by Alexa Davis
“Good morning, Mr. Brigham. Thank you for agreeing to come in so early at the last minute. They changed my court time on me today.”
“Not a problem at all. Had I known Carla was so interesting to talk with, I would have come by even earlier.” I had to physically clench to keep from rolling my eyes.
I smiled instead and said, “Please, come into my office.”
Miles followed me through the office door, winking at Carla as he did. I closed the door behind us and saw Carla’s face flood with color once more. Resisting the head shake, I said, “Please have a seat, Mr. Brigham. Can I offer you something to drink?”
Miles sat in a comfortable leather armchair facing my desk and said, “No, thank you, and please, call me Miles.”
“I’m sorry, I’ll try to remember, Miles.” I sat down in my chair facing across the desk toward him as he said,
“So, how dire is this situation I’m in?”
“Well, I can’t really get into details, but I can tell you that I know for a fact that the FBI is exploring other possibilities with regards to Vick’s murder. The NYPD and District Attorney’s office are unfortunately still doing their best to build a case against you however circumstantial it may be.”
Miles scratched his chin and said, “That damn midget DA Dawson has it in for me. I’m not sure what I ever did to him, but I suppose that small bit of good news is better than none. You do know I didn’t do this, right? I admit that I’ve been involved in a few slimy deals in my time, but murder has never been one of them.”
“Yes, Miles, I am sure you are not a murderer. I can promise you that I will do my absolute best to prove that if and when this goes to trial. Just keep in mind, though, as the trial draws nearer that all we really need is to give the jurors any reason to doubt you did this. The State has the burden of proof on them, and I don’t believe that they have enough to convince twelve people you did this.”
“I do thank you for your vote of confidence. I’ve been defended plenty by lawyers who knew I was guilty as charged. In this case, though, it’s real important to me that people know I am not a cold-blooded killer. Speaking of, how about these allegations against my son? Do you think they’ll go anywhere?”
“At this point, it’s all hearsay. I don’t think the D.A. will pursue it unless we actually have an eyewitness step forward. Dawson loves to win and he hates to lose. He doesn’t often throw his hat in unless he believes it’s a sure bet.”
Miles nodded. “Okay, then. If they did arrest him, would you still be willing to defend him?”
“Yes, of course. I agreed to be your family lawyer. Nothing has changed. As for your trial, you do have the right to a speedy trial if you should wish. I would recommend against it, but the choice is yours.”
“I would definitely prefer to wait until this civil suit is over and done with. I don’t know if my old ticker could take the stress of two trials at once. Hell, just the jury selection process was giving me chest pains yesterday.”
I laughed and said, “I doubt that, Mr. Brigham…I mean Miles. If your ticker is as strong as everything else I know about you, you’re bound to outlive us all, stress or no stress.”
Miles smiled as he stood up and extended his right hand. “Thank you again, little lady. I have to get back to the damn courthouse. I feel better about all of this knowing it is in your capable hands.”
Miles made it as far as the door before turning around and saying, “You mind if I ask a personal question?”
I wasn’t sure I liked that idea, but said, “No, go right ahead,”
“I was wondering if it would be a problem for you if I were to ask your pretty little assistant out on a date.”
“Mr. Brigham, you are a piece of work.” He shrugged and smiled and I went on, “Carla is a single free adult and welcome to date whom she chooses, so go for it.”
He winked at me and closed the door behind him as he left. I could only shake my head. I had most definitely never met anyone like him before. I looked at the clock then and decided I better head over to the courthouse. Traffic would suck today with last minute shoppers out and about and I wasn’t going to walk today – it was freezing outside.
I got to court in time to greet Pamela just before the judge called it to order. We’d gone over everything yesterday and the judge had taken the night to deliberate. He asked now if anyone had anything else to say before he pronounced judgment. Both parties declined and the judge went on,
“I have carefully reviewed the assets of both parties both before and after the marriage state. I have also carefully reviewed the pre-nuptial agreement signed by both parties prior to their marriage. With both of these things in mind, I have then taken into consideration the statements made to this court with regards to the situation leading up to this divorce.
“I am not one that often declares a legal contract null and void. In this case, however, I am finding that if the prenuptial agreement were to be upheld Mrs. Lewis would be excuse my language here please, sorely screwed. She was the one who established and built her business. From all I have read and heard here, she was the one that made it the success it is today. I will uphold the part of the prenuptial that regards alimony only.
“Mrs. Lewis, you are not granted alimony nor are you to be granted any of Mr. Lewis’ assets. However, your business is yours, as well as the assets that come with it. As far as the apartment is concerned, I grant you both fifty-fifty interest in it. I would strongly urge you both to put it on the market, split the proceeds, and move on with your lives.”
The judge slammed his gavel once and pronounced court to be dismissed.
Patricia was ecstatic. She hugged me and over her shoulder I saw the look of astonishment on Nick’s face. He had truly believed he would win. I was happy for Patricia. It was a good thing that she was rid of this arrogant, entitled man.
Chapter Six
ADAM
I forced myself to leave the work on my desk and go home early on Christmas Eve. I still had shopping to do. I drove to the mall before going home. I was anything but a procrastinator in my professional life, but when it came to Christmas shopping, I took first prize in the procrastination department. I couldn’t recall ever shopping before Christmas Eve, and had even begun to tell myself that it was a tradition now. I had already given Alicia the engagement ring I bought, of course, but wanted to have something to give her on Christmas day, as well.
I didn’t go in with a definite idea of what to get her. I window shopped by the clothing stores knowing that I wasn’t going to even try to match her style. Alicia had a way of making casual Friday clothes look elegant. I was going to just leave that to the expert. I found a small store that offered engraved items, and after looking at everything, I settled on a platinum ink pen. I had it engraved with the words, “I love you the most. Adam.” I smiled, thinking that it would irritate her a little that I had managed to get in the last word. Part of the reason most attorneys are good at our jobs is that we love to win an argument.
Next, I stopped at the jewelry store where I bought her ring. The owner was behind the counter today and greeted me warmly. I told her what I was looking for and she went to the back and came out with a square red box. I opened it and inside set against red velvet background was a beautiful bracelet. It was made of chocolate diamonds and very, very small rubies. The black of the diamonds contrasted beautifully with the deep red of the rubies. It was perfect. I told her I would take it and as she was wrapping it up I remembered Alicia’s parents. What the heck do you get a Lord and Lady for Christmas?
I wandered aimlessly through a few more stores and then finally stopped to get a cup of coffee and call Alicia. She laughed when I told her what I was doing,
“You do realize that it’s Christmas Eve?” she asked with a giggle.
“Of course,” I said. “That’s why I’m shopping.”
“Well, had you done your shopping earlier, like the rest of us, you could be here enjoying cookies warm out of the oven r
ight now. Mother has been baking all day.”
I wished I were there. I looked around me at all of the last-minute shoppers as desperate as I was to find just the right thing. “I needed to ask you what does one buy a Lord and Lady for Christmas.”
Alicia laughed again, and then said, “Aw, that’s sweet, powerful attorney and CEO of his own firm, at the mall on Christmas Eve worrying what to buy the future in-laws.”
“I’m glad you are amused,” I said sarcastically but with a genuine smile. “Can you help me out, or not?”
“Hmm,” she said thoughtfully. “How about tickets for another Broadway show? They loved the one they saw last night.”
“How long will they be in town?” I asked. I hated to wish them away for Alicia’s sake, but somewhat selfishly I was hoping it would be soon.
“They will be here for another week,” she said.
“Okay, then, show tickets it shall be. Thank you, I love you,” I told her.
“I love you more,” she said before ending the call.
Once I finally finished the shopping, I checked in with Marie to make sure all was well with the plans for the party later that night. She told me that everything was right on schedule. I decided that since I had a few hours before I needed to get ready, I would drive over to Alex’s house and surprise him with the gift he I picked up for him. As an attorney, I was sure there was too much evidence against Alex at this point for him to be innocent. As a best friend, I still wanted to hope.
Alex lived in a home in an upper class neighborhood out on Long Island. When I drove into the driveway, I noticed a large black sedan parked in front. I thought to myself that maybe I should have called first, but I was here now so I figured what the hell. I grabbed the envelope with the Super Bowl tickets I had bought Alex for Christmas. The New York Giants were a sure thing this year, and I knew they were his favorite team.
I walked up to the front door and was about to ring the bell when I became aware of raised voices inside. Looking through the small glass window on the front door I could make out Alex and the back of another man standing at the edge of the living room. Alex looked angry. I stepped to the side of the glass and put my ear to the door. Alex was yelling,
“This was supposed to have gone away by now! You were supposed to have made it look like Brigham was responsible for Vick’s death. You screwed it all up from the start. No one was supposed to get hurt. You were just supposed to shut Vick up and make sure that old blow-hard, Brigham was ruined in the press by this oil spill.”
“Obviously, I did a fine job of setting up Brigham,” the other man said, “Or they wouldn’t have arrested him.”
“I heard the tape. Alicia told him that the FBI is looking at other suspects. What if that’s true? I don’t want the FBI sniffing around here. Do you understand? If they start looking into where the campaign funds are coming from and going, I may as well have committed political suicide. Not to mention the jail time because they’ll think I had something to do with Vick Landon’s and Marjorie’s murders.”
When the other man spoke again, I recognized his voice, or rather his accent. It was Jack Grant. “You just need to calm down. Alicia doesn’t know anything. She was trying to make her client feel more at ease, that’s all. That’s how she does things. She’s a decent person with a big heart. As for you being held responsible, well…I’d have to guess you’re right on target there. That being said, I wouldn’t go shooting my mouth off to anyone.”
“Are you kidding?” Alex said sarcastically. “Who am I going to tell? The police? My best friend whose ex-wife was murdered by people working for me? Don’t worry, Grant, my lips are sealed. You just better clean this mess up in a hurry. Where are you with finding Vick’s boyfriend? That’s another loose cannon there.”
Grant had lowered his voice at that point and I couldn’t hear his reply. I had heard enough, however. I got back in my car and sped out of Alex’s driveway and down the street as quickly as I could. As far as I could tell, neither Alex nor Jack had realized I was there. I drove a few blocks and then stopped my car in front of a plush home with about an acre of lush green lawn stretching out towards the sidewalk. I took out my phone and punched in David’s number.
“Agent Tyler,” I began after David answered. “I have some information for you. It’s urgent that I meet with you today. Can you come to my office?” David agreed to meet me there in an hour. I asked him to bring someone who could sweep for bugs, as well. David agreed readily and didn’t ask any questions.
The office was dark and quiet when I got there. Mac and I had given the staff and associates off until the day after New Year’s. I unlocked the door, disabled the alarm, and headed to my office. Once there, I called the security company and told them not to worry that I was meeting with a client and would alert them once we were finished. As I sat and waited for David I fumed inside. I was furious with Alex for involving himself in dirty politics. I was furious that Grant who was involved in at least two murders continued to present himself to Alicia as a friend, and most of all, I was furious that he had been listening in on Alicia’s private conversations. Thank God I hadn’t spoken to her about her suspicions about Jack while in her office. Thank God I hadn’t spoken to the FBI while they were listening.
David called and said he was pulling up in front of the building. I went down and let him and his associates in. He had two crime scene technicians with him. They were prepared to sweep the entire office building for bugs. David motioned to me with his hand not to speak until they were done.
It took the technicians about twenty minutes to find two listening devices. One was in Alicia’s office, inside the frame of the picture of her and I that had been tampered with the night of the break-in. It was a very small, flat device and would never have been noticed had we not been looking for it. The other one they found in my main conference room. David said he was surprised it had been put there rather than in my office, but I wasn’t. Alex, being my best friend and confidante, knew that most of my important business was conducted in the conference room. My office was mainly for entertaining important clients during which time not much important business was discussed. After they had removed and disabled the devices, I filled David in on what I had heard at Alex’s home.
“So, Fritz said that Grant was supposed to shut Vick up, but not hurt anyone. I wonder how that led to your ex-wife’s murder.”
“I wondered about that, too,” I said, “I still don’t believe that Alex would have tried to have me harmed in any way. Maybe Grant has gone renegade on him.”
“Maybe,” David said. “Tell me again what we said about me?” I repeated what I heard Alex say to Jack about him being a “loose cannon”.
“This we can use,” David said. “Did he say who they were using in the press to smear Brigham?”
“No,” Adam told him, “But my best guess would be Rose Dugan. She has published the worst of the reports on Brigham with regards to the oil spill and his personal life.”
David nodded slowly, “Okay, I’ll work with that,”
“What about the bugs? Won’t they know we found them?”
“Absolutely,” David said. “But they don’t have to know that you know who planted them. The break-in is as of yet unsolved to our knowledge, correct?”
“Yes, that’s true. So in the meantime, what do you want me to do?”
“Nothing, go and have a Merry Christmas with your friends and family. Just remember to act as if things are all okay when you see your friend Fritz.”
“That’s going to take an academy award winning performance,” I told him, “I really want to punch the son of a bitch in the mouth.”
“In good time, friend,” David told me.
Chapter Seven
ALICIA
Mother and I both got new gowns for the Christmas Eve party. Mother insisted on paying for mine even though I told her more than once that I could afford to buy my own clothes now.
“Nonsense, it’ll just be an additio
nal Christmas gift from me and your father,”
I ultimately gave in and since it was a Christmas present, I didn’t even look at the price tag. My mother’s gown was an elegant gold satin ankle-length and mine was a white, off the shoulder floor-length gown with very fine red and gold piping around the neckline and one sleeve. We had spent more time shopping than we had planned, so we had to hurry home and get ready. Adam was picking us all up at six p.m. and it was already almost four-thirty.
Luis helped us up to the apartment with our packages and Lady Winston slipped him something and said, “Thank you, Luis. Merry Christmas to you and your family.” Luis thanked her and wished all of us the same. As he was getting back on the elevator I saw him glance at what my mother had placed in his hand. He looked ready to protest, but I shook my head slightly to let him know that arguing with my mother was a lost cause. He smiled broadly then and just as the doors slid shut, he placed a hand over his heart and gave a small bow.
I looked at Mother as we entered the apartment. She had done a good thing for Luis and his family but gave no indication that I even realized it as she breezed into the entryway calling for my father to bring in the rest of our things. I smiled. I only recently started to notice things about my parents as adults that I hadn’t before. One thing was the fact that no matter how haughty and harsh my mother liked to pretend she was, she was just an old softy at heart.
I was ready for the party by the time Adam rang the bell at six. I opened the door and he took a sharp intake of breath when he saw me. “Oh my God,” he said, finally. “You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
I smiled. “Thank you. You are quite a vision yourself.”
Adam was wearing a black Armani suit with satin lapels and a green silk tie. His tie clip and cuff-links were gold and studded with small diamonds. He wore a black silk shirt under his suit, and it looked so soft that I couldn’t resist the impulse to touch it softly with my fingers.