Plastic Gods, A Rich Coleman Novel Vol 2

by William Manchee

  ***

  I was about to go to lunch when I received a frantic phone call from Matt. I canceled my luncheon appointment and instead told Matt to meet me at Carelli's. I arrived there before Matt and went inside to wait. As Matt was entering the restaurant, I noticed a car pull up. The two male occupants of the car got out and walked toward the entrance to the restaurant.

  Matt walked over and sat across from me in the booth. The two men came in and took seats at the counter. An ill feeling came over me.

  "Let’s go somewhere else, son. I think you've been followed."

  Matt nodded. We got up to leave. The two men looked over at us. We walked casually out of the restaurant and got in my car. Then we bolted out of the parking lot as fast as we could. The two men rushed out of the restaurant but Matt and I were several blocks away before they could get to their cars. I knew the neighborhood pretty well so I made a few strategic turns and lost them.

  "I didn't feel like Italian anyway," I said.

  "I'm so sick, I doubt I could eat."

  "So what happened?"

  "I've been set up by a client."

  "Set up? How?"

  "This guy Wallace Green claims he told me about a hundred and fifty thousand that he had stashed away from an insurance claim. It's total bullshit but how can I prove it?"

  "Well, this guy could go to jail too. I can't believe he would admit to bankruptcy fraud."

  "Unless he was confident he'd be granted immunity."

  "Oh God. You think the cartel is behind this?"

  "Dad, you talk like you're a believer."

  "Well, I've always been a believer. I've just been afraid to challenge it. I mean, until you proved me wrong, I didn't think one man could do anything against such a powerful force."

  "No, you were right. I was naive to think I could just throw grenades into their playground with impunity. You know, I was under this delusion that as an American I could say anything about anyone and not have to fear retaliation. Now I realize how stupid I was to think that."

  "So what are you going to do?"

  "That's what I was hoping you could help me with."

  "Obviously you should get an attorney."

  "I'll call Bradley Davis. One of his partners is a criminal attorney, Bruce Pierson, I think is his name."

  "Good. In the meantime, you better stay out of bankruptcy court, and don't do any client interviews. It's going to get pretty ugly over the next few months with the U.S. Trustee's office watching you like a hawk."

  "I wasn't supposed to have done Mr. Green. Normally someone else in the office handles these cases. I can't believe my luck."

  "Here's Dickey's Barbecue. You want to eat here?"

  "No, I'm not hungry. Just take me back to my car."

  "Okay," I said and then did a U-turn and headed back toward Carelli's. As Matt was getting out, he said, "I'll call you after I talk to Brad."

  "Good. I think I'll call a friend over at the U.S. Trustee's office and see if I can learn anything. It would probably be a good idea to hire someone to do a background check on Green. Maybe he's got a criminal history."

  "Good idea. I'll get someone on that."

  "Keep me posted."

  "All right, I'll talk to you soon."