That La Jolla Lawyer

by Robert Rogers

  Running room’s what I’ll need. He guessed that Warner would have hired ex-football buddies to keep order. They’d be big and most likely short of patience among other shortcomings.

  One on one, he figured he could hold his own. However, if two or more corralled him, he’d have to rely on his wits.

  He went inside the Center and picked a spot at the rear of the building. It had a direct view of the stage and the speaker’s podium.

  Warner worked the periphery of the stage, directing his security team. As Matt had assumed, all were big. Not to be argued with. The team dispersed, one to each corner; one near the entry door. He’d be the one first on the scene, Matt knew, once he began asking questions.

  Matt was offered a seat, but refused. “I can’t stay long,” he told the usher. “I just want to see the congressman before I have to go.”

  Congressman Reid came on stage with his wife, Marcia and

  two other dignitaries. All beamed with wide smiles.

  Standing offstage were two reporter types, one with a camera, another with a pad and pen. From the Union. They’ve responded to my anonymous tip. He’d be giving them a story.

  Seconds later, the closest dignitary walked to the podium, thumped the microphone to get things started. The crowd grew quiet. He introduced himself as the mayor of Poway and received applause.

  “Ordinarily I don’t endorse candidates for an office, but Congressman Reid has been so impressive to us here in Poway, his Christian values, his family values, I was compelled to come before you and do just that, to wholeheartedly endorse Congressman Reid to become our US Senator!”

  Loud applause followed that. Following more platitudes about Reid, the Mayor introduced the second dignitary, the congressman from an adjacent district. He was full of praise for Reid, a man who stood shoulder to shoulder with the working man and woman, a man who had worked tirelessly for the good of his constituents since he first went to Washington. Finally, he waved a hand in Reid’s direction and said, “I welcome Congressman… make that, Senator Clint Reid!”

  More loud applause. Reid bounded to the microphone, waved at the crowd. When the shouting and applause quieted down, he thanked the mayor and his fellow congressman for their kind words. He also had kind words for both of them. After all, both had to run again. Politicians excel at back scratching, Matt thought.

  Reid looked out at the crowd and panned the hall, as if looking into the eyes of each person there. At that point, Matt strode down the central aisle, stopped halfway and shouted. “Congressman, I’ve heard all these claims about what a fine family man you are, Christian values and all that. How do you square those values with the fling you had with one of your volunteers in San Francisco?”

  Matt waved a sheaf of papers over his head. “I have statements from witnesses who saw the naked young woman and your wife attacking her and threatening you. And, after all that, the young woman was threatened by one of your campaign staff. Then she was murdered. What is your comment on that?”

  Warner hurried on stage and nudged the congressman away from the mic. When he saw Matt, he cursed and shouted, “Dawson.” He pulled his communicator from his belt and began ordering his security team into action. They immediately began a rush toward Matt.

  “Time for me to move on,” Matt said to himself. He turned and ran toward the entry door. But, moving down the aisle toward him was the beefy security guard he’d seen earlier. Charging down the back aisle toward the door were two guards from the back corners. I’ll try to finesse my way past the guy in the aisle. Maybe an elbow

  to the gut. Then outrun the other two.

  However, the guy stood in the center of the aisle with his arms outstretched, blocking his way. Matt charged into him, but the guy hardly moved. He grabbed Matt’s tee shirt to stop him. When the shirt ripped free, he clenched his fist to knock Matt down. Matt took a step back, but knew he was still in the guy’s reach. He braced himself to block for the blow when Denise suddenly appeared and caught the guy’s arm. “Press taking pictures,” she said jerking her head toward the cameraman on the platform.

  When the man looked in that direction, Matt bolted past with half his tee shirt gone. The door out was close, but the guard on his right was closing fast, like he was headed downfield on a kickoff looking for somebody to hit. Matt knew who he had in mind.

  “Damn,” he muttered under his breath and looked right and left for another way to go. The guard on the left was picking up steam. Can’t go that way.

  He glanced right at the guy closing fast. As he did, a foot kicked out from the crowd and tripped the guy who went sprawling on the floor with a loud thud. That was all Matt needed to get through the door and to his car. He was relieved not to see anyone watching him get in and no one followed.

  “Whew!” he said when he was safely down the road. A mile farther along, he remembered the foot that that tripped the security guard. Without that, he might not have made it. He recalled the backside of the foot’s owner.

  “Carter! Be damned. Thank you, old buddy,” he said out loud. “How many times has he saved my butt?”

  That evening, Matt tuned in the six o’clock news to see if the networks carried the heckler story in Poway. ANN had a brief announcement.

  “This afternoon, a heckler stood up during Congressman

  Reid’s speech in Poway and raised some pointed questions about the congressman’s morality. According to those in attendance, the unknown heckler accused the congressman of being caught having a fling with a young female campaign staffer in San Francisco. The reporter went on to say that the congressman’s wife, a Del Mar physician, apparently interrupted the intimate interlude with words. Afterwards one of the congressman’s campaign workers threatened the young female who was killed a few days later. It has been speculated that the young female was Sarah Bush, a reporter for this network and a Pulitzer Prize winner.”

  The reporter said the heckler’s identity had not yet been determined.

  *****

  Nearing six thirty, Carter called. “I’ll be out in fifteen. Is the beer cold?”

  It was.

  “Thanks for the foot,” Matt told him.

  “Glad to be of assistance.”

  “Did you see the six o’clock news?”

  “I did. Unknown heckler. How long do you think it’ll take them to figure out who that was?”

  Fifteen minutes later, Carter and Matt walked out back and sat down with their beers to listen to the waves wash over the beach

  sand and watch beach-lovers frolic.

  Matt spoke first. “Did the shit hit the fan at campaign headquarters?”

  “It did. Warren interrogated all the volunteers who were in the building for the so-called threatening incident between him and Sarah.”

  “That excluded you,” Matt said and told Carter that he’d told Denise that Carter, was working undercover for him.

  Carter shrugged. “Just as well. She’ll know I’m a friend if she needs one or needs to tell me anything.”

  “Let’s hope she doesn’t need one,” Matt replied.

  “From the way Warner browbeat the volunteers, it might have been today. Even as big as he is, I might have taken a poke at him.

  Three people walked out after he finished with them.”

  “No shit?” Matt said.

  “No shit. They said they hadn’t signed up to be talked down to like children.”

  “Can’t say I blame them. Anything about the heckling?”

  “They met in Warren’s office. The congressman, his wife and Warren. I didn’t hear what they said, but your friend Denise might have. Her desk is near Warren’s office door.”

  “I’ll give her a call. Did she catch hell for grabbing the guy’s arm? I thought he was going to swing her into me.”

  “I didn’t see that and I didn’t hear anybody talking about it so maybe she got away with it. A good thing the Union reporter was on stage with a camera. Was that your doing, Matt?”

  “I co
uldn’t resist. Besides, I was hoping to use them as an insurance policy in case I ran into what I did.”

  “It worked. The crowd talk after you’d, shall we say, escaped, was muted concern. Their reaction to Reid’s speech was not as enthusiastic as it could have been. Subdued is what I’d call it. I doubt he was pleased but I didn’t hear anything one way or the other. Grunts mostly work in the warehouse part of the headquarters. Warner recognized you. I heard him call your name. I wonder why he hasn’t said anything.”

  “Likely trying to come up with a strategy. May be worried about what I can prove. Might be buying time to pay off the Mark Hopkins staff. If you bought the story for a dinner at Tadich’s, how much do you think the bellboy could get to forget it?”

  “I’ve worked with you many years, Matt. Don’t you think I anticipate that kind of thing?” He took out a pocket recorder and put it on the small table between them. “It’s all on here, name and all. If the bell boy tries to deny what he said, he’ll have a hard time.”

  “Great man,” Matt said and gave him a pat on the back. “I’ve been thinking I might have to leave the country.”

  “Like hell you were! You were thinking how you could beat ’em in court. I know you, Matt.”

  Matt laughed.

  Carter finished his beer and left.

  Matt’s phone rang. It was Denise.

  Chapter 22

  “Matt, I’m in the newsroom. Did you see our six o’clock news?” Denise asked.

  “I did. I liked it.”

  “I called to tell you that Congressman Reid and his attorney are coming to the studio in an hour to tape a rebuttal for our late news.”

  “That ought to be something,” Matt said with a laugh. “They know who you are,” she said. “Warner recognized you. We didn’t say anything about it in our news clip because no one had told us, if you know what I mean. Warner talked about it at campaign headquarters afterward. I could hear them from his office. I wasn’t invited inside. Warner, the congressman and his wife only.”

  “Did they say what they were going to do?”

  “I heard Warner say something about investigating.”

  “That’s what I figured as well. They want to know what I know before they release my name,” Matt told her.

  “Well, watch the news. They may say something then. I get to present it! Isn’t that great? My first time on camera. Can you

  believe it?”

  “You’ll do great. Congratulations!” Matt told her.

  “The other networks are sending reporters. The Union too.

  Why don’t you come?”

  “I’d love it, but I don’t want to be interviewed until after I’ve heard the other side and thought about it. I’ll be watching,” Matt said.

  “Let me know what you think,” she said.

  “I will. By the way, thanks for your help at the Community Center. That guy was about to clobber me.”

  “I know! He almost threw me at you,” Denise said.

  After she hung up, he remembered he had wanted to ask her a question. It’ll keep. This is not the right time.

  He called Carter and alerted him.

  “I imagine the shit will hit your fan after Reid’s bunch has their say,” Carter said.

  “Yeah. They’ll throw some big guns at me. Their high-priced lawyers. Likely file a lawsuit. Defamation or something like that.”

  “Shouldn’t be much of a problem for you, Matt. You can run circles around them in court.”

  “We’ll see. Let me have your reaction.”

  Eleven o’clock rolled around. Matt turned on his old television. There sat Denise around a table with Congressman Reid, his wife and some guy Matt didn’t recognize.

  Reid and the guy were formally dressed in their customary black suits and ties. His wife was just as formal in a gray suit and white blouse. All sat stone-faced, looking at the camera.

  Denise briefly reviewed what had happened at the Poway Community Center then asked the congressman for a response.

  He turned toward her and said, “I can tell you that what the man said was complete rubbish, totally false and slanderous. I treasure the relationship I have with my wife. I hold family values above all others. I would never have an affair or any relationship with another woman. We think the man is a supporter of my opponent in this campaign. We plan to get to the bottom of his scurrilous charge and take whatever action is necessary to prevent it from happening again. It is an obvious attempt to sabotage my

  campaign. My attorney will have more to say.”

  Denise thanked him. She turned to the other guy but the congressman’s wife interrupted her. “May I say something?”

  “Of course, Dr. Reid,” Denise said, using the name she assumed the doctor would be using since she was married. “I can understand how upsetting this must be for you.”

  Reid’s wife didn’t bother to correct her. “It is! I’ve never heard such lies in my entire life. What that man said was utter nonsense. I was part of a medical group scheduled to attend a conference in San Jose at the time of my husband’s speaking engagement in San Francisco where this so-called affair was supposed to have taken place. So, it would have been impossible for me to be there. I want my husband to answer those charges so we can get on with the campaign. I see this as an obvious attempt to derail my husband’s campaign and to smear his good name and mine.”

  Denise thanked her. “Now, let us hear from the congressman’s attorney.” She gestured for the other man at the table to speak.

  He introduced himself as Edward Carpenter, attorney for the campaign committee to elect Congressman Reid to the US Senate.

  “We have just begun to investigate the slanderous charges made at the Poway Community Center this afternoon. We have determined that the man who made the false remarks was Matt Dawson. He was the attorney who represented Dr. Schofield in her murder trial several years ago and who afterward, I’m told, suffered a nervous breakdown. Dawson has obviously not yet recovered.”

  He looked at Denise and smiled as though having scored big with that quip. “We will be filing a suit against Mr. Dawson for his attempts to defame the good name and reputation of Congressman Reid. We will ask the court for an injunction to prevent Dawson from repeating the slanderous statements. I will have more to say on the matter as our investigation proceeds.”

  Matt’s picture came on the screen, obviously younger, and wearing his working clothes, dark suit, tie and white shirt.

  Denise said, “This is a shot of Matt Dawson taken at the time of the Schofield trial. Is this the man who appeared at the Community Center?”

  Reid’s voice was heard to say, “Yes. That’s him. He has a beard and mustache now but that’s the man.”

  The next shot was of Denise, saying, “We will try to contact Matt Dawson in the morning to get his response to everything that has been said tonight. Thank you and good night.”

  The microphones went silent. Denise and the other parties around the table had gotten up and were talking. Then, the cameras faded to a commercial.

  Matt’s phone rang immediately. It was Carter. “I have an email from the organizer of the medical event the good doctor was supposed to have attended. It says the event was cancelled. I don’t know how she can wiggle off that hook.”

  “I don’t know either,” Matt replied. “She was bluffing, but she never exactly said she was there, just hinted at it. Maybe they’re going for the bluff to get them past the election. Or, maybe she has clout with somebody who’ll vouch that she showed up though it was cancelled.”

  “I’ll try to get a statement from the hotel hosting the event to contradict that before they show up with money.”

  “How about getting somebody to vouch for Warner threatening Sarah?” Matt asked.

  “One of the guys who quit the campaign was talking about it.

  I don’t know how solid his testimony will be, but I’ll contact him and see what he says.”

  “Good. We’d better be ready. I’
ll get a call from Denise in

  the morning. As an ANN reporter, an official call. I’ll have to make a bluff myself.”

  “Damn, Matt, we’re mixing it up again,” Carter said, practically shouting. “Hell, I’m having fun!”

  “Me too, kind of. However, usually when we’re having fun, my reputation is not on the line.”

  “There is that. But, never fear, old buddy. We’re gonna whip those bastards. They’re phonies and liars.”

  “I agree,” Matt said.

  He slept very little that night. His mind kept sifting through all the scenarios that could be thrown at him the next day.

  Morning coffee tasted great. Thinking of Sarah, he played the Second Waltz and was pleased he was not playing it because of Jennifer.

  Oddly enough, Jennifer had called him earlier that morning,

  before he’d even gotten out of bed. He was awake just not up. She wanted to know about the news story.

  “Are you in trouble, Matt? Franklin wanted me to call last night, but it was too late, I thought.”

  Franklin? Why in hell would he want to know if I’m in trouble? More bullshit.

  “No, I’m not in trouble. I have a client, as I think I’ve told you. The parents of Sarah Bush. The thing last night came about because of her. I’ve been trying to track down who killed her and stepped on the congressman’s toes in the process.”

  “Franklin said Carpenter is a reputable attorney.”

  “The life of a reputation ends with a lawyer’s last case.

  Check his reputation after he sues me.”

  Why in the hell did I say that? I guess I wanted to do what my grandmother used to say, show my ass. I hope I don’t have to eat my words.

  “They said you were making false statements.”

  “What would you say if you were caught red-handed and didn’t have me as your lawyer?”

  “Fortunately, I did. If you need help, Franklin says we’re

  ready to help.”

  Yeah. When hell freezes over.

  “I appreciate the offer.”

  He’d finished his second cup when the phone rang again. “Damn. The thing’s having a nervous breakdown.”