She had done what she needed to do at McGrath Woods. She had proven herself and found her purpose. McGrath Woods, in turn, had grudgingly given her a chance. But it also had served up two cases that almost had her killed. And turned its back on its former Managing Partner when the stink of scandal wafted down its plush corridors. And now it seemed to be turning its back on her. Again.

She needed to defend justice.

And the face of justice was a victim’s face.

But she couldn’t resign without a plan in place. No, she was not spontaneous enough to walk away from a steady paycheck at a reputable firm.

She dialed Eddie’s number. After four rings, his familiar gruff voice filled her ear, setting the unnamed fears stirred by John Hillcroft to rest. “Kate. Welcome home.”

She strode down the boardwalk toward her office, swinging her briefcase. “Hi, Eddie. Rumor has it—” Her stomach tightened again. She gave John Hillcroft’s rumor a mental kick to the curb. He was wrong. She knew Eddie better than he did. “—That you are looking for a partner to keep you on your toes.”

He paused. Then laughed. “Should I be ordering new stationery?”

She grinned. “How does Lange & Bent sound to you?”

“Not as good as Bent & Lange.” He laughed again, lapsing into his smoker’s hack.

“Seriously. Do you have enough work for two until I can get my feet under me?”

“I’m overrun right now, Kate. I could definitely use another body. The chair is yours. But I’m a little surprised you want to do this. I had the impression from Hillcroft that prosecutions was more your thing.”

“It was. It is. But there are no jobs. And I need to get some experience in criminal law. As you have told me many times, it’s a totally different beast from civil law.”

“That it is.” He paused. “Seriously, Kate, do you really want to leave McGrath Woods? I thought things were going well for you. And Randall’s back now.”

She exhaled. “Actually, things weren’t going well. Nina Woods dropped a bombshell on me just before I left. I am tired of my career being dictated by the whims of the partners. And I don’t want to work in a firm where I feel like one mistake will throw me to the lions. Again.”

“Randall will have your back.”

“The point is that I don’t want to work for a firm that treated him the way they treated him.”

“Point taken. But have you thought about who your clientele will be if you work with me? They aren’t what you are used to dealing with at McGrath Woods.”

“Eddie, I’ve been to Provincial Court before.”