“Or he was trying to prove that firearms shouldn’t be banned.”

“My, you did wake up on the cynical side of the bed this morning, didn’t you? If that’s what Italy does to a person, count me in.” Eddie’s gaze was amused. “In the meantime, let’s see if we can figure out our client’s true motive, before the government blindsides us with damage control.”

“I think they blindsided themselves when Harry’s publicist threw him under the bus this morning.”

“I wonder if the government intended for Harry to become road kill, or if it was simple ineptitude.” Eddie pushed himself to his feet and threw his creased barrister’s robe over his arm. “I have a court hearing in twenty minutes. Make yourself at home.”

He hurried out of the office. Kate flipped through the sparse file folder. Not much to go on. Yet.

She walked into the main reception area. The sun beat through the windows. It was warm. It was quiet. Jet lag slammed into her.

That sofa looked pretty darn inviting.

First day as partner…and she needed a nap.

What the hell.

She ignored the lure of the leather sofa and began a Google search of Leah Roberts. There weren’t any references to her online except for the usual social media accounts: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. She began scrolling through Leah’s Instagram account, as that seemed to be the most heavily populated with posts. There was a particularly striking photo of Leah cheek-to-cheek with a cat named Spook. Kate studied the young woman’s face. If you didn’t look too closely, you’d think she was sixteen, with her fresh, smooth skin and open features. But her eyes told another story. They were wary in the photo, not daring to reveal whatever secrets lay within.

Her eyes reminded Kate of another young woman’s gaze: her sister’s.

And her own.

She quickly scrolled through Leah’s posts. There was a stunning photo of the Perseid meteor shower taken at the Dark Sky Preserve while camping at Kejimikujik National Park the previous summer. A family birthday dinner. Some typical tourist photos of the House of Parliament, the Ottawa tulip festival, and the Rideau Canal. As Kate expected for a cyber security consultant, there was not a word mentioned about Leah’s work.

The phone rang. She dug it out from under a pile of papers on Eddie’s desk.

“Bent & Lange,” she said. It hadn’t taken long to get used to her name on a firm letterhead.

“I need to speak to Mr. Bent,” a woman said. “The police have arrested my daughter!”

“Mr. Bent is in court,” Kate said. “I am Kate Lange, his new partner.” That sounded even better.

“This is Susan Roberts. I’m the mother of Leah Roberts.”

“Mrs. Roberts, Eddie Bent has briefed me on your daughter’s case. Did your daughter regain consciousness?”

“Yes.”