backup plan in case our other options didn't work out. It would be a disaster if you had to shut down."
"Tell me about it," Ben said. "We personally guaranteed the 1.2 million dollar line of credit. Plus, our lease has three more years at five grand a month. That's a million and a half exposure."
"My brother might loan us another hundred grand," Alice suggested.
Ben frowned. "He's already given us a hundred and fifty grand, honey. I don't want to gamble any more of his money. It's too risky."
"He'd do it, though."
"No! That's not an option."
Alice turned away and folded her arms. It hurt to see Ben and Alice bickering. This was each other’s second marriage and they'd had eighteen good years together. I didn't want all of this stress destroying their marriage or their health. Ben had suffered a heart attack several years earlier and his health was fragile. Alice was in better shape but she'd suffered from anxiety attacks and depression in the past and couldn't handle too much stress either. This was a delicate situation for both of them.
I probably should have referred them to a local attorney, but they were like family to me and I cared about them. Attorneys were supposed to be detached and objective, but I wasn't. It would be difficult dealing with their problems at a distance too. They should really have a local attorney who was close at hand and knew the local judges. The rural courts sometimes didn't like counsel from the big city and would take it out on their clients. I explained all of this to Ben and Alice.
"We've used some of the local attorneys down here for small stuff that we didn't want to bother you with, but we haven't been very impressed with their knowledge or abilities. That's why we called you. This is the worst thing that's ever happened to us and we want someone we respect and trust to get us through it."
How could I say no? They were like family. If I walked away, they'd probably give up rather than go to another attorney. I'd seen that before. At some point circumstances got so bad that the client lost heart and the will to fight. When that happened, it was all over. As good as our judicial system was, justice didn't always prevail. Both parties needed to have equal representation and the resolve to fight for their rights. This was essential for the system to work properly. If either lacked one of these elements, the other would likely prevail regardless of the merits of the case.
After we'd worn out our welcome at the café, Alice and I went to the house for more discussions. Ben detoured by way of the office to make sure everything was all right and to collect some documents I wanted to look at. All afternoon I combed through accounting records, leases, contracts, and promissory notes to assess the condition of the business and help plan a strategy for survival. The situation was bleak but there were several scenarios that would be tolerable—selling the business being the most promising.
"If you like, I'll call the DA's office here tomorrow and tell them the situation. Their response will depend on their case load and how important white collar crime is to the local DA here. If they're interested, I'll have them contact you. Your best shot at getting some quick money is if criminal charges are brought and Ralph pleads out. Restitution will be one of the conditions of any deal that is struck. Of course, if he's spent all the money then he won't have anything to give back. It's a longshot at best."
"If he can't pay us back will he go to jail?" Ben asked.
"Probably. They're not likely to give him probation if he can't repay some of the money he’s embezzled."
"Good. I hope the bastard rots in prison," Alice spat. "He's ruined our life."
It was nearly eight o'clock when I left to go back to Dallas. Ben and Alice walked me to my car. It was a nice evening and the stars seemed brighter here in Waco. I gave Alice a hug and shook Ben's hand.
"Thanks for coming up," Ben said. "I feel a whole lot better now that we've gone through everything with you."
I nodded. "Good. You guys take care."
"We will," Alice said as I shut the door and started the engine.
I waved as I drove off, then let out a breath. They might have felt better but I felt like shit. Their situation was desperate when I got there and no less desperate when I left. Short of a miracle, I didn't know how they'd survive the week.
4
Depression
Paula Waters
It was nearly midnight when Bart finally made it home after being fired by Robert Ralston. He was drunk, so I undressed him and put him to bed. He fell asleep immediately but I was wide awake, so I just sat there for a long time and watched him. He had put up with so much since we'd been together—my infatuation with Stan, my infidelity with my bodyguard, and all the accompanying publicity. It was a miracle he hadn't already divorced me. Depression hit me like a typhoon. What had I done to deserve all of this?
What really bothered me was Stan's attitude. He took the Charlotte Wenzel case with full knowledge that Bart was the prosecutor on the case. How could he do that? He said it was for the money, but I knew that was a lie. Since when did Stan Turner give a flip about money? There had to be another reason why he felt so compelled to take on Charlotte's case, but what could it be? Nothing made sense.
Eventually I nodded off but it was a troubled slumber. I dreamt of Bart showing up at court drunk. He was loud and belligerent and ended up in a shouting match with the judge. I woke up with a start. It was light outside. Bart was still asleep, so I got up and made some coffee. When I was on my second cup and halfway through the Dallas Morning News, Bart staggered in. I poured him a cup.
"How do you feel?" I asked.
"Like shit," he replied.
"Where were you last night?"
"Getting reacquainted with all the bars and strip clubs on Greenville Ave. It's been a while since I've made the rounds."
"Listen. I'm really sorry about your job. I didn't know anything about Stan being hired to defend Charlotte Wenzel. I was as shocked as you were."
"He knew I'd get bumped off the case if he was defending her. Why did he do it?"
I told him what Stan had told me even though it didn't make a lot of sense. "He said to tell you he was really sorry, but he had no choice."
"Bullshit! He had a choice. He could have said no, but I suppose turning down a fat fee was just too much for him. How much did he get, twenty-five grand?"
I sighed. "A hundred, actually."
"Jesus! He's just another greedy defense counsel."
"No. I don't think so. There's something else, but I haven't figured it out yet."
Bart shook his head. "There's nothing else. It's just pure and simple arrogance. I thought Stan was different, but I guess he's not; just another self-centered, greedy lawyer."
"I don't think so and he certainly couldn't have anticipated you losing your job. I still don't see how that happened."
Bart shrugged. "Shepard set me up. He claimed I leaked confidential information to you and Stan."
"Right. That much I figured out."
"When Ralston called me into his office Shepard was already there with a gleeful look on his face. Ralston said I'd been there long enough to know the rules."
I frowned. "The rules?"
"Yes, that everything said in this office is confidential unless the prosecutor in charge authorizes its dissemination. I knew then what the meeting was all about. I'd briefed you on the case and they'd found out about it. I thought everything I'd said was between you and me. I didn't know Stan was handling Charlotte's defense. I didn't even try to deny it. I just came clean and explained my shock that Stan was on the case."
"So, that’s no reason to fire you.”
"You wouldn’t think so, but they also advised me they were considering bringing the matter before the grand jury and recommending an indictment for obstruction of justice."
"Oh my God! What did you say?"
"I told Shepard to go to hell and then stormed out and slammed the door."
"Good. What an asshole."
"True but technically what I did was
against policy and if Ralston wants to call me on it he can. I doubt he'd take it to the grand jury, though. All the assistant DAs talk to their wives. Shepard's obviously the one behind this. Ralston would have never done this on his own."
"So, what are you going to do?"
"Well, I guess I'm going to be looking for a new job. Is Turner and Waters hiring?"
I laughed. "Sure, but we've only got one case going right now and I don't think you could work both sides of the same case. Although I'd like to see Shepard's face if you announced you were defending Charlotte Wenzel."
"Yeah, wouldn't that cause a storm."
"I'm really sorry, honey," I said. "I never dreamed anything like this would happen."
Bart pulled me into his arms. He sighed. "I know it's not your fault. It's just that I was just really getting into this case and felt good about it."
I kissed him and judging by the passion that followed, he'd forgiven me.
5
Tragedy
Stan Turner
When I got home from Waco Rebekah was sitting on the sofa with a bag of potato chips. She looked up momentarily when I walked in and then returned her attention to Sixty Minutes without a word. Since Peter's funeral she'd lost all her enthusiasm for life. She went through the motions of getting the kids off to school, making super, and doing the laundry but she never smiled, and rarely said much of anything to anybody. I suggested we both might want to get some grief counseling but her stock response was that a shrink couldn't bring back her boy.
It was killing me to see her in such a hopeless depression when I knew
Act Normal, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 9 Page 7