kate swallowed a sigh. “For now, please help Adam on the experts. I may pull you in on some of the discovery motions and document issues. There are going to be hundreds of thousands of pages produced by MPC.”

“How many associates are you going to have working on this?” Bonnie asked.

“Well, from our firm, I plan on having ten, but we also have the resources of the entire PSC. I’d like to keep a tight grip on as much of the case as I can, though, and everything starts with the documents. I’m not willing to outsource that to another firm. A few of my PSC members have already offered their firms’ services, but for the first bellwether trial, I want this to be a Warren McGee operation. That way we take full responsibility—big risk, big reward. And if anything goes awry, I’ll get blamed anyway, since I’m lead counsel.” She had another motivation too. She had to make sure she was on top of any connections to Ellie’s warnings they found in the documents.

“That’s smart, actually. Don’t give away any of the work. Try to keep as much here as possible,” Bonnie said. “We have the bandwidth to handle it, especially with our new crop of first-year associates. They’re eager and ready to work.”

Kate couldn’t believe Bonnie had agreed with her on something. “From what I’ve told you, any potential pitfalls you’d be on the lookout for?” She looked at Bonnie and then Adam.

“Don’t trust your friend,” Bonnie said. “I don’t care if he was in your section in law school. He’s going to be out for blood. Drug companies don’t play around, and if he doesn’t deliver, MPC will drop Peters & Gomez without a second thought and move on to the next firm.”

If only Bonnie knew exactly how cutthroat MPC might really be.

“I’ll get right on the experts,” Adam said.

“Thank you both. I’ll email you the names of the associates I have lined up to work on this, and if you have anyone else you’d like to recommend, send them my way.”

Adam gathered up his laptop and left the conference room, but interestingly enough, Bonnie didn’t move.

Kate had to say something to break the awkward silence. “Is there something else you want to talk about?”

Bonnie flipped her laptop closed and made direct eye contact. “This is a big step for you, getting lead counsel on a case of this magnitude.”

“Thank you. That means a lot coming from you.”

“I’m not finished,” Bonnie said. “If you truly want to succeed at this firm, or any firm like it, you’ve got to open your eyes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Not everyone is like you, Kate. In fact, most people aren’t like you. Let’s get real for a moment. We’re not here because of the victims, but because of our own overly inflated egos. And the money.”

Kate fought to control her expression and let Bonnie keep talking.

“If you want to make it to the top, you need to start thinking about yourself more and less about others.”

Kate shook her head. “The entire reason I became a plaintiff’s lawyer was to help people and to advocate for those who don’t have a voice. I could have stayed on the defense side if all I cared about was money and an ego boost.”

Bonnie laughed. “That’s the thing, Kate. Don’t be fooled by our catchy slogans about victims’ rights. It’s all about money here too. We’re a law firm—a business. And the sooner you figure that out, the better.” She grabbed her designer laptop bag and left the room.

What had just happened? Was Bonnie trying to give her advice? Warped as the advice seemed to Kate, maybe that was Bonnie’s way.

Kate didn’t believe it was all about the money at Warren McGee. She personally knew lawyers like William who were passionate about their work, but she wasn’t blind to the fact that it was still a business like Bonnie said.

As far as the MPC litigation went, Kate planned to push as hard as she could and do everything within her power to gain justice for the innocent.

She looked down at her watch and saw that it was almost time for her client meeting. Beth would be bringing Mrs. Wyman into the conference room for their discussion.

She represented many plaintiffs who were part of the consolidated litigation, but as lead counsel, it was her job to pick the candidates for the bellwether trials—and even more important to her, which plaintiff should be represented in the very first bellwether case. It was one of the most important strategic choices placed on her shoulders as lead counsel. She’d done the research in advance of getting the position because she wanted to be prepared for this very task. She’d made her decision. Now she just had to make sure that the family was on board. Nancy Wyman’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Melinda, had taken Celix for migraines and developed an aggressive brain tumor that led to her death.

The tragedy of the situation made Kate physically ill, because for her, unlike what Bonnie had said, it really was all about the victim and the family. Not about the bottom line. Kate knew that to run a successful firm, you had to be concerned about money, but she believed it was possible to do both. And if people called her idealistic for that, then so be it.

Lord, guide me. Give me the wisdom to know how to present this case to show the jury what MPC did.

When Beth escorted Mrs. Wyman into the conference room, Kate’s heart broke all over again. It never got any easier to see the grieving mother, and now with the possibility of something more nefarious going on at MPC, it made her even sicker.

She rose from her chair to greet Mrs. Wyman. “Thanks for coming down.”

“Of course,” Mrs. Wyman said. In her fifties, she was now not only a widow, but she’d lost her only child thanks to MPC.

“Please have a seat. Can I get you anything to drink?”

Mrs. Wyman shook her head. “No, I’m fine, thank you. Do you have updates on Melinda’s case?”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to discuss with you. I need to get your approval on Melinda’s case being the very first one we take to trial.”

Mrs. Wyman’s eyes widened. “That’s great, right?”

“I’ve selected your case because it’s a very strong one both on the facts and the law, but also, your story is heartbreaking. I think a jury will identify with you and what you’ve been through. But that will mean you have to take the stand, and you’ll have to relive this entire horrendous ordeal from start to finish. I need to make sure that you’re okay with that before I push this case as the first one out of the gate.”

Mrs. Wyman reached out and grabbed Kate’s right hand. “There’s nothing MPC can do to me that hasn’t already been done. They’ve already taken away the most precious person in my life, and I will do everything I can to make sure that they pay for their actions. No amount of money can ever bring Melinda back, but a company like that shouldn’t be able to do what they did and get away with it.”

“I also have to caution you that since this would be the first case, we might learn things as we go along. If we wait, the trial would probably go more smoothly.” She wanted to make sure that Mrs. Wyman understood there were pros and cons involved in this decision.

“But you think Melinda’s is the best one to go first?” she asked expectantly.

“I absolutely do.”

Mrs. Wyman nodded. “Then I will be praying for you and your team. I’ve had to ask God many times to take away the hatred I feel for the people at that company who stole my baby from me.”

Kate knew from previous discussions that Mrs. Wyman’s faith was the only thing that sustained her through all of the tragedies she’d faced in life. “It’s natural to be angry and hurt, but let me fight this battle for you in the courtroom.”

“I trust you, Kate. From the day we first met, I knew that you’d do right by me.”

“I don’t want to take any more of your time today. I’ll be in contact as the case progresses, though, especially when I need your direct involvement.”

“Whatever you need, I’m available. I guess I don’t have to tell you that this is on my mind every single day.”

Kate felt her throat tighten at the raw hurt emanating from Mrs. Wyman. “I know, and I appreciate your dedication amidst all the pain. I’ll have Beth walk you out.”

Beth came back into the room, and Kate told Mrs. Wyman good-bye.

As she sat alone in the large conference room, fear started to creep in. Was she really up for this? What if she made the wrong decisions? What if she couldn’t provide justice for Mrs. Wyman? She could only pray that she wasn’t in over her head this time.

Landon decided it was time to call in some help. He needed to get an outside, objective perspective from someone he trusted. His college buddy Cooper Knight was just that man. Cooper had left the police force about a year ago to start his own private security firm.

Landon picked a table in the back corner of the restaurant that would give them the privacy they needed to talk. Taking a deep breath, he took a moment to embrace the aromas coming out of the kitchen. His stomach rumbled in anticipation of lunch.

Cooper joined him a couple minutes later, greeting him with a hearty handshake. “Good to see you, man. It’s been a while.”

And it had been. Landon had purposely avoided any of his friends when he returned from his final tour. It was just too hard. Cooper only knew that something bad had happened while Landon was deployed. He didn’t know the details.

“I know. Too long, and for that I’m sorry.”

Cooper nodded. “So what’s up?”

“I’m working a case, and I’d like to bounce some ideas off you.”

“I’m game,” Cooper said.

The server came over, and they both ordered burgers with fried green tomatoes on top. Just one of the many things he loved about Atlanta—the southern food. Everything could be fried, and that was a huge plus in his book.

He turned his attention back to Cooper. “Hypothetically speaking, how difficult would it be to get into the electronic systems of a large pharmaceutical corporation?”

Cooper’s blue eyes narrowed. “Very difficult. And most likely illegal.”

“I figured you’d say that.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’ve been retained by a law firm in a case against a pharmaceutical company. The main allegations surround one drug and its harmful side effects. I believe this company could have evidence on its servers that would be helpful.”

“Wouldn’t that come out during the litigation, when each side has to turn over documents?”

“Not if the company is dirty and refuses to turn them over.”

Cooper let out a low whistle. “I get that you need the info, but hacking into the computer system is highly inadvisable. Even if you could get in, you’d be on the hook if you got caught. Don’t you have a human source you could work?”

“We did, but she’s dead.”

“Dead? How?”

“Murdered, and I believe the company is responsible.”

Cooper raised an eyebrow. “That might be a stretch, don’t you think?”

“Normally, I’d tend to agree with you, but in this situation, I can’t find any other rational explanation.”

“You need to find a legal way to get at the information you need.”

Landon already knew what Cooper was going to say, but he still needed to hear it. It didn’t help resolve his problems, though.

“Maybe there’s someone else on the inside who can help you,” Cooper said. “It’s worth digging around to find out. In my experience, if one person is willing to blow the whistle, there’s likely another person as well.”

“Let me talk to the attorney who hired me and is running the case. We might want to bring you on for some specific tasks.”

Cooper smiled widely. “I’m always open for business.”

Their burgers arrived, and Landon wasted no time taking a huge bite. When they were about halfway done with their food, Cooper set down his burger and looked at him.

“How’re you doing?” Cooper asked.

Landon wanted to be honest with his friend, but it was hard to talk about his feelings because he tried not to feel at all. “The PI business is good. Staying busy on this type of work keeps me focused on moving forward and not dwelling on the past.”

“A past that you can’t change.”

“I try to keep my mind on the present.”

Cooper took a swig of his sweet tea. “I understand why you kept to yourself when you got back as you worked through stuff, but some time has gone by now. Over a year. I’d like to think that we could hang out again.”

Landon felt like a jerk. “I know, Coop. I’ve been an awful friend.”

“I get that it’s pointless telling you that I’m around if you want to talk about it, but I’m going to offer anyway. I realize you went through some awful things in Iraq. I also know that you aren’t one to talk about your personal stuff.”

“Yeah, I’m not so good at that.”

Cooper chuckled. “You’re not the only one.”

“So you’re still working with Noah?”

“Yeah, and business is really taking off. When we started out, we focused on the tech side, but now that we’ve got that part of the business thriving, we’re moving into personal security services too. But we’re still trying to make sure we don’t overstretch, building at a sustainable pace.” Cooper paused. “And since we’re here talking, I should let you know that we’re considering opening up an investigation wing of the business, if you have any interest.”

“Really? How do you think Noah would take that?”

“I’d like to think that the issues between the two of you could be put to rest. So that door is open. I’d much rather have us all working on the same team as opposed to being competitors.”

Working with his old buddies could be great, but Landon wasn’t in a position to commit to anything right now. And he’d have to deal with Noah. “Thanks for saying that. Let me think on it a bit.”

“Of course. And if you need us for this case you’re working, you know where to find me.”

Landon hoped he wouldn’t have to make that call, but he also felt that danger lurked around the corner.