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Guess they were wrong, huh? Adam asked sarcastically, and I saw Jacob look up at him with
eyes flashing, and his jaw working like he was gritting teeth.
She wasn t pursued at home. She was pursued at work and after the incident at the law library I
got permission for her to go into protection, he reminded Adam, angrily, but she didn t want to go,
presumably, because she didn t want to leave you. I could have gotten a material witness subpoena
and forced her, but I didn t want to do that to her.
Thank you, I said quietly as that sunk in. Jacob had put my happiness ahead of everything.
Maybe I had underestimated him.
You re welcome. He was talking to me, but he was glaring at Adam. So, we pulled strings to
get her into the DA s office, and since you were willing to stay with her, we figured you could keep
your eyes open for us. And you did a good job, Roth. Thanks to your little party plans, we now have
the Fox safely in custody, along with three other undesirables.
How did Kazinski know to have you waiting on standby? Adam asked.
He suspected you were up to something because he didn t believe anybody would just throw a
party for your crazy neighbors.
What was up with U. Hu and that clock? I asked curiously.
We think that Hu had decided to try to bug the place himself. The clock he placed on the wall
was wired.
What was going on in McGuire s apartment when they were all in there? Adam asked.
They had all probably figured out that McGuire was gone for good. After he disappeared, we
placed surveillance cameras in there in case anyone tried to break in, but nobody had actually tried
yet.
I ll bet that was the night you saw them in the hall, listening at his door, I said to Adam. They
heard someone installing the equipment.
The cameras showed each one of them hiding when the next came in. So Hu saw all three, Nardo
saw Ivanovich and Diego, Ivanovich only saw Diego and Diego just stole some booze and left.
So, what happens now? I asked.
Now we put Moretti on trial and try to put him away. Because Adam helped out the U.S.
Attorney s office in a very important case, I wouldn t be surprised if he s offered a position. You can
probably return to law library if you want, Lily, and the two of you won t have to live together
anymore obviously. You can have your old life back.
Why did it feel like I had just been punched in the gut? I could go back to my former life, working
in the library with Jane and Rochelle, writing my books at night, alone at night. Alone again. Of
course, Adam and I would still be together, but he had said himself that he had always loved his
freedom. He would want to go back to his place. We would see each other on weekends, maybe the
occasional weeknight, but I wouldn t be reading to him in bed regularly and I wouldn t go to sleep
feeling him snuggled up against me every night. We wouldn t be fighting over garlic presses, or the
bathroom, or tic tacs though. That was a good thing, right? So why did I feel like I was going to cry,
yet again?
Okay, if you don t mind, it s been a long night, Adam said, throwing Jacob an obvious hint.
Before I go, there s one other thing. I m withdrawing the motion for removal on the DiBono case.
I looked at it again, and you re right, it s more appropriately tried in Common Pleas.
My mouth literally popped open. It was so unlike Jacob to do something like that. He wasn t one
to walk away from a battle. In fact, I could see how much he had been enjoying it. Still, it wouldn t
necessarily affect anything, so it could be a meaningless gesture.
Good luck trying to convince my mom, I said with a weak smile.
She s not on the case anymore, he said, stunning me again. She decided it was a conflict after
all. He s got local counsel now.
My breath caught. My mother had never stepped aside before. By doing so on this one, she had
made a statement that she cared more about me than about a court case. I didn t have to go any further.
I had already stood up and fought. Not only did I believe in myself, my mother had actually shown me
some respect. More than that, she had found a way to tell me she cared.
Thanks, I said hoarsely, feeling emotional.
He got up to leave but paused. So, in case I don t get a chance to talk to you, it was good seeing
you again, Lily. He gave me a look I couldn t really decipher, and then turned and walked out
without a backward glance.
I sat there, still in shock, when Adam pulled me into his arms, gently pushed a strand of hair
behind my ear and looked deeply into my eyes.
Let s go work for Braden and Gabrielle, he said. That jolted me out of my reverie.
But Jacob said you would probably be offered a job with the U.S. Attorney s Office. That s so
prestigious. You would rather work for a legal aid clinic?
If it meant I could work with my friends, and with you. I think that would be a hell of a lot more
fun than working with dickhead there, and I would rather enjoy my job than my prestige.
Okay, I said, with a huge grin. Let s do it. I think I like being a lawyer and we make a good
team. At least I would get to see him every day at work. He grinned back, looking very happy with
my answer.
So, ready to endure Thanksgiving dinner at the Roth residence?
I m thrilled about it. This will sound weird, but when we were kids I always kind of wanted to
be part of your family, even with you in it.
You wanted to be a Roth?
I did, yeah, I admitted sheepishly. He paused and I saw him swallow and take a deep breath. He
looked like little Josh, trying to work up the courage to ask me about the bath.
Do you still want to be a Roth? Because there s a way you could be, he said, looking at me
intently. My breath caught again. He couldn t mean & Oh my God. My heart started pounding so hard
I was sure I would break a rib. I started to tremble, afraid to believe what I thought I was hearing.
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