Free Once and for All by Jeannie Watt

time.”
    “I can imagine.”
    She needed to get a grip. There were tons of DUIs in Las Vegas. So many that some law firms specialized in them. Hers didn’t. Her firm specialized in high-end clientele…such as casino CEOs. People who paid big bucks to have the consequences of their poor decision making tidied up as much as possible. She’d gotten DUI charges against “important people” dropped more times than she could count, due to police procedural errors, questionable Breathalyzer readings, whatever she could find to get a toehold and clear her client—one of whom was now serving time for vehicular manslaughter while under the influence. She hadn’t defended him on that charge; he’d gone to another firm. But she had gotten him off for a prior DUI—the third strike that would have put him in prison.
    “Losing Dave was hard on Sam, both personally and professionally,” Margarite mused. “He really needs to get another partner, but I don’t know if he’s ready, you know?”
    “Yeah.” Jodie did not want to discuss Sam’s business. She wanted to get to a computer. Fortunately, the oven timer rang a few minutes later and she was able to make her escape while Margarite checked the roast.
    Jodie booted up her Netbook in the privacy of her bedroom and went online. Less than three minutes later her hands fell away from the keys as she stared at the screen. Colin Craig, her former client, had been convicted of vehicular homicide in the deaths of David and Maya Hyatt.
    Damn. So much for the pleasant edge of attraction. Or testing that shyness hypothesis.
    Jodie turned off the computer and stood, gathering her thoughts, reestablishing focus and objectivity.
    This was…unfortunate. Regrettable. Not her fault.
    The cops had screwed up. Craig had hired her firm to prove that, and the case had been handed to her. She’d nailed the cops and earned a healthy chunk of change for the firm. It was all a matter of business. But now that she knew Sam and saw firsthand the aftermath of her successful defense, she had to admit it didn’t feel that simple.
    She pushed the thought out of her mind. Her dad would be the first to remind her that business was business…as sad as the outcome had been in this case.
    So what now?
    What now? She needed Sam. Theirs was a professional relationship.
    He would never have to know.



CHAPTER SIX
    “J ODIE’S ALL RIGHT,” Tyler said a little too casually as they walked into the house later that night after a fairly decent uncle-nephew outing.
    Sam didn’t reply. He would have to be dense not to see where this was going—where it had been going since his nephews invited Jodie to join them for dinner. The boys were trying to set him up. Why?
    And why Jodie? He couldn’t think of a less likely prospect, considering the bad blood between him and her father. Surely one game of two-on-two hadn’t impressed them that much. Although he had to admit to being a bit impressed himself. No. Make that a lot impressed. He liked this new side of Jodie. But…he looked at his nephews, who in turn appeared shifty…he was going to avoid complicating his life for a while. He didn’t need to be distracted from his mission of raising his little brother’s kids just yet.
    “Don’t you think?” Tyler persisted.
    Sam picked up a sweatshirt that was draped over the back of a kitchen chair and handed it to him. “I think she’s a good ball player,” he said flatly. “Who forgot to load the dishwasher this afternoon?”
    Beau let out a breath, raised his hand.
    “Get on it. Then hit the books. If you have any questions, I want them ready for Miss Simms tomorrow morning.”
    “Yeah.” Beau sounded way less than enthused, but he had to pass the next test in order to be able to play again. They only had a couple games before the zone semifinals and then possibly the state tourney. Without Beau, there was a question as to whether the team would qualify. He needed to be eligible.
    Sam spent some time