Redress of Grievances

by Brenda Adcock

  "You're late," Alex whispered.

  "It's your fault."

  Running her hand along Harriett's neck, Alex kissed her gently. "I've fixed dinner," she said.

  As Harriett entered the front door, she saw candles flickering on the coffee table and two place settings. Soft instrumental music flowed from the stereo. Alex carried Harriett's overnighter into the bedroom and then busied herself with putting food on plates for them. Alex enjoyed eating by candlelight and, although no one would have guessed it from her formal demeanor at the office, was a romantic at heart.

  Alex and Harriett had been clandestinely seeing each other for three years and it was a relationship they both enjoyed, intellectually as well as physically. Harriett made no demands on Alex, and Alex made no promises. Alex would never leave her partner of almost twenty years, and Harriett would never ask her to. At forty-four, Alexis Dunne wasn't happy with her life but had accepted it for what it was. Harriett had thrown herself into her career after her brother and sister-in-law had been killed in an automobile accident four years before, leaving her as the sole guardian of their two-year-old daughter. The last thing she had wanted or sought was something to complicate her life.

  She and Alex had grown close while handling a particularly arduous case three years earlier. Alex's partner, Gwen, had been out of town when the case concluded, and Alex and Harriett had held an impromptu celebration that ended intimately. Harriett hadn't seriously been with another woman since law school, and rearing Lacey had taken up all of her time away from the office. She had missed having someone to hold her, to love her and had been ripe for an intimate relationship. The times Harriett spent with Alex were never more than what they were, pleasurable and passionate without the worry of future complications.

  After dinner, Harriett dragged a pillow from the couch and sat on the rug in front of the fireplace, watching the flames lick at the crackling logs. Alex sat in a chair behind her and leaned back, as they relaxed in the soft cocoon of firelight and music.

  "Did Lacey get to your mother's all right?"

  "Yes. I spoke to her before I saw Wilkes."

  "What do you think about him?"

  "I don't know whether I want the case, Alex," Harriett finally said.

  "Then don't take it," Alex said softly. "The final choice is yours."

  "He swears up and down that he's innocent, but they all say that. There's just something creepy about him, but I can't exactly put my finger on what it is."

  "Creepy in what way?"

  "He's got some pretty unusual ideas about sex. Finally admitted he had slept with all four girls, but claims they were alive and satisfied when he left them. It might have been someone out to get his father, but that sounds ludicrous."

  "That'd be a tough sell," Alex said, leaning forward and kissing the top of Harriett's head.

  Turning to look at Alex's face, Harriett asked, "Do you think I'm submissive in bed?"

  Alex laughed slightly. "God! What a question, Harriett."

  "Wilkes said tonight that sex was the ultimate act of submission on a woman's part. She's flat on her back, open and vulnerable, placing complete trust in her partner."

  "I think it's elementary that lovers have to trust one another."

  Harriett sat up and smiled at Alexis. "Why are you always so logical?"

  "I'm not, or I wouldn't be here now."

  "I'm glad you are."

  Harriett looked back at the fire, rubbed her hands over her arms and said almost to herself, "I must have caught a chill."

  Alex slid onto the floor behind her, wrapping her hands around a hot coffee mug. Setting the cup down, she ran her hands up and down Harriett's arms.

  "That feels good," Harriett breathed as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against Alex.

  Alex could smell the freshness of Harriett's hair as she stared at the glowing fire and continued to stroke her arms, allowing her hands to take on a life of their own as they moved to encircle Harriett's waist.

  "Warmer now?" Alex asked as she felt Harriett's body relax.

  She looked up at Alex and smiled. "Almost," she answered.

  THE GLOW FROM the fire danced across Harriett's back as she slept. Alex watched the smooth rise and fall of her back as she breathed evenly. Her skin had felt like new velvet wherever Alex touched it, and she longed to touch it again. She marveled at the flawless beauty of Harriett's body as she leaned down and brushed hair away from Harriett's face and neck. Smiling at the peaceful look on her lover's face, she remembered the intensity and passion in her eyes only two hours earlier. No, submissive would never be a word anyone could apply to Harriett. She gave herself freely and completely, but never as less than an equal.

  Alex softly kissed Harriett's shoulders and back until she felt her body begin to awaken. When she looked at Harriett's face, eyes still closed, a smile forming on her sensuous lips, Alex said, quietly, "I didn't mean to wake you."

  "Yes, you did!” Harriett said as she rolled lazily onto her side, reached up and lightly stroked Alex's face with her fingertips.

  WHEN HARRIETT OPENED her eyes again, the sun was shining, and she had no idea what time it was. She had refused to buy a clock for the cabin and always left her wristwatch in the car. Alex wasn't in the bedroom, and Harriett swung her legs over the side of the bed and found her robe lying next to her house shoes. Wandering slowly through the cabin, Alex was nowhere to be seen. Next to the coffeemaker, she finally found a note that read "Gone Fishing."

  Smiling to herself, she poured a cup of coffee and returned to the bedroom to dress. When they had first met, Alex hadn't been fishing since she was a child. Now when they were at the cabin, she enjoyed sitting at the edge of the pier. Fish big enough to keep rarely ventured that close to shore, but it was exciting to catch the smaller ones that teased at your line and usually made off with the bait before you could hook them. Alex had probably gotten to the cabin early enough the day before to bait the area around the pier, and Harriett could picture her as she tried to coax something to take a big enough piece of her hook to make a catch.

  From the porch, Harriett saw Alex casting her line. Carrying two cups of coffee, she joined Alex, bending down to kiss her.

  "Catch anything?" she asked.

  "A couple of minnows and a guppy," Alex grinned as she took the cup.

  "Wow, the big ones. Did you save any for me?"

  "A few, but I thought you'd sleep longer. It's only..." Alex began.

  "Don't tell me," Harriett said holding up her hand. "I don't care what time it is until Sunday."

  MID-AFTERNOON SUNDAY, Harriett walked with Alex to her car as she loaded her suitcase into the trunk.

  "Too bad this wasn't a longer weekend," Harriett said.

  Alex looked out at the lake and said, "Too bad Gwen will be home tonight."

  Harriett wished Alex hadn't brought up her partner but knew it was simply a statement of fact.

  "I wish I could stay longer, Harriett. I wish we both could," Alexis said softly still gazing at the lake.

  "Next time," Harriett said patting her on the shoulder.

  In one last grand sweep, Alex wrapped her arms around Harriett and drew her into a lingering, needy kiss. Alexis Dunne was a quiet woman, not given to bursts of passion or enthusiasm, but there was something so spontaneous about the kiss that it caught Harriett by surprise. As she released Harriett to get in her car, Alex touched the younger woman's face and said, "I love you, Harriett Markham."

  "I love you, too, Alex," Harriett said quietly. It was all she could do to get the words out of her mouth. In three years, it was the first time Alex had spoken those words outside the bedroom.

  Alex stopped with one foot in her car and smiled at Harriett.

  "By the way, you're not the least bit submissive when we make love, and I thank God for that."

  Harriett left the cabin two hours later.

  Chapter Five

  AT SEVEN-FIFTEEN Monday morning, Harriett stepped off the elevator
and walked toward her office. No matter how early she arrived at her office, Eleanor was always there first. Harriett had been tempted to stay at the office all night to see whether the nightly janitorial crew packed Eleanor in a box somewhere at night and unpacked her in the morning. Or maybe it was that Eleanor knew Harriett always arrived early on Mondays.

  "Morning, Eleanor," Harriett said as she approached her secretary's desk. "See if you can get Clarence Wilkes on the phone. If we don't have the number, call Accounting. They should have it. We'll need to set up a separate file for them anyway. Then contact Todd Connor at the DA's office, and tell him Winston and Dunne has accepted the Wilkes case, and we'll send a courier over to their office in about an hour to pick up whatever they have on the case."

  "Anything else, Ms. Markham?" Eleanor asked almost eagerly. To Harriett, Eleanor seemed like an old racehorse chomping at the bit to join in another race every time Harriett took on a new case.

  "I want to see what the police and DA have put together first, but you might ask Wayne Graham to stop by if he has a chance."

  That would make Eleanor happy, too. Harriett suspected that Eleanor had a thing for Wayne Graham, an independent investigator on retainer with Winston and Dunne. Most of his work consisted of eavesdropping on the unfaithful, but every now and then, a case that required real investigation presented itself. Wayne had left the Dallas Police Department when they refused to return him to active duty after he had been wounded apprehending a suspect, and Harriett had represented him in a lawsuit against the police department. He had used his settlement to open his own business and would do almost anything for her. Based on Harriett's recommendation, several large law firms had used his services over the last five years. She loved talking to Wayne. There was something about him that reminded her of her father, although in a much cruder version.

  Coffee was already brewing in the coffeemaker when Harriett sat down behind her desk and opened her briefcase. She glanced over the notes she had taken during her brief interview with Jared Wilkes and began jotting down a series of questions she wanted to ask his parents. In the midst of her thinking, the intercom buzzed. Without looking up from her notes, Harriett reached across her desk and picked up the receiver.

  "Yes, Eleanor," Harriett answered as she continued writing.

  "Mr. Wilkes is here to see you," the secretary announced.

  Harriett glanced at the clock on her desk. Seven forty-five.

  "Show him in," she said, setting her pen down.

  Clarence Wilkes strode into her office before she hung up the phone. He was a massive figure, which seemed to match what Harriett had heard about him. A former truck driver, he had grown tired of working for other people and started his own transport company, which now rivaled older, more established haulers. The key to Wilkes's success had been his treatment of the drivers who worked for him. He could be a tyrant if he caught drivers using drugs or alcohol and imposed drinking rules similar to the ones for airline pilots. Drivers for Wilkes Transport earned above scale money and were provided with an extensive benefit package. In the years since he began his operation, Clarence Wilkes had never been cited for any labor or transportation violations and was the recipient of dozens of citations from state and national organizations. His reputation was that of a straight to the core type of man who didn't tolerate obfuscation well. Within seconds of entering her office, Wilkes was ready to get down to business.

  "Dunne tells me you're willing to take Jared's case. That right?"

  "Yes. I've spoken to your son but won't be receiving the specifics from the police and district attorney until later today, Mr. Wilkes. After I know what they have as far as evidence is concerned, I'll determine the best course of action for Jared's defense."

  "It doesn't matter what they have as evidence, Jared will be pleading not guilty."

  "I'm afraid that will be up to Jared and me, Mr. Wilkes. He is the client."

  "And I'm the wallet who's going to pay your fee," Wilkes snapped. "You'll be taking instructions from me."

  "No, I won't, and if that's what you're expecting, then I recommend you find another attorney."

  For a minute Clarence Wilkes and Harriett Markham stared at each other, each waiting for the other one to blink. Finally Wilkes smiled slightly.

  "You're not from Dallas, are you?" he asked.

  "Anson," she said.

  "How'd someone as feisty as you get saddled with an uptight company like this one?"

  Harriett began to relax a little. "Like you, Mr. Wilkes, I try to seek out the best."

  Wilkes leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath. "I suppose you've already checked out my background, Ms. Markham. Same as I did yours. These big city corporate types make me nervous, but I trust you. You do whatever you think is best for Jared. Boy's always been a pain in my ass, but I can't believe he did what they're claiming he did."

  "How is your relationship with Jared?"

  Shrugging slightly, Wilkes replied, "He looks at me and sees a well used, bottomless wallet. I doubt he sees anything more. We've never been what you'd call close, but he is my son. My wife and I have to believe in him."

  "I don't think his case will have a negative effect on your business."

  "I couldn't care less. I didn't start my business to become popular, just rich. And I've done that. It won't be long before I'll be ready to hang it up anyway."

  "Will Jared be taking control of your company?"

  Wilkes laughed. "There's not a chance in hell that will ever happen. I've made arrangements to turn the company over to my board of directors with a recommendation for a new CEO. There is a provision that will assure the continued care of Jared and his mother, of course. But neither of them will ever have control of Wilkes Transport."

  Harriett wasn't sure how to respond to what Wilkes had said and decided not to pursue it.

  "My son is a nice looking kid with money. Always had the fastest car and money to do whatever he wanted. He wasn't abused or deprived in any way. We took him to church on Sundays and sent him to the best schools. My wife and I have been better than average parents, but Jared still turned out bad. The only hope I have for him now is that he will eventually grow up emotionally as well as physically and become a productive adult. Despite what I know he's done in the past, these crimes seem to be uncharacteristic, even for him."

  "Does Jared have a steady girlfriend?"

  "Yeah. Sylvia Jennings, but I don't know why she stays with him. She's a nice girl. Probably better than he deserves."

  "I'll need to speak to her. Do you have an address or phone number for her?"

  "I've got it at the office. I'll see that you get it today."

  Wilkes stood up and when Harriett shook his hand, his grip was firm, yet gentle.

  "I'll do the best I can for Jared, Mr. Wilkes," Harriett said.

  "I appreciate that, Ms. Markham."

  From that day on, Harriett didn't see Clarence Wilkes again.

  Chapter Six

  SYLVIA JENNINGS WAS a pretty twenty-three year old intern with a Dallas advertising agency and had been dating Jared for nearly two years at the time of his arrest. In an effort to get a clearer picture of Jared Wilkes as a person and a man, Harriett arranged an interview with Sylvia in a conference room of Winston and Dunne. There was something wholesome looking and quiet about Sylvia when Harriett first met her, and she seemed an unlikely match for Jared.

  "I appreciate your willingness to meet with me, Miss Jennings. Would you object if I called you Sylvia?"

  "Of course not. I'll do whatever I can to help Jared. I went to see him yesterday and he looked so pathetic."

  "Well, maybe this will all be over soon. Tell me about your relationship with Jared."

  "We met a couple of years ago at a party thrown by a mutual friend, and we've been together pretty much since then."

  "Are you living with him?"

  "No. I have my own place, but I spend the night at his place, or he does at mine fairly often."
>
  "Has he ever asked you to move in with him?"

  "Once, but I have an office in my apartment and do a lot of my work there in the evenings. There really isn't enough room at his place for my drawing table and stuff. Plus, I can be pretty messy at times."

  "How long have you and Jared been intimate?"

  "Is that important?" Sylvia said, somewhat defensively.

  "It's not my intention to embarrass you, Sylvia, but because of the nature of the charges against Jared, the subject of his sex life will play a significant role in his trial."

  "We didn't sleep together for a while, just heavy petting, that kind of thing. A more intimate relationship developed gradually."

  "Were you aware that Jared was sleeping with other women?"

  Sylvia appeared to examine her hands for a moment. "I think I suspected it, but I never made an issue of it. I could have been doing the same thing, and I wouldn't have told him."

  "These girls he's accused of raping were all in their teens. The youngest was only sixteen. When you were with him, did he ever demonstrate any particular interest in younger women?"

  "A lot of these teenage girls go to bars with fake IDs and pass themselves off as being older."

  "I know, but Jared has admitted that he had sex with each of the dead girls. Does that bother you?"

  "Of course, it bothers me," Sylvia answered, her eyes flashing.

  Turning her eyes away from Harriett, she said, almost to herself, "It doesn't say much for my sex appeal, does it?"

  "Did you know any of the girls who were killed?"

  "I might have seen them, but I never formally met any of them. The clubs were usually very crowded when Jared and I went out. I didn't spend a lot of time observing the other women."