“How many men have you slept . . .err . . . had sex with in your life? If you know,” he added.
I could have objected but I didn’t. He was baiting her and I needed to see how Maddie would hold up on the witness stand. A trial would be much more brutal than a deposition, and if she couldn’t take it in a depo, she’d never make it at trial.
She remained calm and collected. “Four.”
Dick’s face dropped and I almost laughed out loud. He’d never be able to portray Maddie as a tramp. She was much too genuine in her answers -- way too likable a witness. If Dick knew about the correlation of the timing of her husband’s death with Larry’s request-for-sex scheme, he didn’t mention it. But I sure as hell would. And if the jury didn’t hate Larry before, they’d crucify him when they found out what state of mind Maddie was in when she agreed to his blackmail.
After four hours of questioning, Dick hadn’t gotten anything out of Maddie that would help his case. I felt great. I hadn’t said a word during the entire depo, but I spoke up when it got to be almost 1:00 o’clock.
“Excuse me,” I said. “Are we about finished here? Because if not, I’m going to propose that we break for lunch.”
“I think we’re just about done,” he said, flipping through his notes. His demeanor had changed over the course of the deposition and I couldn’t help think that I’d love to get him into a game of poker. Old Dick looked like he was about to cry. I decided his wife must be a masochist.
Dick flipped through page after page for three or four minutes, not asking any more questions but not concluding the depo either. I pushed my chair back and stood up.
“We’re taking a break. Let’s eat,” I told Maddie, and I pulled her chair back for her.
She smiled demurely and I got the distinct impression that she was pleased with the way things had gone – almost as much as I was. I looked at my watch. “Let’s resume at 2:00 o’clock,” I suggested, but I didn’t wait around for Dick’s answer.
I waited until we got to the restaurant to gloat. “You were incredible,” I said, and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.
“Do you think so?” she said, chewing on her cuticle.
“I know so.” I swatted her hand away from her mouth. “Stop doing that.”
“I can’t help it,” she said, shaking her hands out. “Now that I’m out of there I feel totally unstrung. I can’t stand that lawyer. He’s a horrible man. I wish it was already over with.”
“There can’t be much more he can ask. He’s grasping at straws as it is, just hoping he’ll stumble onto something. You’re doing great, Maddie,” I assured her.
“I felt pretty good while I was in there, but now I just feel like crying.”
I took a close look at her and realized how drained she was. It showed in her eyes and on her face.
“Why don’t you,” I suggested. “It might make you feel better.”
She gave me a feeble smile. “When it’s over.”
I decided that that should be sooner than later and when we got back to the deposition I pulled Dick aside. “Let’s try to finish this up. You’ve had her for over four hours and you haven’t gotten a thing out of her. Hell, the more information you get out of my client, the deeper your client’s troubles get. Why don’t you cut your losses and go home?” I suggested.
“You haven’t changed at all,” he said irritably.
“Neither have you.”
I got the feeling that Dick was actually finished with his questioning before we left for lunch, but that he wasn’t going to let Maddie off yet, just to spite me. It was almost like he had to get in the last word, even if he had to resort to making up stupid questions. The afternoon session was even less helpful to him than the morning session, if that was possible. Basically, Maddie ate his lunch. When the depo was finally over it was almost 4:00 o’clock. I clapped Dick on the shoulder as he was leaving.
“Don’t cry Dick,” I said.
“Go to hell, Collins,” he said without turning around.
Maddie had gone to the restroom and I plopped down on the couch in the reception area waiting for her to come out. I fully expected her to be in tears, which of course, she was. Penny went running for tissues and I got off the couch to comfort her. She had held up to the very end and I was proud of her. A lawyer couldn’t ask for a better client.
“Come here,” I said, and I went over and put my arms around her. “You did great, Maddie. You were awesome.”
“I’m so tired. I just feel dead. All those personal questions . . . it was humiliating.” She leaned against me and I smoothed her hair with my hand.
“I know it was hard, but you did great,” I repeated. “It couldn’t have gone better.”
Penny was back and she handed Maddie a tissue. Maddie blew her nose and cried some more.
“Why don’t you sit down, dear,” Penny said.
“She doesn’t need to sit down; she’s been sitting all day,” I pointed out. “She needs a drink. Let’s go across to the Esquire and grab a beer,” I suggested.
Mother Hen looked at her watch. “I’m afraid I can’t. I’ve got somewhere to be.” She looked dotingly at Maddie and patted her shoulder. “It’s over now, Madeline. Just put it behind you.”
I wanted to point out that it was nowhere near over – that it was just beginning – but I bit my tongue. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Madeline,” I said. “Penny, we’ll see you tomorrow.” I hooked my arm around Maddie’s shoulder and led her out the door. We walked down the block towards the bar.
“Okay, you need to quit crying now,” I told her when we got close. “I can’t take you into a bar like that. People will think you’re my girlfriend and that I’m breaking up with you.” Maddie laughed and dabbed her eyes with her soggy tissue. When no more tears were coming I asked, “You done?”
“I think so,” she sniffed.
“Good. Let’s go.”
We crossed the street and went into the bar. The place is long and narrow and, whether it’s true or not, they boast of having the longest bar in Texas. It was like going from broad daylight into a cave and it took a second for my eyes to adjust. There was a girl sitting at the bar who I had dated a couple of times. She looked at me and Maddie then turned back to her friend. I directed Maddie towards the back of the bar, and the girl turned back around as I was passing.
“I see you haven’t lost your touch with women,” she said sarcastically.
“Still bitter, Marianne?” I shot back. I didn’t turn around to see the look on her face, but I could feel her eyes penetrating into my back like little daggers.
“Who was that?” Maddie asked, when we had taken a seat.
“No one.” I flagged the waiter over.
“Whale, for being no one, she sure doesn’t seem to like you very much,” Maddie observed.
“I took her out a couple of times and she got pissed off when I quit calling her.”
The waiter set two longnecks down on the table. I picked mine up and clinked it against Maddie’s. “Cheers.”
“Cheers,” she said.
“You really were great today, Maddie.” I thought about the look on Dick’s face when he was leaving and it made me laugh. “You kicked Stollens’ ass.”
“Yeah, well I bet he’s not crying in his beer.”
“Actually, he probably is,” I laughed. I wanted to celebrate but she was bringing me down. “Will you please quit pouting and celebrate with me?”
She clinked her bottle against mine again and forced a smile. “Cheers, Samuel,” she said, and she upended the bottle and chugged almost half of it. It was so uncharacteristic that I just sat there with my mouth opened for a second before I followed suit and took a swig off of mine.
She sat back in the seat and I could see her start to relax. As the tension left, her eyes got that sparkle back and the fret lines disappeared from her forehead. It was like she was transformed right before my very eyes. She ordered another beer, and then another, but when sh
e ordered a fourth, I started to get concerned. I’d never seen Maddie drunk, and she was well on her way.
“Are you sure you want another one?” I asked.
“Don’t you?” she asked, surprised.
“Well yeah, but I drink beer all the time. Are you sure you can handle another one?”
Wrong thing to say. “You know, I haven’t been a mother all my life, ” she said. “And just because I’m a mother doesn’t mean I can’t go out and have fun.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I said, but of course I did. I had always thought of Maddie as a mom, maybe because I’d met Oliver first. Or maybe because she was such a good mom. She was so . . . dependable. Like a mom. I knew a lot of female attorneys who had kids, but I never thought of them as moms. I’d never even imagined what Maddie was like before she was a mom. She was so suited to the position. I was sitting across the table looking at her, trying to envision her four years earlier.
“Why don’t you call your mom and see if she can keep Oliver and the baby,” I suggested. “We could grab a bite to eat.” If she wanted a break from being a mom, she at least needed to eat something. I could just see her throwing-up all over my Suburban if she continued to drink on an empty stomach. So Maddie arranged for her boys to stay with her mother and the two of us went to Chris Madrid’s for burgers, nachos and margaritas.
We went outside after ordering and I heard someone shout my name from the other end of the patio. Niki was waving me over.
“Hey, Collins. Maddie, how’s it going?”
“Hi, Niki,” Maddie said all bubbly and friendly. She was slurring her words and she did a little side step before she reached the table.
Niki looked from Maddie to me and gave me a look. “It’s not what you think,” I muttered.
“Maddie!” someone called from behind me. I turned around and instantly wished we’d gone somewhere else.
“Matt!” Maddie said happily. He set his tray of food down next to Maddie and took the place beside her.
“You look great. How are you?” he asked.
“Pretty good,” she said. “How was your trip?”
“It was okay. I just got back in town about an hour ago,” he said, offering her his fries. “Sam. How’s it going?” he asked, finally acknowledging my presence.
“Okay. Maddie and I have been out celebrating.”
Although he could have just as easily directed his question to me, he turned to Maddie instead. “Is it your birthday or something?” He’d smile every time he’d say something to her. It was ridiculous. He had that puppy-dog look on his face, and what was worse, Maddie was wearing the exact same expression.
Maddie shook her head no as she sipped her margarita through a straw. “I had my deposition taken today and my lawyer was pleased with my performance.” She looked over and smiled at me. “Sit down Samuel.” She scooted over to make room for me, and patted the bench next to her but before I could sit down, they called our order. “Do you want me to help you?” Maddie called out, but I waved her back down.
When I got back with our food the two of them were engrossed in something that they evidently both found hilarious because they were laughing and carrying on. I sat down heavily by Niki on the other side of the table.
Niki leaned in and said under his breath, “You’re not jealous are you, Sammy Boy?” He had a stupid smile on his face like he’d caught me with the goods.
“Of what?” I asked irritably.
“Of another guy paying attention to your cute neighbor.”
“Not even,” I told him, but even as I said it, I knew that he knew I was lying.
“Right. Can I have one of those?” He reached over and took the nacho with the most cheese on it before I could answer.
“Help yourself,” I said sarcastically. “Here’s your burger, Maddie.”
“Thanks!” She reached across the table and knocked over the pitcher of frozen margaritas and it went all over Matt. He jumped up instinctively and yelled. I felt redeemed – like Matt had gotten something he deserved even though I knew he hadn’t done anything wrong.
“Oh my God!” Maddie said. “I am soooo sorry!” She grabbed a handful of napkins and dabbed at Matt’s drenched shirt, but the bulk of the drink had gone in his lap.
“It’s okay,” Matt said, shaking droplets of sticky margarita off his arm. Maddie wiped at his arm, then handed him a bunch of napkins. “You better do that part,” she said, motioning to his pants.
He gave her a look that said he’d hoped otherwise and then he laughed. “I won’t say it,” Matt told her.
“Don’t,” Maddie laughed. She sat back down and I realized that she was absolutely trashed. When Matt sat back down, she hooked her arm around his elbow and leaned against him. “I’m really sorry.”
“It’s okay,” he assured her. “I’ve got a suitcase full of clothes out in Niki’s car. How are your kids?”
I tuned out. They were making me sick.
I talked with Niki for the next couple of hours while Matt drooled over my neighbor. When it came time to leave, I wondered if Matt would suggest that he take Maddie home, and if he did, whether she would go with him. There was no telling what a mom-on-the-loose would do.
“Are you about ready to go, Maddie?” I asked.
She looked at me like she was trying to focus. “What time is it?” she asked slurring badly.
“Ten o’clock.”
“Ten o’clock!” she said in disbelief. She turned to Matt and slurred, “That’s my bedtime. I’m going to turn into a pump – hiccup – into a pumpkin.”
Niki was right. She was pretty cute.
“You’re not driving I hope?” Matt asked her.
“Oh, no. Sam’s driving.” She gave me a drunk smile and reached across the table for my hand, but she knocked over Niki’s beer instead. It trickled through the slats of the table down onto my shoes. “Oops. Did that get you?” she slurred.
“Just my feet,” I said.
“She’s going to feel like shit tomorrow. Make her drink a bunch of water before she goes to bed,” Niki suggested.
“I won’t be tucking her in,” I informed him.
“Well someone’s going to have to,” Niki said. “She’s gonna be passed out before you get her out of the parking lot,” he laughed.
“You’re not going to throw-up in my car, are you?” I asked her.
“If I do, I’ll clean it up tomorrow,” she slurred.
“No!” I said horrified. I was almost tempted to let Matt take her home but I couldn’t do it. He seemed like a good guy, but I’d never forgive myself if anything happened to her after I’d taken her out and gotten her trashed. I’d have to risk her getting sick in my car. I had no choice.
“Are you ready?” I repeated.
“I’m ready!” She saluted me and hit Matt in the eye in the process, then she fell all over him trying to get up. He was totally unfazed by her behavior. Not the least bit annoyed.
“Can I take you to dinner Wednesday?” Matt said.
“I’d like that.” She looked at me with googoo eyes. “Maybe Samuel will baby sit?”
“You are drunk,” I said.
She turned back to Matt. “Will you call me and remind me, just in case I don’t remember?” she said, sounding really sweet.
“I will definitely call you,” he assured her.
I bet you will. Maddie made another attempt to get up and succeeded only with Matt’s help. He walked her over to my side of the table.
“She’s all yours,” he laughed.
Maddie looked at me and squealed like she hadn’t seen me in weeks. “Samuel!” And she wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me. Or rather fell all over me. Niki and Matt were both laughing while I practically carried her out to the car. I poured her into the seat and strapped her in, hoping that Niki would be right and that she’d pass out. No such luck. She made me sing show tunes with her the whole way home.
I pulled into her driveway because I didn’t wan
t to carry her all the way from my house but she refused to get out until she finished singing that ridiculous Raindrops on Roses song from The Sound of Music. I was horrified to realize that I knew most of the words. She went right from that song into The Hills are Alive and I could just see her making a medley out of the whole damn soundtrack. I squelched her before she could go any further, and I helped her out of the car.
“Thank you for not throwing up in my car.”
“You’re very welcome,” she slurred.
“Come on. I’ll walk you in.” I got her inside and she dropped down on the sofa in the front room. “No. Come on. You don’t want to sleep here,” I said, and I dragged her back to her feet. “Where’s your bedroom?”
She pointed at the ceiling of her 1-story house and laughed, so I threw her over my shoulder and went looking for her bedroom on my own. I passed the baby’s room and instantly thought of that day. I passed a room that had to be Oliver’s and one that I assumed was a guestroom, and I finally came to Maddie’s room. I flung her down on the bed and she opened her eyes and gave me the drunk smile.
“Thank you for taking care of me. I’m sorry I got so drunk. I hope I didn’t embarrass you.”
“You couldn’t embarrass me if you tried.”
She closed her eyes but was still smiling. I leaned over the bed and took off her shoes, then I folded the edge of the bedspread back and covered her up. “See you tomorrow, Madeline.” She looked so soft that I had the urge to touch her, so I stroked her cheek with the back of my hand. She took my hand and kissed the back of it then let it go.
“Thank you, Samuel,” she said without opening her eyes.
“Don’t thank me yet. I haven’t done anything.”
I watched her for another couple of seconds before I left. “Good night, Maddie.”
“Samuel?” she called out.
I poked my head back in the door. “Yeah?”
“You’re the best neighbor I’ve ever had.”
Chapter 18
Larry’s depo was scheduled for 10:00 o’clock the next morning in Dick’s office. Like Maddie’s deposition, it would be videotaped, but unlike Maddie, a video would not serve to Larry’s benefit. He looked like a weasel on TV that day I’d seen him standing beside his bleeding house. Irritating mannerisms had shown through even on that brief 30-second clip. I could just imagine all the others that would surface during a four or five hour deposition.
Advice of Counsel (The Samuel Collins Series Book 1) Page 21
