The Lawyer

by Olivia Saxton

  “I’m not fighting his battles. I’m watching his back. That’s what family does, Heather. You’re a beautiful woman. Go back to New York - find a man there. David has finally moved on.”

  “Actually, I am going back to New York in the morning. I have some business to attend, too.”

  “Good. Moving on is your best bet, now. You had a good man, and you blew it. Not trying to rub it in your face, people make mistakes, but sometimes you can’t make up for the mistakes you make. And believe it or not, I wish you luck.”

  “Thank you,” she said and let her eyes linger across Ted’s face. “But, I always wondered…”

  He looked at her face and let his eyes linger on her cleavage. “Always wondered?”

  They let the question hang out there. Heather broke the silence. “Are all you Shaw men terrific in bed?”

  The little vixen, he thought. There was no way he was bedding her – not even if her nightgown dropped to the floor. Ted couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, we are, but unfortunately I can’t prove it to you.”

  Heather’s bright teeth slowly appeared between her red painted lips. “That’s all right, sugar. I’ll take your word for it.”

  “Goodbye, Heather,” Ted said. He turned and left the suite, closing the door behind him.

  Chapter 22

  David groggily woke up on his brother’s sofa. He remembered taking his shirt off and loosening his pants, but not covering himself with a blanket. He quickly realized Ted must have done it when he came back last night. There was a slight throbbing in his head. David rubbed his forehead with his first two fingers. The last thing he remembered was drinking a glass of scotch. It had been eleven and Ted still hadn’t come back.

  David sat up and looked at the table. His glass of scotch was gone- including the bottle he had sitting next to it. Sunlight was trying to come in through the white mini blinds. David grabbed his watch from the coffee table. It was nine forty-five. He put his watch back on the coffee table and slowly stood up. He couldn’t believe he had slept past nine. The smell of bacon and coffee slowly led him to the kitchen.

  “Hey, sleepy head. I got bacon and sausage on the burner. Going to whip up some eggs and toast,” Ted said cheerfully as he poured a cup of coffee.

  “I’m not hungry,” David mumbled and sat down on a brown stool next to the kitchen island.

  Ted handed his brother a cup of coffee.

  “Thanks,” David mumbled and took the cup from him.

  Ted started whipping the eggs he had sitting in a bowl. “You should eat. You must have a headache. That was a full bottle of scotch. Only half of it was left.”

  “Sorry, Mom,” David said sarcastically and sipped the coffee.

  “I’m not riding your ass. Just stating the concern of an older brother,” Ted said and checked on the bacon and sausage in the frying pan.

  “Did you find, Trish?”

  Ted grabbed a plate that had a paper towel on it and started placing the bacon and sausage on it.

  “Ted, will you stop messing with the food and tell me what you found out last night,” David said and sipped his coffee again.

  Ted sat the plate down on the island in front of David. He grabbed the bowl of eggs. “I talked to her. She’s fine. She just needs some space right now.” Ted turned around and poured the eggs into a fresh warm pan.

  “Did you talk to her on the phone or did you see her? Where is she?”

  “I’m not going to tell you anything else until after breakfast. Both of us are running on empty. Meaning, you’re eating”

  “Damnit, Ted.”

  “After breakfast,” Ted said.

  David quietly conceded.

  *******

  Ted’s food was better than his coffee. They finished eating, and David wiped his hands with a paper towel. His head felt a lot better.

  “We’re finished eating. Now tell me what happened last night,” David demanded.

  Ted looked at the clock on the wall. It was after ten thirty. “Why don’t we take a shower and get dressed. We’ll have another cup of co-.”

  “Ted!”

  “Damn, all right. I tracked Trish down, and I got to speak with her. She’s fine, she’s beautiful, and she needs time to herself.”

  “She said that?”

  “Yes. Sometimes women need time alone, like men do sometimes. It happens,” Ted explained.

  “Where did you find her?”

  Ted was quiet for a moment then answered. “She never left town, David. Like I suspected.”

  “And?” David asked.

  “She’s at home. That ole cogger lied and said Trish was out of town,” Ted finally said.

  David jumped up from the stool. “She’s been in Clary the whole time, and you’re just telling me now.” David strode to the living room.

  David grabbed his dress shirt from the leather armchair. Ted rushed into the room.

  “What are you doing?” Ted asked.

  “I’m going over there,” David said as he put his shirt on.

  “The least you can do is shit, shower, and shave first. How will she hear a word your saying with you smelling like day old scotch?”

  David stood at attention. “I don’t stink.”

  “The hell you don’t! Your hair is lopsided, too. If you never heard a word I have said to you in your life, hear me now - take a damn shower, brush your teeth - cause your breath is rank, comb your big hair, and put on some fresh clothes,” Ted said a little more loudly than he intended.

  David whipped his shirt back off and balled it up. He threw it down on the carpet. “You don’t have to be such an asshole about it. But, afterwards, I’m going over there,” David said and left the room.

  *******

  Ted waited until he heard the shower running before he made the call. Someone picked up on the third ring.

  “Hello, Jacobs residence,” Mr. Jacobs said.

  “Hey, Mr. Jacobs it’s Ted. Is Trish there?”

  “Hold on a minute,” he said, and the line went quiet.

  Ted waited impatiently.

  “Hello,” Trish answered.

  “Hey. Listen I did what I could, but I couldn’t hold out until noon. I bought you another thirty – forty minutes at the most, but that’s it. He is coming to see you.”

  “It’s okay. Darlene and I are about to leave anyway. I’m driving her around to deliver Christmas cookies to half of Clary. That should take hours,” Trish said with little enthusiasm.

  “I didn’t call to give you a heads up, so you could run. I called so you wouldn’t be blindsided when he showed up on your doorstep. Surely, you figured out what you want by now,” Ted said with impatience.

  “Ted, please. I need more time. No one can figure out what they want for their future in less than twenty-four hours,” she reasoned.

  Ted blinked a couple of times. “I suppose not. It’s just hard to watch David agitated like this.”

  “Oh, Teddy, I don’t mean David any harm. I’m not doing this to hurt his feelings. I’m just trying to look out for myself. To make the right decisions, and to do what’s best for me.”

  “I know, kid.”

  “Who are you talking to do?” David asked. He walked a few steps into the living room. His hair was wet, and a white towel was wrapped around his waist.

  “Um…” Ted stuttered.

  David walked over to him.

  “Ted? Are you still there?” Ted heard Trish ask.

  “It’s her, isn’t it?” David asked, but he didn’t wait for an answer. He snatched the phone out of Ted’s hand.

  *******

  “Trish? Is that you?” David asked in desperation.

  “David,” she said.

  “Sweetheart, I need to talk to you. I tried to reach you yesterday.”

  “I know.”

  “Then why didn’t you return my calls?”

  “I wasn’t ready to talk to you. I’m still not. David, I need time to myself without you around to confuse me,” she explained.


  “All right, but before you take this time, I think you should listen to what I have to say. It could affect whatever conclusions you come to. It could affect both our futures,” David said in a desperate tone.

  “I can’t. I can’t even if I wanted, too. I’m busy today.”

  “Busy with what?”

  “I’m sorry, David. I have to help Darlene load the car.”

  “Load the car? Where are you going?”

  “I’ll talk to you later. Goodbye,” she whispered.

  David didn’t get a chance to say goodbye because the line went dead. He slammed the phone down on the base.

  “Easy,” Ted said.

  “She can be the most stubborn, infuriating woman,” David said through gritted teeth. He stalked into the guest room.

  Ted followed him. “What are you going to do now?”

  “I’m going to get dressed and catch her before she leaves. What did she say to you?” David asked and tore off his towel.

  “Jesus!” Ted exclaimed and turned his back. “It’s no use. By the time you get dressed and drive over there, the girls will be gone.”

  “Where are they going?” David asked as he pulled on a pair of black boxers.

  “She’s helping Darlene deliver Christmas cookies today. She said they had to make a lot of stops. It will take them hours.”

  “That’s fine. I think I might know some of the places they would go,” David said and pulled on a pair of black slacks.

  “You got your drawls on, yet?” Ted asked.

  “Yes.”

  Ted turned around and walked over to his brother. He placed his hands on his shoulders. “David, you need to get a grip. She’s going out to spread some Christmas cheer. That’s all. The last thing you need to be doing is crawling the streets hunting her down. Take a deep breath- relax. Try to talk to her tomorrow.”

  David looked at the concern in his brother’s eyes. “I guess I am becoming a bit unglued, huh?”

  “A bit. But, it’s understandable. You’re a man in love, and the woman you love won’t talk to you- won’t see you. You’re afraid you’re going to lose her. You can have her, David, as long as you play it cool. Don’t go hunting her down like she’s a doe on the run,” Ted said and took his hands off David’s shoulders.

  David looked at Ted. “Love? I didn’t say I loved her.”

  “You didn’t have to. Look at how you’re acting. Calling her twenty times in a span of five hours, banging on my door like a wild man that lost everything he owned, and drinking yourself to sleep - which is definitely not like you - and dropping your towel in front me like I wasn’t even in here, again not like you. You’re in love with her.”

  Could it be? David plopped down on the bed. He took a quick inventory of his emotions during the past month. Flashes of her smile, her laugh, and her body invaded his mind. David’s mouth dropped open. He was falling in love with Trish the whole time, and he didn’t know it. Now that he did, would he tell her now or later?

  “Are we having an epiphany, dear Watson?”

  “Yes,” David said slowly. “I do love her.”

  Ted let out a high-pitched opera note. “And there it is.”

  “Now that I know this, what am I going to do?”

  “Relax. Take this time to think while she’s thinking. Give her a few days and then call her.”

  “Yes, I’ll do that.”

  Chapter 23

  When David told Ted he would give Trish some space he meant it. Though he only lasted until nine o’clock that evening.

  He knocked on the door at Mr. Jacobs’s home. The old man opened it, and surprise registered on his face. “David.”

  “Good evening, sir. I know this is not the usual time for a social call-.”

  Before David could finish Mr. Jacobs interrupted him. “Oh, get in here, son.” Mr. Jacobs stepped aside to let David pass.

  David stepped into the living room, and Mr. Jacobs closed the door. “Have a seat, son.”

  David sat down on the couch, and Mr. Jacobs walked to the credenza where he kept alcoholic drinks. He poured himself a brandy. “Name your poison, son.”

  David was going to refuse, but he thought better of it. Maybe having a friendly drink with Mr. Jacobs might give him an edge in winning Trish’s affection. “Scotch, on the rocks,” he answered.

  Mr. Jacobs shook his head and grabbed a fresh glass. He opened the ice bucket and dropped two cubes in the glass before pouring the scotch. “You’ve cause a bit of a commotion these past two days.”

  “Yes, sir. I didn’t mean to,” David said, feeling like a ten-year-old boy again.

  Chuckling, Mr. Jacobs walked over to him and handed David his glass. Mr. Jacobs then sat down in the same chair that he had sat in during the night of the dinner party.

  “It’s all right. Sometimes a woman can do that to a man. I take it that you’re here to see Trish.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “She’s not here. Trish and Darlene went out for the evening. I dropped them off myself. I’m not lying to you this time, son.”

  “Yes, sir. I know.”

  “I’m sorry about that, by the way. I was doing what I thought was best at the time.”

  “I understand.”

  “But, since we got some time alone, this gives us a chance to talk. Eye to eye – man to man.”

  David didn’t blink, even though the words made him a bit nervous. Years of presenting cases in courtrooms trained him to not reveal his emotions through his body language or voice when it was necessary.

  “Did you know I was Trish’s godfather?”

  “No, I did not.”

  Mr. Jacobs smiled. “Yeah. A lot of people don’t know that. Just me, her parents, Trish, Darlene, and my beloved wife - may she rest in peace. See, Trish’s father and I were close friends. Did you know that?”

  “Yes, sir, that I did know.”

  “You know how we became friends?”

  “No.”

  “I was a young man - meaning this happened many years ago - and I worked at Welts Bank as a teller. One day, two masked men came in and stuck the place up. There was me, two other tellers, and one manager on duty. There were three customers in the bank that day. They made us come around the counters and kneel on the floor along with the customers. One guy had a gun on us and the other cleaned out the teller drawers.” He stopped and took a sip of brandy before continuing. “The robber with the money said, ‘Let’s go, I got it all’. But, the other - he wasn’t satisfied with that. He started taunting us. Pointing the gun at each of our heads. Russian roulette, you see. This guy had a six-shooter. When he got to me, he had already gone through five clicks. So, my chances of survival was zilch. You know that bastard had the nerve to goad me to beg for my life. ‘Come on, kid. You’re too young to die. You beg me the right way, I let you live.’ But, my father,” Mr. Jacobs leaned forward and looked David in his eyes. “My father raised me to be a man. So, I looked that SOB in the eye and told him to go to hell. He laughed and said, it was a shame he was going to have to kill me because I had real balls. Before he could pull the trigger, a big bear of a black man was all over him. He ripped that gun out of that guy’s hand and knocked his front teeth out with the butt.”

  “Wow,” David said like a wide-eyed child.

  “You want to guess who that man was, David?”

  “Mr. Truman,” David said with a smile.

  “If it wasn’t for him, Darlene wouldn’t have been born. I don’t think the girls know that story. Since that day, I had a friend for life. As time went on, our wives became friends just like our daughters did. I helped him get a loan for his construction business, which was successful, but I don’t think it ever began to repay what that man did for me. Ole Bear was a tender-hearted soul, but if you messed with innocent people, and he knew about it, that’s when things got ugly. He defended and protected his family, too. Trish and her momma were that man’s heart and soul. At my age, I know I forget a lot, but that day at
the bank I’ll never forget – not as long as I live.”

  “Yes, sir. I understand.”

  “Do you, boy? You see Ole Bear he could do just about anything he put his mind to. I wouldn’t be surprised if he rose out of the grave to give hell to anyone that caused Trish pain or harm. Like Robert, I wouldn’t be surprised if he can’t sleep at night these days. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that Trish’s daddy was working through you to make Robert pay for breaking her heart. With that being said, what are your intentions with my goddaughter?”

  David was lost for words. He wasn’t expecting this. He said the first words that came to his mind. “I’m in love with her, Mr. Jacobs. Please know it is not my intention to upset her or hurt her.”

  Mr. Jacobs’s eyebrows rose. He leaned back in the chair. “I have to say I didn’t expect you to say it so bluntly, but I do respect that. If you love her, son, what is this I hear about a blonde at a hotel?”

  David definitely didn’t want to get into this with him, but it was obvious that he wasn’t going to get Mr. Jacobs to help without divulging the information that he asked for. “Her name is Heather. I was engaged to her when I lived in New York, but it didn’t work out. She chose to be with someone else. Fast forward to the present, she came here to see if we could get back together.”

  “What did you do?” he asked.

  “I told her no. I don’t love her anymore and she needs to go back home.”

  Mr. Jacobs nodded his head with approval. “All right, I won’t bring her up again. So, now you are here to win Trish’s heart.”

  “Yes, sir, if I can find her,” David said with a small smile before sipping his drink.

  Mr. Jacobs thought for a moment. “You know, son, sometimes it’s best to give women some room. Give them time to think.”

  “Yes, sir, but-.”

  “You can’t wait. That’s why you’re in my house at nine o’clock at night.”

  “Well, yes, sir.”

  Mr. Jacobs chuckled. “Oh, you do look and act like a man in love; I know you’re a good young man. I dropped Trish and Darlene off at The Clover Club over an hour ago. The place is hosting some sort of Christmas Blowout Bash.”