Objection Overruled by J.K. O'Hanlon

“March 24th.”
    Jackie clicked through a few screens. “That was a Saturday. Why?”
    “That’s the date on these trades listed as being made at La Borsa Valori. No stock exchange trades on a Saturday. Something’s wrong with these statements. Maybe the trades were made and the statement is wrong. You’re going to need to find the original trade records for these and trace exactly when the sales were made.”
    Jackie sighed and slumped down in her chair. “Easier said than done. For an establishment trading in millions of dollars, the record keeping was notoriously skimpy. I’d be embarrassed to run my business like Ashe was running the financial advising arm of his firm. I’ve looked for and even asked Ashe where the records are, and there’s just nothing.”
    Brandon had seen the books and knew Jackie was right. Ashe had taken the approach that if it wasn’t documented, no one could prove that it didn’t happen the way he said it did. Once a snake, always a snake.
    “Brandon, what are you going to say when I examine you on the witness stand about this?”
    Brandon shrugged. “The same thing I just told you. The statements are incorrect. It doesn’t mean the trade wasn’t made correctly. It shows Ashe was sloppy, but it doesn’t prove he was defrauding anyone. Jackie, you need to follow the money. Tomorrow’s production is going to be huge for you. You’re going to have to think like a crook. How would you hide money?”
    “That’s the twenty-million-dollar question in this case, especially since I think like a lawyer, not a crook.” She chewed on her thumb. “Maybe you’ll be able to help. You’re coming over, right? That was our original agreement. I can text you when the documents arrive. Hopefully, they’ll be electronic.”
    Brandon ran his hands through his hair. He wanted to see her, of course, but being around her brought his repulsion over his affiliation with Ashe too close to the surface. She fought with passion for the truth. He hid from his past. How could she respect him when she found out? And he knew she would.
    “Yeah, that was our agreement.” His cell rang. He checked the number. It was Ashe. “I better take this.” He walked out into the hall and closed Jackie’s office door behind him.
    “Brandon Marshfield.” He kept his voice steady.
    “Where the hell are you? You were supposed to come over to Dad’s condo to discuss the case. I talked to Stone, and he said you kicked that bitch’s ass. We’re dying to hear the details. Get over here.”

Chapter Nine
    Revved up from the encounter with Brandon and the late hours in the office, Jackie spent most of the night tossing and turning in bed. By the time she fell asleep and reentered her recurring dream of flying, naked but invisible, the alarm clock went off. Jackie dragged herself to the kitchen, where she doubled her usual two cups of coffee, hoping for a little buzz to get through the day.
    Unfortunately, the third cup of extradark black coffee didn’t alleviate the fuzzy tingling in her brain. With her caffeine fix on board, Jackie retraced her path back to her bedroom. She stretched up to turn on the TV, which was on an upper shelf of her bookcase. A spasm shot through her lower back, and a groan escaped. She cursed herself for losing the remote; she never used to lose anything.
    And she never had a sore back when she got in a daily five-mile run. Exercise faded into a distant memory. She sighed. She must be officially old. No, wait. Not just old. Old and single. All she needed was a half-dozen cats to complete the picture. Was Brandon a cat lover? She pictured him with three orange tabbies circling around his bare ankles. Her thoughts wandered north to his tanned and rock-hard legs with those sculpted quads. She closed her eyes and let her imagination continue farther north…
    She shuddered, snapped open her eyes, and ordered herself to stop. There was too much business to take care of today to get lost in a