The Good Client

by Dan Decker

  “This thing is spinning out of control. Who is the best defense attorney in the city?”

  I didn’t bat an eye. “I am. I know Timothy and I will do my best to get this situation fixed.”

  “Doing your best is not good enough. I want my son out of jail. I want this thing fixed now.”

  I stifled a laugh.

  Now?

  Who did this guy think I was, Houdini?

  “These things don’t always work quickly. I am working on his case. It’s what I was working on a few minutes ago before you got on the phone to yell at me. Anything else you’d like to say?”

  There was a deep breath on the other side of the phone. If I had not already had a feel for this man, I would have said it was a sob, but I knew he was just trying to formulate a response to my surprising words.

  “I recognize you’re trying to do your best but my son’s life is in jeopardy. I have to make sure he is taking care of. I have to know that he has the best possible attorney. No offense to you, but I’ve never heard of you.” He paused. “And I have made it my business to work only with the best.”

  “None taken. Tell you what, Timothy retained me to work his case and I’m too busy to spend any more time arguing with you because his life is at stake. If you want to take that up with him, you’re more than welcome. I’ll make sure to have my secretary let you know when we have an arraignment time. I suggest you come and support him.”

  I disconnected the call before I had a chance to think about it further. I had not been angry, not really, rather the guy was working into my skin so much that I did not want to risk losing control.

  Best defense attorney in town?

  I already knew who Ron Cooper would call next.

  Keith Williams.

  That would be who he would call if he talked to anybody who practiced criminal law.

  Ron was clearly agitated.

  While the name Keith Williams had popped into my head, I was not gonna give it.

  I detested Williams.

  He was everything that made Stephanie Gray hate people in my profession. Not only that, but he was a blowhard. He was fake. A real phony. Choosing to farm off all the work to people around him while he focused on being a minor celebrity who represented real celebrities. He had been lucky in a couple cases, but had not had nearly as much success as me.

  He just made himself more visible.

  I buzzed Ellie. “If Ron Cooper calls back, send him to voicemail. Also, let him know when we have an arraignment time. Feel free to send it by letter so he doesn’t get it until afterward.” That was probably a little spiteful of me, but she would send an email or call his secretary.

  “I do have a time for you. It’s at 1:00 PM today.”

  10

  May 29 -12:44 PM

  Somebody called my name as I walked up the steps of the courthouse. I turned around to see who it was and my heart sank when I saw Keith Williams with a full entourage of paralegals and associates.

  “Ron Cooper sent me to talk to you. You’re off the case. I’m taking over representation for Timothy.”

  “Did Timothy tell you that himself?” I continued on my way up the steps. Keith Williams had not tried to call me. Instead, he had waited for me to show up at the arraignment just so he could pull down my pants in public.

  I was not going to put up with it. I also was not walking away from Timothy Cooper, at least not until I heard it from his own mouth.

  “I’ve not had a chance to talk with Timothy yet, but Ron has already paid me a twenty-grand retainer.” Keith shrugged with a huge smile. “Sorry, you lose.”

  “Let’s talk to Timothy,” I said without slowing down, “we’ll see who he chooses.”

  “Look Mitch, I get it. I’m sorry. I should have done you the courtesy of calling you but I didn’t have the time. Let’s not make a scene of this.” As he spoke I could not help but notice him glancing at a couple of nearby reporters, making me suspect he did want to make a scene. He wanted this to be public.

  Anything to get in the news.

  “Okay?” Keith went on. “A boy’s life is in danger. He’s going to need the best representation he can get. Let’s be honest, between the two of us, I would pick me.”

  I didn’t respond because I didn’t want to create a story for the reporters and focused instead on getting into the courtroom where I immediately went over to the bailiff.

  “I’d like to see my client. Timothy Cooper.”

  The bailiff opened the door and motioned for me to go back into the waiting room, Keith slid past the bailiff as well who probably just assumed we were working the case together.

  We waited in silence as he opened the door to Timothy’s holding cell. It took everything I had to keep my calm, I wanted to reach out and slam Keith into the wall and then go and give Ron a piece of my mind.

  Instead, I uncurled the fist I had formed in my pocket and removed my hand, carefully controlled my breathing, and readied myself to meet with Timothy. I mentally reviewed the plan I had made for the meeting before leaving my office.

  “You guys have ten minutes,” the bailiff said after he had shown us in.

  “Thank you, should be more than enough.”

  The bailiff’s eyebrows rose when he registered the tone of my voice, but he didn’t say anything as he locked the door behind us. As he did I could not help but notice the look he gave each of us.

  Timothy looked between Keith and me, his hands shaking so bad that I knew if I was going to stay on as his attorney I would have to act quickly.

  There was no way I was going to let Williams take this case. Williams might do an okay job, but I was going to knock it out of the park.

  “I didn’t realize Keith Williams would be here.” Timothy said. “Did you hire him as co-counsel?”

  I shook my head. “No. He’s here—”

  Williams spoke over me. “Your father retained me to represent you in this matter.”

  “Timothy, this is your decision,” I said. “You’ve already retained me. You don’t need another attorney on this matter, if I feel like we need additional hands I’ll let you know. I know you. I am familiar with the facts of this case. I’m going to get you through this.”

  I also won’t use this to grandstand before the media.

  “Timothy,” Keith said, jerking a finger at me in an accusing fashion. “This guy is not who you need. You need the best. You need me. I’ll get you free. He’s okay, but your life is on the line here, do you really want to take the risk just to save a couple bucks?”

  “Who was it that kept you from making a serious mistake this morning?” I did not look at Keith as I spoke, focusing my unblinking eyes on Timothy and choosing to speak quietly but with a firm tone. “The choice of your attorney is yours. Keith is welcome to be my co-counsel if you would like, but I have to first chair this case.”

  Timothy had that deer in the headlights look again, but there was something stirring within that I had not seen before.

  The kid looked angry.

  “My father sent you, did he?” That was it. He didn’t like his father taking control. Nothing like an overbearing parent to bring out a stubborn child. Good. I was glad to see the kid had some resolve in him. “And why would he do that? He doesn’t care about me. He only cares about his image. Get lost, Keith. You work for me and must do what I tell you. I direct you pay the money to Mitch and then you’re fired.”

  I kept a look of satisfaction from my face because I knew it would be short-lived if I gloated. I turned to Keith. “I need to speak with my client. As it’s clear who is the attorney on this matter, I ask you to leave now to preserve my client’s right to confidentiality.”

  “This is a mistake, Timothy,” Keith said. “I come with an investigative team you would not believe. I know the judges personally and professionally. I will know everything about each potential juror the day we start jury selection. I have vast resources at my disposal, far more than a three-man law firm will have at theirs
.”

  “Three-person law firm.” I could not resist. I hoped the story would get back to Veronica and make her think twice about leaving the firm or pushing as hard on the way we split revenue. “Veronica is one of the best attorneys I know.”

  Keith rolled his eyes. “The point is, you need the best representation you can get. The facts as they have been presented to the media do not look good. They are gunning for you on this one. You need me.”

  “Get out.” Timothy’s voice was quiet but firm. Something about this little exchange told me there was something more here than just healthy tension between a father and son. I was curious about it, but we had more pressing matters to discuss. I made a mental note to talk to Timothy about it later. It was unlikely his father would become a suspect in this case, but I would not leave any avenue unexplored.

  Keith rapped on the door. “You’re making a mistake, kid.”

  Timothy did not respond and neither did I. By the time Keith finally left, I only had a couple minutes left to prepare him.

  “Have you said anything to anybody else?” I asked right off, thinking about the news story and wanting to make sure Timothy was not the source.

  “No. Nothing.”

  “What did you say to your father when you called him?”

  “I didn’t call him. I called my mother, he just happened to be there.” His tone confirmed that there definitely was tension between Timothy and his father.

  Interesting that he chose to follow his father into the law.

  “Did you tell your mother anything?”

  “Just that I had been arrested and that my roommate was dead. Nothing more than that, I swear.”

  I studied him for a moment and considered telling him about the news story but decided against it. I could tell him later if he was not released on bail. If he was he could find it on his own. I needed him focused, not fretting about how this would look in the news. “Good enough. Are you familiar with what happens next?”

  “Yeah, well enough.”

  When he started criminal law this semester, he had probably never thought he’d be learning about it firsthand.

  “Do you think your dad is going to put up bail?”

  “If only to save his image. That would be the only reason.” Timothy shook his head. “If he doesn’t, mother will.”

  “Okay.” I took a deep breath and let it out. The strange encounter with Keith had me reeling and had kept me from going over my carefully planned strategy for today with Timothy.

  I hated another person encroaching on my turf, but it was just that much worse it was Keith Williams.

  I had been fired by clients before, if Timothy wanted to choose somebody else that was fine, but it had to be his choice. Hopefully he had such distaste for Keith now that he would go to another attorney if it came to that.

  Williams’s face was plastered all around the city on premium billboards I could not hope to pay for anytime soon and he courted reporters as if he were their paparazzi. While I was confident Keith would not do nearly as good of a job as I would, he did have a point about the full contingency of staff he came with. It also meant he came with a much higher bill. Sometimes that was called for, sometimes not.

  I hoped one day to build and afford such luxury, but was certain my staff and I could handle Timothy Cooper’s matter.

  “Okay, so I’m assuming we’re saying ‘not guilty’ today. Correct?”

  “I thought you said you believed me.”

  “Of course, I do. I just don’t want any surprises. You would be shocked at some of the stories I could tell. You say not guilty and nothing else unless the judge asks you a direct question. If he does, keep your response short. You leave all talking to me otherwise. Understand?”

  “Yeah, got it.”

  “Let’s get to it.”

  11

  May 29 -1:01 PM

  “All rise, court is in session,” the bailiff said as the Honorable Christine Jensen walked into court. She was a venerable judge who’d been on the bench for over twenty years and was nearing retirement. I noticed she had a fatigued look as she approached the bench and took her seat.

  How many years does she have left?

  I would have to ask Veronica, she would know. Veronica had worked for her as a law clerk. The two were friends and still shared the occasional lunch. I had learned valuable tidbits from Veronica about how to approach Judge Jensen.

  “You may be seated.”

  As we took our seats I looked over at Frank Ward, the prosecutor on the case. Jensen looked at him and he stood. Often times, Judge Jensen ran an informal courtroom. If things started to get formal, that’s when you knew she was becoming agitated.

  “Your Honor, the defendant has been charged with Murder One and we recommend he be held without bond.”

  Jensen looked at me. “Counselor? How does the defendant plead?”

  “My client pleads not guilty, Your Honor. Furthermore, my client is willing to put up bond. We ask for bail of ten thousand dollars. My client is hardly a flight risk and is primarily concerned about his final exams coming up next week. I think we can trust he will stay around. He’s the son of a prominent transactional attorney. He has ties to the state and significant reasons for wanting to make sure he passes his final exams, the first of which happens to be criminal law.” I carefully examined the judge’s face, trying to decide if my next statement was worth it. I wanted the judge to be in a good mood so she would be more amenable to my requests. “This little experience, although unforeseen, will give him valuable insight into his final exam on that one.” I paused, as a small chuckle came from the courtroom and Jensen favored me with a smile. I was glad I had taken the risk. “He has worked for me as a paralegal and I’ve never known a more diligent student who was anxious to learn about the law. I’m quite certain that he will walk free when all the facts are presented, so let’s not ruin his life in the meantime.”

  “I want to hear the plea from your client,” Judge Jensen had leaned forward to examine Timothy while I had spoken. This was a good sign. She was becoming more personally involved in the case. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Frank Ward shaking his head.

  I had once seen him try to get away with some of the things I did in the courtroom but it didn’t work out for him. He just did not have the personality to bring it off. That, combined with poor timing and not being able to read people, had left him with a burned hand.

  Timothy stood beside me without further prompting. “I plead not guilty, Your Honor.” I was proud of my client for the way he held himself and for the barely restrained indignation with which he spoke. Every inch of him looked like an innocent man who had been wrongly accused.

  “You are getting quite the education today, aren’t you?”

  “Yes, Your Honor. I did not do this. I can’t wait to be exonerated so I can get back to studying law. I am even more determined than before to practice criminal law.”

  I cringed inwardly but kept a smile on my face. The kid had no place practicing criminal law.

  Judge Jensen favored him with a smile that was almost grandmotherly. Veronica had mentioned Jensen had a grandson in his first year of law school, I made a mental note to have Winston do some research on the kid. I would have Timothy dress like him during the trial if Jensen were the assigned judge.

  Jensen had found my words amusing when I had mentioned his first final exam was going to be criminal law, though she had not laughed. Perfect. I knew from Veronica that Judge Jensen had a dark sense of humor, especially for things that were a bit ironic. My ploy had played off and the judge was in a better mood.

  Not only that, she did not look bored anymore.

  She looked at Frank Ward. “This boy doesn’t seem like a flight risk to me, especially knowing what he’s up against in law school. Just in case you and your folk are wrong, I don’t want this to derail this boy’s chance at a law career. I’m going to release him on a fifty-thousand-dollar bond.”

  She hit the gav
el without giving Frank a chance to respond and stood without formal preamble. We all rose as well, but if somebody had not, I doubted she would have noticed. Frank glared at me after she had gone. I gave him a small nod as I packed up my things.

  “Remember, Timothy,” I muttered.

  “I know, I know. Say nothing.”

  “Considering how your dad tried to hijack the case, it’s best to remember my advice to keep the details from your parents. Talk to them about what it’s like to be in jail. Talk to them about how you feel. Don’t talk about the case.”

  I had nothing to suspect Ron Cooper was the leak, but when it came to the press, people sometimes did crazy things.

  As I nodded my head a big bear of a man approached with a small proud woman in tow. I figured these were Timothy’s parents and nodded towards them so he could turn.

  He paled.

  “Couldn’t take my attorney?” Ron’s face was severe and he looked ready to lay into his son. Mrs. Cooper put a hand on Ron’s arm. It made him close his mouth, but did not calm the storm within.

  “Your attorney,” she said in a cold tone, “your choice, of course.”

  I had expected her to be a bullied woman based on my conversation with Ron earlier, but now I reassessed when I heard the strength in her voice. It seemed there were two strong people in that marriage. I wondered how well it worked.

  Mrs. Cooper turned to me. “I will see that the retainer Ron paid Williams is sent to you, the full amount. Williams can send us a bill for his time, if any. Is there anything else you need from me?” She gave her husband a sideways glance. “From us?”

  Ron looked like he was about to say something, but he kept his mouth shut, the anger was starting to reach a boiling point. I studied his face hoping to see genuine concern for his son, but it was deeply hidden if it was there at all. My instincts had told me that he had wanted the best attorney to protect his image and I saw nothing here to make me reassess my initial impression.

  I turned my attention back to his mother. “Once we have had an opportunity to review the facts, I would like you both to meet with my investigator.”