Advice of Counsel (The Samuel Collins Series Book 1) (10 page)

We spent the next two hours walking around looking at the
animals and then we rode the miniature train that circles Brackenridge Park
where the zoo is situated.  The track winds around the ball fields, the driving
range, in and out of the woods, and past the museum that borders the park.  At
one time, there had been stables where the public could ride horses through the
park, and seeing the place where the old barns had once been, brought back a
whole slew of memories.

As the youngest of five children, my siblings were always
daring me to do one thing or another, and more often than not, it was something
that would get me in trouble.  But invariably I accepted the challenge, more
willing to look bad for my parents than be a wimp in the eyes of my brothers
and sisters.

One time when we were visiting the stables, they dared me to
take off on one of the horses at full speed and pretend to be out of control. 
The poor stable boy was running behind me in his bright orange shirt, flailing
his hands in the air, while my brothers and sisters and I laughed our asses
off.   Another time, the five of us kids were sitting in the engine of the
train having our picture taken and they told me to hit the lever that made the
train go.  It was like the little engine that could.  We went chugging away
with no driver with my mother screaming in the background, while the conductor
raced along beside the track trying to get the train stopped without getting
run over.

At some point, my siblings stopped daring me to do things that
were dangerous because they realized I’d do whatever they asked, regardless of
the consequences; and after a while Mom and Dad got wise to the fact that my
elders were putting me up to things, so my siblings were included in whatever
punishment I got.

If I sat on the train long enough I could probably recall a
dozen other stories about me and my siblings and Brackenridge Park, but it’s a
short ride and by the time Landra and I got off the train, it was almost 3:00
o’clock.  I needed to get back for an appointment, so I dropped Landra off at her
car and headed back to my office.

There was some Mexican function going on in the park across
from the courthouse and there was a group of mariachis dressed in black pants
with silver studs running down the length of the legs, singing and playing
their instruments, and food booths selling roasted corn, fajitas and gorditas. 
It smelled awesome, but I didn’t have time to stop.

When I got back in, Maddie had called twice and Penny was
frantic that I had forgotten my 3:30 hearing on a divorce petition.  I had
already gathered my files before I’d gone with Landra, so all I had to do was
grab them and go across the street to the courthouse. The mariachis were
playing La Bamba and the crowd was making a dismal attempt to sing along.

I hadn’t had a chance to call Maddie before I left and when I
got back, she had called a third time.  I knew what it was about and I knew
that I needed to break the news to Penny that Maddie would be joining our
office staff the next morning.

“Has she ever done legal work before?” Penny asked, trying to
hide her surprise.

“Not that I know of.  But she can type.”

“Well, it should be fun having another woman around the
place.”  She looked around like she wanted to redecorate.

“I’m sure that’s what she’s calling about so will you call her
and let her know she can start tomorrow?  It would be best coming from the
Office Manager.”

Titles are awesome.  They’re an abstract concept that goes a
long way toward employee relations.  Whether or not the duties and
responsibilities change, a new title is always an ego boost.  And I’d taken
enough psyche classes to know not to bring in a new secretary without throwing
a bone to the old one.

“Office manager!” Penny replied happily.

“Yeah, but with no increase in salary.”

I knew she wouldn’t argue. Whenever we’d win a big case, i.e.,
one that made us lots of money, I was always generous with the proceeds.  I
liked to think of us as a team.  It was an arrangement that worked out well for
both of us.  Bonuses are a lot like titles in that respect; they go a long way
towards goodwill and motivation.  A couple of times when we’d had a really good
month, I’d surprised her with a bonus that matched her monthly salary and she
was so appreciative that I was embarrassed.

Penny knew all the shit that Maddie had been through and the
reason behind her coming to work with us, and I could hear her on the phone
reassuring Maddie that she’d make a great legal secretary.  After a couple of
minutes, Penny buzzed me and said that Maddie still wanted to talk to me.

“Hi, Maddie.  What’s up?

“You’re really going to give me a job?”

 
“I told you I would,” I said, feeling irritated that
she had to ask.

“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, Sam.  I don’t know
what I’d do without you.”

“I’m sure you’d manage.  If there’s nothing else, I’ll see you
tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Sam.”  I could tell she was tearing up.

“You’re welcome.  See you tomorrow.”  I hung up and decided
that we were going to have to get Maddie’s crying sorted out from the very
beginning.  I couldn’t deal with an emotional secretary who broke down in tears
every time anything happened, good or bad.

I didn’t see Landra that night because I needed to prepare for
my meeting with the attorney I’d seen at the party, but I called her to make
sure she was okay.  We made tentative plans to get together for dinner later in
the week, and afterwards she would get started prepping another wall of my
fortress.  The room had become my favorite room in the house and I found myself
staring at the wall, trying to imagine it as anything
but
an old stone
wall.  I was sitting back there when I heard something at the French doors.  I
turned on the outside light to find the Siamese standing on his hind legs, with
his front paws pressed against the door, scratching on the glass.  He hadn’t been
around for a while and I’d wondered if maybe he had left for good.  Evidently,
no such luck.

“What do you want?” I said through the door.

“Meow!” he answered enthusiastically.

Out of curiosity, I opened the door to see what he would do. 
He stood there looking at me indifferently for a good 10 seconds, then he came
in and immediately went and sniffed my stone wall.

“Your girlfriend did that,” I told him.

The cat walked the length of the wall then I guess he lost
interest, because he went and parked himself at his spot on the hearth.  He was
a nice looking cat with eyes so blue they looked fake.  He reminded me of some
snobby, rich old fart that didn’t have to give anyone the time of day.  He
looked at me, then turned his head away and started licking his nether region,
as if to let me know exactly what he thought of me.  For some reason, I wanted
to win the prick over.  Maybe he reminded me of myself in some way, or maybe it
was just the challenge, but I went into the kitchen and searched through the
fridge for something to bribe him with.  I wasn’t sure if cats liked pepperoni,
but I pulled a slice off the leftover pizza.

“Here kitty, kitty,” I called from the kitchen.  To my
surprise, the bastard sauntered in and stood at my feet looking up at me expectantly.

“Sit.” 
I’ll be damned
.  The cat actually did it.  “Good
boy,” I told him.  He licked his chops as he watched me place the pepperoni on
the floor in front of him.  A tentative brown paw pushed the meat first one
way, then the other, then he picked it up in his teeth and kind of shook it and
set it down twice before he actually ate it.

He looked at me like he wanted more, so I opened the fridge and
retrieved another bit of pepperoni and a little piece of Italian sausage.  He
was back on all fours, so I gave him the
sit
command and he did it
again.   I gave him both pieces of meat and this time he gobbled them down
without foreplay, then he looked back at me for more.

“That’s all,” I told him, showing him my empty hands.

He meowed and turned around, leaving the kitchen to resume his
seat at the fireplace.  I let him stay inside until I went to bed, then I
booted him out the same door that I’d let him in. 

I was the last one to the office the next morning, even though
I had gotten an early start.  Not wanting to miss out on my muffins, I’d
stopped off at Mrs. Howard’s house early to pick them up.  She had already
dressed and done her hair, but she wasn’t as perky as she usually was and she
looked a little pale.  She waved off my concern, and basically laughed at me,
so I took off with the muffins and ate them in the car on my way to the office.

Maddie greeted me with a cup of coffee when I walked in.  I
took one look at her and stopped dead in my tracks.  “Whoa!  Look at your
hair!” I said, not even attempting to hide my surprise.  “Shit Maddie, you look
great!  I can’t believe you ever wore that horrible hairstyle.”

“Thanks . . . I guess,” she said, running her hand through her
hair.

I’d had these visions of her showing up at the office wearing some
sleazy outfit with a  low-cut blouse and her giant boobs hanging out, and
greeting our clients with
that hair
.  All I could think of was what a
terrible first impression she would make.  But she looked great – completely
professional.  She was wearing navy pants with a matching blazer and a white
button down shirt that showed no cleavage whatsoever.  And her hair.  She had
really nice hair when she wore it down and straight.  For the life of me, I
couldn’t figure out why she’d  worn it in a rat’s nest for so long.

“Wow.  I’m just shocked,” I said.

“Well, I don’t look
that
different!” Maddie said
defensively.

Penny came out of my office at that point, no doubt saving me
from sticking my foot any further down my throat.

“Good morning, Samuel.  I’ve been showing Madeline our filing
system.”

Madeline
?  I’d never even thought about what Maddie was
short for, but she actually
looked
like a Madeline.  Not that I’d ever
met another one, but the name fit.

“Great.  Let me know if you need anything,
Madeline
.” 
She smiled and looked away when I looked at her.  I picked up my messages from
Penny’s desk and went into my office, closing the door behind me, but Penny
knocked and opened it before I even sat down.

“Niki Lautrec called and said he had something important to
talk to you about.  I told him that you would be in the office between 8:00 and 10:00 this morning and then again . . .”  She misinterpreted the look on my face
and stopped before she finished her sentence.  “I’m sorry.  Should I not have
told him that?” she asked.

“No that’s fine,” I assured her.  “I just don’t want to hear
what he has to say.”

She smiled and lowered her voice.  “I think Madeline’s going to
work out really well.  She’s very bright.”

“I guess we need to buy another computer.  Let’s give her a
couple of days and see how she does.  Would you take care of that for us?”

“Certainly,” Penny said agreeably.  “I’ll leave you alone
now.”  She left my office, closing the door behind her.

I went to my meeting and returned during lunch to an empty office. 
Penny and Maddie came in together within a few minutes, both of them laughing,
their arms full of grocery bags.  They didn’t realize I was there, and I could
hear them cackling out in the reception area.  They had obviously hit it off
immediately and it was apparent they were fast becoming friends.  Penny might
as well have gone out and bought the damn computer because it was obvious
Maddie was going to be a permanent fixture in the office.  I heard paper
crinkling and then oohing and aahing, and finally the suspense was too much. 
They were so engrossed in whatever they were doing that I’d walked up right
behind them without them even knowing it.

“
What
are you two doing out here?” I asked.  It was a
totally innocent question, asked in a normal tone of voice, but Maddie screamed
like she had witnessed her mother’s murder, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Damn it, Samuel!” she said, clutching her chest, trying to
bring her breathing under control.  “I didn’t know you were here.”

“What
are
you doing?  What’s in all the bags?” I asked.

“Stuff,” Maddie said.  “I bought some fresh flowers for the
front table, some Starbucks coffee,  healthy snacks . . .”  She was digging in
her bag, pulling things out as she gave her running commentary.

“Flowers?” I thought I must have heard wrong.

“Fresh flowers have a very comforting effect on people.  They
put them at ease.”

“Oh,” I said vaguely.

She arranged the flowers in a vase while she explained their
purpose, then she disappeared into the kitchen to fill the vase with water,
returned, and set the arrangement down on the coffee table.

I was hearing the Twilight Zone theme in my head, and I looked
at Penny to see if maybe the whole thing was a joke, but she just smiled
sweetly at me and then looked at Maddie like a proud mother.

“Don’t look at me like I’m a nut!” Maddie said.  “Most of our
clients are women, right?”

“Yeah, most of them,” I agreed.

“Well, you just wait and see.”  She said it with such certainty
that somehow I  knew she’d be right regardless of how ridiculous the idea was,
so I didn’t pursue it further.

“Did you say Starbucks?” I asked, changing the subject.  I
looked through her bag and pulled out the sack of coffee and headed back to the
kitchen.  Maddie and Penny followed me back with the grocery bags.

“I’ll do that!” Maddie said.

She took over coffee duty so I went back to the groceries to
see what other goodies she had bought.  There were apples, bananas and grapes,
bagels and cream cheese, a bag of big fat pretzels, a bag of  Pepperidge Farm
goldfish, some funky rice cakes that I wouldn’t be eating, a bag of Oreos, and
a carton of Cool Whip.

“I got those especially for you,” Maddie said, pointing to the
Oreos.

“A girl after my own heart.” I ripped the bag open.  “You get
any milk?”

Maddie pointed to the other bag, “In there.”

I thought she was bullshitting, but sure enough, there was a
gallon of milk and some apple juice and O.J. in the bag.

“Penny, give my secretary a raise!”  I poured myself a glass of
milk and sat down at the table and had a dozen Oreos dunked in milk for lunch
and Starbucks coffee topped with Cool Whip for dessert.

I took my coffee back to my office to wait for my 1:00 o’clock
appointment and when she came in, the first words out of her mouth were, “
Where
did you get those
beautiful
flowers?  They are absolutely
gorgeous
!”

I listened while Maddie welcomed her to the office and offered
her a cup of coffee, then she buzzed me on the intercom to let me know the
client was there.

“Thanks.   I’ll be right out.”

By the time I got out to the reception area, Maddie had already
returned with the client’s coffee and she handed me the file.  I fished a $20
bill out of my pocket and tossed it on her desk.  “For the flowers,” I told
her.

Her phone rang and as I walked back to my office with the client,
I could hear Maddie in the background, “Samuel Collins office . . . he is sir,
but he’s just gone into a meeting.  May I have him call you as soon as he’s
free?”

By the end of the day, I had decided that Maddie’s presence in
the office wasn’t so bad after all.  In fact, she was a welcome addition to our
staff.

*    *    *    *

I had a couple of appointments out of the office the next
morning so I didn’t make it in until after lunch, but as soon as I walked in,
Maddie cornered me in my office with a stack of messages.

“A guy came in about an hour ago looking for you, but he
wouldn’t leave his name.  He said he was going to grab a bite to eat and he’d
stop back by.”

“What did he look like?” I asked her.

“Well,” she pronounced it
whale
but with two syllables,
“I think he was possibly the most attractive man I’ve ever met,” she said
matter-of-factly.  “Although, technically I guess I didn’t really meet him
since he wouldn’t leave his name.”

Shit
.  “His name is Niki Lautrec.  He owns Lautrec
Investigations.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

I thumbed through the messages Maddie had handed me, waiting
for her to leave so I could return some calls, but she wasn’t budging.  “Is
there something else?” I finally asked her.

“I hate to do this on my second day, but . . .”

Here it comes
.  I knew I’d be sorry I’d hired her.  She
was going to tell me she needed the day off on her second day of work.  Penny
wasn’t going to be in at all and I really needed someone there. 
Damn.
 
If there’s one thing that totally irks me it’s an unreliable secretary.  “What
is it?” I asked, my irritation obvious
.

“Would it be okay if Oliver and the baby get dropped off here
at 4:45?” she asked.  “My mom is taking care of them today, but she has to be
somewhere at 5:15 and she can’t take them with her.”

I was so surprised that I was wrong that I actually stuttered. 
“Oh, uh, oh.” I fumbled for some bigger words.  “That’s fine.  That’s no
problem.”

Maddie smiled.  “Great.  I’ll leave you alone.”  She left and
closed the door behind her, and I didn’t hear another word from her until
almost 3:30, when she buzzed me on the intercom.  “Mr. Lautrec is here.”

I dropped my pen on my desk and leaned back in my chair. 
“Thanks.  I’ll be right out.”

He launched into me the minute we got back to my office. “Why
didn’t you tell me your girlfriend shoved some guy out the window the other
night?”

“First of all, I wouldn’t exactly call her my girlfriend. 
We’ve been out on one date.  And second, she didn’t
shove
him.  It was
self defense.”

Niki plopped himself down in one of the chairs in front of my
desk.  “One of my investigators was approached by an insurance company that
wanted us to investigate the guy’s death.”

“Bullshit!”

“I’m dead serious.  My investigator ran a conflict check and
the Krally girl’s name popped up, so he told the insurance company that we had
a conflict of interest and couldn’t take the assignment.  What the fuck are you
doing Collins?  Do you have a death wish, going out with this girl?”

“She didn’t shove him out the window,” I repeated.  “I know.  I
was there.”

“You witnessed it?” Niki said, looking tremendously relieved.

“Well no . . . not the actual fall,” I admitted.  “But I saw
her right afterwards.  The guy had beat her up and tried to rape her.  She’s
still got the bruises to prove it.”

Niki was quiet for a minute then he sighed heavily.  “She was
the beneficiary of his life insurance policy, Sam.  Those bruises she’s nursing
are worth a half-million dollars.”

I felt like I’d been punched in the chest.  The remark
literally knocked the breath out of me.  “Tell me you’re kidding.”

“I wish I could,” he said, shaking his head.

I tried to think it through, but it just didn’t make sense. 
“Listen,” I said.  “I know it sounds bad, but I just can’t believe it was
anything other than self defense.  I was
with
her.  You should have seen
her.  I’m telling you she was
really
screwed up, psychologically, I
mean.  She was a mess.  And I was with her for two days afterwards.  I just
can’t believe that there’s any way she could have intentionally pushed the guy
out the window.”

“I don’t know, Sammy,” Niki said skeptically.  “This . . .
coupled with the suspicion of her involvement in her husband’s death . . .
You’re right, it doesn’t sound good.”

“She brought that up without my even asking – her husband’s death. 
She talked about it openly.  Told me the whole story, including how the police
tried to prove that she’d mixed the concoction that killed him.”

“Look . . . just do yourself a favor and quit seeing the girl,”
Niki said.

“I can’t,” I told him.  “I’m her lawyer.”

“Well, she’s gonna need a criminal lawyer before it’s over.”

“I told her that, but she wouldn’t listen.  She said she wanted
me to represent her.”

“Then represent her if you have to, but don’t let it get
personal.”  He fixed those creepy green eyes on me and they felt like laser
beams pinning me to my chair.  “Stay away from her, Collins.”

“All right,” I said.  I knew where Niki was coming from.  When
I separated myself from my emotions I knew how things looked.  And there was a
reason why I’d asked Niki to investigate Landra in the first place.  I kept
trying not to lose sight of that fact.  But the whole thing seemed so unlikely
now that I’d gotten to know her.  And I’d seen enough injustice in my life to
know that things are not always as they appear.  Of course, there was always
the flip side: 
If it smells like shit . . . and it looks like shit . . .

“You still up for tomorrow night?” Niki asked.

Still
?  I was never
up
for it in the first
place.  “Yeah, I’m ready,” I lied.  I looked at him sitting across the desk and
tried to figure out his influence over people. Maddie was right in her
assessment.  Even a man would have to admit that Niki Lautrec was way above
average in looks.  He had these eyes that were the most incredible, unique
shade of green that made him look almost otherworldly.  His hair was a mass of
loose dark curls that he wore almost down to his shoulders.  The guy had a
well-established, legitimate business but he got a thrill out of danger and I
knew of mercenary jobs he had taken that would put Mr. Joshua to shame.

“My secretary is the client involved in your Datacare
investigation,” I told him.

He looked at me like I was crazy, which for all practical
purposes, he was probably right.  “The one out there?” he asked laughing.

“It’s a long story,” I said wearily.  “She resigned on Monday
and I told her she could work here.  She’s got two kids, no husband . . .”  I
let the sentence hang, thinking maybe he’d drop it.