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“Fine. What’s your favorite food?”
“I don’t have a favorite food. Food is my favorite.”
“Okay, I’ll take you out for food. Meantime, I made a list of my matters today.” Mary got the paper from her purse and gave it to Judy, but she set it down.
“Hold on, I have a more important question.” She picked up one of the newspapers from her desk, and it showed a picture of Mary, her head down as she left the Roundhouse. Anthony was looking at her, his hand on her arm. “Who’s this hottie?”
“The guy I told you about. The not-gay one.”
“How’d he get invited and not me?”
“Pure bad luck.”
“Hmph.” Judy eyed the photo. “Check out the way he’s looking at you. He’s got the look of love, girl.”
“Don’t be silly,” Mary said, but felt herself flush. Anthony had washed their wineglasses and cheese plate, which raised new questions about his sexuality.
“Are you two dating?”
“We could have been, but I blew it, which isn’t what we need to talk about right now.”
Suddenly there was a noise outside in the hallway, then footsteps, then humming, and Mary and Judy locked wide eyes. They both knew what it meant. The boss.
“What’s she doing in so early?” Judy whispered.
“Damnit!” Mary whispered back. “Now I’ll never get out.”
“Think she’ll cuff us?”
“Not fu
“Calm down. She’s on trial. She won’t have time to talk. She’ll stick her head in to say hi.”
“So what do I do?”
“Say hi.”
In the next minute, Be
“Hi!” Mary and Judy said, in unfortunate unison.
“Well, gee, hi, ladies.” Be
“We’re younger,” Judy said, and Be
“You look different, Carrier. What’s different about you today?”
“I’m very brown. Shades of brown, from the same brown family. Basically, I’m wearing meat.”
Be
“I’ve been a little busy, I guess.” Mary told herself to act natural, or failing that, less nervous than natural.
“Is this a criminal matter?”
“Yes. And, no.”
“Two matters, huh?”
Uh, no.
“Whom do you represent?”
Mary stalled. She couldn’t lie. It was wrong, and also she sucked at it. She decided to shade the truth, which would consign her only to purgatory, at least until that went out of business, too. “Trish Gambone. She came to me for a restraining order against her boyfriend. She’s the woman who was kidnapped.”
“That’s terrible.” Be
“Uh, well, I didn’t get one.”
“You lost?” Be
“No, as it happened, we didn’t go to court. This is from the other day. Those girls who came in and started the fight, remember?”
Be
“I had to give information about Trish to Reg Brinkley, if you remember him. He sends his regards. He’s that detective from the Newlin case, who helped us out.” Mary hoped that if she kept talking, she would use up the two seconds Be
“I remember Reg,” Be
“Yes.”
“They’re talking about retaliation from within the Mob. None of this bodes well for your client. Our friend Reg has a tiger by the tail, trying to find her.”
“Luckily, he’s the man for the job.”
“Yes, he is. It’s not your problem, correct?” Be
“Of course it’s not my problem,” she answered.
“I’m betting that you’re far too busy to be ru
Mary flushed. “I am. Far too busy.”
“Good.” Be
Gulp. “Poor A
“Muggy’s, on Walnut Street.”
“What did A
Be
“No, I meant, what was it she ate that made her sick?”
“Does it matter?”
“It would, if I were taking a client to Muggy’s.”
“Are you?” Be
“Hell, no. Not anymore.” HELP!
Judy cleared her throat. “I can give you a hand, Be
“No, I need you both.” Be
Mary froze.
“I know you’re busy, but it’s an emergency. All hands on deck.”
“I can’t do it,” Mary blurted out.
“Why not?”
“I have a meeting out of the office,” Mary answered, shakily, and in the background, even Judy started frowning.
“What kind of meeting?” Be
“A meeting about a case.” Mary felt panic rising. She wished she had a Starbucks venti. She felt pretty sure she could lie better if she were sucking down a Starbucks. She would use her Starbucks for good, and not evil.
“What case?” Be
“You don’t,” Mary answered, though it wasn’t fu
“But there’s work to be done here.”
“I have work, too, and I can’t drop it. It’s about Trish. She’s still missing, and I’m going to help find her.”
In the background, Judy’s eyes flared, and Be
“So it’s not a case. Weren’t you the one telling me you were so inundated with work? Now you can take a day off?”
“I know, I am inundated. But I can’t turn my back on this girl.”
“Your clients are firing you. Is this why?”
Mary felt stricken, wondering how she’d found out.
“I know what goes on here, DiNunzio. It’s my firm.”
“They’re firing me because they think I turned my back on Trish.”
“And you’re doing this for them?”
“No.” Mary shook her head. “I’m doing it for me.”
“Either way, it’s unprofessional and dangerous. Mancuso was in the Mob.”
“I’ll be careful.” Mary reached for her bag. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
“Don’t go. Your place is here.”
“I have to.”
“Are you walking out on me?” Be
“I have to go, Be
“But I forbid it.”
“I’m sorry.” Mary locked eyes with Be
“You always have a choice.” Be
No. Mary felt stricken.
Judy yelped, “Be
“Enough.” Be