Chapter 5

By nine o'clock, I was sitting across from Anika Reed, the lawyer who had filed Bell Street's original design copyright.

She had the revised parking plan open between us.

"Your name is on this version," she said. "Did you authorize it?"

"No."

"Did you authorize Owen to use your drawings for the apartment proposal?"

"No."

She nodded once and pulled a yellow pad closer.

"Then we ask for a temporary stop. Not a final ruling. Just enough time to keep the work from moving before the documents are reviewed."

Outside her office, phones rang and someone laughed too loudly. Inside,…