by Alexa Davis
Alicia looked sad. She knew that my mother had died in her early sixties from lung cancer. “So sad,” she said. “She missed so much of your life.”
I nodded again. “I’d just opened my practice and it was a small and struggling firm at the time. Her death hit me hard. I was angry and confused. She never smoked a day in her life, you know? It didn’t make sense to me.”
Alicia smiled sadly and said, “In a way, she was responsible for your firm’s success, though.”
“Yeah, I couldn’t let it go and it turned into my first class action.” I spoke with people after from the factory where she had worked for over thirty years after her death. The factory made airplane parts, and although my mother had worked her way up to supervisor prior to her death, she had spent at least twenty years working on the floor.
The different types of materials that they used, the plastics and glass and steel plates, were often treated with chemicals to help them keep their shape and withstand heat and cold, etc. I found out that there had been a large cluster of people from the factory who had died from cancer over the years, specifically lung cancer.
With a lot of investigating, and after spending hundreds of thousands of dollars that I’d had to borrow on experts and other expenses, me and my small team discovered that one of the chemicals the employees were in constant contact with had been banned a few years earlier by the federal government due to its tendency to cause lung cancer with repeated exposure.
The chemical had been in use at the factory for over forty years and the last ten, illegally. During that time, at least twenty-two employees had died of lung cancer. I sued the company in my mother’s name and for the families of twelve other victims who joined the suit.
We won a judgment of sixty-four million dollars. The company paid half of that, and then filed bankruptcy and went out of business two years later. My firm had made enough to pay off our loans, and had gained much needed positive publicity.
Hanson and Associates grew into a large and respected firm, and only got bigger and better from there on out. None of that had eased the pain of losing my mother, but I firmly believe that she was still looking out for me and I owed my success to her. Thinking about her had gotten easier over time when the pain had become less fresh. But at times like these I missed her the most.
“No more sad talk,” I told Alicia. “This is our time.” My mom really would have loved her. She’d begged me not to marry Marjorie, but her warnings fell on deaf ears. In spite of that, she had been a big-hearted woman, and had tried to have a relationship with Marjorie for my sake, but Marjorie looked down her nose at the hard-working woman and only pretended to be nice to her when I was around since she knew I would have never tolerated anything less.
Trying to change the subject and lighten the mood, I said, “I wonder if the FBI agent over there feeding the ducks knows that his fly is open?”
Alicia busted out laughing. “I thought he was probably an agent earlier when I spotted him, but I hadn’t noticed his fly.”
“Well, I must say I’m glad of that,” I said with another chuckle.
We talked for a while longer, and when I walked Alicia to her car, I said, “So, are your parents home or do you think we have time for a quickie?” That made Alicia laugh again. She kissed me and then said,
“Just imagine the look on the Lady Winston’s face if she walked in on that.” We both laughed at the thought and then I said,
“Seriously though, do you think we’ll have some alone time before the New Year?”
“How about this,” Alicia told me, “I’ll buy them tickets for a Broadway show on Monday night and get them a room at the Plaza so they won’t have to make the drive back so late…and then…”
“Alone time,” I said with a smile.
“Alone time,” Alicia agreed, and we sealed the deal with a kiss.
********
Since I was going to be alone again, I decided I’d call Alex and see if there was anything I could find out. I knew they didn’t want me milking him for information, but whether or not he was involved was nagging at me. I just couldn’t believe it and I was still hoping they would turn out to be wrong about him.
“Hey, buddy,” he said when he answered the call. “What’s up? Are you okay?” All of this drama had made me question everything and I found myself even questioning our years of friendship. I suddenly wondered if this was a bad idea. I’m not the best actor in the world. What if he figured out what I was trying to do? “Adam?”
“I’m here, sorry. I dropped the phone. Alicia’s parents are still in town, and I’m bored. I was wondering if you might have time for a beer.”
“Hell, yes, I have time for a beer. I have been up to my eyeballs in financial documents all day. I need a break. You want to meet at Sports Center?”
Sports Center was a bar where we used to spend a lot of time hanging out. “Sounds good, about eight?”
“I’ll be there.”
I got to the bar before him and ordered a pitcher of beer and some nachos. I sat there and thought back to when Alex and I first met. We were both undergraduates at Brown University and had been at the same political rally. Alex had taken the stage against the current Democratic government’s latest increase in tuition and fees. I had been impressed with how articulate he was, and how well informed he seemed to be on current affairs. After Alex’s speech, I had gone up to him and told him so.
We began talking and I told him about my plans to start my own law practice after I graduated from law school in a few years. Alex told me he planned to be President of the United States. I had only known the young man for a few hours at that time, but I actually believed it was a good possibility.
Now, there were these federal agents telling me that the bright young man I watched grow from an ambitious college boy to a political powerhouse was nothing more than a mere criminal. I’d heard about how bad it felt to lose your best friend, but I had never experienced that kind of hurt until now. When I saw him come in the door, I told myself to shake it off or I was going to screw this up. I pasted a smile on my face and as soon as Alex sat down, he grabbed one of my nachos off the plate and popped it in his mouth.
“Help yourself,” I said with a grin.
“I think I will,” he said, taking another one.
“So, tell me how the new post is going,” I asked him while he chewed.
Alex sighed heavily. “It’s good, just tiring. It’s more than a full-time job, being accountable to the President himself.”
“I can imagine,” I told him. “I’m sure you’re accountable to a lot of powerful people these days.”
“You got that right. I have contributors calling me at all hours, wanting to know how every penny of our money is being spent or wanting to tell me how we should be spending it on top of the campaign staff and the Presidential advisors. Sometimes I’m tempted just to turn off the phone and ignore them all.” He took a long drink of his beer and another one of my nachos.
“You should,” I told him, “Give yourself a break, take a vacation, why don’t you?”
Alex laughed, “That’s the dream, buddy. Unfortunately, those powerful people we were talking about me being accountable to wouldn’t allow it. It’s alright, though. I’m making some great political contacts, not to mention an outrageous salary.”
I smiled. “I guess that’s the silver lining. Have you heard any more about what happened to Vick? The police have arrested Brigham, but I have to tell you, Alicia and I both really don’t believe he had anything to do with it.”
Alex rubbed his chin, a sign I had come to know over the years that he was trying to think of how to phrase his words wisely. “Vick was stealing from him. Brigham had a lot to lose as long as Vick was in that position.”
“I agree. But why kill him? Why not just expose him and move on? Brigham has everything to lose if he is convicted of this.”
“True,” Alex said. “But Brigham isn’t known for his rational thinking when he’s
angry. He also had just found out about Vick and that David guy. Maybe he just went to talk to him, intimidate him, and the whole mess got out of control.”
“Maybe,” I said, thinking that Miles’ reputation as a hot-head had definitely helped out whoever had set him up if that had been the case. I decided to try something else.
“Alicia has an old friend who’s in town on business. His name is Jack Grant; do you know him?”
Alex looked surprised and then said, “Hmm, name sounds familiar but I don’t recall where I’ve heard of him from.”
“Oh, I was just asking because Alicia mentioned that she thought she had seen the two of you talking a few days ago outside of the courthouse. She asked me if you’d mentioned knowing him.”
“Oh yes!” he said suddenly, “That guy with the British accent.” I could actually tell that he was trying to sound as if he’d only just remembered. “He was asking me about some contributions his father was thinking of making to our campaign.”
“Kind of odd, don’t you think,” I asked, “Someone from the UK interested in putting money into our politics?”
“Yes,” Alex agreed, “I thought so, too, at first. It seems that his father is trying to bring his business to the US and I think it’s all about gaining some powerful contacts.”
“I suppose that would be a good way. It seems that the more money you sink into a campaign the more friends you make. Miles Brigham IV is a good example of that.”
“Yes, but unfortunately, Brigham’s recent escapades has made him like poison to be around. All the negative press has caused people in high up places, and people that wish to be in high up places to start cutting ties with him.”
“You were put in your position because of him, right?”
“Yes, that’s true. I’m grateful to him, but I have to look out for myself. If he’s found guilty of Vick’s murder, it might make it look like I’d been involved in that, too, right?”
“I don’t think he’ll be found guilty,” I told him.
“Oh?” Alex asked, “Even though you don’t believe he’s guilty, it sounds like the D.A. is going at him with both barrels.”
“When it does go to court, Alicia will be defending him. He couldn’t do any better than that.”
Alex laughed, “Spoken like a true fiancé.”
The conversation turned to Alicia and I getting married at the Plaza, and we sat and talked for over an hour more. I didn’t come away from it feeling like I’d gotten any more information than I already had. It made me sad to think that my best friend was a crook, and sadder yet to believe he may be tied to not one but two murders. I was dying to ask him just one question when and if this was ever resolved…why?
CHAPTER THREE
ALICIA
I stopped at the grocery store on my way home from lunch and I was happy to see that Adam and I were no longer top news on the tabloids. A young actor had overdosed at his Manhattan apartment the night before. He lived, thankfully, but the newspapers and magazines were speculating on whether or not it had been a suicide attempt. I was glad the young man hadn’t died, but I was more than happy to give the front page to him.
When I arrived home, Luis was at the door, as usual. He held the door for me and after asking how my day was going he said,
“You have company,”
“Yes,” I told him. “My parents are still visiting.”
“No, Mr. Grant just got here a few moments ago. I told him you were out, but he said he was here to visit with your parents today.”
“Oh.” He was looking worried that he may have done something wrong. I felt bad and said, “Thank you, Luis. He’s an old friend from back home. I’m sure my parents were happy to see him.” He looked relieved to hear that.
As I walked to the elevator in the lobby I noticed a man sitting in the lobby chair that I didn’t recognize. Being a New Yorker now, I of course did not know everyone who lived in the building, but I had lived there long enough that I knew how to spot a new face. The man was reading or pretending to read a New York Times. I waited a few beats before pushing the up button on the elevator, and when he felt me looking at him he looked up and gave me an almost imperceptible nod and a smile.
I knew then that he was one of the agents looking out for me, and it made me feel more secure as I got in the elevator and rode up to see what it was Jack wanted this time. I did wonder what story the agent had given Luis, who was also protective. He made a point to not let strangers in unless someone was expecting them. I’m sure if the man did tell Luis he was FBI, he would be discreet about it.
I let myself into the apartment and found my parents and Jack having tea in the sitting room. When Jack saw me come in, he stood up and said, “Alicia, I hope you don’t mind me just stopping by. I wanted to get a chance to catch up with your parents while they were still in town.”
“No, not at all,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. Jack gave me a kiss on the cheek and for the first time since I met him all of those years ago, it made my skin crawl a little.
“Jack was just telling us about his father’s business coming to the States,” my mother said. “Isn’t that nice?”
“Yes,” I said and then looking at Jack, I asked, “Strange though, you working with him, huh?”
Jack didn’t appear nervous at all to me as he said, “Yes, I guess it would seem strange to you, all of those years I spent bad-mouthing him. I was an angry young man, Alicia. I have since learned to keep my anger in check and appreciate all that my father has done for me, instead of holding a grudge over what I thought he hadn’t done.”
“Good for you,” my father said before I had a chance to ask anything further of him. “Family is our most important asset.”
“Here, here,” Jack said in a mock toast as he raised his tea cup before drinking from it. I wanted to roll my eyes, but I caught myself before I did. If I let Jack know that I could see through his innocent act he would never share anything with me or in front of me that might lead the FBI to his arrest.
“Alicia,” Mother said, “Why don’t we have Jack stay for dinner tonight?”
“Sure,” I said, really wishing there were some way out of it. “I was planning on making veal cutlets. Is that okay with you, Jack?”
“Sounds terrific, I’d love to stay,” he said, enthusiastically.
It was early afternoon, yet but I told them I had to prepare the veal and excused myself into the kitchen. I wasn’t good at this whole espionage thing. I knew I’d never get Jack to open up to me if I continued to avoid his company, but I could hardly stomach being around him these days.
I poured myself a cup of tea and although I had an excellent butcher who had already done the work for me, I made a play of tenderizing the cutlets. After about half an hour, Jack came into the kitchen.
“Hey, are you sure you don’t mind your mother inviting me to dinner?”
“Of course not,” I told him. “I have plenty.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he said with a serious look. “It just seems that the last few times we’ve talked, you’ve acted like you’d like to be somewhere else.” I drew on the persona I use when I’m in court and trying to defend a client that I don’t like.
“I’m sorry, Jack. I don’t mean to treat you badly. I’ve just had so much going on lately.”
“It’s okay, as long as I haven’t lost my best friend,” he said, making me sad. I didn’t want to lose my friend, either, but I was almost certain I already had.
“Can I help you with anything?” he asked.
I gave him some vegetables to chop and I began preparing the potatoes I was planning to serve with the veal. As we worked, we talked about old times. I found my chance when Jack brought up a big fight he’d had with his father just before entering law school.
“You remember,” he told me, “I was in such a mood. You made me your famous red velvet cake and we stayed up high on sugar, talking all night long.”
“Yes, I do remember,” I tol
d him. “I think I gained five pounds that night. That leads me to a question I’ve had, though. That night, you swore you’d never have anything to do with your father’s business. What really changed your mind, Jack? I’m not really buying what you were selling my parents in there.”
Jack went dark for a minute, and I thought he wasn’t going to answer. Finally, he said,
“I tried making it on my own. I opened my own practice after you left, and for a while, it felt good defending the innocent. But I wasn’t making any money and ultimately had to go to Father for a loan.
“He gave it to me and then promptly began to use it against me. Anytime he wanted or needed anything from me from then on he’d throw it in my face. He made me feel like a failure and he turned out to be right. I ended up losing the practice and not having the money to pay him back. He offered me a job in exchange for what I owed him and a salary larger than anything I ever would have made as an attorney. It was another failure on my part that I accepted it.”
I felt for him as he talked. I didn’t like seeing him so defeated. I could understand his need to seek out his father’s help, but I still couldn’t grasp why he would be willing to undertake the things the FBI were accusing him of.
“Is your commitment to him long-term or do you plan on returning to the law someday?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“At first, it was only until I could pay him back. Now, I just don’t know. Every day I stay, I get sucked into the business a little deeper.”
“Sucked in” sounded to me like he was almost admitting to getting his hands dirty. He seemed to be sad about it, but almost resigned to his fate.
I was about to ask him another question when my mother came in to see how we were doing. The conversation turned to other things and I was actually relieved. Dinner was actually enjoyable and for a while, I lost myself once again in the good memories of an old friend. When it was time for Jack to leave, I walked him down to the lobby. As he was thanking me for the evening and saying goodnight he said,