by Nick James
The first note was from Bennett Hinz asking Bobby to stop in his office as soon as he arrived. The second note was from Morris Montcreff telling Bobby to call.
Bobby had only been in Bennett’s office once or twice before and then for less than a minute. He knocked on the door, then stepped inside. Bennett leapt to his feet and attacked Bobby with an outstretched hand.
“Bobby, thank you for coming. I’ll just let the others know you’re here.”
They were joined by the other two partners, Virgil Allan and Charles Sawyer a minute or two later. Both men were lean, sallow skinned and bald. In the past Bobby had received nothing more than perfunctory nods from the two senior partners making it clear they were keeping their distance. Today they were all smiles. Virgil Allan even slapped Bobby on the back signaling Bobby was at least a temporary member of the boys club, part of the in crowd.
“Well now, let’s all sit down and chat,” Bennett said indicating the leather couch and wingback chairs in front of a massive oak bookcase. Bobby headed for a corner of the leather couch and immediately pictured a drugged Angie the other night in a variety of positions. Sawyer and Allan grabbed the wingback chairs while Bennett poured two mugs of coffee, one for himself and one for Bobby then headed for the opposite end of the couch.
“We understand you had contact with Noah over the weekend,” Sawyer said before Bennett had even settled in.
Bobby took a long sip from his coffee mug to buy a second or two while he tried to determine where the conversation was headed. “Yes, actually I saw him Saturday and Sunday, I have to say the Sunday visit was rather unproductive. He seemed, how would I say, somewhat lost, uncommunicative. I couldn’t have been there more than four or five minutes. I’m guessing they may have him on some sort of medication, maybe sedated.”
Everyone nodded, and Bobby still couldn’t figure out where this was going.
“And Saturday?” Allan said.
“Saturday. Well, he was a little bit more of his usual self, he had some questions as to what happened. He told me he had no memory of the event, basically a complete blank.”
Sawyer and Allan looked at one another and communicated something, but Bobby couldn’t tell what it was.
“No recollection of what had occurred? He didn’t remember anything?” Bennett Hinz said.
Bobby cautioned himself not to push too hard. “According to Mr. Denton he had no recollection, didn’t remember a thing. Once I gave him a brief explanation of what had happened his first thought was to attempt to contact Elizabeth, ‘reach out’ I think was the term he used.”
“Oh God,” Bennett groaned.
“I told him I didn’t think that would be a very wise idea. I’m not sure he quite grasped the seriousness of the situation. Now that I think about it, he did mention that the hospital had him on something to calm him down. I have to say it must have been pretty strong. I did talk to the nurses’ station afterwards and suggested they remove the phone from his room. The last thing we need is him making some sort of awful phone call and…”
“I just can’t believe it,” Bennett said shaking his head.
“Well, it doesn’t go any further than this room, but Elizabeth Saunders and her, I don’t know I guess her husband or partner, are on a direct flight to Paris this evening. They’ll be gone for a week, unreachable,” Sawyer said, then sat back looking satisfied like the problem had been solved.
“First class, all expenses paid,” Allan added suggesting they’d gone above and beyond to make her happy.
Bobby thought, You’re grasping at straws. She’s going to come back here and sue your ass, she almost has to.
“We’re thinking a little distance, relax a bit, let loose in gay old Paree,” Bennett added and wrinkled his nose, suggesting this was an easy fix.
“Okay. God, I hope that works.” Bobby waved a pink message slip. “I have a message to call Morris Montcreff. I’m guessing he somehow got word of the situation.” At the mention of Montcreff all three partners seemed to squirm in their chairs.
“It seems to be all over the legal community and you know how that works,” Bobby said. “Of course this story’s bound to be embellished to the point where it’s a hundred times worse than whatever actually happened.”
“Hard to believe it could be any worse,” Sawyer scoffed.
“There is something else, it may be nothing, but I was working Saturday, until late in the afternoon. The entire time I was here the acquisition team was meeting behind closed doors.”
“Damn it, I knew it,” Allen said.
“Not sure what they were meeting about, but I think we can all guess. Exactly how key is Elizabeth Saunders to their client base?”
“Very key, she’s actually mission control. Not that they’d ever admit it, but I think they know, or they sure as hell should,” Allan said.
“I’m not sure what to tell you. If you’re really honest with yourselves Mr. Denton has, or rather had, an excellent reputation at one time, but unfortunately that’s now in tatters. This incident occurred here, in these very offices, with at least a dozen witnesses. Every lawyer in town, including some in this firm, is probably licking their lips at the potential fees in a lawsuit. Harassment, sexual assault, verbal abuse, I mean the list goes on. You could be looking at a heavy seven figure settlement.”
Everyone seemed to grow ashen at the term “seven figure.”
“Beyond that there’s the issue of the overall work environment. Let’s be honest, even if they find some medication blip or allergic reaction to caffeinated coffee or whatever caused that behavior, this firm is now considered an unsafe work environment by a number of the individuals we count on every day. Mr. Denton’s outbursts have happened twice in little more than a week. Have you come up with any sort of plan for damage control?”
Bennett shrugged, Allan and Sawyer telegraphed another message to one another.
“The next area of concern is our clients. I already mentioned I have a message to call Mr. Montcreff…”
“Jesus,” Allan said and shook his head.
“Maybe it’s unrelated, but based on the short time I’ve been interacting with him I’ve come to realize he’s wired into everything that happens and his questions will be something along the line of ‘What the hell is going on over there?’ You’ve got to come up with a plan, probably meet with staff and reassure them, then contact your clients, get out ahead of this and put them at ease, today. Then, the million dollar question, what’s going to happen with Mr. Denton.”
Chapter Twenty-One
After delivering that day-brightener, Bobby went back to his office and phoned Angie for the files he wanted to review.
“This is Angie.”
“Hey Angie, how’s the head?”
“Fine,” she said after a long pause as frost seemed to drift across the phone line.
“I’d like to get those Montcreff files again, the ones I was looking at on Friday.”
“Anything else?”
“No, that should do it,” he said, but she’d hung up right after “No.”
There was a knock on the door a good fifteen minutes later. When the door opened a paralegal Bobby had seen a few times before walked in and set the files on his desk.
“Thanks, I’m Bobby, I don’t think we’ve officially met,” Bobby said holding out his hand.
“Mike Dorsey, it’s a pleasure. Looks like you’ve got a lot of reading ahead of you,” he said and nodded at the stack of files.
“Yeah,” Bobby replied then pulled the top file off the stack and opened it up signaling the conversation was over.
Dorsey took the hint, said “Nice to meet you,” and left.
Bobby took out his phone and looked through a half dozen images of Angie. She had a small tattoo on her tailbone. A lacy little design with the words “Knock before entering.” He decided it wasn’t going to be the last time he went there and he wasn’t planning on knocking when his phone suddenly rang.
“Mister Custe
r.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Montcreff, how are you?”
“What’s the latest?”
“Well, as you can imagine everyone is talking about it. To tell you the truth I think the other partners just wish it would go away. I don’t think they have any sort of plan to deal with the fallout.”
“How bad is it?”
“Pretty bad, sir. A lot of whispering. A vase of roses on the woman’s desk, but she’s not in today. Apparently they sent her on an all expense trip to Paris. My fear is that’s just going to give her a little vacation before she comes back and hits them with a major lawsuit. I told the partners every lawyer in town had to be licking their lips at the potential lawsuit, but they just seem to have their heads in the sand.” Or so far up their asses they can’t see daylight.
“And this was all just because she took something out of a file?”
“Yes sir, sort of. Unfortunately she didn’t have anything to do with the file. It’s almost like that was something he had in his head and he just went after her. It was a mess, she was in tears, a group of paras confronted one of the senior partners, Mr. Hinz, after the fact and demanded Mr. Denton be dealt with.”
“And you saw all this happen.”
“Yes sir, I’m afraid there’s really no way to sugarcoat it. She, Elizabeth Saunders is her name, was in tears, he more or less grabbed her ass, I think a couple of times. He was leaning in close enough that she had to sort of bend backwards, all while he’s yelling at her, all of this was in front of witnesses, a lot of witnesses, close to a dozen in fact.”
“This is Noah Denton we’re talking about?”
“Yes sir, completely out of character.”
“To say the least. And they sent her to Paris, this Saunders woman?”
“Yes sir, I just got word not more than a few minutes ago that they’re sending her and her husband to Paris for a week.”
“Fools. I suppose they think that’s going to buy her off.”
“I’m afraid so, at least that seems to be the thinking at this stage. I told them they should talk to the staff and our clients, try and get ahead of this, but I’m not sure they bought it. I should tell you the acquisition team, that’s the area she works in, were meeting behind closed doors all day Saturday, lots of rumors flying. If I might hazard a guess, sir?”
“What is it?”
“The acquisitions team breaks off, starts up their own specialty firm, takes most if not all of their clients with them, plus Elizabeth and maybe some other paralegal as well. They could represent her in a lawsuit against DASH, charge Mr. Denton or maybe even the firm with sexual harassment, assault, hostile workplace environment etc. They could easily be looking at seven figures, might be worth it for DASH to settle out of court for that amount just to keep it quiet. Of course it won’t be, kept quiet that is, it’s already too late for that.”
“I suppose.”
“Not to mention the additional fallout to Mr. Denton’s reputation, or what’s left of it.”
“Jesus Christ. What the hell got into him?”
An ecstasy tablet. “I’ve no idea sir, I presume they’re doing tests today at the hospital. I’ll get that confirmed and let you know.”
“You said they’re sending this woman to Paris?”
“Yes, with her husband, sort of an all expenses paid thing. Actually, I think they’re flying out tonight. I just don’t think the firm has fully comprehended the damage that’s already been done.”
“Find out where she’s staying in Paris for me.”
“Where?”
“Yes, in case we need to contact her, present her with some sort of offer. Then I want you to check with Denton, see how he’s doing. See if they found anything, like a goddamned screw loose in his head or something.”
“Yes sir.”
“Let me know once you have something,” Montcreff said and hung up.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Bobby went online and checked the flight schedules, there were only two direct flights to Paris, both on Delta, one at 5:15 and the other at 7:55. Bobby was out at the airport early that afternoon, three hours before the departure of the first flight. But if they were on the 5:15 flight he’d somehow missed Elizabeth and her husband. He took up a position in a chair opposite the First Class check-in and waited, praying they were booked on the later flight.
He happened to catch sight of them just stepping out of a taxi in front of the Delta door. It was definitely Elizabeth, blonde hair, dressed comfortably and still gorgeous. As to her husband, he, or rather she, was dressed all in black. Her dark hair was close cropped on the sides, maybe two to three inches long on the top where it was dyed a flaming red. She paid the taxi driver while Elizabeth waited on the curb, then they both wheeled their luggage in.
Bobby was on his feet and hurriedly made a wide loop so that he appeared to casually run into them just as they paused for a moment to get their bearings.
“Elizabeth?” he said feigning surprise then watched as the color drained from her face. “Bobby Custer, from the firm. Looks like the two of you are fleeing the scene,” he said and smiled.
“Oh yeah, hi, sorry didn’t recognize you, you sort of caught me off guard.”
“I’m Chris,” Elizabeth’s flaming-haired partner said as she stepped between the two of them, smiled and extended her hand.
Bobby grasped it and smiled back. “Just dropping a pal off, he’s headed out to San Francisco for a few days, wine country. Wish I was going with. What about you two?”
Elizabeth looked toward her partner for the answer.
“Overseas, fleeing the country, Paris,” Chris chuckled. Elizabeth smiled and stared at the floor.
“Sounds like a good idea.” He turned to Elizabeth and said, “We’re all in your corner, Elizabeth. You two enjoy your trip, God knows you deserve it. Send me a postcard,” he joked.
“Yeah, I’m sure that would go over well.” She seemed to visibly relax at his comment and become more like the confident individual from the office.
“Where are you staying over there?”
Elizabeth gave a quick glance toward Chris. “Le Meurice,” Chris said affecting a French accent.
“Sounds wonderful. Right about now I think you could do just about anything you wanted and no one would dare say a thing. You’ve got a lot of clout at the moment, Elizabeth, don’t sell it cheaply.”
She stared at him for a long moment before Chris interrupted.
“We’d better get checked in and clear security.”
“Yeah, don’t let me hold you up, safe trip, see you when you get back.”
Chris nodded and headed for the First Class counter. Elizabeth paused for just a half second, and said, “Thanks, I needed to hear that.” Then she quickly followed Chris to First Class check in.
Bobby was online at his desk, staring at his computer screen while he listened as the phone rang on the other end of the line.
“Yes.”
“Mr. Montcreff, I have that hotel name for you in Paris.”
“Just a moment,” Montcreff replied then said, “All right, go ahead.”
“The hotel is called Le Meurice, it’s located in the center of Paris,” Bobby said and then read off the address to Montcreff.
“And she’s staying there for a week with her husband?”
“Yes sir, actually I just met the husband, a woman actually, her name is Chris.”
“Of course,” Montcreff scoffed. “Did you happen to check in on Denton?”
“Not yet sir, that was going to be my next stop.”
“Phone me tomorrow morning with an update,” he said and hung up.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Noah Denton was in bed, apparently asleep as Bobby quietly stepped into the room and took up a position in the visitor’s chair. He settled in and studied Denton for a long while. This wasn’t the Noah Denton that commanded respect in and out of the courtroom. This man was in need of a shave and looked withered, pasty, maybe even frail.
>
Glancing around the room Bobby noticed there wasn’t so much as a get well card or flower. The partners were clearly getting as much distance as possible and Bobby didn’t think Cori, Denton’s wife, could possibly get much further away.
He studied the IV bags above Denton’s bed. There were two of them, both clear liquids and labeled with about two paragraphs of information imprinted on the bags although Bobby couldn’t translate what the labels indicated. He waited for a few more minutes, studying Denton as he slept then quietly left.
* * *
He was having dinner that evening, actually just another glass of wine, his third, while he scrolled through his cellphone images of Angie, drugged and naked on his couch. He’d had her positioned in the very corner of the couch where he was sitting, his new favorite corner.
As he scrolled through the images he was thinking of Noah Denton, which led him to think about Agent Drake, then Morris Montcreff, then back to another image of Angie as she looked about ready to make love to a wine bottle, which led him to think about Fran, or Frances as she apparently referred to herself now. And that brought Frances’s husband Jonathan Bannon to mind, someone who couldn’t be bothered to shake Bobby’s hand. “The convicted criminal,” he’d said, referring to Bobby.
He strolled into the kitchen, poured himself another glass of wine and turned on his computer. Jonathan Bannon, a little research just might be in order.
Chapter Twenty-Four
It was a different sense of stress from the other day when Noah Denton had gone off his rocker, but Bobby felt it the moment he stepped off the elevator and into the lobby. Marci was busily answering multiple calls, putting people on hold and quickly moving to the next call in the short time it took Bobby to walk out of earshot.
Sawyer’s and Allan’s doors were closed and their offices appeared empty, but they were clearly around somewhere. The door was closed and the blinds were drawn over the window in Bennett Hinz’s office, but there was an animated conversation emanating from behind his office door.
