While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams

Author:Stacey Abrams [Abrams, Stacey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2021-05-11T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-SIX

Wednesday, June 21

Crawling over the papers she’d fallen asleep reading, Avery stripped off her tank top and shorts on her way to the bathroom, where she ducked beneath the spray of the shower. Hot water sluiced through the fog around her brain, and she quickly dressed. The microwave clock read 6:23 a.m. She shook the remnants of the cereal box into a bowl, snagged milk from the refrigerator. As she ate, the door to the apartment opened, and Ling lurched inside.

A medical bag fell to the floor with a solid thump, followed by keys flopping to the coffee table. Ling kicked the door closed, rubbing wearily at her eyes. “Any chance the reporters camped outside our apartment building will leave anytime soon?”

“I’m sorry about all this. But go to sleep. We’ll talk when you wake up.”

“Not waking up,” Ling said and yawned. “Grab me a Coke and fill me in before I crash.”

Avery handed her the soda, then recounted the events of the past twenty-four hours.

Ling latched on to the story of the attack. “How’s your head?”

“I don’t have a concussion.”

“You sure? Because the day after you’re attacked in the judge’s house, you still intend to serve as his guardian.” Ling huffed out a breath. “I appreciate your loyalty to him, honey, but you don’t owe him your life.”

“I got a bump on the head, nothing more. And until I know what they wanted, I can’t be sure I’m any safer dropping the POA.”

“At the risk of you jumping down my throat, have you considered asking your friendly FBI agent for help? Or maybe the hulking giant from Homeland Security? Isn’t this sort of intrigue their domain?”

Avery had considered doing precisely that, but caution stopped her. “Justice Wynn didn’t turn to them for a reason. Until I know more, I can’t risk involving either one of them. Besides, when it comes to the FBI, I don’t have to. They have a tail following me around the city and a guy camped out across the street.”

“And the Homeland Security guy?”

“I don’t trust him.” In fact, she’d decided, she’d use her time this morning to dig around about Major Will Vance. Better yet, she’d put Jared on the assignment. “I’d rather not involve the authorities yet.”

“For the record,” Ling announced, “I don’t like this.”

“Save the lecture.” Steering the conversation to another topic, Avery asked, “I know you were swamped, but any progress on the names I emailed to you?”

“Yes. Let me grab a shower and a nap, then I’ll print it out for you.”

“I can just read it.”

“Not unless you studied microbiology and genetics last night. Strange stuff.”

“What did you find?”

“Sleep first, then we’ll play James Bond.” Ling swigged down the Coke and headed for her bedroom. “You going out?”

“Since I’m banned from the Court and have both a police and an FBI detail, I’m bringing reinforcements here.” Avery hesitated. “Don’t yell at me, but I’m also taking an unauthorized trip to Georgia tomorrow.”

Ling halted on her way to her bedroom. “Georgia?”

“Justice Wynn owns a cabin near Atlanta.

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