by Nic Tatano
“I said almost. The poor woman was turned down by lawyers all over town and she’s really in a bind. I can’t do that to her. But if the case doesn’t pan out, well…”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine. You have too good of a reputation. Meanwhile, there’s something on your desk that demands your immediate attention.”
“What, we heard back from the judge on the Carson case?”
“No. Your cat is waiting for you.”
Tish headed into her office, finding Socks sitting on the corner of her desk. “I see you have permanently claimed that spot.” She reached out to pet the cat and was rewarded with a lick on her hand. Then she sat behind the desk and Socks immediately climbed in her lap. She picked up the phone as the cat looked up at her. “Okay, kitty, gotta find some clients to keep you in that high end cat food.”
*
“Do you think we have a chance? I mean, really? No one else wanted this case.” Tish noted the woman’s eyes were sad and desperate.
She had almost considered Shelley’s suggestion to refer the client to another law firm with which she had a great relationship, one that could handle a loss of both considerable time and money. But the moment the woman entered her office, shook hands and locked eyes, she knew she couldn’t abandon her.
Especially when the new client told her why time was of the essence.
She was dying.
A big settlement would get her the medical care to save her life.
If Tish lost the case, well…
Her friend Madison hadn’t abandoned helpless orphaned kittens, and that was how she’d ended up with a wonderful cat like Socks.
In much the same way, she couldn’t in good conscience abandon this client who was basically an orphan seeking a lawyer. Who would die without her help.
And right now, Tish needed to give the woman an injection of confidence because she couldn’t possibly look this defeated in a courtroom. The woman was forty but the stress she’d gone through made her look ten years older. Face drawn, eyes drooping, dark brown hair a ragged mess. Tish knew she’d be very attractive with a little attention and a smile. She leaned forward and nodded. “Cynthia, I think we have an excellent chance. And I want you to focus on that when we come face to face with the defendant. If you look defeated, you give them an advantage. Hold your head up high and always look like you’ve got the upper hand. Confidence is key.”
“I’ll do my best, Miss McKenna.”
“Tish, please.”
“Okay. Tish. I can’t thank you enough for taking me on a contingency. I’d been through six law firms and everyone wanted a huge retainer. I’m broke or I’d give you something. Maybe later this year—”
Tish smiled and waved it away. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t become a lawyer just to make money. Sometimes you have to do the right thing, and in this case that means representing you. What was done to you was unconscionable.”
“You’re a good person, Miss McKenna. I could tell the minute I met you. And people say you’re an incredible lawyer. When I heard your nickname I was expecting…well…”
Tish laughed. “Well, that’s my name in the courtroom. I’m pretty much a softie when I’m off the clock. Anyway, I want you to stop worrying. You’re in good hands. And I have an excellent assistant to work on this case. Even my law intern is helping out.”
The woman finally smiled a bit. “Thank you. I can tell you really care. How long do you think this will take?”
“Well, that depends on the other side and who they hire. If they get the right attorney who doesn’t play games, we could be done by the holidays. And hopefully have something in your Christmas stocking.”
“That sounds good. I don’t want one of those cases that lingers on for years and years.”
“Don’t worry, this one’s pretty cut and dried. We might not even have to go to court if I can get a decent settlement offer. Would that interest you?”
“Depends on the offer, but I’ll listen to anything. And of course, defer to your advice.”
“Well, remember, I work for you. I can offer advice but any final decision will be yours. If something doesn’t feel right, tell me. Anyway, I’ll get things filed shortly and then we’ll see who we’re up against.”
“I know who we’re up against, and he has deep pockets.”
“I meant the lawyer. But I’m gonna pick the defendant’s pockets.”
*
Spencer’s eyes narrowed as tossed his pen on the stack of papers. “I can’t wait to get this guy on the stand and rip his throat out.”
Ariel reached across the desk and patted his hand. “Someone’s inner shark gets cranky when he doesn’t eat.”
“Sorry, I will not lose this case. But you’re right, I’m starving. You wanna go get some dinner or order in?”
Ariel pulled out her cell phone. “I’ll order some Chinese. If we go out to a restaurant we’ll get too relaxed and then we won’t get home till midnight. It’ll set us back two hours.”
“Then again if you get Chinese I’ll want a nap. Get something from the Italian place.” He reached under his desk, grabbed a bag, got up and moved to the bookcase, then pulled a bag of cat treats from the bag and shook it.
“What have you got there, cat food? What are you doing?”
“Playing Pavlov and the cat. Seeing if our furry friend wants to come visit.”
Ariel laughed. “You are too funny. Six hundred dollar an hour attorney trying to lure someone else’s cat through an air vent. I should take a picture of this and write it up for the law review.”
“The cat’s owner might sue us if you make it public.”
“For?”
“As you said, catnapping.” He shook the bag again, then stopped to listen. “I think I hear something.”
“Yeah, but it might be a rat.”
“If it is a rat, the cat will get it.”
Ariel looked up and sure enough, the tuxedo cat emerged from behind the bookcase. “No one would believe this.”
Spencer shook some treats into his hand and held it out. The cat quickly gobbled them up, then nuzzled his arm. “Hey there kitty, how was your day? You want a few more?”
“Y’know, that cat is going to get fat enjoying the smorgasbord between you and her owner, who has no idea someone else is feeding her.”
“I’m just giving her a few treats, that’s all.”
“Right, that’s how it starts.” She noted the pure joy in his face as he fed the cat. “And I cannot believe you’re actually sacrificing part of a billable hour to spend time with a cat.”
“It’s just a little while.”
Ariel looked at the clock and leaned back in her chair. “Spence, speaking of time, what the hell are we doing here still working after nine o’clock?”
“We’ve got a lot to do.”
“Not what I meant. We don’t need to kill ourselves anymore. And frankly, I’m sick of eating dinner out of a Styrofoam container or a pizza box at my desk. Listen to me for a minute. Look, you left the District Attorney’s office and I quit the pro bono world of Legal Aid to start this firm so you could make enough to take care of your father. But you got him the expensive medical care, he’s cured, you even bought him a house, he’s retired and happy… I mean, we make a ton of money working normal hours. Why are you still in that mindset that we have to take every client who walks in the door and need every dollar we can possibly make?”
“Because it could happen again.”
“Your dad is fine and you got him the best health insurance money could buy. And the doctor told you his illness was a one-in-ten-million thing.”
“One of us could get sick.”
“And we’re both covered by the same insurance. Besides, I’d always take care of you and you’d do the same for me.” She sat back and looked at him. “Have you forgotten why you wanted to be a lawyer and why we took the first jobs that we did?”
He slowly nodded but didn’t respond as he kept petting the cat.
“Y�
�know, Spence, that cat makes you look like your old self.”
“Huh?”
“Relaxed and happy. You’ve got that same look you used to have when you helped the good guys win at the DA’s office. Can you honestly say the people we’re representing in this case are the good guys? Would you even want to be in the same room with them if they weren’t clients?”
“Not really. To be honest, I can’t stand them personally.”
“Hell, I feel like I need a shower every time they come by. Spence, this kind of work is making us a lot of money, but we’re not really making the world a better place. And I know that’s why you became a lawyer.”
He looked back at the cat. “I guess I’ve kinda gotten away from what I used to believe.”
“You still believe it. Money, and the people you help with it, is just clouding your memory.” She pointed at the cat. “While your furry friend there is a perfect example of what makes you happy. Yesterday you said you’ve been meaning to get a pet. That means taking the time to be with it. Time away from this office. You can’t just get a cat and leave it alone in your apartment all day. When you adopt a pet you make a commitment to be part of its life. It’s not an accessory. It’s a living creature that needs love and attention. And if we don’t slow down you won’t have the time. But if we do then you’ll be able to enjoy the unconditional love of a cat.”
He turned to look at her. “I’m sorry, Ariel, but once you go through something like my dad’s situation—”
“I know and I understand. You’re terrified it could happen again. But you can’t go through life worried about what might lie ahead. Take some time to smell the roses. Or play with a cat. You make a lot of money, so it’s time you started enjoying it. Even your dad says you work too hard. Hell, you haven’t taken a vacation in three years.”
He exhaled and nodded a bit as he scratched the cat’s head. “I guess we could…scale things back.”
“Good. Let’s start by not taking any more clients and that will take things off our plate by attrition.”
“Sure. No new clients.”
“And even better…let’s send a few clients to some other firms and add a few pro bono cases to replace them. You know that helping desperate people is what makes you happiest, so let’s get back to that a little.”
“You’re right, Ariel.”
“Meanwhile, the hell with ordering in. Let’s go to dinner, relax, have some wine, and then actually go home. Maybe once we clear some of these cases we might be able to eat dinner before the sun goes down instead of like a bunch of vampires.” She pointed at the cat. “Meanwhile, you gonna call the little furball Kitty?”
“Well, there’s no name on her collar. I’ll come up with something. I guess we need to find out if it’s a boy cat or a girl cat. Do you know how to tell?”
Ariel folded her arms. “Do I look like a veterinarian to you?”
Spencer moved back to his laptop and did a search. “Hang on a minute. Okay, here we go. How to sex a cat.”
“I hope you don’t get arrested. If the Feds look at your search history and see that, God knows what they’ll think.”
Spencer chuckled and continued reading. “It says to look directly under the tail. If it looks like a colon, it’s a boy. Upside down exclamation point, it’s a girl.”
“Well, I’m not doing this punctuation search of a cat’s nether regions. Knock yourself out.”
He picked up the cat and took a look. “Our guest is a young lady.”
“Well, you do need a nice girl on your lap.”
“Very funny.”
“Speaking of which, you want me to track down the name of that lawyer with the great eyes who turned your head? I mean, if you think you can sacrifice the billable hours in order to actually go on a date with her and have a social life.”
He offered a slight smile. “Okay, okay, you’ve made your point. But yeah, it would definitely be worth it.”
CHAPTER THREE
By Friday morning, cabin fever, or rather hotel room fever, had set in. Tish hated living out of a suitcase and couldn’t wait to get to Madison’s house for the weekend. Her friend had offered her the chance to stay there all the time, but the commute would take too many valuable hours away, especially in light of her lost client. She needed every minute to dredge up new business and work on her big case if she was to get her law practice back on solid ground. The only good thing about living in a hotel was that it was very close to her office. She determined the only way to make the next few months livable was to spend as little time in the hotel as possible.
The early morning jog along the river had brightened her spirits. She had fallen out of an exercise routine and though she had maintained her one hundred and forty pounds on her five-eight frame, she had gotten a bit soft and out of shape sitting at a desk or in a courtroom all day. Time to get toned again and getting away from the hotel was a good incentive. Besides, it was a pretty fall morning, sunny and unseasonably warm. She finished her run, out of breath and soaked with sweat, hair matted to her face. She was parched as she spotted the soda cart in front of the hotel. She made her way over to get a cool drink, finding herself behind a man in a suit who was talking on a cell phone.
The burly, fiftyish guy with salt-and-pepper hair operating the cart handed a cup of coffee to the man as she moved forward. He gave her a warm smile. “Can I help you, young lady?”
“Thank you for calling me young.”
“No charge for compliments.”
“You got a cold club soda, or sparkling water?”
“Sure.” He reached into the cooler, pulled out a can and handed it to her. “Dollar.”
She reached into her pocket. Empty. “Damn it. I forgot some money. I’m in the hotel, I’ll be right back.”
The man in the suit apparently overheard. “Hang on a minute.” He put the phone against his chest, reached in his pocket and handed the guy a dollar bill. “I got it.”
She turned to face him. “Thank you, that’s very kind of you—”
And then it hit her.
Her eyes went wide as she looked into the face of the white knight from the restaurant.
She had called him awfully cute, but up close he was beyond cute.
And here she was looking like absolute crap in the paint covered sweatpants and old t-shirt she kept in her car.
“No problem,” he said, flashing her a smile. “Excuse me.” He turned away and went back to his phone call as he looked at his watch. “I’m back. Anyway, I’ll see you Saturday night but I gotta go.” He started to walk away. “Love you too.”
Tish shook her head. “Well, damn. Can this week get any worse?”
The soda cart guy studied her face. “Something wrong, Miss?”
“My luck just needs to change, that’s all.”
*
Spencer waited until Ariel left the office for a deposition. She’d be gone an hour or so, more than enough time for him to follow through on her idea.
Finding out the identity of the lawyer who had seriously kicked ass in the courtroom the other day. Ariel was right about the woman being his type. Intelligence trumped everything with him, and that woman was off-the-charts brilliant. Her combination of street smarts and knowledge of the law was impressive. Toss in some New York City spunk and her appeal skyrocketed.
And she was quietly beautiful with those spectacular eyes.
He logged into the New York City justice system database and called up the docket for the new judge, then clicked on the case that had been scheduled for her first morning.
A quick read reminded him there was a female attorney for both the plaintiff and the defendant. One of the names was somehow familiar. “Where the hell do I know that from?” He paused a minute, but couldn’t place it.
He opened another window on the laptop and logged into the New York Bar Association website, then typed in the name of the defendant’s lawyer, Jolene Davis.
He drummed his fingers on the desk as he waited
for her bio to load. Then shook his head as the screen featured a photo of a brunette in her fifties. “Nope, not her. Gotta be the other one.” He typed in “Tish McKenna” and waited.
There she was.
His pulse quickened a bit as he started to read her bio—
Which stopped him dead in his tracks. His jaw dropped as he saw the name of the law school and the year she’d graduated.
“You gotta be kidding me. She was in my class? How the hell did I miss someone like that?”
Because you were young and stupid. And into flashy bimbos back then like most men of that age.
He simply couldn’t remember her at all. Next stop, the website for his law school’s alumni association. He pulled up the photo of the graduating class, read the caption to find the name and her place in the photo. When he saw her face he instantly remembered the woman.
“Oh.” His eyes narrowed as his jaw and fists clenched. “Her.”
There she was, middle of the picture in a cap and gown standing next to the Dean of the law school. She was the valedictorian, her grades so far ahead of the other students it wasn’t even close. The one person who had kept him in second place. Known back then as Mrs. Spock, nicknamed after the Star Trek character who had no emotions and was driven by pure logic. She had been all business, all the time. Never socialized with any of the other students. Never smiled, cracked a joke or made any comment in class regarding anything other than the law. Didn’t go to any of the parties. As far as anyone knew, she never dated. It was like having a nun as a classmate. She sat in the first row, her hand always shooting up like a rocket a nanosecond after the professor asked a question. Answers always perfect. Able to cite obscure legal precedents in a single bound. The woman was a walking law library who got a perfect score on every single exam.
Everyone had hated her. Part jealousy, part lack of personality.
Okay, mostly jealousy.
He’d admired her performance in the classroom and actually tried to strike up a conversation with her in the law library during his first year, just to be nice since he knew she hadn’t made any friends. He sat down across from her and slid a cup of coffee next to her book. She’d told him, “No offense, and don’t take this the wrong way, but I prefer to study alone.” She’d picked up her books and moved to another table, leaving him with two cups of java. She was the most driven woman he’d ever seen.