That La Jolla Lawyer

by Robert Rogers

  “I might have read it someplace, after the trial. You led me on, Jennifer. Let me think there was more. You knew there wasn’t!” The last came out louder than he would have liked.

  “Hmm. I hope not, Matt. Franklin had asked me to marry him a long time ago, before any of the mess happened. Aaron was always gone or busy, you know, chasing after somebody, and Franklin was there, a shoulder to lean on. I should have told you, in retrospect. But, during the trial, all I could think about was the gun the DA had pointed at my head.”

  “As I recall, you promised we would consummate our relationship after the trial.”

  “Forgive me, Matt,” she reached across the table and touched his hands with hers. “It was a spontaneous reaction at the time. I wasn’t thinking clearly. You should know that. You told the jury that often enough. My lapsed sanity.”

  “I guess I did. In the heat of battle, who knows what’s real and what’s not, right?”

  “Thank you for understanding.”

  “Sure.” Hell, I don’t understand at all. All I know is that you and Franklin gutted me in front of God and everybody after the trial. But, right now, I’ll settle for the money you owe me.

  The server brought their bowls of noodles, so eating interrupted the conversation.

  After a few bites, Matt looked at her and said, “I put it behind me. I assume you and…Franklin are doing well. How is his practice coming along? I don’t have much to do with the legal community these days.”

  “He’s very busy. You probably know he relocated to La Jolla. It was a good move, professionally and financially, but he is too busy, I think. We barely have time together. I’m worried, Matt. I’m not sure we’re going to make it. I may have made a mistake. I’ve missed you.” She reached out with her hand briefly.

  I believe the woman is staging me. Be damned. This time, I see it though. The benefit of experience.

  “Not much I can do about that, is there? Right now, I guess we should discuss my letter, my bill. I assume that’s why you wanted to meet.”

  “Ah … not really. I wanted to see you. I’ve missed you. I wanted to call, but knew I’d better not. I was afraid of how I may react. I remember how it was between us.”

  Me too, one big stall, one-way chemistry. “I do too, but it has been so long, I don’t wake up nights thinking about it anymore.”

  She busied herself with her noodle bowl. He did the same and waited. As they enjoyed their noodles, she looked up and said, “I read something about you the other day didn’t I? I was going to call to see how you were when I got your letter.”

  “You mean about the murdered girl? She was a young woman, really,” Matt said.

  “That’s right. A reporter for ANN killed at your house. Was she a girlfriend? The newspaper said you had been or were a suspect. Are you a suspect?” She asked with surprise on her face.

  “I doubt it. I was having a beer at a pub down the street when it happened. She was a reporter or correspondent, I don’t know if there’s a technical difference or not. She worked on stories for ANN. Like Mike Wallace once did so well … behind the scene looks at controversial stories,” Matt told her.

  Her face took on a puzzled look. “She won a Pulitzer, the story said. While she was at the Union. It sounds like she was… important. How…what was she doing at your house? Surely she wasn’t living there.” Jennifer smiled.

  He laughed at the suggestion. “My dump, you mean. Hardly. This is the story I’ve pieced together about her. She was working on a feature story for ANN about the aftermath of your trial. Human interest kind of thing. What happened to the participants?

  What was the impact of the trial on their lives? What was left out of the trial? She hinted at that. Would the verdict have been the same?”

  “Do you think anything was left out? I thought the DA and the media beat it to death. Me, included,” Jennifer said.

  “Yeah. I did too. There might have been a few odds and ends, I didn’t think anything of significance, but could be I was too close to it. She obviously thought some things were left out. I assume she hadn’t been out to interview you? I imagine you and Franklin were on her list.”

  She scoffed. “No. If she had tried to interview me, I’d have thrown her out. I don’t want to be dragged through that mud again. Franklin hasn’t said anything about it so I doubt she called him.”

  “I understand. She gave me a story about needing a place to stay while some trouble on another story blew over. I let her have my spare bedroom. The next morning, she said she remembered me from the trial and started asking questions. It never stopped. I didn’t mind. I should have figured it out, but it wasn’t important enough, I suppose. I had almost pushed the thing out of my mind,” Matt said.

  “One experience like that is enough for one lifetime. Don’t you agree?” She asked.

  “I couldn’t agree more. However, I have to say that she brought me out of my … well, my damn depression, the black hole I’d been living in. I lay that on you, Jennifer. I thought we had something going.”

  She reached across the table without touching him, but got tantalizingly close, and smiled sweetly, her eyes meeting his. “Oh, Matt, how I wish it could have been. Franklin and I … well, we loved each other. It just happened. I’m sorry. I apologize for not

  telling you.”

  “Yeah. Well, it’s over now. I’m probating the girl’s estate for her parents.”

  She seemed surprised. “You are? What does that involve? It’s not a criminal case is it? Are you back in practice?”

  “No on both questions. It’s not criminal but there may be a wrongful death case in it. I have to check that out. I don’t know if I’ll go back into practice, but right now, I’m thinking I will. Sarah brought me out of the hole I’d been in since the trial.” He ended that thought with a shrug.

  She ignored his last comment and replied, “I’m happy for

  you.”

  They put the conversation on hold to finish their dinner.

  Finally, she shoved her bowl away and said, “That was as good as I remember.” She and Matt had eaten there from time to time during the trial.

  He agreed.

  “Let me talk about the reason I’m here, Matt. The money I know I owe you. It’s a lot. And, I will pay you. I promise. If it weren’t for you, I’d very likely be in prison someplace worried about broom handle attacks.”

  He gave that an agreeing nod. “No doubt in my mind.”

  “Yes. Well, I finally settled with Aaron’s children. Last month, in fact. That cost me something. I don’t mind telling you. The thing is, right now, I’m kind of short of liquid assets. I could start sending you something each month, say, five thousand, from the cash flow out of my practice. When I can liquidate some of the assets Aaron left me, I’ll pay you everything. Will that be okay? I know that’s not fair, given all you did for me. But, I hope you’ll understand.”

  That time, she placed her hand over his and gave a little squeeze.

  “I need you to be my friend, Matt. Can you forget my

  mistake and forgive me?”

  So, the reason for the warm hug.

  He smiled and caressed her hand. “Of course, Jennifer.”

  Bullshit. No way will I ever forget being made a fool of. Putting his thought aside, he said, “Your proposal is okay with me. I understand. I imagine you’ve been through a lot. Why don’t we leave it at that? Send me something in writing. That’s the lawyer in me talking.”

  She promised.

  Outside, she said goodbye with another warm full body hug and added a kiss … without the flinch. “I’ve missed you, Matt.”

  Yeah. I bet. What about Franklin, the man you love?

  “I’ve missed you too, Jennifer. Let’s do this again.”

  She agreed with a big smile.

  “She was playing me,” Matt said during the drive home.

  “The flinch was the tip off. She recovered, but she wasn’t expecting it and didn’t welcome it. Obviously s
he wanted to stall for time to pay her bill or figure out a way not to. The second kiss told me that. A million dollars is a big chunk to come up with on a moment’s notice.”

  That’s what she had cost him in money. What she had cost him otherwise was a lot more, his will to live.

  Sarah’s new life began after her divorce. Mine over morning coffee with her.

  Thoughts of Jennifer kept him awake that night. I still want her. I still want to sleep with her. I must have a loose screw. The difference is - this time, it won’t be for love.

  He took a sleeping pill and finally drifted off.

  And, in the morning, he played the Second Waltz. It had already been playing in his head from the time he awoke. He was pleased to find that he enjoyed the music and didn’t have a depression hangover afterwards.

  Chapter 11

  Carter called early. “I’m not due at campaign headquarters for another hour. Got any coffee in that dump you live in?”

  “It’ll be fresh when you get here. You have any news?” “Don’t go trying to preempt me, Matt. I’ll talk after I get some coffee.”

  A few minutes later, the doorbell rang. It was Carter. Matt was still in his pajamas and the coffee machine showed “Ready” on the monitor. Matt stuck a mug under the spigot and punched the brew button.

  After a quick scan of the kitchen for the cat, Carter dragged out a chair and sat down. Matt handed him a mug of black and brewed one for himself.

  He gave a nod for Carter to begin.

  “One little thing might tickle your fancy. Detective Triplett and a locksmith came by the TV station to pick up Sarah’s computer.

  Guess what? It wasn’t there! A reporter working late told me. He said Padgett’s jaw dropped when they looked in Sarah’s computer drawer and there was no computer.”

  Matt laughed. That shows more feeling that he showed when I interviewed him.

  “Be damned. It could be she took it home, well to my place, and her killer took it. It wasn’t at her condo when I went by.”

  “Padgett told the police he didn’t actually see Sarah put it in her desk, but assumed she had. She always did. Triplett supposed she had it with her the night she was killed. Whoever killed her took the computer.”

  “I’m surprised he hasn’t stormed over here to search this place again.”

  “Triplett was fit to be tied, the reporter told me. He figured her computer would give him a clue as to why somebody would want her dead.”

  “She made notes on a pad she kept in her handbag. That’s

  gone. Now the computer. Doesn’t leave us a hell of a lot to look at.”

  “What we’re looking at, Matt, is a dead end, unless you can pull something out of your ass, like you use to in the old days.”

  “Yeah. Unfortunately, in the old days, we knew our enemy,

  the DA. Now, we don’t know shit or even if we have one,” Matt said after turning his cup up.

  “Still too early, I reckon, to throw the baby out with the bath water. We’ll find us an enemy sooner or later.”

  “Or the enemy will find us.”

  “There is that. The cheese might get a bit binding if that happens,” Carter said as he rubbed his hand over his face. “I’m ‘bout to get woke up.”

  “I did follow up on Denise. Sarah’s friend,” Matt said.

  “I kind of know her, a little anyway. She was married to a fellow reporter while she worked at the Union. Guy by the name of Allister told me that. Andre Marino was his name. He wanted to go

  back to New York where his roots were. He missed them delis.”

  “Yeah. Must have been a friendly divorce. His father offered to help her buy Sarah’s condo.”

  “Allister says he calls her now and then. Nicolas’s his name.

  Property manager or something big in Vegas. He’s a friend, according to Allister. Makes me kind of wonder if he might be

  looking for some interest on his money,” Carter said with raised eyebrows and a smile.

  “Yeah. Anything from campaign headquarters?” Matt asked.

  “I managed a few words with Denise. She doesn’t know I

  moonlight as a janitor at ANN. One thing might be of interest. That computer giant, Merlin Inc., is backing the congressman. They have a guy working at the campaign headquarters, Jeff Warner. He and Sarah worked the fundraisers. I haven’t met the guy, even seen him, but the other grunts say he’s a piece of work, big guy, a tough bastard. ’Ud be hard to bring down. Not what I’d expect of a

  financial guy. They’re usually thin, wear glasses and dark Brooks Brothers suits, nothing tough.”

  “I know about Merlin. At least I’d heard of ’em before I resigned from the human race. That may be the money angle Sarah was talking about with Denise. If they have a guy running around with Reid, they must have an interest to protect, as in money.”

  “Could be. I’ll see if I can find anything sinister about them.”

  “Sarah might have spotted something that aroused her

  investigative instincts. You’ve been busy. Keep it up.” Matt said and added a report of his dinner with Jennifer.

  “No shit! I hope you protected your balls and didn’t turn your

  back.” Carter laughed. “I figured you’d throttle her if she came within grabbin’ range.”

  Matt explained the motive behind his tactful approach; the collection of his fee and the funds he’d advanced during the trial. He left out the troubled night afterward, thinking about her.

  “That makes sense, Matt. For a second there, I thought you’d gone braindead. What’d she say?”

  “Says she’ll pay eventually. Probably drag it out, hoping I’ll die before she has to cough up too much.”

  “You’ve pegged her right, I believe. She’s a bitch, Matt. Certifiable. Stringing you along the way she did. Shit, I half

  thought about killing her myself.”

  “I can’t say I felt good about it either. I had to hide my razor blades for a long time.” Matt was referring to the bottom of a depression, one he characterized as “looking-for-the-razor-blades depressed.”

  “I knew about how you felt. Oh, before I git, there was one other thing. I don’t know ‘nough to put a value on it and I don’t even know all the facts, but one of the grunts I sweat alongside was talkin’ to another grunt about a to-do in San Francisco, a fundraising thing a few weeks ago. Of course, I asked what he was talking about.”

  “No doubt, knowing you.”

  Carter shook his head and continued. “He said the guy from Merlin, Warner, got hot under the collar at Sarah. Wagged his finger in her face ‘n all. The congressman’s name was mentioned, but that’s all he heard. When he got close, Warner shut up. I’ll poke around and see what else I can find.”

  “That may be the argument Sarah was talking about letting blow over.”

  “You’d think maybe Sarah ’ud tell her closest friend if there was an argument heavy enough to scare her.”

  “You’d think. I did think she seemed guarded when we talked.” Carter shrugged.

  “I’ll call her,” Matt said. “Prod her a bit.”

  “Use your charm.”

  Matt laughed. “Maybe I can find instructions on the Internet.

  As I recall, you can find practically anything on the Internet these days.”

  It was Carter’s time to laugh. “Ain’t it so. Need to do brain surgery? Follow these steps.”

  *****

  Denise couldn’t talk when he called so he invited her to dinner. She asked why and he said, “You’re a bright young lady. I wanted to get your opinion on a couple of things Sarah was doing. At least what I think she was doing.”

  There was a delay. “I have something tonight. How about tomorrow night?”

  “Okay. Tomorrow night,” Matt said.

  “The Old Trieste is just up the road. You want to meet there?

  Say, seven?”

  He knew the place, old world kind of restaurant. Been there since the beginning
of time.

  The call he received afterward was confrontational all the way, something he understood and enjoyed. It took him back to his trial days. That call was from Franklin Stone.

  “Dawson, this is Franklin Stone, Jen’s husband,” he said, practically shouting.

  Matt kept his cool. He’d confronted angry men much of his professional career and was not intimidated by bluster.

  “Well, Stone, this is Dawson. What can I do for you? I don’t need a divorce if you’re soliciting business. Bar might frown on that. Are things that tough for you?”

  “You bastard! I’m calling about your disgraceful attempt to get my wife to pay you a million dollars she does not owe you.”

  “I’m going to take issue with you there, Stone. She actually owes me more than that, but that’s roughly the amount I quoted her until I quit keeping track of the charges I incurred on her behalf. You may recall the trial. The last trial moved fast and I didn’t have time to run everything past her.”

  “Didn’t they teach you about the Statute of Limitations in law school? Two years for a verbal debt. Which law school did you go to?”

  “The Statue of Limitations. Damn, I think I have heard about it. What does it have to do with my bill?”

  “The trial ended two and a half years ago. Your claim is barred.”

  “No shit! And here I was thinking the statute ran from the date of breach. That’d be when Jennifer refused to pay if you don’t

  know. And, you know what, she has never refused to pay. You might want to look that up, counselor. Before you shoot off your mouth and make a fool of yourself.”

  “She refused to pay. Why else would you have begged her to have dinner with you? She told me. She also told me you whined, practically blubbered the whole time. God, man don’t you have any pride? Begging!”

  “I don’t recall that. I’ve never billed her so how could she refuse? And begging and whining? That’s a surprise. Did Jennifer tell you I did that?”

  “Reluctantly. She was embarrassed for you.”