Burning Violet by A. P. Watson

Author:A. P. Watson [Watson, A. P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780988801929
Published: 2018-11-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

After stuffing ourselves with sushi, Vi and I worked until late in the night. I hadn’t shared the pictures that nearly cost me my career as a lawyer with anyone. I suppose I didn’t need to show a single person in Chicago, because everyone I knew in that city got to see them through their office email accounts. But I didn’t even hesitate to show them to Violet. She seemed unphased by the photos, and more importantly, she believed I was innocent.

To top it off, she figured out the pictures were staged within a matter of minutes. I wasn’t the man who had been photographed with Talia or her mother, so I assumed the entire thing had been manipulated by someone who was a savant with photoshop. But now, I realized the jackass knew he was going to be photographed. In fact, he was counting on it. So, whoever sent the email orchestrated the entire thing. He probably seduced Talia and her mother and then used the photos to destroy my reputation.

But the real question was who? Who would go to such lengths just to get me fired? I hadn’t made any enemies during the few years I was in Chicago. In fact, I got along well with everyone there, especially my boss. The only person who benefited from my absence was Brett. He stepped into my position the day I left.

Fuck . . . Brett.

“What’s wrong?” Vi asked as she handed me a blanket. I was too spent to drive back to my place, so she had kindly offered up her couch.

“I’m such a fucking idiot.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know Brett can be cocky and kind of an ass, but what about him rubbed you the wrong way?”

She considered my question for a bit, her fingers toying with her long, blond locks. “It was the way he looked at me,” she answered. “He stared me up and down like I was a slab of meat and not a human being.”

“Anything else?”

“He also asked me out to dinner.”

“Jackass,” I muttered under my breath.

“What?”

“Doesn’t matter.” I sighed heavily.

“Tell me.” She knelt next to the couch, her eyes filled with concern.

“Brett was the only person who had something to gain from my dismissal. The emails made the rounds, and next thing I know, I’ve been kicked out of the firm and he’s stepping into my position within a matter of hours.”

“Oh.”

“I know we don’t have any evidence yet, but he is the only person I can think of who had something to gain.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. It wasn’t your fault.”

“You didn’t do anything either.”

“I’ve been a lawyer long enough to know that being innocent doesn’t mean anything sometimes.”

“Tomorrow I’ll ask Joel to look into it. Whoever fucked you over won’t get away with it.”

I nodded as I reached for her hand. “You’re way too smart to just be a secretary.”

“Hardly. If I were smarter, then I would’ve figured out a way to keep—”

She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening as if she were about to say something she shouldn’t.

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