Landon avoided Carly’s glare and waited until everyone else took their seats before sliding into one of the chairs around the table. How was she supposed to have known Carly was an attorney and a fifth-year associate at that? What self-respecting attorney volunteers to pick up one of their fellow employees at the airport?
Jane, seated at the head of the table, cleared her throat to draw attention to the front of the room. “Looks like we’re all here, or most of us anyway. Carly, I assume you met Landon.” She didn’t wait for an answer before tossing packets onto the table. “Mark has his hands full with the Rogers case, so I’ve selected Carly and Landon to take point with me on this case. Carly will give us a full report in just a second, but I wanted to see if anyone has any comments about the information contained in the arrest warrant affidavit.”
Landon looked around the table. Besides her, Carly, and Jane, there were a few other people she tagged as interns and first-year associates by the way they sat on the edge of their seats, eager to run errands at the slightest hint they might be useful in order to stand out from the crowd. Had she ever been like that? Maybe, for a millisecond, but it hadn’t taken long for her to realize sucking up didn’t necessarily equate to racking up billable hours, which was the only real way to get noticed. She’d done her part in that regard, and although the Austin office was viewed as the laid-back younger sister of the Sturges and Lloyd empire, she knew her annual billable hours put her at the top of the scale.
But she hadn’t done it to rise in the ranks. Her immersion in her work was more about proving to herself she was capable, on her own, of top-notch legal work without any assistance from the pedigree that came with being a Holt. Jane’s news that she was being considered for partner was icing on the cake, but now that it had been dangled in front of her, she wanted in. She waved a hand at Jane. “I noticed a couple of things.”
Jane nodded and Landon pressed on. “Other than the strand of rope, no physical evidence is mentioned. The only thing that definitely points to Trevor is the bit about the neighbor who heard arguing, and Meyers said it was about ‘Trevor Kincade drama.’ Now she’s dead, and boom, he must have done it. If there hadn’t been a prior police report documenting their argument over whether or not he was sending her threats via email, and Trevor’s recent headline-grabbing bid to contest his suspension, DPD may still have looked at him for this, but I doubt they would’ve made an arrest.” She settled back in her chair and watched for the rest of the team’s reaction to her summary.
Jane gave a low whistle. “Pretty good for as little time as you had to review the warrant.”
“I had Siri read it to me in the car,” Landon said, but her pride at making good use of her time was dampened when she heard Carly mutter, “Of course you did.” Landon turned to her and said, “Excuse me?”
Carly looked around and then cleared her throat. “It’s not that simple.”
“Sure it is. You just load the document and ask her to read it out loud.”
“No.” Carly waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Yes, the evidence is weak on facts, but the circumstances all point to Trevor. Who had the most to lose if Vanessa Meyers kept pressing for his suspension? What are the chances someone else wanted her dead or that this was a random act of brutality? Do I believe the police jumped the gun by arresting him before all the facts were in? Yes, but they have time to develop more evidence before they present the case to a grand jury, and we need to make sure there’s nothing else looming.”
Jane nodded at Carly’s words, and Landon wished she’d gotten a better night’s sleep and hadn’t been so cavalier, because Carly was right. “What does Trevor say about all this?” Landon asked.
“The NFL is looking at appealing the suspension and imposing a new one, and word from management is they plan to sideline him for now to keep the drama of the arrest from distracting the rest of the team. Trevor says the charge is ridiculous and wants to fast-track the trial so he can get back in the game,” Jane said.
“That’s insane,” Carly blurted at the very same time Landon said, “That’s brilliant.”
“It is,” Landon insisted. “Brilliant, I mean. The DA’s office will be expecting delay after delay, especially since he’s out on bond. They’ll never see this coming.” She reined in her enthusiasm when she saw Jane smiling. “What?”
“You two will be perfect for this.”
Landon wasn’t sure she wanted to know what “this” was, and she sure as hell wasn’t as enthusiastic as Jane seemed to be at the prospect of working with Carly, stick-up-her-butt, Pachett, who disagreed with everything she said, but what else was she going to do? She was already here in Dallas and Jane had gotten her all whipped up at the prospect of a partnership. She supposed she could be a team player with just about anyone for that kind of reward. “When can we meet with Trevor?”
Jane nodded. “That’s the spirit. Let’s give him the day. The bond hearing was this morning, so he’s still pretty worn out. In the meantime, I want you two to spearhead all the research you can find to justify getting early discovery, even before grand jury. Donna Wilhelm is the prosecutor on the case and the grand jury setting is in ten days. Let’s try and win there first, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll ask for a speedy trial. And we need a private investigator. See if Skye Keaton is available to work with us to interview witnesses and see what she can dig up.
“Landon, Carly can fill you in on the grand jury procedure up here. Put together a packet and run it by me.” She gestured to the first years sitting on the perimeter of the room. “Use whatever resources you need.”
Landon remembered what it was like being a first-year associate whose job was to hustle for research assignments the more senior attorneys and partners didn’t want to do in an attempt to rack up the necessary billable hours to stay on track for bonuses and promotions. The push to outshine the others hadn’t been as strong at the Austin office, where things were a little more laid-back, but the pressure was still there, just below the surface. Resolved to making this work, she took a few more notes as Jane outlined more of her conversation with Trevor at the jail, and when Jane called the meeting done and the rest of the attorneys started to disperse, she hung around to ask about where she should office.
“Carly,” Jane called out. “Can you stick around too? I’d like to talk to you and Landon for a moment.”
Sounds serious, Landon thought, sliding back into her seat when Jane motioned Carly into the chair opposite hers. Landon assessed her new litigation partner. Carly took all her notes on an iPad with a keyboard case, and she’d hauled it back out and was poised to type up whatever new assignment Jane unloaded on them. Landon glanced down at her Montblanc fountain pen and Midori notebook. She enjoyed the convenience of technology as much as anyone else, but these simples tools were still her favorites. Tattered ends of tiny slips of paper notes edged past the aged and worn leather cover and the string holding it closed bulged against the girth of too much information. As if. She’d carried the coveted notebook all through law school, and it was as much a journal as it was a place to capture important assignments and research. Landon had always shrugged off the judgment of those who viewed her analog system as an inferior method. She’d found that the act of handwriting was the perfect method to remember key facts and ideas that would be lost quickly after she typed them into a software program. She released the string fastener and opened to a new page, poised to write down whatever Jane had to say.
“Both of you have shown a strong commitment to this firm and you both deserve to be rewarded for your efforts. This case is going to be very important for us since it’s likely to produce headlines on a weekly, if not daily, basis until Trevor Kincade is either vindicated or convicted.” Jane crossed her arms and let her gaze linger on each of them for a few seconds as if to impress upon them the gravity of what she was about to say.
Landon held her breath. This was the moment. Maybe Jane was about to make them both partners. She didn’t know if Carly deserved it, but she knew she did and she could hardly wait to hear the words. Becoming a partner at Sturges and Lloyd would take the sting out of being back in Dallas. She glanced at Carly, who sat ramrod straight on the edge of her chair, her face fixed into an expression of rapt attention, and Landon wondered what dream this announcement would fulfill for her.
“We have one partnership slot this year,” Jane announced. “We’ll be announcing the new partner as soon as this case is resolved.”
“Wait, what?” Landon bit down on her lip, wishing she’d kept her mouth shut, but now that the words were out, there was really no point in stopping. “Did you say one slot?”
Jane nodded, and Landon looked over at Carly, whose fast typing fingers had frozen over her mini-keyboard.
“It’s a dead heat between you. You both have very different strengths, all essential for a successful law practice.”
“I don’t get it.” Landon was frustrated at her inability to process Jane’s announcement. “You’re saying the partnership will go to one of us. Just one.”
“Yes.”
“And how are you going to decide?” Landon felt a rising anger she fought to tamp down.
“Trevor’s case is the perfect test. You’ll work on the case together. A good team will not only play off each other’s strengths, but learn to become better on their own.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Landon didn’t bother to hold back. “I ditched a good docket back in Austin to come here—something you know I didn’t want to do—based on the promise of a partnership, but in reality, it’s just some contest between me and…her.” She jerked her chin at Carly, who wore the hint of a self-satisfied smile. Figures. Of course Carly thought she had the partnership in the bag, which was why she wasn’t saying anything. She worked with Jane and Mark in this office every day.
You could have too. Landon shut down the voice and struggled to get her anger under control. “How do you plan to quantify our work?”
“Obviously, our assessment will be subjective, but I think you have a good idea about what we look for in a partner. Loyalty, dedication, hard-work, ingenuity.” Jane rolled her hand in the air to signal she could go on and on. “What better way to measure success than performance on a high-profile case for one of our well-known clients?”
“But we’ll be working toward the same goal.”
“Yes, you will. It’s a win for everyone.” Jane stood to signal the meeting was over. Landon sat frozen in her seat, trying to process what had just happened, but Jane had moved on. “I’d like a preliminary plan for the grand jury on my desk tomorrow.”
And then she was gone. Landon stared at the conference room door willing the last thirty minutes of her life to rewind. Hell, she’d like to rewind to last night, when she’d celebrated her birthday with tequila shots and a night of rowdy sex with Meg. Or was it May? Whatever. She should’ve ignored Jane’s phone call and stayed in Austin where she might not have been a superstar, but she knew what to expect.
* * *
“Did you know about this?”
Carly flinched at the press of a hand on her arm, but she schooled her features into a neutral expression and turned to see Landon standing behind her, looking completely out of sorts. No surprise there. Carly had met plenty of people like Landon in law school and after—people who got by on their looks and charm, often leaving the harder, smarter workers in the dust. She shrugged off Landon’s touch, ignoring the surge of cold that sprang up in its place. “Know what?”
“That there was only one partnership spot.”
She hadn’t, but admitting that would put her a couple of steps behind. She was already feeling a bit off-kilter since Jane handpicked Landon to come to Dallas to work on this case. “I don’t really focus on stuff like that. I figure if I do a good job, I’ll get what I deserve.”
Landon shook her head and grunted. “Nice sentiment. I feel kind of sorry for you if that’s what you believe.”
A shadow fell over Landon’s eyes, and she seemed suddenly distant. Something was going on in there, but it wasn’t Carly’s job to figure it out. She started to edge away. “I have to make a call.” She was two steps into her escape when Landon called out.
“Wait. Do you know where I’m supposed to office? And where can I find the files about the suspension? I think we should start with the allegations that led to his suspension and go from there.”
Carly sighed as Jane’s words played back in her head. Loyalty, dedication, hard work, ingenuity—all the things they looked for in a partner. Carly didn’t have any loyalty to Landon, but she did have an allegiance to the firm and Trevor, and she was going to have to find a way to make this work if she wanted a chance at the partnership slot. “Come with me.” She didn’t wait for a response before she took off at a brisk pace until they arrived at Rhonda’s desk.
“Rhonda, this is Landon Holt from the Austin office. She needs an office for the foreseeable future so she can help us out with the Kincade case.” She’d barely finished her spiel before Rhonda was out of her chair pulling Landon into a big bear hug. Carly knew her jaw was hanging open, but she couldn’t help it. She’d never seen Rhonda express affection toward anyone but Jane, and even then it was the kind of begrudging affection a drill sergeant shows for a just graduated recruit.
“Landon Holt,” Rhonda exclaimed. “You look amazing. I guess Austin agrees with you.”
“It’s good,” Landon said, meeting Carly’s eyes over Rhonda’s shoulder. Carly tried to read her expression without success, and she found a spot on the wall to occupy her attention, a distraction from the slow burn of Landon’s steady gaze. She resolved to spend the next hour finding out everything she could about Landon. First rule: know your enemy.
“She can take the office next to yours,” Rhonda said. “Why don’t you two grab a late lunch and I’ll stock the desk with supplies while you’re out.”
It wasn’t a question, and Carly balked at the command. For one thing, when had Rhonda become so fast and loose with office supplies? Carly stocked her own office with her favorite pens because of Rhonda’s stinginess. But the big thing was lunch. Rhonda knew Carly didn’t do lunch, at least not in the way all the other attorneys at the firm did. To everyone else, it was an occasion to eat too much and sneak a drink in the middle of the day, but to her it was the perfect opportunity to rack up billable hours when the office was quiet. Besides, after Jane’s bombshell, she’d completely lost her appetite.
“Lunch sounds great,” Landon said, turning to Carly. “Do you have a favorite place?”
Damn. Carly felt Rhonda’s eyes on her, daring her to be antisocial to the newest addition to the team. This whole vow of loyalty thing was beginning to wear thin, but she didn’t want Rhonda to report to Jane that she’d snubbed her pet. “Actually, why don’t you choose? Didn’t you used to live in Dallas?”
The enthusiasm in Landon’s expression dimmed for a moment, and Carly smiled brightly. There was some weakness here, and she was determined to find out what it was and make the most of it. Suddenly, her appetite returned full force.
“Let’s go to Sammy’s. That is unless you don’t like barbecue.”
“I love barbecue,” Carly said, hiding her surprise at the choice. She’d expected something more posh. Landon gave off a carefree, rich girl vibe, which made sense since the Holt family owned half of Dallas. Which begged the question of why Landon was working in Austin in the first place. Carly mentally bookmarked that topic for further investigation.
“Great,” said Landon. “I’ll drive.”
Carly ducked in her office to grab her purse and took a moment to stuff her case notes into her briefcase in hopes Rhonda would view that territory as off-limits. She could imagine Rhonda making a copy for her buddy Landon as part of her welcome to the office routine. Notes secure, Carly paused at the door, pulled her lipstick from her purse, and applied a quick coat. Second rule: look better than your enemy.
Landon drove a convertible, of course, and with a click of her remote, she lowered the top as they walked toward the car, insisting they take advantage of the unseasonably mild temperature. It took every ounce of Carly’s strength not to ask her to put the top up. By the time they arrived at the restaurant, she was certain her hair looked like ravens had built a permanent home on top of her head. In contrast, Landon simply shook her head a few times, and her blond waves cascaded down her neck like she’d emerged from a salon. Score one for Austin.
Sammy’s was a dive, but it was also a place to see and be seen. Tucked up against the sleek glass Federal Reserve building, the restaurant was a rustic contrast to the rest of the upscale downtown neighborhood, but people in suits gladly grabbed their trays and stood in the cafeteria-style line for slow-roasted brisket, ribs, and homemade sides. Carly’s mouth watered at the sight of the ribs and the squash casserole, but in an attempt to avoid an afternoon food coma, she ordered lean brisket and a side salad with no dressing. Landon went all in.
“I’ll have the rib platter with fried okra and squash casserole. And a slice of pecan pie if you have any left.”
“Landon Holt, is that you?” the older woman behind the counter exclaimed. “Girl, you are a sight for sore eyes. Your daddy was in here just yesterday and I asked him how you were. He didn’t say a word about you coming back home.”
Carly watched the exchange and caught that same shadow fall over Landon’s expression again. She was smiling, but judging by the tension in her shoulders, she was clearly uncomfortable. Was it something about the woman behind the counter or was it the mention of Landon’s father?
“You know how it is,” Landon said, “He was probably distracted by business. Besides, I’m just in town to work on a case. Not sure I’m back for good.”
She took the dishes handed to her and started to walk toward Carly when the woman called out, “Well, you be sure to come back again before you go. It’s good to see you looking so well.”
After she paid the cashier, Carly started toward one of the tables inside.
“Do you mind if we eat outside?” Landon asked. “I could use the fresh air.”
Carly refrained from pointing out they’d gotten a healthy dose of fresh air on the way over, and followed Landon to one of the picnic tables on the patio. After they’d settled in, Carly started cutting her meat while Landon dove into the ribs like a member of the Donner party.
She wiped some sauce off her chin and set down the well-cleaned rib bone. “I was starving. Guess I should’ve eaten some of the kolaches I brought to the office.”
“They were a hit,” Carly said dryly.
“I noticed you didn’t touch them.” Landon picked up another rib and pointed it at Carly’s plate. “Are you on a diet or something?”
“I don’t know that I’d call it a diet per se. I just try to eat like it’s one of many meals and not my last.”
“Ouch.”
Her words had come out harsher than she’d intended, but Carly couldn’t help it. She found Landon’s facade of living life with total abandon annoying—driving with the top down, not even thinking about calling to say she was driving instead of flying, gorging on a massive plate of greasy, fattening food. How was she supposed to work with this person?
Get a grip. You’re going to have to make it work. She fished around for a topic that would get Landon talking but wouldn’t simultaneously drive her crazy. “You seem to know a lot of people in Dallas. How long has it been since you lived here?”
“A while.” Landon shoveled into her fried okra. “How about you? Are you a native?”
“No.” Carly considered leaving it at that. After all, it wasn’t like Landon was sharing any personal details. But after a few beats of silence, Carly decided that maybe if she opened up a little, Landon might do the same. “I went to law school at Baylor. I interviewed with Jane and Mark the summer after graduation and moved up here after I took the bar.”
“Good school.”
“Yes, it is.” Carly pushed her salad around the plate. “How about you? Where did you go to school?”
“UT Law School.”
The statement was short and simple, but Landon’s tone conveyed a level of annoyance Carly would never have associated with the carefree attitude she’d witnessed thus far. “Let me guess, you’re a legacy.”
“Not even. All the Holts go to Harvard. It’s a thing.” Landon picked up her fork and stabbed a stack of okra and shoved it toward Carly. “Try this. It’s a vegetable, but I can guarantee it tastes a million times better than that pile of wimpy greens on your plate.”
Carly filed Landon’s cryptic answer away and scrunched her nose at the forkful of okra. The truth was it smelled divine. Fried food always did, which was why she stayed far away if she could help it. But here it was being force-fed to her. Telling herself that accepting one bite was a harmless way of breaking down the barrier between her and her opponent, she smiled, reached for the fork, and crunched down on the salty, crispy no longer a vegetable vegetable, barely holding back a moan.
“It’s amazing, right?”
Carly nodded. The okra was delicious, but it was Landon’s broad smile that caught her attention. She needed to watch that smile because it wasn’t real. They were rivals, and she would do well to remember that only one of them was going to become partner, and no amount of crispy, delicious fried goodness or sexy smiles would deter her from her goal.
* * *
Landon transferred the files to one arm and shoved the key card in the slot of her hotel room door for the fifth time. Finally, the little green light appeared and she pushed her way into the room. The king-sized bed with its half dozen pillows beckoned, but she had hours of work ahead before she could rest.
She picked up the phone and dialed room service, ordering a burger, fries, and a large pot of coffee. She’d spent the hours since lunch poring over the full case file and had made copies of the documents she wanted to review further while she did some online research here in the hotel. Rhonda had arranged for her to move to one of the hotel’s executive condominiums tomorrow, but tonight she was grateful for the full service the main building had to offer. Landon had no idea how long the firm intended to pay for her digs, but she’d been too tired from the drive and the full day of work to ask. She had a ton of questions about being called back to Dallas, but today hadn’t been the day for questions. It had been the day to size up her competition.
Carly Pachett was pretty, smart, and way too high-strung. Who eats a salad at a barbecue place? And she’d obviously been put out at riding around in a convertible, so much so that Landon had driven an extra few blocks out of the way just to prolong her agony, which she admitted now hadn’t really been a nice thing to do. But being nice wasn’t part of Mission Get the Partnership. It was time to put aside her natural instinct to make friends with everyone and step up to win this race. She cracked the files and resolved to win, no matter what the cost.