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and her commanding presence, she couldn’t remember the last time attraction had paralyzed her, threatened to consume her. She wasn’t sure it ever had. No one had ever made her feel so unsettled. That the person to rouse these undeniable feelings was here, in this place where she’d come to find help for her brother, meant she would have to be more vigilant than ever.
     
    *
     
    Cory had followed Melinda into the building. She whispered, “What is this place?”
    “This place is you, avoiding a hearing. Your wish is my command.” She pulled Cory aside. “It’s the Alfred T. Linney Justice Clinic. Surely you’ve heard of it?”
    Cory’s back stiffened. “Is this some kind of joke?” Like most attorneys at the DA’s office, she was familiar with the Linney clinic since they worked like rabid dogs to undo all the hard work she and all the other prosecutors did on behalf of the citizens of Dallas County. The clinic was funded primarily by a generous endowment and operated with assistance from the law school at Richards University, a local college.
    “I can’t do this. Seriously, Mel, what am I supposed to do here? I’ll be conflicted out of half the cases they have.”
    “Take a deep breath, girl. They’ll erect a Chinese wall for any cases out of Dallas County.” Melinda referred to provisions taken within a law firm or office to shield communications about a particular case from attorneys who might represent clients in conflicting matters. She mimicked gentle breathing as if she could coax Cory into relaxation. It wasn’t working. Cory was only just beginning to get ramped up.
    “I’m not kidding. Schedule the hearing. I’ll go down in flames quicker that way.”
    Melinda grabbed her arm and squeezed hard, apparently giving up all pretense of being soothing. “I’m all for a hearing, but if we have one, I’m not prepared to lose. That means that I’ll be a rabid bulldog hell-bent on showing the hearing examiner the Cory Lance I know wouldn’t withhold evidence in a first-degree felony trial. Are you prepared for battle?”
    Cory sagged. Doing battle in the courtroom was what she did best. A state bar examiner’s hearing, being judged by her peers, wasn’t familiar and wasn’t home turf. Too many variables she couldn’t control, and she knew Melinda well enough to know she wouldn’t rest until she got to the bottom of what had happened with the Nelson case. Those details could and should remain buried. Maybe she could handle this penance for a little while.
    “How long?”
    “Two months.”
    “That’s practically forever.”
    “It is not. It’d take longer to get a hearing.”
    “Why this place?”
    “Paul Guthrie, the senior staff attorney, is an old friend of mine, and he agreed to take you on. And I figured a little work for the other side would help your reputation. The state bar folks ate it up.
    “Look, you can sit at home wondering what’s going to happen to you or you can work here and get on with your life. Your choice.” Melinda tapped her fingers on Cory’s shoulder, waiting.
    Cory did a quick mental inventory. Not a choice really. Hell, she was here already. May as well at least check it out. Two months wasn’t enough time to get too involved.
    Paul Guthrie, the clinic director, greeted her like a long-lost friend. Cory struggled not to let suspicion about his motives color their first meeting. Melinda made sure she was settled in before abandoning her to her adversaries. Cory looked around the room, but there was only the one escape route. Paul grinned at her as if he knew what she was thinking, and then motioned her into a chair and launched into a brief orientation.
    “Lucky you could be here this morning. We have a new client coming in, and I’d like you to sit in to see how we conduct intake. My understanding is that this one’s on a short timeline so we’ll have to jump on it if we’re going to take it on.”
    “Where did the case originate?”
    “Don’t