Page 43 of The Advocate’s Ultimatum

Sabre set her file down and jumped right into it. “Are you a smoker?”

Bay blinked. The question clearly wasn’t what she expected. “No.”

“Have you ever been?”

The girl made a face. “No. It’s icky.”

Sabre held her gaze. “Do you know anyone who smokes Marlboros?”

Bay hesitated. “No.” Then she shifted in her chair. “I don’t hang around people like that.”

Sabre let the silence stretch just a second longer than comfortable. “Do you know someone named Hannah Caldwell?”

Bay’s eyes flickered, then her deadpan gaze was back. “No.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yes.”

“Did you ever hear the name?”

Bay shook her head. “No.”

Sabre held her gaze long enough that Bay shifted again. “All right.”

Bay frowned. “That’s it?”

“For now.”

“You think I’m lying.”

“I think you’re careful,” Sabre said. “I haven’t agreed to represent you,” Sabre continued. “I’m not going to walk into something blind.”

“I told you what happened.”

“You told me part of it.”

Bay’s jaw tightened. “I told you enough.”

Sabre shook her head. “Not enough for me to represent you.”

“Do you believe me?”

That was the problem, Sabre thought. She did believe part of the girl’s story. “I think you’re afraid.”

“I was.”

“But fear doesn’t explain everything.”

“You want names,” the girl said.

“Yes.”

“You’re not getting them.”

“Then I may not be able to help your attorney.”

The words landed clean. There was no anger, no threat, just truth.