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“Guess that’s why I have the most billable hours around here.”
“You have other cases to work on,” Hal snapped. He hated it when she kept blithely knocking him down.
“Nope. You took me off them all.”
“Well, I don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s a trial that’s going to be sensationalized and that we’ll likely lose.”
“I think I’m going to win.”
He laughed harshly and shook his head, his default when he couldn’t think of another way to try to keep her in her place.
She headed back out to her car. She was going to put herself on the air and tell the world she was Delta Smith-Stahd’s lawyer and Delta was innocent.
Notoriety always helped in her profession, Amanda felt. And if she could suck up enough valuable airtime, she might be able to quit this shitty, misogynistic firm and start her own.
* * *
When Ellie arrived at the station, the first thing she did was check for
phone messages that may have come in through the reception desk. Most people called her on her cell phone or texted her, but there were still those messages that came through the switchboard from people who didn’t know her as well.
No messages.
She added Amanda’s name to the visitors log and then went looking for Peter, who was in the break room, pouring a cup of coffee. They had no problem setting up, and Amanda arrived soon after Ellie got out of the makeup chair with Char, who was kind of a bitch but was a tireless worker.
As Ellie sat down for the interview with her, she asked herself what it was about Amanda that made people give in to her. It was an unorthodox interview in that Amanda ran with the ball, not giving Ellie much time to ask any questions as she touted Delta’s innocence, drawing on their years of friendship—ha, ha—and then crowing some about her own accomplishments as a defense attorney. She finished up with an unexpected comment on Dr. Lester Stahd’s troubled health clinic and how Tanner, not his father, had turned everything around. It was a subtle warning, Ellie realized, to Stahd Senior about going off on Delta. Ellie was miffed, as Stahd would undoubtedly blame her for this, too.
“I’ll see if they’ll air it,” Ellie muttered, when they were finished. “The earliest would be noon.”
“Okay. Wish it would be sooner.”
“Who are you doing this for?”
“Delta.”
“Uh-uh. You’re doing this for you.”
“Publicity’s good. My ex might not think so, but I don’t listen to him.”
“You work with him.”
“For the moment.” There was something in her tone, some deep satisfaction that she wasn’t even trying to keep secret. She wanted Ellie to notice.
“You’re leaving the firm,” Ellie realized. “And you want your husband’s clients.”
Her answer was a thin smile.
Ellie was seeing her out when Ed nearly barreled into her. “Ellie!” he said. “I think that car accident’s your friend!” To her blank look, he added, “On the news? Didn’t you watch ours?”
“No . . . I was interview—. . . What friend?”
“The Z one. I don’t know. Zona?”
Amanda took in a sharp breath as Ellie grabbed up her phone. Amanda yanked hers from her purse as well.
“I’ll talk to you later,” Amanda stated crisply and stalked out.
Ellie found the news feed. She saw the mangled black Mercedes. Brian’s car. Both dead. She felt numb all over.
