Page 24 of Motion to Dismiss

Later that night

How the hell did I not see through Lucas before now?

I flip through the official indictment, feeling my blood boil with every page. Nothing here is impossible for me to finesse in a courtroom, but I was counting on playing the family card.

Not the solo-kingpin card.

Circling a line under the attempted murder charges, I write “Very circumstantial. No true evidence.” I manage to make notes on the next four charges before tossing my pen across the room.

I need someone to talk to right now, someone to actually distract me from this nonsense, so I scroll down to Scarlett’s name.

No.

I move past it and call Rachel instead.

“Yes, Jameson?” she answers on the first ring.

“I need to talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Anything,” I say, standing up. “Tell me what’s going on in the news.”

“You can turn on the TV and see for yourself.”

“I’d like to hear it from you.”

The line goes silent.

“Hello?” I ask. “Hello?”

“I’m not Scarlett, Jameson,” she says, sighing. “That’s your person, remember?”

“She’s not a part of my life anymore.”

“So, I don’t need to track her down and find out what she’s been up to for you?”

“I asked Damien Carter to do that, not you.”

“Well, he passed it on to me, so…”

“So…” I mock her last word and begin pacing my floor. “Have you found anything yet?”

“I can only work on one secret mission at a time, Jameson.” She groans. “I’m still not done with the first one you gave me.”

“There’s no time limit on the Scarlett one. It’s just a request.”

“So, I can hold off on finding out where she is for two more weeks?”

“Absolutely not.”

“She’s staying in a Holiday Inn that’s right outside of Santa Monica.”

“Has she landed any roles?”

“Jameson…”

“Just say yes or no.”