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Heads popped up from the keyboards, ten of them. Diane looked dull-normal and Valencia was attentive, tossing glossy curls back onto her shoulders.
“We can all take a lesson from this lady,” Alice said, slapping a hearty hand on Leonia’s shoulder. “If you’re working on your resume, keep it good and general. Don’t limit yourself. You can do anything you set your mind to, like Leonia!”
Valencia gri
“You can make your dreams come true!” Alice called out, managing to keep a straight face. “One person can make a difference! All you have to do is work out every day! And save your documents at the end of the page!”
Valencia burst into spontaneous applause. “Ees the truth!” she shouted, and Alice curtsied deeply.
21
Be
“Ms. Rosato, is Alice Co
“No comment,” Be
Cameramen pushed videocams into her face. Reporters coagulated around her, jabbing the air with microphones. “Ms. Rosato, Ms. Rosato, have you seen the district attorney’s statement?” “Do you have any reaction?”
“No comment!” Be
“Come on, Rosato, cut us a break!” “No comment at all?” “Is Co
“None at all!” Be
“I know.” Marshall’s French braid had loosened and stray wisps of hair had slipped out. “I tried to reach you at home this morning, but you were already gone. I tried your cell phone, too, but it was off. They’ve been calling all day. The story was on the news by midmorning.”
“They’re screwing with my license. Without a license, I can’t represent Co
“I warned you.”
“I know, but this stinks to high heaven.”
“I got on the phone with them as soon as I heard about it. A man named Hutchins. His phone number is in the file.”
“Where’s the file? I’ll call that asshole.” Hearing herself, Be
“Will she listen?” Marshall asked. “I mean, the leak had to come from somewhere.”
“You think Co
“I’m not accusing her or anything. I mean, you know her, don’t you? She’s your-” A quizzical look crossed the receptionist’s face, and Be
“You want to know if Co
Secretaries looked up from their computer keyboards. Lawyers popped from their offices like seedlings through topsoil. Mary and Judy, in the glass conference room, appeared relieved there was a wall between them and their boss. Everybody was looking at Be
“You have a right to know the truth, so here it is!” Be
The secretaries returned hastily to their typing. Lawyers’ heads shot back inside their offices. Mary and Judy got busy with the file. Marshall’s lips curved into a tense smile. “If your tantrum is over, take your mail,” she said.
“Thanks.” One look at the packet told Be
“You need help with that stuff?” Judy asked.
“No thanks. You heard the news about Co
“Yes,” Judy answered matter-of-factly. She held a pleadings index pressed against her jeans smock, worn with a ribbed yellow T-shirt and matching yellow clogs. Be
“Nice outfit. You heard, too, DiNunzio?”
Mary reddened. “Yes.”
“I was going to discuss it with you, later. So we may have something in common.”
“I guess so.”
“The press is all over this. I’m sure we’ll be the big story on Action News tonight, evil twin and all. So don’t talk to the press, you both know that. There’ll be a gag order on this case for sure. Understood?”
“Understood,” they both said.
Be
“Yes, but Judge Guthrie’s clerk hasn’t gotten back to me on the argument. I’ll keep after him.”
Be
“I looked but it’s not there.”
“Call that weasel at Jemison about it.”
“Miller? I did already. He says he never saw one, and Hilliard isn’t returning my calls. Stall city.”
Be
“Neither stayed at Jemison. One went to Cravath in New York, but one is still in town. I don’t know where she works. I have two calls in to her house.”
“Good. Follow up. What are you doing now?”
“Everything,” Judy said. “Preparing a trial checklist, lining up experts, drafting jury instructions-”
“No, you’re not. I have a new assignment for you. Come into my office. DiNunzio, you, too.”
“Sure,” Mary said, and scrambled out from behind the file, finding her pumps under the table with her stocking feet. She stood up when she found them and smoothed down a lightweight blue suit. She’d been right about Be