The Lawyer

by Olivia Saxton

  “David Shaw,” he answered with annoyance.

  “David, it’s Bill.” Bill was one of the clerks at the courthouse.

  “What’s up, Bill?”

  “The judge wants to start with opening arguments at eight instead of nine,” Bill said with urgency.

  “That’s outrageous. That’s thirty minutes from now. What the hell-.”

  “Sorry, man. The judge wants to start early because of a last-minute appointment he has this afternoon,” Bill said.

  “Damnit,” David said with raw emotion and looked at his watch. “All right. Thanks for calling.” David slammed the phone down on its base and started throwing file folders in his briefcase.

  “The judge moved the trial up to eight. I need you to call Mr. Manley and tell him to get dressed and get his butt to the courthouse ASAP,” David said as he closed his briefcase.

  Trish quietly adjusted her bra and pulled her shirt down.

  David threw on his black suit jacket. He hurriedly adjusted the collar. “Trish, didn’t you hear me? I said I need you to call Mr. Manley to tell him the trial time is now at eight.”

  “I heard you,” she whispered. She looked dazed and confused.

  David grabbed his overcoat from the coat rack. “I’ll see you at three.” He rushed out leaving Trish standing in the middle of his office.

  Chapter 8

  Trish was at the library wondering if her little surprise for David was a good idea. She couldn’t understand what got into him. What was more nerve-racking was what got into her. She couldn’t believe she let David maul her like that. Trish reminded herself that it didn’t matter because she only had another three to four weeks left working for him. After he finalized her divorce, she never had to see him again. And it couldn’t happen too soon.

  Trish was heading back to the law office with three books from the library when her cell phone chimed. After fumbling around in her purse, she finally answered it.

  “Hello,” she answered.

  “Where the hell are you? What’s going on at the office?” David barked sternly.

  “I…I had to run a quick errand.”

  “I called the office, and the machine didn’t pick up. Matter of fact, it didn’t ring at all.”

  “The phone is out of order. I called the phone company- from my cell phone. They’ll have it fixed before the end of the day.”

  David sighed. “Look, I left my notes and some documents in a folder on my desk. I need them before court reconvenes. I need you to bring them to me- at the courthouse.”

  “When do you need them?”

  “ASAP. I need those notes and documents to cross-examine a witness. It’s vital that I have them.”

  “Okay…okay, what’s the name on the folder?”

  “It’s a brown folder that says Manley Adoption Fall 1994b as in boy. You can’t miss it. It’s right on top of my desk.”

  “Okay. I’ll grab it and be on my way.”

  “You have twenty minutes,” he said and hung up.

  Trish started jogging down the street. She could see her breath in the cold. She only had a block to go. Hopefully, she could make it to the courthouse in twenty minutes.

  Trish was out of breath by the time she reached the law office. The door was wide open. The painters were putting the finishing touches on the walls in the reception area. Two painters were about to start painting David’s office.

  “Hey, what are you doing back so soon?” Charles, the contractor, asked.

  “David called me. He needs me to bring a file to the courthouse. What did you do with the furniture and the boxes I packed up?” she breathlessly asked.

  “We put all that stuff in the alley. Where you guys park behind the building,” he answered.

  “Okay, are we on schedule here?”

  “Ahead of schedule, since we got to start early. We’ll bring in fans to help dry the paint in here, and then we’ll start on David’s office. The carpet guys will be here in an hour. Once we’re finished doing our thing, we’ll call you, so you can get the new furniture in.”

  “Great. I got to run. If I don’t get David that file in time he will have my ass, and not in a good way,” she said and ran out the back door to the alley.

  Chapter 9

  David paced in front of the plaintiff table. Ted was leaning his backside against the table. “Pacing to death is not going to get her here any faster,” Ted said.

  “Where the hell is she?” he mumbled. “This is her fault you know.”

  “How?”

  “She distracted me this morning.”

  “How did she do that?”

  David quickly pushed the memory of the bookcase tango out of his mind. “She just did, okay,” David snapped.

  “Don’t blame her for your screw up, man. You were probably being a jerk to her as usual because-”

  Ted stopped talking because David stopped pacing. Trish power-walked to the front of the courtroom.

  “It’s about time.” He violently snatched the folder from her and stalked away.

  *******

  Trish’s eyebrows furrowed together and her bottom lip poked out.

  Ted grabbed her shoulders and smiled. “Hey, don’t worry about it. Let’s watch the floor show together, okay?”

  “I broke all the laws of nature to get that thing here as fast as I could,” she said.

  “I know you did. Now come,” Ted said as he escorted her to the spectator seating.

  Ted put his arm around her when they sat down. “Let’s watch the barracuda take his frustrations out on someone else for a change.”

  “I rather watch him in a fight with Mike Tyson,” she said. “Who does he think he is?”

  Ted patted her shoulder.

  “All rise!” the bailiff bellowed.

  Everyone stood as Judge Wakefield walked in. Everyone sat down when she did.

  Ted put his arm back around a still pissed Trish.

  “Mrs. Langley, please take your place back on the witness stand,” the judge instructed.

  A red-haired woman who looked like she was in her late thirties walked from the defendant’s table to the witness stand. She wore a black designer suit. She sat down at the witness stand.

  “You’re still under oath,” the judge informed Mrs. Langley. “Counselor, are you ready to cross-examine?”

  “Yes, your honor,” David said and walked to the witness stand holding a piece of paper. “In 1993, did you approach my client with a job offer in Europe?”

  “Yes, in our London offices,” she answered.

  “Did he accept?”

  “Yes.”

  “What was the job offered?”

  “Managing director of marketing.”

  “Why did you offer him the job?”

  “He was a nice young man and very bright.”

  “Mr. Manley has no experience in management. At that time, he had only been working for Langley International for six months. Is that correct?”

  “Like I said, he’s a bright young man. I knew he could catch onto the managerial position quickly.”

  “Despite the fact that he just graduated from college two months before he was hired,” David stated and folded his arms across his broad chest.

  “Yes.”

  David unfolded his arms and presented a document to the witness. “Mrs. Langley, do you recognize this document?”

  She took the paper from David and looked it over. “No.”

  David took the paper back from her. “Really, because it has your signature on it. This document is a copy of an employment contract between my client and Langley International. At the time of the contract signing, Mrs. Langley was VP over human resource services. I would like to admit this into evidence.”

  “Objection,” the defense lawyer said. “What does Ben Manley’s employment status have to do with the adoption of the minor child?”

  “Your honor, this employment contract was signed and dated two weeks before the minor child was born. The Lang
leys have admitted that they planned to adopt the mother’s baby a month before the child was born. However, there was still a danger that the birth father, my client, would find out about the baby and stop the process. This document shows that Mrs. Langley got him out of the country to make sure he didn’t find out that his ex-girlfriend was pregnant.”

  “Overruled. It will be admitted into evidence,” the judge said.

  David handed the document to the bailiff. “Now, you said you have never seen that document.”

  “I signed so many things when I was vice president. It’s hard to remember them all.”

  “Is it customary for the VP to sign hiring contracts? Surely, the director of the department can handle that.”

  “There were times I had to sign them when the director wasn’t available.”

  David smirked. His eyebrow shot up. “Do you know the penalty for perjury, Mrs. Langley?”

  “Objection. Threatening the witness. She answered the question and explained the document.”

  “Sustained.”

  “I’ll re-phrase. Don’t you think it’s suspicious that you signed this particular employment contract and not your director, who happened to be unavailable that day?”

  “No. It’s just a coincidence,” she answered with a straight face.

  “Really,” David said and walked to the plaintiff desk. His client, Mr. Ben Manley, looked at David as he pulled out a document from the brown folder.

  “Yes, really,” she stated.

  “It’s a little too coincidental,” David said and turned back around to face her. “What I have here is a signed affidavit from the director of human resources at Langley International stating that he knew nothing about Ben Manley’s hiring, and that was the only new hire for that month. This affidavit also states that the director of human resources was in the office during the time that the employment contract was drawn up, signed, and processed. There was no reason for Mrs. Langley to assume that responsibility. I would like to admit this into evidence as well.”

  The bailiff took the document from David.

  “Mrs. Langley knew that the birth father was not aware of the boy’s existence, and she wanted to keep it that way, so she and her husband could have the baby for themselves.”

  “Objection,” the defense lawyer said as he stood up. “Your honor, is counsel going to ask a question?”

  “I’ll retract my statement. No further questions,” David said.

  “Mr. Ross, do you wish to question the witness?”

  “Not at this time, your honor, but I reserve the right to put her on the stand at a later date.”

  “So, noted. You may step down,” Judge Wakefield said to Mrs. Langley. “Mr. Shaw. Call your next witness.”

  *******

  Court continued for another hour. David Shaw confidently walked around the room like he owned the world. He showed more charisma than Trish ever gave him credit for. She found it sexy, and she hated herself for it. Court broke for a twenty-minute recess. Teddy and Trish remained standing after the judge left.

  “So, what do you think of our little barracuda now? Pretty good at his job wouldn’t you say?” Ted asked with a smirk.

  “The nickname fits,” Trish said flatly.

  “Let’s go get some coffee,” Ted said. “We can catch up. Talk about-.”

  “How about you let my secretary get back to the office and you find the birth mother before the trial ends?” David asked as he approached them in the spectator seating.

  “Good grief, you still can’t have pent up aggression after all that,” Ted said.

  “He’s right, I have to get back to the office,” Trish said as she threw her purse over her shoulder.

  “Excuse me,” an older gentleman said as he approached them. He had dark hair with gray around his temples and wore a Brooke’s Brother’s suit. “David, you are doing a great job. When my son told me he hired you, I had my doubts. Please forgive me for doubting your abilities,” he said and extended his hand to David.

  David took it. “It’s fine. I know my reputation hasn’t extended far and wide in Pennsylvania.”

  “But, that’s soon to change,” Trish said with a small smile.

  “I totally agree, Miss?”

  “Truman,” Trish finished.

  “I’m Benjamin Manley. Ben’s father. Pleased to meet you,” he said. Mr. Manley took Trish’s hand and kissed it.

  David’s jaw clenched. He couldn’t stand it when someone was polite to her.

  “Charmed,” she said with a smile.

  “So, what is a lovely flower like you doing in a dusty old courtroom?”

  “She’s my assistant. She brought me some papers, but she needs to get back to the office,” David said.

  “Yes, I should be going,” Trish shyly added.

  “May I walk you to your car?” Mr. Manley asked.

  David was about to speak when Trish said, “That’s very kind of you. Thank you.”

  *******

  Mr. Manley escorted Trish out of the courtroom. David watched them as they left.

  “He’s just walking her to her car, barracuda. No reason to get your dandruff up,” Ted said.

  “My dandruff is not up.” It was, though, and David knew it and hated it.

  “Ha. It’s been up since you came into court. I know that the trial time being moved up didn’t get you this rattled.”

  “I can’t talk about it now,” David said and started walking out of the courtroom.

  Chapter 10

  Court had broken for lunch, and Ted and David sat in a booth at Charley’s Steakhouse. Ted knew something was bothering David. He kept needling him until David confessed about what had happened with Trish that morning.

  “Just don’t sit there staring at me like I just told you I wanted to join the carnival, Ted. Say something,” David said as the waitress put their food down.

  Ted didn’t speak until the waitress walked away. “See what happens when you let two years of sexual frustration build up,” he said as he glared at his brother.

  “You’re no help,” David said with annoyance and started cutting his steak.

  “So, after this morning’s um…episode, you rushed out of the office and forgot that very important folder. She was nice enough to almost break her neck to get it to you, and you snatched it from her like she was an annoying gnat. Didn’t you see her face? I know Trish would die before she would admit this, but it looked like she was about to cry when you took that folder. She probably had the same expression when you callously walked out on her this morning, after you did- what you did.” Ted shook his head and un-wrapped his silverware from the napkin. “You pounced on her, literally, and then you treat her like a pest the next time you see her when all she did was give you what you asked for- when she brought the folder, I mean.”

  David stopped cutting his steak and put his utensils down. “She didn’t deserve that.”

  “No, she didn’t,” Ted said and took a bite of his mashed potatoes.

  David hung his head with shame. “I need to apologize to her.”

  “Yes, you do,” Ted said and sipped his soda.

  “I’ll do it when I get back to the office,” David said and picked up his fork.

  “Good. While you’re at it, ask her out on a date. That’s something a man should do with a respectable lady like her.”

  “What?”

  “It’s obvious you’re attracted to her.”

  David scoffed. “Any man would have reacted to what she was showing off.”

  “It’s not like she was doing it on purpose. She was probably cold.” Ted shrugged.

  “Of course, I realize she wasn’t doing it on purpose. It was just a lapse in judgement on my part, and she’s very vulnerable right now. It will never happen again. I’ll let her know that as well.”

  Ted let out an exasperated breath.

  *******

  David and Ted walked to the door of David’s law office. David stopped before he opened t
he door. “Do you really have to babysit me?”

  “I feel like I do,” Ted said.

  “Oh, good grief; we’re not kids anymore.”

  “Then, stop acting like a hormonal teenager.”

  “Look who’s talking.”

  “You’re not me. My charm is so natural women just flock to me.” Ted grinned.

  “Ha, tell that to the waitress you pinched at the restaurant.” David threw his head up in the air and swung the door open.

  “Surprise!” yelled Mr. Jacobs, Darlene, Trish, Mrs. Hinkle, and a few people, who were former clients, stood in the reception area.

  David looked around the office with his mouth open. The walls that used to be dingy white were now Caribbean green. The furniture that had holes in it was gone and replaced with a light plaid couch and matching chairs. The coffee table with drink rings and ten-year-old magazines was gone and replaced with a white table with updated magazines and a vase of fresh flowers.

  “Don’t just stand there with your mouth open, boy. Say something,” Mr. Jacobs said.

  “You don’t like it,” Trish said.

  “No. I like it. It’s just…,” David trailed off.

  Trish took a couple of steps towards him. “Just what?”

  “I tell you what. You tell me how much this cost, and I’ll tell you if I like it or not,” he said with a dazed looked.

  “That’s easy. Nothing,” Trish said.

  “Huh?” David asked.

  “Trish wanted to surprise you. She said you needed an office fit for a real professional like yourself. We decided to help her and you absorb the costs,” Darlene said with a smile.

  “I never forgot how you helped my son out of trouble a year ago. When Ms. Truman came into the store wanting to order furniture for your office, I insisted on giving her fifty percent off,” Mrs. Charmin said happily.

  “Trish called my office to have the walls and carpet work done. When she told me it was for your office, I gave her a discount of thirty percent,” Charles said. “If you hadn’t taken my case eighteen months ago, I wouldn’t have a contracting business.”