Bennie asked the waiters to keep water, wine, and beer coming, and Mary got her father a whiskey and a Band-Aid, which she and her mother used to cover the cut on his forehead. Luckily, it wasn’t serious, so Mary’s blood pressure returned to normal, and Anthony put a hand on her shoulder.
“Mary, please sit down. You need to get off your feet.”
“I will in a minute.” Mary patted his arm, noticing the redness on his hand from punching the protester. “How’s your hand, honey? I can’t believe you hit that guy.”
“I can’t either.” Anthony forced a smile, pulling out her chair. “Honey, please sit.”
“Thanks.” Mary sat down, eyed her father. “Pop, you sure you’re okay?”
“I’M FINE, DOLL.”
Mary still felt so angry. “That was Machiavelli’s doing. Every time we think he’s hit rock bottom, he gets lower. So it’s not just the press he’s sending after us, it’s protesters. It’s an outrage.”
“I KNEW IT WASN’T JOHN’S REAL FRIENDS BECAUSE THEY WERE INSIDE WITH US. I’M JUST SO EFFIN MAD AT THAT BASTARD—OH, SORRY, EXCUSE ME.” Mary’s father glanced at the Hodges, but Mel waved him off with a polite smile.
“Matty, I’ve heard worse. We might be Minnesota nice, but I served in Vietnam. Now, who were those protestors? Why do they think Judy killed John? What conspiracy are they even talking about?”
Judy’s face reddened. “It’s so awful, it’s a fraud.”
William looked up at Judy, his head jittery. “Judy? Was that real?”
“No, not at all.” Judy frowned, patting his clenched fist. “They’re lying.”
Mary could see Judy was upset, so she took over. “William, it’s not real, and Mel and Susan, those people don’t really care about John. They don’t even know John. They were sent there by a lawyer named Nick Machiavelli. He must have paid them to make a scene, for the cameras.”
“Really?” Mel’s hooded eyes widened behind his trifocals. “Why would he do such a thing, at John’s memorial service?”
“Because he wants to make us look bad. He’s got a thing against us and our firm. He’s suing us, accusing us of John’s murder, and now he’s out of control, practically waging war against us.”
“HE TRIED TO PICK A FIGHT AND HE GOT ONE. HE ACCUSED MARY OF MURDER ON TV. I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES. WE’RE NOT GONNA TAKE THAT LYIN’ DOWN. WE GOT A FAMILY NAME, AND IT STANDS FOR GOOD, NOT LIKE HIS.”
Feet snorted. “Hell, no. We’re not letting him get away with this. He picked on the wrong guys.”
Tony-From-Down-The-Block sipped his beer. “We’re already tryin’ to get him back from what he said about Mary. We’ve been diggin’ into him, big-time. Tryin’ to get the dirt.”
“You have?” Mary asked, looking over in surprise. Between them, The Tonys and her father knew almost everyone in South Philly and they could have turned up something useful. Or something ridiculous.
Bennie frowned at Mary. “DiNunzio, we shouldn’t talk about this now. I’m sure William and the Hodges would rather relax and eat something. Machiavelli and his proxies don’t deserve another moment of our time.”
Mel interjected, “It’s okay, Bennie, I’d like to know what’s going on. We’d rather not make small talk. We’ve thought of nothing but who could have murdered John. It’s shocking that this man is accusing Judy, or any of you, of being his killer.”
Susan nodded, her expression drained. “I go over and over it in my mind, asking myself how anybody could have done that to him. He was such an intelligent, gentle soul, like my sister. Bennie, do the police have any suspects? You’re not truly a suspect, are you? Or Judy?”
“Let me fill you in, briefly,” Bennie answered, then brought William, Mel, and Susan up-to-date on everything, ending with her theory of the burglar. Mary didn’t correct her to add Shanahan because that would upset William, nor did she say anything about her suspicion that Machiavelli was behind John’s murder because she didn’t have any proof. Mary knew from her own experience that speculating wouldn’t help William and the Hodges bear their burden. No one but a crime victim could understand what another crime victim went through, to endure not only a murder, but its aftermath.
Mary turned to Bennie. “Those protestors were the last straw, as far as I’m concerned. Machiavelli’s playing by his own rules, and we’re playing by Roger’s rules of Zen. And it’s resulting in what happened today. They ambushed us. I think we need to fire Roger.”
“I would normally agree with you, but we can’t fire him now. Your interview’s tomorrow with the Human Relations Commission. You can’t go in unrepresented.” Bennie’s phone rang in her pocket, but she ignored it. “That’s probably Roger calling.”
“Then we find somebody else overnight, it’s not impossible. Or we postpone. Because this isn’t working. We’re so civilized, we don’t fight back. We have to let them know that we’re onto them and that we won’t take it.”
“BENNIE, I GOTTA BACK MARY UP, NOT ’CAUSE SHE’S MY KID. MACHIAVELLI, HE DON’T PLAY FAIR. YOU ACT ALL NICEY-NICE AND HE’S GONNA TAKE ADVANTAGE.”
Judy blinked, dubious. “Mary, I agree with you but it’s not practical. Not with your interview tomorrow.”
Mel shook his head, the deep lines in his forehead buckling. “Ladies, I don’t know much about the law, but I know about war. You have to fight fire with fire.”
“I’M WITH YOU, MEL. THIS IS HOW THIS MACHIAVELLI FAMILY ACTS. BELIEVE ME, I DONE SOME ASKIN’ AROUND ABOUT THEM. EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S GOT A STORY ABOUT THEM. THEY CHEAT PEOPLE, THEY STIFF PEOPLE, THEY GOT NO RESPECT.”
Bennie’s phone kept ringing, so she slid it out of her pocket and checked the screen. “It’s Sanjay, not Roger. We should take this.”
Anne rose. “Let’s step away.”
Mary and Judy stood up. “Excuse us, everybody,” Mary said, touching Anthony on the shoulder, and they crossed to the wall, huddling around the cell phone, which they put on speaker.
Bennie said into the phone, “Hello, Sanjay, yes we’re fine, thanks.”
“Good.” Sanjay sounded relieved. “We were concerned for your safety. The crowd was out of control. It looked as if the older people got in harm’s way.”
“Fortunately, they’re fine now, Sanjay. Thank you for asking. We have you on speaker and we’re safe and sound at the restaurant.”
“Oh, okay.” Sanjay’s tone hardened. “I’m glad to hear that you’re all safe, but Jim and I have decided to let you go as counsel. Our mind is made up.”
Mary’s heart sank on an already terrible day. “Sanjay, no—”
Anne sagged against the wall. “Sanjay, can I ask why?”
“Anne, I know you worked hard on the case, but we just cannot be involved in this public relations nightmare for another minute. You may not have had a chance to look online yet, but the videos and stills are a disaster. We’re in some of the pictures. My wife freaked. Everybody’s calling us to see if we’re okay. We have to explain that we’re caught up in a fight with people attacking our lawyers. We have to draw the line.”
Mary cringed. “Sanjay, I defended Alex Chen’s deposition and it went beautifully. The case is in place, and we are going forward with the deposition schedule. We are fully prepared to continue this representation. We’re not responsible for what happened today. We are as appalled by it as you are.”
Bennie interjected, “Yes, and think about it, Sanjay. Where else will you get replacement counsel so quickly? So many of the other firms were conflicted out. That was why you came to us, and we’re doing great—”
Sanjay interrupted, “Bennie, please don’t make this harder than it already is. We have decided. We may not even continue the suit. We doubt we could find anybody else to take it on a contingency. We don’t have the money to stage this litigation otherwise. We might have to abandon it, if push comes to shove.”
Bennie pursed her lips. “But we can get this thing settled, you have to hang in until trial. So just stay with us and—”
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Sanjay interrupted again, “We can’t. Business is ruthless. Nobody knows it better than the little guy. David doesn’t beat Goliath, not in real life. We’re snake-bit, and with John’s murder…” his voice trailed off, “… we’ll let you know what happens next and where you should send the file, if we pursue it further.”
Bennie paused. “Okay. I hear you. Thank you very much, Sanjay. We’re always here for you, wishing you the best. And thank you for coming to John’s service. Good-bye, and take care.”
“You too.” Sanjay ended the call, and Bennie slid the phone into her pocket, exhaling tightly.
“Oh, man. He fired us, and I don’t blame him. Do you guys?”
“No,” Mary admitted, though it drove her crazy. “So they lose, we lose, and Machiavelli wins.”
Anne moaned. “No more London Technologies? The whole case is gone, just like that?”
“It happens, Murphy.” Bennie made a sympathetic face at Anne, who shook her head.
“All that work, down the drain. It was such a good case. They were in the right. They deserved to win and they would have. We would have had an awesome settlement, I know it. We were almost there.”
“I bet.” Judy looked at Anne, her lower lip buckling. “I’m sorry. I know you worked really hard on it, and it sucks that this happened today, of all days. John would be so upset.”
“Okay, enough.” Bennie ushered them away from the wall. “We can’t let this distract us from what really matters. Please, go sit down.” She gestured to the table, and they retook their seats, then she raised her wineglass. “Everyone, excuse that interruption, but I say, let’s toast to John.”
“L’chaim,” Lou said sadly, raising a wineglass, joined by Anne and Marshall.
“Yes, to John.” Judy helped William raise a water glass, both of them holding back new tears.
“To John, a wonderful nephew.” Mel hoisted a wineglass, and so did Susan, her eyes glistening.
“TO JOHN!” Mary’s father raised his whiskey, and her mother and Anthony raised wineglasses.
“To John.” Mary sipped water, her emotions whirling. One look at Judy, William, and the Hodges told her how agonized they were feeling, and now they’d been cheated of a peaceful memorial service that could have provided some healing. Somewhere, Machiavelli was laughing. Mary felt like the bad guys were winning.
Her father rubbed her back. “MARE, YOU GOTTA FIGHT SOUTH PHILLY WITH SOUTH PHILLY. HE THINKS HE’S A BIG MUCKETY-MUCK, JUST ’CAUSE HE’S GOT HIS OWN LAW FIRM? WELL, SO DO YOUSE.”
Mary’s mother nodded in approval. “Si, e vero.”
“Thanks.” Mary forced a smile. The baby hadn’t kicked in a while, giving her a break.
“We sure do.” Bennie patted Judy on the shoulder. “We have each other. We’re partners, and we’re going to mourn John, then get it together and fight back. I already have some ideas.”
“Me, too,” Mary said, since a plan was hatching in the back of her mind. Meanwhile, the waiters entered the dining room with trays of salmon filet and broccoli, then started serving the Hodges, The Tonys, Anthony, Marshall, and William, as Judy began to cut his food to feed him.
“HE’S ON HIS HIGH HORSE ON ACCOUNT OF HE HAS SO MUCH MONEY AND BUSINESSES, TOO. I WAS ASKIN’ AROUN’ AND JOEY ONE EYE TOLE ME THAT MACHIAVELLI HAS INVESTMENTS ALL OVER. EVEN IN THE HAM TINS.”
“The ham tins?” Mary asked, ignoring the meal placed in front of her, for the time being.
“YEAH. IT’S A FANCY PLACE IN NEW YORK. THEY GOT BEACHES AND HORSE SHOWS.”
“You mean the Hamptons?”
“YEAH, THAT’S IT.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“YES, JOEY ONE EYE TOLE ME. EVER HEARD OF THE PLACE?”
“I’ve heard of the Hamptons, but I mean the business. Are you saying that Machiavelli has a business in the Hamptons?” Mary felt something gnawing at the edges of her memory.
“YEAH, LIKE FINANCIAL SERVICES OR SOMETHIN’. HE OWNS IT.”
Suddenly it came to her. “Was the name of the company Hampton Holdings?”
“YEAH, I THINK THAT’S IT. WHY?”
Mary felt a bolt of excitement. “One of the plaintiffs from the reverse-discrimination lawsuit worked there during the summers. I think it was Graham Madden.”
Bennie looked over. “You mean the lawsuit against us? One of those plaintiffs used to work for a company of Machiavelli’s?”
Judy came alive. “For real?”
“Yes.” Mary reached for her phone, rallying. “I can show you the resume. I was searching to see if the plaintiffs had worked for him at his law firm. I didn’t know Machiavelli owned businesses other than his law firm so I didn’t see the connection.”
Anne blinked. “He owns companies, in addition to his law firm? Who does that? Is that a thing?”
Bennie nodded. “Sure. I don’t own any other businesses, but Declan does, and I have other friends who do. Mostly business lawyers, not litigators. They buy shares of companies or form consortia to buy them, like any other investments.”
Judy straightened in her seat. “So Machiavelli did manufacture the lawsuit against us.”
“I knew it!” Mary searched her email, found the email from Bennie, and opened the attachment, enlarging the screen to see Madden’s resume, with its reference to Hampton Holdings, LLC. She held up the phone. “It’s right here. Madden worked for Hampton Holdings in the summers before law school.”
Bennie and Judy exchanged looks. Bennie said, “So Machiavelli meets this kid when he’s in college, then the kid goes to law school, and Machiavelli puts him up to suing us?” She frowned. “But why would the kid do that?”
Judy’s blue eyes came to life. “He would if Machiavelli put him through law school. He’d owe him.”
“Right!” Mary felt the puzzle pieces fall into place. “Madden does well in school, then one day, Machiavelli asks him a favor. He says, Apply to Rosato & DiNunzio for a job, and when you get turned down, sue them. It’s evil, and it works. I bet the other plaintiffs worked for Machiavelli’s other businesses. Pop, what were they, do you remember?”
“NO, UH, IF YOU SAY THE NAME, I MIGHT. I WROTE IT DOWN. IT’S AT HOME.”
Mary opened the attachment of Michael Battle’s resume, skimming to his employment experience. “How about Wheels-Up, an aviation insurance company in Wayne?”
“UH, YEAH, THAT’S ONE.” Her father nodded.
Mary’s heart beat faster. She opened the attachment of Stephen McManus’s resume, reading his work experience. “How about AI-Intelligence, some kind of robotics company? It’s in the Chicago area.”
“YEAH I THINK THAT’S ONE, TOO.”
“Were there others?”
“YEAH, BUT I FORGET.”
“Who told you this again?”
“JOEY ONE EYE. YOU DON’T KNOW HIM. YOUR MOTHER’S CAMARR JOSIE KNEW HIM FROM HER OLD PARISH BEFORE SHE MOVED AND—”
“How does he know all this about Machiavelli?”
“HE USED TO DO SOME BOOKKEEPIN’ FOR MACHIAVELLI, EARLY ON BEFORE HE GOT TO BE A BIG SHOT.”
Bennie interjected, “If this man was an accountant, he has a fiduciary duty to keep it to himself. It’s confidential information.”
“BENNIE, DON’T WORRY. JOEY ONE EYE’S NOT A REAL ACCOUNTANT. HE WAS GOOD WITH NUMBERS IN SCHOOL AND MACHIAVELLI USED HIM BECAUSE HE’S A CHEAP BASTARD. JOEY ONE EYE GOT PISSED AFTER MACHIAVELLI STIFFED HIM ’CAUSE HE COULDN’T WORK NO MORE.”
Mary asked, “Because he lost his eye?”
“NO HE DIDN’T LOSE HIS EYE. HE’S GOT TWO EYES.”
Mary let it go. South Philly nicknames were their own language. “So Pop, do you remember any of the other companies?”
“NO, SORRY, MARE.” Her father turned to Feet, who had discovered the pepperoni on the antipasto platter. “FEET, YOU WERE THERE. YOU REMEMBER ANY OF THE OTHER COMPANIES MACHIAVELLI OWNS?”
Feet frowned, chewing away. “I think there were two more. One was Katonah Industries.
That was in New York, too. I remember because I thought of cats and I miss my cat, Jilly. He died.”
“Sorry, Feet.” Mary made a note in her phone. “Do you remember the other company name?”
Feet kept chewing. “Oh, yeah. Florence Financial. I remember it because I dated a girl named Florence, back in the day. Met her at a mixer. Nice girl.”
Mary was making a note in her phone when she noticed Anne leaning over the table, toward Feet.
“Excuse me, Feet?” Anne said, puzzled. “Did you say Florence Financial?”
“Yeah.”
“And Machiavelli owns it?”
“Yeah.”
Mary looked up. “Why do you ask, Anne? Does that name mean anything to you?”
Anne’s mouth dropped open. “Florence Financial is one of the companies in the consortium that owns Home Hacks.”
Bennie looked shocked. “You mean Home Hacks, one of the defendants in London Technologies? Machiavelli has a connection to that case.”
“Evidently, he does,” Mary said, astonished.
Anne nodded excitedly. “He must. I remember from the Certificate of Incorporation for Home Hacks, which I had to get for the Complaint. I saw the name Florence Financial on the list of the consortia that owned the parent company, but I didn’t need to know the details about the parent company to file a Complaint against its subsidiary, Home Hacks. We weren’t suing the parent.”
Judy looked over in disbelief. “So Machiavelli owns Home Hacks, which we’re suing on behalf of London Technologies.”
Bennie interjected, “Correction, which we were suing before Sanjay fired us, just now.”
Feared Page 24