Chapter Five: The Empty Vow

“There are thousands of attorneys named Zhou in Harbor City.” Julian pushed coffee toward Mira after hearing the recording. “The sound is distorted. Two words are not a conviction.” He had been Mira’s debate partner in college and the only lawyer willing to chase her mother’s sealed files for free. In twelve years he had seen her at her worst, and he knew she never hid suspicion behind manners. “That’s why I’m asking you directly. Did anyone make you remove a name from the Gu-Lu list?” After a pause, Julian opened his laptop. Three days earlier, Gu Legal had ordered him to remove a temporary photographer who had allegedly failed screening. The man, Cole Xu, was the son of the White Tern’s missing chief engineer.