"No, no, no!" Jane Truman groaned as she twisted the key again and again in her old beat up Honda. It was no use, the distinct clicking told her the battery was dead.
With a groan, she climbed out of the car, grabbed her purse, and work bag before slamming the door. Digging her phone out of her purse, she got online and ordered a car service. It would take fifteen minutes to arrive.
As she started swiping through her email, her phone started ringing. The caller ID indicated work was calling. "This is Jane."
"Where are you?" Allison, the receptionist in the law offices they both worked at, asked, "the meeting started fifteen minutes ago."
"What meeting?" Jane pulled her tablet from her work bag, and opened her calendar. "I don't have anything on my calendar."
"There was an email about it last night." Allison replied. "Keith has asked for you three times already."
"Shit." Jane found the email from her boss. "My car broke down again. I'm waiting for a car service."
"I'll let them know." Allison hung up.
A car with a bring pink light in the window pulled into the parking lot, Jane waved to the driver, and hurried to meet it. Settling in the back seat, she gave the address, and thanked the driver, "I'm late." She said.
"Oh, boy," the old man behind the wheel said, "not the best way to start off a Monday."
"You're telling me." Jane buckled her seat belt as the car left the parking lot.
"You mind talk radio?" The man asked, "I like my news in the morning."
"I don't mind at all." Jane replied. She pulled out her phone as he turned the radio up.
"Lincoln Reynolds was convicted of murdering his wife and young daughter in 1995." the talk radio host was saying. "He was sentenced to life without parole."
"I remember that." the driver said, "I watched the trial on television."
"I remember as well." Jane replied absently. She was only half listening.
"In an incredible turn of events, Reynolds new lawyer, Rain Wolf, presented evidence of judicial misconduct on the part of the District Attorney at the time. Due to this new evidence, the judge has granted Reynolds a new trial."
Her phone forgotten, Jane turned her attention to the reporter. "Sources say Reynolds may even get out on bail until his new trial."
"Lord," the driver breathed, "the guy killed his wife and kid, and now he's going to be walking free?"
"It's the kind of crime," Jane pointed out, "that he's likely only going to commit once. Since he only had one wife, and one daughter, he isn't likely to go kill them again."
"Do you buy this new evidence?" the driver asked, "I don't trust that Rain Wolf lawyer. He tends to cut corners on cases."
"You a lawyer?" Jane asked.
"Was, once." the driver answered, "Now I'm just a driver."
"Why don't you practice anymore?"
"Got tired of the rat race. Decided to retire. But I love driving, so I do that instead."
"Did you ever cross Rain Wolf in the courtroom?" Jane asked.
The driver nodded, "Once or twice. He likes to find loopholes in the law to win his case. Doesn't matter what's right. Just whether or not he wins."
"I've heard about some of his cases." That's an understatement, Jane thought, she was familiar with quite a few of his cases. Especially when her bosses lost against Rain Wolf three times.
"Alright, Miss," The driver pulled up in front of the fifteen story office building she worked in, "here you are."
"Thank you." Jane dropped a five dollar bill into his hand as tip, "Thanks for the ride." She climbed out, and hurried inside.
"Thank goodness you're finally here." the red headed receptionist breathed as Jane pushed through the door at the offices of Morrison and Chambers, attorney's at law.
"Sorry, Allison, what happened?" Jane felt a sense of apprehension as she hurried down the hall towards her office.
Allison followed, "They're in the conference room. They want you in there as soon as you arrive."
Jane dropped her purse and bag on her chair in her office, "Whose in there?" As she approached the conference room, the door opened, and her coworkers started spilling out.
"Looks like the meeting is over." Allison commented as they stepped aside to let everyone pass.
"Lovely." Jane reached for the door handle.
"There's been a buyout." Allison whispered, "Rain Wolf bought the firm."
Jane had already pushed open the door, she glanced back at the receptionist before turning to the room. Her bosses, Keith Morrison, and Andrew Chambers were sitting at the long conference table along with another man easily recognizable from his many interviews on the television news.
"Jane," Keith Morrison, a distinguished gentlemen in his early forties, stood and waved her to the table, "meet Rain Wolf."
Forcing a smile, Jane shook the lawyers hand and chose a chair across the table from him. "I understand we have a new boss." She commented.
"We are now Wolf, Morrison and Chambers." Andrew Chambers, a man in his seventies who had spent his entire life around the law, pushed back from the table. "Though Chambers will be a silent partner. I have decided it's time for me to retire."
Jane felt a true pang of sorrow, "Andy, that's horrible news."
"Yes, well." He shrugged, "As you know, I tried a few years ago, but after Liz's death, I just couldn't sit at home."
"What's changed now?" Jane asked.
Andrew glanced to Rain Wolf, "There is fresh blood in the office."
"I don't understand." Jane said, "Are you being forced..."
"No, not at all." Andrew waved a hand, "I choose to."
"I am not forcing Andrew out of the office." Rain Wolf told her, "I am giving him the means to retire, and still be able to consult."
Andrew patted Jane's shoulder, "Don't worry about me, I'll be around." He left the conference room, leaving Jane with Keith and Rain.
Keith turned to the door. "Jane, I explained to Rain that you are by far the best legal assistant in the office so you will be in charge of this transition."
Jane watched the door close behind him, and settled back in her chair, "I take it you will be the managing member."
"I will." Rain answered, "I understand from Keith that you have been in charge of the office, and staff for a while now."
"I have done what they have asked of me."
"And a lot more. It would seem they are not paying you what you are worth."
Jane laughed, "I am paid an adequate salary."
"I am doubling your salary. I don't want you to quit because of this, Jane. Everyone speaks highly of you, and the background check..."
"Background check?" Jane stood so fast her rolling chair hit the wall behind her with a bang. "Why the hell did you do a background check on me? I did not give you permission."
"You gave permission, Miss Truman," Rain leaned back his chair, his blue eyes taking in every inch of her as she stood defiantly against him, "when you were hired onto this firm. Every employee did."
Disgusted at the obvious interest in his gaze, Jane grabbed her chair, and pulled it back to the table. "What is it you want from me?"
"This office has downsized a great deal in the past few years. I understand there are only ten associates, Keith and Andrew?"
"Along with five assistants, and Allison, the receptionist."
"We need to rebuild this firm." Rain pushed his chair back to stand, "I need an office."
"I assume this has something to do with what I heard on the news this morning." Jane said leaning back in her chair. "The Lincoln Reynolds case."
Rain nodded, "Perceptive."
"You bit off more than you can chew with this case, is that why you need a bigger firm, so the District Attorney doesn't think they can walk all over you?"
Rain laughed, "You know, Miss Truman, most people in your position would be cowering."
"My position?" Jane stood and folded her arms, "What is my position, Mr. Wolf? From what I am gleaning by this conversation, you need me. There is no other explanation than you need a really good assistant to help you find all those loop holes in the law to get your client off this murder charge. I am not in the habit of cowering from anyone."
"Good to know." Rain took a step towards the door with his hands in his pockets. "I believe Keith and Andrew's confidence is well placed in you."
"And?"
"I would like you to continue in your current position, but I need you to do more."
"Like what?"
"This case is going to take a lot of research. Not only the case law, but the history behind it. I need to know everything there is to know about the witnesses, the lawyers, the prosecution at the time."
"When does the new trial start?"
"Two weeks."
"Shit!" Jane scoffed, "If we had every lawyer in this place working on it night and day with no other cases we'd be able to do it, maybe, but I heard you're doing this case Pro Bono, we need cases to bring in money."
"Yes, I am aware of this, Miss Truman. Which is why we are going to hire more people to fill these offices."
"And upstairs." Jane commented as she led the way out of the conference room.
"Upstairs?"
Jane glanced back over her shoulder, "Yes, we lease out the fifth and sixth floors of the building. Currently, we only use the fifth floor."
"What's upstairs?"
"Nothing but empty offices." Jane answered, she entered her office, and grabbed a set of keys from her purse. "There's an empty office down the hall."
"Show me upstairs."
She shrugged, and led the way to the staircase at the back of the office. "There's nothing up here."
"The front doors open to the elevators?" Rain asked as they stepped onto the open hallways of the second floor.
"There are fifty offices up here. Two large corner offices, and some smaller ones."
"Let's get furniture up here." Rain said as he moved through the offices, "We'll use this as a central location for the Reynolds case." He entered the largest office near the front of the floor. "I'll take this office." Pointing through a set of glass double doors, he said, "I believe that on is about the same size."
"Yes, just not a corner office."
"Good, that will be your office."
"My office is downstairs."
"I will need you close by during this case."
Jane entered the office next to his. It was twice the size of her current office, and had floor to ceiling windows on one wall. "Fine."
"We need to get the furniture, computers and other office supplies in here as soon as possible. Today would be preferred."
"You don't want much, do you, Mr. Wolf."
"Rain."
"Excuse me."
"Call me Rain."
Jane nodded, and turned to the door. "I've got some calls to make."
"Find the three best lawyers in the firm, and set them up to move up here."
"Keith would be the best."
Rain paused, "Is there something I should know about you two?"
Turning back to him, Jane laughed, "Nothing that is any of your business."
"If it's going to get in the way of your work on this case, it is my business."
"I am capable of keeping my professional and personal life separate." She left the room, and hurried downstairs. Finding Keith in his large office, she slammed the door closed, "What the fuck, Keith?"
The tall dark haired man stood and rounded his desk, "Now, Jane..."
"Don't now Jane, me." She folded her arms, "Why the hell did you let me get blindsided by that man. You know how I feel about his methods."
"I know you don't particularly like the way he practices law, but the firm was going under, we needed..."
"I'm not talking about the firm, Keith. I'm talking about you giving me a warning. This is what you've been hiding for the past month, isn't it?"
"Jane..."
"Don't even..." She held up her finger to stop him, "This has nothing to do with our history together. In fact, I would really like to just forget the whole thing happened."
"I'm sure you would."
"You're the one who cheated on me," Jane snapped, "Don't try to pretend like you were the one hurt." She spun around on her heel, "He's moving me upstairs, so we won't have to see each other much."
She left Keith's office nearly running into Rain in the hallway. In her office, she grabbed her phone from her purse before heading for the elevators. "Allison, if anyone asks, I went upstairs to the Miles Offices."
"Yes, ma'am."
Riding the elevator to the fifteenth floor, she stopped at the reception desk of Miles Enterprises, "Is Nikki in?" The distracted woman waved her down the hall without a reply. Jane found Nicole Nelson sitting at a long conference table. "I need a favor."
Nicole looked up from her laptop and smiled, "Jane, good to see you. What's up?"
Jane dropped into a chair across from her long time friend, "My firm was just bought out by Rain Wolf."
"Oh, that lawyer on TV?"
"Yeah, the one who wins cases by any means possible."
"How do you feel about that?" Nicole asked.
Jane shook her head, "I don't know yet, but he's got a huge case, and we need to fill the sixth floor with furniture."
Nicole picked up her cellphone, "I'll call the warehouse. Do you have a limit?"
"Not that I'm aware of. He just wants it done. If rumors are true, the man has a shit ton of money, so I doubt he cares about how much the furniture is going to cost."
"Fine. I'll have it delivered this afternoon."
"There are about ten offices to fill for now." Jane rubbed her temple where a headache was starting. "I've got to arrange for computers, and office supplies."
"You want me to set all that up?" Nicole asked. "You know I've got good connections."
"Nik, you're a godsend." Jane blew her friend a kiss, and hurried back downstairs.
"Rain is in the conference room waiting for you." Allison told her as she entered.
"Great." He was sitting at the table with a tablet in his hands when she entered.
"Jane." He waved to a chair across from him. "Any luck on the furniture?"
"You do realize it's been less than an hour since you asked?" With a roll of her eyes, she said, "It will be delivered this afternoon, along with electronics, and supplies."
"Good. I've sent a courier to my office to pick up the Reynolds files."
"Great, everything should be ready by the end of business today." She dropped into a chair across from him, "What is the new evidence? What's the show stopper that won Lincoln Reynolds a new trial?"
"A security video." Rain answered, "It proves that Lincoln was five miles away when his wife and daughter were murdered."
"What kind of video? Obviously there has to be some question as to it's authenticity or the previous lawyers would have used it."
"Not if they didn't know about it. Which they didn't. Lincoln's old lawyer died a few months ago. He was a friend of mine, so his legal assistant asked if I would take his cases on."
"Lincoln Reynolds has been in prison for over twenty years, how did you find the video now?"
"I talked to Lincoln. Before I even looked at any of his case files, I went to the prison and asked him of he wanted me to take over his legal case, or if he wanted to find someone else. He told me it was useless to even bother. No one believed he wasn't anywhere near the house when it happened. He believes the real killer got away with it for the past twenty years."
"This video shows him somewhere else?"
"It's a grainy video from an ATM. As you can guess, video from 1995 isn't the best quality, but you can clearly see it's Lincoln Reynolds."
"The judge granted a second trial because of the video?"
"No, the judge granted a second trial because there is evidence that the prosecution had the video but didn't turn it over to the defense."
"You can prove that?"
"I already did." Rain answered, "The bank kept very good records. They had the Assistant District Attorney's signature on a release form turning over the video to them, but there is no record of the video being turned over to the defense. The judge gave the DA's office a week to find the records, but they claim it was lost."
"Hence it never existed."
"In the eyes of the law, that is correct. However, Dean, that's Lincoln's previous lawyer, kept very good records and notes on the case. There was nothing to indicate he had the video, or that he had ever seen it."
"If Lincoln told him twenty something years ago that he was at an ATM when it happened, why didn't he go to the bank and ask for the video himself."
Rain shrugged, "I have no idea. Perhaps he did, and they didn't give it to him. I don't know. I just know that..." he turned the tablet around showing her the screen with the ATM video playing. "That is Lincoln Reynolds."
A black and white image appeared on the screen. A man stood in front of the camera. It was dark outside, and the light above the machine was dim making it difficult to tell who the man was. Until he leaned forward slightly to take the money from the machine, the image cleared for a second.
Lincoln Reynolds. There was no doubt the man in the video was the man who had spent the last twenty years in prison for killing his wife and two-year-old daughter.