Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76717 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“I’m not guilty, Angie.”
“I know that, and I believe you,” I say, swallowing hard. “But innocent people are found guilty sometimes. Especially if the deck is stacked against them.” I take a deep breath. “I’m actually at the hospital now. Ralph wanted to see me.”
“What the hell did he say to you?” Jason grits out.
“Nothing I believe. And nothing you need to worry about.” I swallow again. “My family keeps a firm on retainer in Denver, and I believe they have a satellite office here in Boulder. I should be able to get someone there quickly. You’re still at the police station?”
“Yeah. In a holding cell.”
“It’s early yet. I can get someone today, and we’ll get you out of there. I promise.”
“Thank you,” Jason says weakly.
“No need to thank me, Jason. We’re in this together.”
His only response is a shaky exhale of breath, but it speaks volumes. The call ends, and I’m left standing in the hospital corridor, feeling as if the world has just shifted beneath me.
I take a minute to gather myself before I head back toward the nurses’ station, my mind already turning over possibilities. The firm my family retains, Goldstein & Haywood, is one of the best in Colorado. If anyone can help Jason navigate through this mess, they can.
I pull my phone out again and dial their number as I walk. The receptionist answers after two rings.
“Goldstein & Haywood, how may I assist you?”
“Hi,” I say. “My name is Angela Simpson. My father is Bryce Simpson, and my uncles are the Steel brothers on the Western Slope.”
“Yes, of course, Ms. Simpson. How may we help you?”
“I need your best criminal defense attorney to go help my…boyfriend. Dr. Jason Lansing. He’s at the Boulder police station. He was arrested for assault and battery, and he’s innocent.”
I hear the soft click-clack of a keyboard in the background.
“Of course, Ms. Simpson,” she replies after a moment. “I’ll get you transferred to Mr. Haywood. He’s our lead criminal attorney.”
With that, I’m put on hold. I glance down the hallway, back toward Ralph’s room. A wave of anger threatens to consume me at the thought of him, but I push it down.
I need to stay focused for Jason.
The line clicks, and a voice filters through the phone speaker. “Ms. Simpson? This is Blake Haywood.”
I breathe out a sigh of relief. “Mr. Haywood, thank you for taking my call.”
“Of course, Ms. Simpson.” His voice is smooth and professional. “I understand from my receptionist that you need assistance with a legal matter?”
“Yes,” I say, taking a deep breath. “My boyfriend, Dr. Jason Lansing, has been arrested for assault and battery in Boulder. He’s innocent, and he needs an attorney. He’s in a holding cell at the Boulder police station.”
“Of course, I’ll take this case myself, considering your family’s longtime relationship with our firm. As it happens, I’m only a mile away from the station. I’ll go over right now.”
“Thank you, Mr. Haywood.” I let out a sigh of relief.
“Don’t mention it, Ms. Simpson,” he says. “We’ll do everything we can for Dr. Lansing.”
Just as I’m about to hang up, he adds, “Ms. Simpson?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t worry. That’s the most important thing right now. You just take care of yourself and let us handle this.”
I nod, despite knowing he can’t see me. “Thank you, Mr. Haywood.”
I end the call and head back toward Ralph’s room. But as I near it, I stop in my tracks. The last thing Ralph needs to know is that Jason has been arrested and that I’m helping him.
I make a beeline for the elevator, pressing the button for the ground floor. As the doors close behind me, I take a deep breath, leaning against the cool metal wall of the elevator car.
As I make my way to the parking lot, my phone rings again.
It’s Tabitha.
“Angie, where did you go?”
“I’m sorry, Tabitha,” I say. “There was an emergency.”
“Is everything okay?”
“No.” The word leaves me before I can stop it. “But I’m working on it.”
I can almost see her brow furrowing. “Angie, what’s going on?”
“Everything’s fine.”
It’s a lie, of course. And a terrible one at that. But it’s all I can offer her at the moment.
“But something did happen,” she says.
“Yes,” I admit. “But I promise you, I’ll tell you everything when it’s sorted out.”
“You can tell me now. I’m right behind you.”
I turn.
Jeez. There she is, waving.
She walks toward me as I end the call.
“Okay,” she says. “So what did Ralph want?”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jason
An officer unlocks my cell. “Your attorney’s here, Lansing.”
Thank God! Angie came through.
“Thank you.” I get to my feet and take a moment to smooth out the wrinkles in my clothes. They’ve seen better days, but they’re the least of my worries right now.
I follow the officer down the narrow hallway, my heart pounding. This is real. This is really happening. I try my best to squash down the panic and focus instead on putting one foot in front of the other.