Power Lawyer 2

by Dave Daren

  “You should also know that events are moving in Japan,” she continued.

  “What events?” I asked as my interest level suddenly shot up.

  “We’ve been working closely with the Japanese government to shut down certain operations,” she said. “Everything is in place.”

  “Should you be telling me this?” I remarked.

  “No,” she sighed. “But much of what we’ve been able to build is based on information you shared with us. I figured you earned some sort of heads up.”

  I had provided them with a great deal of information, from Kurzak’s claims to the results of the lab tests. Even Masao’s story had been relayed. Anna had approved it all, saying only that she hoped someone would finally put an end to the Mizuchi.

  “I’ll let Anna know,” I replied. “And thank you.”

  I finished drying off and threw on some sweats before I called Anna. Anna was about as enthusiastic as I was about the protection detail we had now earned.

  “Now they’re offering protection?” she said dismissively.

  “Better late than never,” I suggested.

  “Ugh,” she protested. “Where were they when mad men were chasing us around L.A.? Or breaking into my house?”

  “Denice’s house,” I corrected.

  “Denice’s house,” she agreed.

  “How’s Heath?” I asked.

  “Apparently doing very well after his visit to the spa,” she replied with a laugh. “Denice has to give him regular massages now to keep him happy.”

  “Good for him,” I said.

  There was the sound of a dog barking, and then a deep basso voice.

  “Michael wants to know when you’re coming for dinner,” Anna asked.

  “Why does everyone keep inviting me to dinner?” I wondered.

  “Because you’re gorgeous, and food is obviously the way to win you over,” she replied.

  “How so?” I asked as I glanced at my abs. Okay, so maybe I wasn’t the fittest guy in the room any more, but I still had a decent six pack.

  “I’ve seen you eat,” she explained. “Or, I should say, I’ve heard you eat. You moaned as you sucked down that steak.”

  I heard the man’s voice laugh and say something else.

  “You were licking your own spoon pretty clean,” I protested.

  “Michael says he can make you a chocolate torte that will have you rolling on the floor in ecstasy,” Anna continued.

  “Only if you partake of it with me,” I said.

  “It’s a date,” she replied. “I’ll send Michael to the movies.”

  The man’s laugh in the background thrummed through the speaker. Anna joined in, and I did as well. I still had a ton of work to do tonight, but at least I sort of had a date with a beautiful woman and a sinfully delicious cake.

  Chapter 20

  I dragged myself from bed early the next morning, determined to get in some time at the gym. It was crowded, but I still managed to find a few machines, and a bench that was available. I jogged back to the apartment, ignoring the various fried breakfast foods I could smell in the air. I managed to make it back upstairs without once succumbing to the lure of donuts or breakfast tacos or any of the other temptations. I showered, shaved, and settled in for a very responsible breakfast of granola and fruit.

  I clicked on the TV to keep me company. After channel surfing past a recap of last night’s late night shows, a singing seal from an aquarium in Australia, and an interview with the latest it couple, I finally settled on national news, mostly because I used to have a crush on the weather girl.

  I was midway through my repast when the news switched from the latest antics in Washington D.C. to an image of men being led away in handcuffs. The reporter on the scene explained that the Japanese government had conducted raids overnight across the country, not only in Tokyo, but in major cities on all of the islands. The raids were directed at various businesses that were being used as fronts for the yakuza.

  The image shifted, and there was a modern production facility, with more men being led out in handcuffs. I snatched up my phone and thumbed through until I found the picture I wanted. The symbol on the boxes at the harbor matched the symbol on the front of the factory. At least one of the Mizuchi’s businesses was part of the shutdown.

  I was positively chipper when I arrived at the courthouse that morning. I waited outside, on a gloriously cloud-free day, for both my client and Agent Smart. Anna looked like she was about to start skipping as she strode up to me. Her hair glittered in the sun, and today’s forest green dress showed off her legs remarkably well.

  “I watched the news this morning,” my client said happily.

  “We’re not out of the woods yet,” I replied, though I couldn’t help grinning in response to her own sunny smile.

  “But we’re close,” she pointed out.

  “Mr. Creed, Ms. Bernardi,” an official sounding voice cut in. We both turned to find Agent Smart and a small posse of federal agents standing on the courthouse steps.

  “Special Agent Smart,” I greeted as she joined our discussion. The rest of the agents fanned out, eyes scanning the surrounding crowd.

  “Some good news from Japan this morning,” Anna said.

  “I recognized one of the companies as belonging to the Mizuchi,” I added.

  “Yes,” Agent Smart agreed. “That’s the good news. We took down quite a few of his businesses, and many of the key players were arrested.”

  “But not the Mizuchi,” Anna guessed.

  “No,” Agent Smart replied, “Not the Mizuchi. Police raided his home as well, but there’s no sign of him. His wife is insisting that he hasn’t been home for weeks.”

  “What will he do if he is here?” Anna asked. “Will he just stay here or will he try to go back to Japan?”

  “Well,” Agent Smart hesitated as she glanced around at the crowd. “In his mind, he still has unfinished business to deal with first, so perhaps we should move inside and finish this discussion.”

  Agent Smart turned sharply on her heel and led the way inside. The other federal agents formed a conspicuous circle around us that drew the attention of several of the reporters who’d arrived early. The nice thing about our little ring of protection was that we cleared courthouse security in record time, and we were hustled into a small conference room while the members of the press were still standing in line.

  “What do you expect him to do?” I asked once the door had closed. Three of the agents were just outside, while Agent Smart and two other agents remained inside with us.

  “It depends,” she replied. “If he decides you’re the problem, then we expect him to make a move against you. If he decides that his own soldiers have somehow created this problem, he may decide to strike against them as well.”

  “Have you offered protection to Watts and that lot as well?” Anna questioned.

  “Watts has refused to have any direct discussions with us,” Agent Smart said. “We’ve raised the issue with the attorney, but so far, the reception to our offer has been chilly.”

  “Because you asked him to talk about the Mizuchi,” I guessed.

  “It’s how it works,” Agent Smart replied with a shrug. “You should know that it’s not just the Mizuchi we’re looking for. His second is also in the wind.”

  “Who’s his second?” I asked.

  “A woman, surprisingly,” Agent Smart said. “We’ve never gotten a good photo of her. She’s a stone-cold killer, like the Mizuchi, and loyal to a fault. She’s also slippery as hell. She deliberately plants false stories about her location to keep everyone guessing. Right now, depending on which bit of chatter you believe, she’s either hiding in the mountains somewhere in Japan, waiting for the Mizuchi on an island in the Caribbean, or setting up shop in Paris.”

  “Could she be here?” I prompted.

  “Maybe,” Agent Smart conceded, “It’s possible the two have been planning to meet up here all along.”

  “You mentione
d several weeks ago that the Mizuchi was having problems,” I mused. “This may have been their escape plan all along. Maybe you still have a mole problem.”

  “Maybe,” Agent Smart admitted.

  “We need to go,” I said as I glanced at my watch. Agent Smart opened the door and our company set off. We scattered various court personnel and hangers on as we moved through the building and arrived at the courtroom in an impressive show of force. The only thing missing were trumpets to herald our arrival.

  I was surprised to find that Bertoch wasn’t at the defendant’s table yet, just one of the junior associates. The associate hovered over the empty chairs, clearly anxious as he watched the hands on the clock tick off the minutes and seconds.

  The bailiff gave the signal to rise, and Judge Luca entered in a flurry. He took his seat and then looked at the packed courtroom. A look of surprise flitted across his features when he saw the one lone attorney at the defendant’s table.

  “You’re missing a few people,” the judge noted with a nod towards the associate.

  “Yes, Your Honor,” the attorney replied nervously. “Your Honor, at this time, I’d like to ask for a recess.”

  “Son,” the judge chided, “We haven’t even started for the day. Mr. Creed, the witnesses you intend to call are here?”

  “Yes, Your Honor,” I replied.

  “Your Honor,” the attorney pleaded, “We may be able to settle this case, after all. We’re just awaiting instructions from our client. If we could just have the recess…”

  “Mr. Creed,” the judge said as he turned toward me. “Have you received any settlement offers?”

  “We have not,” I replied. “But if the defendant is offering, we’d be happy to listen.”

  The associate nodded enthusiastically at the suggestion. We both looked at the judge who glanced at the crowd assembled behind us.

  “You have half an hour,” he snapped. “After that, we continue, with or without Mr. Bertoch and his client.”

  “Wait here,” I whispered to Anna, “I’ll come get you if this is a real offer.”

  Anna nodded. She gave me a hopeful smile as I turned to follow the associate. We ended up in the same conference room where I’d talked with Agent Smart earlier, this time with only two agents in tow.

  “Where’s Bertoch and Watts?” I asked as soon as the door closed behind us.

  “Mr. Bertoch is at the office,” the associate replied. “Mr. Watts called early this morning with a proposal for settlement, and Mr. Bertoch has been working on the draft. This is the version I’ve been authorized to show you.”

  The associate opened the folder he’d brought with him and handed me a ten-page document. I scanned through the offer and tried to hide my surprise. Much of it was boilerplate, but the key section ceded all of Leo’s shares to Anna.

  “Watts will sign this?” I asked doubtfully.

  “Yes,” the associate replied. “I’m authorized to approve this settlement right now.”

  “All right,” I said, “Let me talk to my client. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  The two agents and I returned the courtroom. Anna looked up when the doors opened, and I signalled to her to join me outside. We found a quiet corner behind the elevators that looked like it hadn’t seen a vacuum cleaner in months.

  “They’ll turn all of Leo’s shares over to you,” I said quietly as I handed her the document. “You’ll have full control of the company. Watts will step down as chairman and retire with a one-time payment.”

  “This is amazing,” she replied as she read through the offer.

  “You can keep the company going,” I pointed out. “Go in, clean the place up, and you’ll be able to win back your old clients.”

  “It won’t be easy,” she murmured, but I could tell she was already making plans.

  “No,” I agreed. “But if you spin this right, you can turn this into a real success story.”

  “I’ll do it,” she declared.

  “I’ll go let the kid from Ramsey know,” I replied. “Then we’ll notify the judge. He’ll need to sign off on it, but we should be done for the day.”

  Anna did a small victory dance, then gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She walked back towards the courtroom, her Wonder Woman persona on full display. People scattered out of her path, and the agents following her seemed impressed.

  I found the associate staring blankly at the wall. His anxiety had been replaced with resignation. He’d found a pencil somewhere, and he’d spent his time doodling on the file folder.

  “We have a deal,” I said.

  “Okay,” the associate said as he stood up. “I’ll call Bertoch. We’ll send a copy over to the judge’s chambers.”

  We walked back to the courtroom together. The place was buzzing, and it only grew noisier when we returned to our respective tables. The clerk approached us and asked if we needed any more time. When we both declined, she disappeared through the judge’s door.

  Judge Luca arrived five minutes later. He threatened to kick the crowd out of the courtroom if they didn’t quiet down, then summoned myself and the Ramsey attorney to the bench.

  “Well, gentlemen,” he began, “I see we’re still missing a few people. Does this mean we’ve reached a settlement?”

  “It does, Your Honor,” the associate replied.

  “And your client has accepted?” Judge Luca asked me.

  “She has, Your Honor,” I assured him.

  “All right, then,” the judge declared. “Send me a copy for review. Court is dismissed for the day.”

  I was never so happy to have an FBI protective detail. They managed to clear a path through the reporters for me and Anna with brutal efficiency. The Ramsey attorney didn’t fare as well. He was soon swallowed up by the horde, and his protestations that he had nothing to say fell on deaf ears.

  It took me a moment to realize that we weren’t heading for the regular elevators. Agent Smart led the way through a maze of hallways to the freight elevators instead. Anna glanced at me, and I shrugged. One of the elevators arrived, with an agent inside. He and Smart nodded to each other, and we were hustled inside.

  “What’s happened?” I asked.

  “We’ve been getting reports in for the last several minutes,” she said vaguely.

  “What reports?” Anna demanded.

  “The first was from the Watts’ cleaning lady,” Smart replied. “She called 9-1-1 about twenty minutes ago. She said that she’d found the body of Tucker Watts in his study. Police responding to the scene say that his throat had been slit. The cleaning lady just missed the killer by minutes.”

  “The other members of the board?” I asked as I thought about the empty seats in the courtroom.

  “We have people on the way to check on each of them,” Agent Smart explained. “We’ve found two more dead.”

  “Did Watts contact Bertoch on his own, or was this settlement offer somehow part of the Mizuchi’s plan?” I asked.

  “Not sure,” Agent Smart admitted. “The other two were killed last night, so the Mizuchi had time to meet with Watts this morning, and force him to call Bertoch.”

  “Is Bertoch part of this?” Anna asked.

  “No,” Smart replied. “We don’t think so. Betoch simply took instructions from the man he thought was his client.”

  “But the offer is still valid,” Anna stated as she looked at me.

  “It may not matter,” Agent Smart answered. “If there’s no one else left standing.”

  “We just need someone with the proper authority to approve the settlement,” I said. “It doesn’t have to be Watts.”

  The elevator arrived, and we stepped out, Agent Smart in the lead. She reached for the earpiece at one point, and a grim expression settled on her features.

  “Another body,” I guessed.

  “Another board member,” she said. “And the head of the trucking company.”

  “The one from the docks?” I asked.

  “Yes,”
she replied.

  “Has anyone gone to check on the Daigos?” I demanded. “If the Mizuchi is cleaning up, then they’re probably on the list.”

  “We’ll send someone,” Agent Smart assured me. We were at the delivery dock now, and Agent Smart stepped outside to scan the area. She gave the all clear, and we hustled outside. Three SUV’s blocked the truck entrance and Agent Smart pointed us towards them.

  We were nearly there when I saw two of the agents tense up and place their hands on the butts of their guns. An old Buick had turned onto the street and was cruising towards the SUV’s. I heard someone mutter that the streets were supposed to be closed, and the agent closest to Anna started pulling her back towards the service doors. And then all hell broke loose.

  Gunfire erupted, the rapid staccato beat of an automatic weapon. Someone grabbed me from behind and threw me face down onto the concrete. I looked up and saw two agents were down. The others had found cover and were returning fire. I tried to twist around, to search the rest of the sidewalk, but I couldn’t see Anna anywhere.

  I pulled myself along, trying to stay low, but I still felt the sting of concrete slicing through my cheek as a bullet embedded itself in the sidewalk. I called Anna’s name, but I couldn’t hear anything over the sound of guns discharging. I risked raising my head, only to have an agent push me back down.

  The agent released his grip a moment later when the sound of a collision filled the street, and the only guns still firing were the handguns belonging to the agents. I scrambled to my feet and watched as the agents closed in on the Buick. It had plowed into the cars parked along the street, leaving a trail of glass that sparkled in the sun. Bullet holes pockmarked the vehicle, and the back window was nearly gone. I could just make out a slumped form in the driver’s seat.

  The passenger door popped open, and a young man with a ponytail and blood streaming down his forehead staggered from the car. He still held the weapon in his hands, and the agents shouted orders for him to put the gun down. The man looked confused for a moment, and then he smiled like a madman. He raised the gun and pointed it towards the agents. They returned fire without hesitation.