Free The Shelter of His Arms (Harlequin Heartwarming) by Dawn Stewardson Page B

lawyer would repeat anything she said. In fact, if he was trying to set her up, the last thing he’d want was her getting legal advice—whether it was from someone he knew or a stranger.
    She carefully thought through her reasoning a second time, afraid she’d find it was faulty. But it still made perfect sense, which meant that she could trust Travis Quinn.
    “That’s a relief,” she whispered.
    Knowing that he really had to be on her side didn’t make her problem go away, but it made her feel immeasurably better. It also gave her a serious twinge of guilt about suspecting him of plotting against her.
    Telling herself it was only prudent not to trust someone until you were sure you could, she headed back to the living room—where Snoops was now perched on the far end of the couch from Travis, staring at him.
    “She doesn’t seem too sure about me,” he said.
    “She’s a he. Or maybe I should say an it. Whatever, you should be flattered. He normally hides from company.”
    Picking up the cat, she sat down with him on her lap.
    “Everything okay now?” Travis asked quietly.
    “‘Okay’s’ pushing it, but I’ve recovered from my initial shock.”
    “Good.”
    Assuring herself once more that she could trust him, she said, “When you mentioned criminal lawyers? You really think I should talk to one?”
    “Uh-huh. Just to be on the safe side. So that if the guys do decide to bring you in for questioning there’s someone who already knows the basic story. And knows you.”
    “All right. Then I’ll do it.”
    “Would you like a couple of names?”
    “You won’t get in trouble for giving them to me?”
    “Not as long as nobody finds out,” he told her, scrolling through his phone.
    “They won’t find out from me.”
    He smiled briefly, then said, “Celeste, this is going to end up just fine. Even if they officially question you, that’s a world away from charging you. And we simply don’t charge the wrong people with homicides.”
    “Never? Wasn’t there something in the news, only a week or two ago...?”
    “Yeah...well...it almost never happens. And it won’t happen to you.”
    She nodded, although if he was certain of that, would he be advising her to see a lawyer?
    Forcing the question from her mind, she went to get the cordless out of her office.
    The first man she called was upstate, in the midst of a trial. The second one’s assistant informed her that he just couldn’t fit any new clients into his schedule at present.
    Celeste almost mentioned Travis’s name, thinking it might help, but stopped herself in time. If they didn’t want the wrong people learning that he was behind her getting legal advice she’d better be careful what she said.
    “You know the old saying,” he told her as she punched in the last number he’d given her. “Third time lucky.”
    She dearly hoped the old saying was right, because it was almost five o’clock.
    When Walter Namouth’s secretary said it would be the end of next week before Celeste could see him, she decided things were getting desperate. So, as much as she hated associating herself with Bryce, she gave it a shot.
    “I’m sorry, but I forgot I was supposed to tell you that my husband, Bryce Wayland, spoke to Mr. Namouth about seeing me. Bryce is an attorney with Price, Whitechurch and Hoskins, and...well the thing is that Mr. Namouth assured Bryce he’d fit me in as soon as possible. I’m afraid the problem’s urgent.”
    “Oh. He didn’t mention anything to me, but...let’s see...I could probably squeeze you in tomorrow morning.”
    “That would be wonderful.”
    “Fine. Ten o’clock?”
    “Perfect. Thank you.”
    Clicking off, she said to Travis, “Ten o’clock tomorrow. The only problem is that if she repeats our conversation to Namouth they might throw me out on my ear. I’ll bet he’s never even heard of Bryce.”
    “But Bryce is actually a lawyer?”
    “Yes.”
    “Then I guess you could have gotten him to recommend