Vanished (Private Justice Book #1): A Novel Read Online Free PDF Page A

the simple gold cross that hung on a slender chain around her neck. “I take it that’s more than a piece of jewelry.”
    “Yes.”
    At the quiet conviction in her voice, Cal’s heart skipped a beat. Lindsey would have said the same thing—and in the exact same tone. The strength of his wife’s moral compass and her certitude and passion about the causes she believed in and supported had always blown him away.
    Even after five years, the reality of his loss was like a punch in the gut.
    Clearing his throat, he stood and crossed to his desk. “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t I take a look at the police report and have a chat with the responding deputy? Then we can talk again.” He opened a drawer, pulled out a client contact form. “In the meantime, it would be helpful if you filled this out for our file.” He returned to the table and set it in front of her, along with a pen. “We always do a topline background check on new clients to ensure our services aren’t being used for some illegal end.”
    She examined the sheet. “I suppose that makes sense.” She flipped it over to the blank side, as if searching for something more. “What about the fee schedule? And don’t you want a retainer?”
    “Usually. But we waive it in some cases. And it’s a bit premature to discuss fees. Talking to the deputy and reviewing the police report won’t take long, and that may be as far as we get.”
    The corners of her eyes crinkled in distress. “I hope not. I can’t stop thinking about that woman. There have to be answers somewhere.”
    “We’ll dig for them if we find even the slightest lead to investigate.”
    “Do you charge by the hour?”
    She was back to the money. Obviously, it was an issue.
    “Yes.” He hesitated, then quoted her their standard rate.
    Her eyes widened. “Wow.” She breathed, rather than spoke, the word. “I think I’m in the wrong business. My budget isn’t going to buy more than a few hours of your time.”
    He retook his seat at the table. “Let’s not worry about that yet. You know those cold cases I mentioned earlier? We did those pro bono because we didn’t think justice had been served and we believed they deserved a second look. The side benefit was that they ended up bolstering our credibility and bringing in a lot of new business that more than made up for the fees we didn’t receive. This case could do the same.”
    Her chin rose a fraction. “I’m not looking for charity. You deserve to be paid for your work.”
    “And if the woman you saw was truly in trouble, she deserves justice. For now, let’s just say we’re both doing a good deed.”
    She hesitated. Her gaze flicked down to the gold band on the third finger of his left hand, with its pattern of etched crosses. “I’m impressed.”
    “Why don’t you reserve that comment until we see what I can find?”
    “The fact that you’re willing to try despite the apparent lack of evidence says a lot.”
    She picked up the pen and tackled the form, saving him from having to formulate a reply.
    Just as well. Compliments—even implied ones—always made him uncomfortable.
    After collecting his notebook and pen, he returned to his desk. He had plenty to do while she worked on the form. A report to complete for the child custody case he’d finished yesterday. Some addresses to track down for a defense attorney whose “justice first” philosophy meshed with Phoenix’s. A skip trace to run on a deadbeat dad.
    But he couldn’t concentrate on any of them—thanks to the potential client sitting a few feet away.
    He stole a glance at her. She was bent over the form, faint creases on her brow, lower lip caught between her teeth. An intriguing woman with an intriguing story—who also happened to be very appealing. He liked her principles. Her sincerity. Her subtle sense of humor.
    And he liked how she looked.
    A lot.
    His pulse kicked up a notch, and he frowned. Not appropriate. Moira Harrison had come here to seek