Breaking Steele (Sarah Steele Legal Thriller)

Chapter 19

THE DRIVE FROM THE office to the Williams, Inc. building took just over fifty minutes. It was located out of town past the airport on the road heading toward the foothills. I’d called Dan and told him everything, which meant he had more questions than ever—just like I did. What I realized as I told him about the flowers was that I didn’t want to go home again. They knew where I lived, and my place wasn’t exactly an insurmountable fortress. My mind whirled, wondering where I should go. I must’ve wondered out loud because Dan said, “You can stay at my place.”

I wrinkled my nose in disgust, but said sweetly, “No, thanks. If they could find my house, they could find your place. I’ll figure something out.”

And then I saw what I was looking for. “I’m at Williams, Inc.,” I said. “I’ll catch you later.”

“Be careful,” he said in a fatherly tone.

I almost said, “Whatever,” but then thought better of it and said, “I will.”

I stopped at the gate, which was a good mile from the main building. I could see the white, gleaming buildings in the distance shining like diamonds against the sagebrush.

Williams, Inc. had over four thousand employees; it brought a huge amount of income into the valley and was good for everyone. They also were working on new battery technology. If they could create a battery that lasted three times longer, just imagine what that would do to the auto industry. Electric cars would take over, and the oil crisis would be at an end. The world had high hopes for Williams, Inc. and I was trying to take down the CEO, which didn’t put me in very good standing with a lot of powerful people.

The rent-a-cop’s skin was dark from the hot summer sun. He had a smooth, bald head and mirrored sunglasses. I guess I’d watched too much television because to me, he looked just like one of the DB on Reno 911. He approached my car and I rolled down my window.

“I’m Sarah Steele, the ADA.” I waited a moment and said, “I have an appointment with Hannah Williams.”

“Hold on.” The man took off his glasses, picked up a black phone, and turned to me. The six-by-six guard booth had a small TV in the corner displaying the turnoff from the main road.

I waited and wondered if I was going to strike out. Was I too late? I could pretend to be a cutthroat lawyer if I needed to, but it was more for show than anything else.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “But you’re too late.”

I couldn’t stop now. “No way. I need to see Williams today. I’m late because her father has been terrorizing me and I’m going to hear what she has to say about that. I need to get in.” I gave him a soft look, and the guard rubbed his chin and glanced back toward the white buildings in the distance.

“Look, miss, I just work here. I got kids, and they fire people around here for sneezing too loud. I really want to help you, but I can’t.”

Groaning, I gripped the steering wheel and half thought about gunning it and breaking through the gate across the road.

“Tell you what.” The guard leaned out the window and smiled. “I’ll get her secretary on the phone and you see if you can wheedle your way in after all.”

I grinned. Wheedling was one of my greatest skills. After he dialed, I took the phone from him. “Hello, this is Sarah Steele.”

“Hello, Sarah Steele,” a crisp female voice answered. “You’ll have to make another appointment.”

“No, I don’t,” I said. “Williams needs to see me today. I’m working a case involving her father and I need to hear her statement.” Silence on the other side of the line. “I can either come in now or in three hours with a court order. You don’t want that kind of hassle, do you?”

More silence and then the woman said, “Let me talk to the guard.”

Perking up, I handed the phone back, tapping my nails on the steering wheel as I waited.

He hung up. “You’re free to go in, Miss Steele.”

I smiled. “Thank you.” I was about to pull forward when I noticed his expression. It was as if he had something on the tip of his tongue.

“What is it?” I asked.

“You should be talking to Glen Williams, not Hannah.”

I’d never heard that name before, but I’d better find out why it mattered. “Really?” I said, my expression open. “Who is he?”

“I think he’s Hank’s brother or cousin or uncle or someone.” The guard stared intently at me for a moment and then looked away.

I knew he couldn’t be Hank’s brother. Hank was an only child. “Got anything to dish on him?” I asked in a quiet voice.

“Nothing much—the man is a ghost. He only comes around, like, twice a year, and most people around here don’t even know what he looks like. Hank Williams is the face of the company. Now that he’s in trouble, there’s a lot of speculation about who’s going to run things. People are scared of Glen. I mean, he’s a weird guy!”

“What do you mean by ‘weird’?”

“I just hear things—you know. They say he lives in hiding, like a hermit or some sort of recluse or something. But they say he’s always watching us.”

I held back a smile. The gossip chain was not going to help me. This story was turning out to be a tale the employees were told to stay in line.

“Thanks.” I was about to pull forward, but I hesitated. The name Glen Williams stuck in my head, as if it mattered somehow. “Do you know anyone who could tell me about him?”

The guard rubbed his jaw as he thought. “Hmm, you could try to talk to Heather Dade.”

“Heather Dade?” I straightened up at the familiar name. She was the one who had changed her name from Hannah Williams. “Who is she? Is she related?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. She stops by here every now and again. I feel bad for her. Lives over in the—” He suddenly looked around, as if realizing how much he’d told me. “G’luck,” he said quietly, tipping his head to me. I got the hint and drove on.

The Williams family was larger than I’d thought. How much did they have to do with Hank, and were any of them following in his footsteps? I’d have to find out.