The man in the suit spoke first, addressing Maddie. “Well, hello, there, Counselor. Fancy running into you again.”
Maddie’s mocking tone matched his. “Hi, Sarge. We were just talking about you.”
Joanna glanced at the attorney long enough to notice that he looked a bit surprised. “What makes you think I was a sergeant?”
Maddie looked him up and down with characteristic flippancy. “Weren’t you?”
“He was.” It was Trevor who’d spoken, and who first extended his hand to Maddie. “Trevor Farrell. You must be Joanna’s sister.”
“Maddie Zielinski,” she confirmed, shaking his hand. “So that means you’re the infamous Adam,” she said then, looking at the final member of the trio.
Drawing his gaze from Joanna, Adam turned to her sister. “Adam Scott, though I don’t know about the infamous part. Hello, Maddie.”
She studied him. “Wow. The resemblance to Simon really is incredible.”
He ignored her comment, instead motioning from Walter to Joanna. “That leaves only you two who haven’t met, I guess. Joanna, this is my friend Walt Becker.”
“Friend?” Joanna murmured as she shook the man’s big hand.
“Friend,” he repeated. His brown eyes were warm and smiling, but she didn’t make the mistake of assuming he was innocuous. She had no doubt he was as tough as he appeared.
Adam made an impatient move. “We need to talk, Joanna.”
Maddie took her sister’s arm. “My schedule is open today,” she said.
Adam flicked her an annoyed glance. “I was talking to your sister.”
“I’m speaking for my sister,” Maddie retorted, undaunted.
“Maddie,” Joanna said, “I appreciate your support, but I speak for myself.”
“So does Adam,” Walt murmured. “Doesn’t mean he’d turn down advice from a concerned friend, right, bro?”
“Tell you what.” Trevor said quickly, glancing around at other guests in the area, some of whom were eying the tense-looking group curiously. “I have some things to attend to now, but my personal conference room is available if you’d like to take this conversation inside.”
“I’ve got one more hour free before I have to get back to the office,” Walt commented. “Wouldn’t hurt to chat for a few minutes.”
“Let’s do this,” Maddie declared, tossing back her hair. “Where’s the conference room?”
Walt gestured with his right hand toward the guest relations building entrance. “I know the way.”
The two of them headed in that direction side by side on the narrow walkway. Joanna noted that Maddie had an extra spring in her step; there was nothing her sister loved more than a spirited argument.
Adam frowned at Joanna. “Do you really want to do this?”
“No,” she replied candidly. “I have no idea why we’re having this meeting. But then, I’m not the one who retained a lawyer.”
His left eyebrow rose skeptically. “That’s not what your sister seems to think.”
“My sister is family. She came to see if I needed her, not because I asked her for professional help.”
“And Walt is my friend. My version of family,” Adam responded evenly. “He volunteered to help me with any legal steps I need to take now that I know about Simon.”
“To protect your interests, you mean,” she said, remembering the assessing way Trevor had eyed her and Maddie.
Adam shrugged, which only irked her more.
“Fine.” She turned to follow the others. “Let’s do this.”