Page 45 of A River of Crows

Sloan opened the phone book to the yellow pages and found the ad for Hadfield and Espinoza, Attorneys at Law. She looked at the tiny picture of Brad Hadfield in the advertisement.

Brad Hadfield, her brother. Brother. The word echoed through her head as she dialed. Would Ridge have looked anything like him? Did Ridge look anything like him?

“Hadfield and Espinoza Attorneys at Law. Can I help you?”

Sloan cleared her throat. “Yes, I need to speak to Brad, please?”

“May I ask whose calling?”

“This is his sister.” The word left a nasty taste in Sloan’s mouth.

Sloan’s hands began to sweat as she waited for Brad. She didn’t want to do this, but she didn’t know who else could help.

“Felicity?” A hint of worry laced Brad’s voice.

“No, sorry. It’s Sloan.”

There was the briefest silence before Brad spoke. “Sloan. Wow. Thanks for calling. Felicity told me she met with you, and I hoped you might reach out.”

“Felicity doesn’t know I’m calling,” Sloan said. “But long story short, I found out some more information that makes me question everything I thought happened to Ridge.”

Brad lowered his voice. “Do you want to meet somewhere and talk? Come up with a plan?”

“I already have a plan. I just need help.”

“Oh . . . yeah, okay. Whatever you need.”

“I need to see Eddie Daughtry,” she blurted.

“You what?” Brad’s voice lost its professionalism.

“I just want to ask him a few things.”

“There’s no way his lawyer will allow that. Daughtry’s awaiting trial.”

“You’re a lawyer. Talk to his lawyer. Figure out a way.”

Brad chuckled. “I’m an estate planning lawyer, Sloan.”

Sloan felt a headache coming on. She unclenched her jaw to speak. “Well, you must have connections, right? I need you to call them in. I realize Dad’s getting out either way, but we have a chance to find out the truth.”

“So glad to hear you want to clear Dad’s name.” Brad’s voice turned friendly again. “Have you visited him?”

Sloan tipped her head back. She somehow suspected the conversation might go here. Whether or not he committed murder, there was no clearing that man’s name. “Not yet.”

“But I’m assuming you will? I have to tell you, Sloan, it’s broken Dad’s heart not to see you. Not that he blames you. I mean, he and my brother were estranged for years. But Kyle’s come around, and I sort of hoped you had too.”

Sloan didn’t know what to say. Why didn’t she want to see her dad again if she believed he was innocent? Guilt, awkwardness, and still anger. Fierce, fiery, anger. The anger had never been about whether her father killed Ridge, not really. If he’d done it, Sloan understood it had been an accident. But having two families, well, that was no side effect of anything Jay Hadfield saw in the hostile jungles of Vietnam.

“Sloan? Are you still there?”

“Sorry, yeah. I’ll see him. Work out whatever.”

“Great!” Sloan heard papers shuffling. “I’ll get your email address and send you the paperwork as soon as I get it from the prison.”

“Sounds good . . . now, about Eddie. I realize seeing him won’t be easy. Maybe this is unethical, but I have some money coming in, and if that’s what it takes for Eddie to talk, I’m willing to use it for our advantage.”

“So, you really think Eddie took Ridge?” Brad asked.