Russian Mobster's Pregnant Mistress (8 page)

“I bet you’re a stellar trial attorney.”

One corner of her mouth twisted into something that was more sneer than smile. “You would be correct.”

“Yet your specialty is family law and not criminal defense.”

“At this point I’m going to hope that Maggie hasn’t done anything criminal that needs defending.” Courtney pressed her lips together into a thin line. “At this point she merely seems to be suffering from a disorder that includes sleeping with the wrong man.”

“You don’t approve of our relationship?”

“I don’t approve of any relationship that ends with a trip to the FBI field office, a nearly three hour hold, and then being charged with obstruction of justice and held without bail.” Courtney’s harsh tone brought the full reality of the situation home to Jacob.

“What do you suggest?”

“First of all, I’ve already filed a motion for false imprisonment. They have no proof.” Courtney grimaced. “Getting pregnant by a man does not make a woman an accessory to whatever other crimes he may commit.”

“Have you spoken with her?” Jacob hoped he didn’t sound as anxious as he felt.

“No.” Courtney exhaled long and slow. “They’re drawing out the processing and calling you a terrorist. That means Maggie’s case falls under the heading of homeland security.”

“Shit.”

“Exactly.” Nothing in Courtney’s voice, posture, or manner gave any hint of what she was thinking. “I’m hoping to talk to her. They have to have offered her a deal. I don’t know why she wouldn’t have just taken it in the interest of keeping herself out of jail long enough to outmaneuver these slimy bastards.” Courtney shot him a withering glare. “But I have a feeling it probably involved spying or somehow ratting on you.”

“She’s loyal,” Jacob murmured.

“Though I cannot imagine why as it’s put her in
jail
,” Courtney reminded him.

Jacob set that guilt aside for the moment. “I don’t care how much it costs, I want her freed. I will foot whatever bills this incurs for either you or her, or any other attorneys that you find you need to hire in order to make this go away.”

Courtney stood up. “That was what I was hoping to hear. I can donate my billable hours up to a certain point before my partners will begin to get tetchy about it. In addition, this is—as you pointed out—not my specialty. So I would like to call in a few friends. There are certain people in this city who are rather adept at picking up cases that relate to civil rights violations. It’s quite possible that the FBI will be eager to make this all go away if they’re threatened with that sort of media circus.”

“Do it,” Jacob advised. “Whatever it takes.”

“And if it takes serving you up on a platter?”

“Is she truly carrying my child?” Jacob asked quietly. Of all the reports he’d had so far, Courtney’s was likely to be the most accurate.

“Yes. She is halfway through her first trimester of pregnancy,” Courtney told him. “To my knowledge she hasn’t been with anyone but you in a very long time. Despite my encouragement otherwise.” Courtney seemed to be sizing him up. “I honestly don’t see the attraction, but it’s certainly there. She is completely stuck on you. Although she wasn’t certain if she would tell you about the baby or not.”

“What? Why?” he demanded.

Courtney raised an eyebrow. “You cannot be that obtuse.”

“Why wouldn’t she want help?”

“Because of this very situation.” Courtney grimaced. “This will be a repetitive pattern in any life that includes you, Jacob Dolohov. You are bad news. You’re a criminal. The government is altogether too interested in your activities both here and on foreign soil. That makes you a target, and by proxy anyone who is with you is an equally vulnerable target.”

Jacob thought of the conversation he’d had earlier with Sasha. Perhaps he was coming to the end of this portion of his life. He was tired. Tired of the living his life always on the edge of disaster. It was barely tolerable when it involved only him. Now the mess he existed in had touched yet another person, this one dear to him for reasons he wasn’t yet ready to explore.

“I’ll be in touch,” Courtney said tersely before exiting his office and letting the door slam closed behind her.

Sasha emerged from the shadows in the corner of the dim warehouse space. “That woman is a truly fascinating specimen.”

“If you think that she didn’t know you were hiding in here, think again,” Jacob told his friend. “Her gaze kept returning to your spot as if she was trying to decide whether or not to blow the whistle on your appearance.”

“Even better,” Sasha murmured. “And are you comfortable with letting her handle things? She seems extremely capable.”

“You’re biased.”

“As are you.”

Jacob really couldn’t argue with that. “Get Vasily and Peter. I think we need to formulate our own complimentary strategy.”

Sasha’s sigh could only be described as annoyed. “Yes, sir.”

Chapter Ten

“Courtney, thank God!” Maggie slumped into the hard plastic chair and tried not to wilt. “I was afraid they weren’t going to let me see you today.”

“Considering it’s a weekend, we’re pretty lucky they did.” Courtney’s voice was low, traveling no further than the two of them.

The visitation room at the county jail was empty but for the two of them and an armed prison guard in his brown and green uniform. Maggie had the feeling big brother was watching them though. The amount of cameras in this place was staggering.

“So.” Courtney’s gaze flicked to the cameras. “Keeping in mind that we are in no way alone, why don’t we discuss your case.”

“I thought attorney client privilege existed in jail.” Maggie knew she sounded pouty, but she was tired.

Courtney pulled out a black folio and opened it to a fresh sheet of paper. “At this point I’m just grateful they let me see you.”

“That’s probably because I’ve been threatening to slap them with a lawsuit for harming my unborn child and destroying my health,” Maggie said through gritted teeth.

“Good girl.”

“They’ve had a doctor in to see me already.” Maggie wasn’t sure if that was good or bad though. “I think it might have been to double check the results of that pregnancy test for themselves though.”

“Either way it’s a cover thine own ass move.” Courtney scribbled something on the paper. “What did they ask you to do that landed you in here?”

Maggie knew from Courtney’s hushed whisper that she didn’t want Taggart and his lackeys to know what they were talking about. Courtney kept scribbling away as if Maggie had already told her everything she needed.

Maggie tried to speak without moving her lips and kept her head tilted down away from the cameras. “They wanted me to spy on Jacob and agree to be their undercover plant until they were done putting him away.”

“Damn.” Courtney added a few choice curses. “Can you change your mind?”

“I’m not doing that!” Maggie struggled to keep her voice down.

“I’m not saying you should, but we could at least get you out of here.” Courtney stopped writing and raised her tone. “I think there’s probably a way we can make a deal. You think about it and I’ll be back tomorrow for us to finalize our approach.”

“What?” Maggie frowned. “I’m not…”

“Yes. You are,” Courtney murmured. “I’ll talk to Jacob and see what we can come up with.”

“Oh. You mean feed them something false.” Maggie had to admit that it was a good plan and one she hadn’t really thought of until now. “I think I could get them on board with that.”

“We’re going to need to get you a good deal though,” Courtney warned. “Something that doesn’t allow them to come back at you. You cannot be held responsible for the viability of anything that Jacob might or might not tell you. Do you understand that?”

“Yeah.” It suddenly occurred to Maggie that Courtney wasn’t actually a criminal defense attorney. “Uh, are you good with all of this? I know I’m sort of asking you to step out on a limb here.”

“I called Ronnie Means,” Courtney admitted. “He and I have come up with a strategy. But I knew you had requested me and listed me as your attorney because I told you to.” Courtney gave a self-satisfied smirk. “Believe me, if Taggart takes this all the way to court he’s going to be completely surprised at what shows up in your corner. I have authorization for a full legal team if I need it.”

“And we know some people,” Maggie agreed. “And I would
so
love to nail that asshole’s balls to the wall. You have no idea!”

“Slow down, tiger,” Courtney said with a laugh. “We might be able to manage that, but not if you go all rabid crazy about it.”

Maggie lowered her face as though she were rethinking her behavior, then whispered, “You saw Jacob?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“You’re right about him. But I’m not sure how this is all going to work out.” Courtney sighed. “I’m worried about you, Mags.”

Maggie didn’t even bother to try and hide her fear. “I am too. I’m having a freaking baby! Not something I expected, you know?”

“I mentioned you weren’t going to tell him.”

“What?” Maggie was horrified, but equally dying to know what Jacob had said. “And?”

“I think he would have been offended if you’d gone that route.” Courtney made a face. “I’ve spent a lot of years facing off with men who lie and cheat. He’s not the type. Although he
is
a criminal.”

“Go figure,” Maggie muttered.

***

Maggie was really starting to hate this interview room. Between the white walls and the creepy one way glass that made her feel like she was a bug under a microscope, the place was pretty horrible. Still, Maggie was doing her best to sit there in her orange jumpsuit looking bored.

Taggart strode into the room as though he considered himself lord of the manor. “My associates tell me you’re ready to make a deal.”

“My lawyer thinks its best and I defer to her opinion,” Maggie agreed stiffly. “But there are conditions.”

“Such as?” Taggart settled himself in a chair.

Maggie wondered why he felt comfortable enough to do so now instead of looming over her the way he had the first time he’d interrogated her. She put that away and focused on what she needed to happen. “First? I want out of here. Now. I will agree to pass you information for a period of three weeks. No more. I don’t intend to be around for any longer than that. Especially not since you’re asking me to willingly be in contact with a man we all know I told that I don’t want to see anymore. Plus, I’m pregnant. You can’t put me in danger like that. It’s wrong and I’m pretty sure any judge would look at it that way.”

“It’s Dolohov’s child.”

“Maybe or maybe not. And since he and I were never a couple, it’s
my
baby.” She stuck her jaw out aggressively. “Don’t even think you’re going to use my kid to get to a man I’m not even one hundred percent sure is the father.”

“We know it is.”

Maggie sat back. “You’re such an ass, you know that? Did you do a DNA test without my knowledge? That’s not likely is it? And I won’t submit to one without fighting you every inch of the way.”

“Why not?” Taggart demanded. “What are you hiding?”

“Hiding?” Maggie pounded her hand on the tabletop. “Are you kidding me? Do you have any idea what a pain in the ass it would be to have DNA confirmation that I’m carrying Dolohov’s child? He could very well take my baby from me. Screw you guys. I know you don’t care one bit about my unborn child and even less about me. Well I do. So this is what I’m offering. Otherwise, I’ll see your ass in court!”

Taggart heaved an aggravated sigh. “What else?”

“I want immunity. In writing. I want to be completely free of you and your FBI, CIA, DEA, ATF, and whatever other agency bozos might want to pester me. I want that absolutely ironclad. I give you three weeks of intel and you guys are out of my life for good.”

“In writing.”

“Yeah, because I’m not an idiot. My lawyer will draft the agreement and you guys will push it through whatever red tape you need to.”

“Or what?” Taggart snorted.

“Or I’m going to sit here and rot in jail. Then I’m going to explain to a judge exactly what’s happened and what you and your asshole agents consider obstruction. And I drafted a letter for my attorney to give to Dolohov warning him of exactly what you asked me to do and why. That ought to piss him off pretty good. Don’t you think?”

Taggart’s face froze beneath the arrogant mask he was wearing. “You wouldn’t. You’d have to out yourself about the baby.”

“So what?” Maggie really turned on the attitude. “At this point my hands are tied. I’d like to live my life normally, but you guys have made that impossible. Thanks to your interference, the one mistake I made has turned into the biggest pain in the ass I could imagine. So if you think I’m going to”—she gave him air quotes—“help my country, you’re shit out of luck.”

“I’ll take this back to my superiors and see what they have to say,” Taggart told her stiffly.

“Yeah? Well the offer expires in twenty minutes so you’d better get a move on.” Maggie made a shooing motion with her hands. “Go ahead. I’ll wait right here.”

Taggart thinned his lips so much that his mouth actually turned down at the corners. “Call your attorney. We’ll push it through.”

“Why thank you,” Maggie said sarcastically. “I knew you could be reasonable if you tried.”

“You’d better come up with some worthwhile intel,” Taggart snapped.

“Or what?” Maggie sniffed. “You get three weeks no matter what. Even if the most interesting thing I learn is what brand of toilet paper he prefers.”

“This is bullshit!” Taggart shouted.

Maggie jumped to her feet. “So is the way you treated me! Your fucking agents pulled me off of a city street. They plowed through my medical records without my knowledge or permission, and you guys have been bullying me ever since. Do not think you’re going to get away with railroading me.”

“You’d better watch it.” Taggart raised his hand, but then he made a fist and dropped it.

“No. You’d better watch it.” Maggie pulled her ace in the hole. “If this goes to trial. And you can be certain it
will
. My lawyer and I know three very good civil rights attorneys who are dying to have a go at this. They’ve got the local and national news on speed dial and they can’t wait to take a bite out of your asses.”