The Advocate's Oath: Legal Suspense Murder Mystery (The Advocate Series Book 15) by Burrell Teresa

Author:Burrell, Teresa
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silent Thunder Publishing
Published: 2024-04-23T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 29

Saturday night

JP surveyed the ballroom where the charity gala was in full swing. Beside him, Sabre was as elegant and beautiful as any belle at the ball. The suburban elite had gathered in their finery, while their laughter and clinking glasses painted a veneer of normalcy.

“You look like you belong here.” JP smiled at Sabre, so lovely in her borrowed silver gown.

“Maybe on the outside,” Sabre said. “But inside, not so much.”

“You could’ve fooled me.”

“You’re not so bad yourself, cowboy.”

“I never would’ve made it here without my boots and hat.” JP led her toward the middle of the room.

“Nash probably figured that. He’s no dummy.”

“I know. I’ve been watching him navigate the crowd with ease. His smile is as smooth as the aged scotch in his hand.”

They were only a few feet from Forest when a heavy-set bald man approached Nash with a drink in hand. Garrett Doyle. JP recognized him from the online photos he’d seen while doing background work.

"Forest." Doyle's voice was thick with liquor. "Seems your garden has grown some thorns."

"Garrett." Forest's grip on his glass tightened. "Let's not ruin a pleasant evening with our past grievances."

"Of course." Doyle sneered, leaning in close. "But then, a garden is hard to enjoy when there's blood in the soil."

JP noted the ripple of tension that passed through Forest's frame. Nash stepped away from Doyle, turning his attention to a small group of men who seemed to be discussing the stock market.

“So, that’s Garrett Doyle,” JP said. “Let’s go see what he has to say.”

JP took Sabre’s arm and walked toward Garrett. He introduced himself and Sabre, using only first names, and indicated he was from Texas.

“I might have guessed that.” Doyle took a long pull of his drink. “My name’s Garrett, by the way. You in oil?”

“Not exactly,” JP said in a Texas drawl. “Most people assume that, but, my friend, there’s much more to Texas than oil.”

“I’m sure there is.”

Before Doyle could hit him with a follow-up question, JP nodded toward Forest and asked, “Who’s the pompous guy over there talking to that tall blonde?”

“That jerk. He’s the most disloyal, crooked man who ever walked the face of this earth.”

“Whoa. He struck me as arrogant, but I didn’t expect that. What did he do to you?”

“We used to be in business together. Then he stole my idea and started another company, undercutting me.”

“That ain’t right.”

“I used every penny I had to sue him, but in the end, all I did was waste my money.”

“He won in court?”

“Not really. He wore me down with delays and appeals. He broke me.” Garrett downed the rest of his drink.

“You seem to be doing pretty well now. Not many folks can afford this kind of shindig.”

“I came up with another idea and made it work. Not quite as well as the first two—the one we shared and the one he stole—but I did all right. Now, he’s getting his turn. Karma will get you every time.”

“How’s that?”

“He dumped a wonderful woman for a floozy half her age, then the new wife was murdered.

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