“Do you mind switching places with me?” Alanna cut her off. “I’m freezing under this vent,” she explained when the other woman stared at her coolly.

“Certainly.”

They switched places, and Alanna folded her arms across her chest defensively. “They keep this place like an igloo. What’s the temperature outside?” she asked before the lawyer could resume talking, not above taking advantage of any distraction to put off having to discuss her case. “It’s fall. You would think the sheriff would have switched over to heat instead of keeping the air conditioning on high.”

Alanna saw the woman glance upward toward the vent with a baffled expression before returning her gaze to her. “It is a little warm out today, but I’ll speak to the sheriff before I leave.”

Was the irritation she heard in her voice because she thought she would leave empty-handed yet again? Alanna couldn’t blame her. She had left the lawyer to defend her without giving her a leg to stand on.

Clasping her cold hands together on the table, she tried to gauge how much she should disclose to a woman who looked as if the scariest thing she had ever had to deal with was stepping on a piece of gum in her designer shoes.

“Why did you choose to represent me instead of Elizabeth?” Alanna asked curiously.

The lawyer closed her briefcase and scooted her chair closer to the table. “Because, when I met you, you reminded me a little of myself. I’m good at hiding my emotions as well.”

Alanna raised a hand to press her fingers against her temple, the slight headache she had woken up to that morning becoming more pronounced.

“Deputy Porter told me you’re married to the sheriff?”

“I am.” The lawyer answered after giving her a questioning glance.

“Happily?”

“How does how happy my marriage is pertain to me defending you in a court of law?”

Alanna dropped her hand back to the table to lean her face closer to Mrs. Bates, wanting to see if her eyes would reveal the truth for the question she was about to ask. “Because I want to know if he’s going to protect you with every beat of his heart, or if you’ll be on your own.”

The woman met her eyes without shying away, nor did she lean away from their faces being just an inch apart. “We’re very happily married. You’re worried about my protection? Is that why you’ve refused to answer any of my questions?”

“Partially.”

Her gaze became discerning. “You’ve been protecting Elizabeth, too.”

“You have no concept of how dangerous Owen is.” Alanna settled back in her chair. “Mrs. Bates, refer me to another attorney to defend me. Preferably a man.”

The lawyer’s shoulders arched back, as if she had just been insulted. “You don’t think I can defend you equally as well as a man?”