Conduit (14 page)

Emily ambled to her car with Jake by
her side. She kept her movements slow, wanting to savor every second left of
their lunch date. The moment she pulled into the parking lot and saw him
standing in front of her favorite deli, she forgot all about the case and the
darkness lingering in her mind.

Their planned thirty minute excursion stretched into over an
hour, as they shared stories while getting to know each other better. With every
passing minute, Emily grew more convinced that Jake would be in her life for
quite some time to come and there was nothing she could do about it. Not that
she wanted to.

When they reached her car, Emily stalled by digging her keys
out of her purse. Her fingers grazed them a few times, but she continued to
search the depths of the handbag aimlessly while they talked. The entire time
they had been together, she hadn’t noticed the presence in her mind quite as
much. As soon as they parted ways, she would go back to being aware of the
darkness with increasing fear. Jake not only helped her forget, but made her
feel safe and protected from the unknown and terrifying presence.

With her key ring wrapped around her index finger, she
pulled her keys out of her purse and palmed them. She turned to face Jake, her
back against the driver’s side door. “Thank you so much for lunch,” she said.

“Thank you for joining me,” Jake said. “What are you doing
tonight?”

Emily laughed. “This is becoming quite a—”

“Whirlwind?”

“Exactly.”

“I hope it’s a good one.”

Emily hesitated and chewed on her bottom lip.

“You do that when you’re nervous,” Jake said.

“Do what?”

“Bite your lip. You did it several times last night and
today during lunch.”

Emily smiled. “I guess I didn’t realize. Do you always read the
non-verbal cues of girls you’re on a date with?”

“Occupational hazard, I’m afraid.”

“I keep forgetting your jury consultant training. I need to
watch myself around you. I’m not really nervous, just caught a little off-guard
by all of this, I suppose.”

“Me too.” Jake took her hands. “This isn’t something I’m
used to. I only know that I want to see you again tonight.”

“I
need
to see you
again tonight,” Emily said. “I...I can’t explain that.”

“I can’t explain it, either. Nor would I have ever believed
this would happen with us. Less than 48 hours ago, you were yelling at me.”

“I wasn’t yelling.”

Jake laughed. “Oh, you were yelling at me without actually raising
your voice.”

“I guess I was.” Embarrassed, Emily shook her head. “I’m so
sorry about that.”

“No, no. You have nothing to be sorry about. But it’s part
of this. I couldn’t understand why that happened at the party. Even though I’m
sorry it happened because it invaded your mind, in a way I’m glad it did.”

Emily couldn’t stop the large smile from crossing her face. “I
am, too. It really freaked me out at the time, but I’m glad it happened.”

“Why don’t I pick you up at seven tonight?”

“I have a better idea. I’ll text you my address. Let me cook
for you tonight.”

“Home-cooked meal. Can’t argue with that.” He glanced at his
watch. “Unfortunately, I have to get back to work now. Jury selection starts on
Monday for the next big trial and I’m meeting with Nathan this afternoon.”

Emily furrowed her brow. “Are you sure it doesn’t make you
uncomfortable that—”

“No,” Jake said. “I trust that your relationship with Nathan
is in the past. You don’t seem like the kind of girl who would hold onto a
flame for someone while starting one with another.”

“A flame, huh?” Emily moved closer to him and laced her
fingers behind his neck. She rose up on the tips of her toes and pressed her
lips to his. “Feels more like a fire to me. Seven o’clock, my house.”

“I can’t wait,” he whispered, and kissed her again.

Jake strolled into the offices of
Wolk, Trotter & Wolk on a high like he had never experienced. Emily was
more than just an attractive girl with whom he’d been on a couple of dates. She
rejuvenated him and brought him back to life. His abilities were considerably
stronger than they had been before, especially in her presence. They connected not
only on a physical and emotional level, but also on a psychic one.

As he walked across the wood floors of the building’s top
floor, he exchanged hellos with a few of his colleagues. Oversized black and
white photographs on the walls depicted a chronological history of the firm.
The closer to the executive offices he got, the photographs changed from black
and white to color and brought him up to current day. The pictures stopped just
before the desk of Nathan’s executive assistant.

Alisha Keller wore her hair in the same tight bun she did
every day. Her old-fashioned attire gave off an air of stiffness combined with
superiority, even at her young, fresh-out-of-college age.

Jake attempted to exchange a smile with her before asking
for Nathan, but he was unsuccessful as usual. Though he had an appointment in
Nathan’s office at least once a week for the past four months, she still
insisted on his name to confirm his appointment. Jake held his smile in place while
she checked his name in her computer.

Without a hint of personality, she said, “Mr. Wolk will be
with you in just a moment.”

That was his cue to sit in one of the black leather armchairs.
Normally he would pick up one of the business or law magazines on the glass
table next to him and feign interest in what he read, but today anxiety ruled
his thoughts.

Emily loomed in the front of his mind and with that came the
reality that he was about to meet with her ex-boyfriend, his boss. Even though
their meeting was regarding the upcoming trial to start on Monday, Jake was
nervous that somehow the omniscient Nathan Wolk had learned of his two dates
with Emily.

Emily
. Even the
thought of her name sent a jolt of electricity through every nerve in his body.
He had never known a woman like her before. It wasn’t just that he had never
dated another psychic in the past. She was different all the way around.

Their first date was filled with conversation about private
family matters he wouldn’t dare share with another person, as well as things he
knew she wouldn’t readily disclose about her life and her family. Jake could open
up with Emily in a way he hadn’t been able to since Janie’s death.

He often avoided telling others about his past, or even about
his present. Despite being outgoing and friendly with strangers, he considered
himself a private person, only sharing what was absolutely necessary to
establish a rapport. Emily reached deep into the fibers of his being and ripped
out information without trying. He wanted her to know everything about him, and
to know
him
, as much as he wanted to
know her.

The phone beeped at the front desk and Jake watched Alisha
press the button on the side of her headset. She spoke inaudibly for a moment
and depressed the button again. Turning to Jake, she said, “Mr. Wolk will see
you now.” She turned back toward her computer and typed dismissively.

Walking toward Nathan’s office, Jake’s nerves returned. Hand
sealed on the doorknob, he paused and convinced his shoulders to relax. Nathan
didn’t know about him and Emily, and he just needed to remember that to get
through their meeting. He took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

Nathan stood up from his leather desk chair. “Here’s my
star,” he said, hand extended.

Jake took his hand and smiled. “I don’t know about ‘star’,
but I’m sure trying.” He released the handshake and sat down in the chair
across the desk from Nathan.

While the office never ceased to impress Jake, Nathan
appeared at odds with his surroundings. The ominous cherry wood desk took up a
large portion of the floor space and the large windows gave a breathtaking view
of the city skyline. Nathan once confided in Jake that he hadn’t read a single
book that sat on the mandatory lawyer bookshelves recessed into the walls on
either side of his desk.

Nathan pulled out a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from a
desk drawer. The whiskey didn’t seem to fit with the uptight décor of the
office, the fancy original oil paintings, and oversized flower arrangements
prepared fresh just for that day. Jake imagined Alisha arguing with a highly
paid florist about what type of flowers were appropriate for each day of the
week.

When he first met with Nathan several months earlier during
his job interview and Nathan pulled out a similar bottle, Jake had expected
cognac or even a fine scotch. Instead Nathan’s drink of choice was whiskey, putting
them on a more even playing field. Jake didn’t recognize the brand name or the
bottle, but he was sure it cost more than he had ever spent on whiskey in a
year, even at his high salary.

“Let’s have a drink,” Nathan said. “It’s been a hell of a
day already. I hope you like it neat because ice just won’t keep in desk
drawers.” He leaned over and laughed. “Believe me, I’ve tried.”

Jake laughed with him. He never failed to share a laugh or a
drink with the boss. Nathan poured small portions into each glass. Jake
accepted the glass and took a tentative sip in unison with Nathan. The liquid smoothed
a path down his throat, with a light, fruity flavor that he was not accustomed
to tasting in his bottom of the barrel whiskeys.

He smiled at Nathan. “That’s the good stuff.”

“I’m glad you like it.” Nathan took another sip. “It’s my
favorite, at least that I’ve found so far.” He set his glass down in front of
him. “How’s our jury looking for Monday?”

“Really good,” Jake said. “I think we can get the jury you
want and make the prosecution think it was all their idea.”

“You’ve already vetted all potential jurors?”

“All but three. They’ve been a little harder to get info on,
but they’re toward the bottom of the list and I doubt you’ll get that far.”

“How do I make the jury look like the prosecutor’s idea?”

“There are a few jurors on the list that appear good for the
prosecution, but they have secrets that will sway them toward our defendant.
You ask the right questions during
voir
dire
, and it will make them look like the prosecutor’s dream jurors. He’ll
snatch them up for you.”

Nathan clapped his hands together. “I love it!”

“Just make sure to ask the right questions. I’ll have my
full report over to you by noon tomorrow.”

Nathan raised his glass toward Jake. “Like I said, my star.”
He took another drink. “What did I ever do without you?”

Jake gestured at his luxurious surroundings. “I’m sure you
managed.”

Nathan laughed again. “I did manage, but you’re making me
succeed. There’s a huge difference.”

“I’m glad I can help,” Jake said. He lifted the glass to his
lips and drained the remaining liquid.

“After you get the report to me, take the next few days off
with pay, of course. We’ll reconvene on Friday morning at eleven to review the
report and talk strategy.”

“That’s very generous of you, Nathan.”

“Nate, call me Nate. I keep telling you this.”

“I was raised to always use formalities. It’s hard enough
for me to not call you Mr. Wolk, being that you’re my boss.”

“Don’t ever call me Mr. Wolk. That’s the one rule I have
around here.”

“You got it.” Jake pushed his chair back and stood up. “And
thank you for the time off. I’ve only been here a few months and I have very
little paid time off accumulated.”

“Don’t worry about PTO,” Nathan said. “I hate all that HR
junk. This won’t be on the books at all. As far as the office is concerned, you’re
working remotely until Friday.”

“Thank you, again.”

Nathan stood up to see Jake out. “If there’s anything I can
do, just let me know.”

The upturned corners of Jake’s mouth lowered with concern,
as well as a bit of fear. Nathan had done so much for him in the past several
months, starting with when he recruited Jake from the firm he worked for in
Dallas and coaxed him to move back to his hometown. Jake’s conscience gnawed at
him, and though he didn’t want to tell Nathan about Emily, he worried about
what would happen if Nathan found out from a third party. “Nathan, I have to be
honest with you about something.”

“Sure, what is it?”

Jake paused, but realized if he hesitated too long he wouldn’t
go through with his confession. “I’ve been seeing Emily,” Jake said.

Nathan’s smile faded. “Emily...Monroe?”

“I didn’t know about your history with her until after I’d
been out with her. I had heard her name in conjunction with yours before, but I
didn’t know it was the same Emily until our first date. It’s only been two
dates, but I am seeing her again tonight.”

Nathan sat back down in his chair and poured more whiskey
into his glass. He took a long sip.

Jake sat down as well. “You have been so good to me and I have
no intention of going behind your back. That’s why I’m telling you now before I
see her again.”

Nathan sighed. “Emily and I have been broken up for quite a
few months now, before I recruited you for the firm. It was a hard breakup, more
so for me than her, I’m afraid.”

“I’m sorry, Nathan.”

Nathan looked up at him for the first time since sitting
back down. “I know you are. It may undermine my shiny hard exterior, but I
suppose it’s no secret I still care about Emily. We’re just friends, though,
and she’s made it clear we will stay that way. I guess I always knew she would
start dating again eventually, I just had hoped she wouldn’t.”

Jake didn’t respond. Guilt flooded him for bringing up the
topic and for hurting Nathan, despite being the right thing to do. Nathan would
have one day found out about his dates with Emily on his own, and Jake didn’t
want to appear as if he were hiding their relationship.

“Don’t worry about a thing,” Nathan said. “I’m fine with it.
At least I will be fine with it once I get used to the idea. This won’t affect
your position with the firm. You didn’t know who she was, and even if you did,
you can’t help that we had a past relationship.” He raised his glass. “Besides,
I’m not that kind of guy.” Nathan finished off his drink.

“Thank you.”

“Just get that report in and then relax until Friday. This
will be a big trial for us both.”

Jake wondered if Nathan was talking about the courtroom
trial, or that of Nathan letting go of his ex so she could date another man.
Jake stood up again. “I appreciate everything.”

“Just keep making me look good.”

“Of course.” He turned to leave, relieved but still a bit
concerned about revealing his secret to Nathan.

“And Jake,” Nathan said, his voice stopping Jake at the
door. “Don’t hurt her. That’s the only thing I demand of you. Don’t hurt her.”

“I’m not that kind of guy.”