Character Witness (2 page)

''
Absolutely.''

The crowd around Carl had diminished, but people still hung on the periphery of his space in an ill defined circle waiting for his ear. A cell phone rang and someone handed it to Carl. He took it and simultaneously nudged Gerry along to the semi-privacy of the anteroom.

'''
Scuse me a second.''

Gerry waited patiently, reading the signs of a happy man and noticing that Carl was trying very hard not to appear too happy. He couldn't have chosen a better time to bump into his old friend's son.

''
Good news?'' Gerry asked the minute the phone was snapped shut.

Carl nodded, no longer beaming.

''
First term city budget was down by three percent. This term, twelve percent.'' Strangely Carl didn't look Gerry in the eye. How surprisingly modest he was.

''
If that 'tisn't wonderful. That's what it's all about, making a difference.''

''
I'm going all the way no matter what, Gerry.'' Carl seemed to be talking to himself, but Gerry wasn't quite ready to be discarded. He put his hand on the younger man's arm.

''
Success is powerful, Carl. Just remember, it doesn't always bring what you expect,'' Gerry warned paternally.

''
Then again, sometimes it does,'' Carl bantered back. He rejuvenated himself with that thought. ''Listen, I've got to. . .'' he held his hands toward the men's room.

''
Of course. So ungracious of me,'' Gerry laughed and took a step back.

''
Don't rush off, I've got a half hour or so before my next appointment, we'll have some coffee.''

''
No, no, no. I'm running, too, I'll have you know.'' Gerry was proud as punch but kept a tight rein on his excitement. ''I'm taking on a new associate. O'Doul & Associates is going to be back in business, Carl.''

''
That's great. Just great. Got the old fire lit again, huh?'' Carl shook Gerry's hand heartily. ''Well, you just let me know what's happening. Maybe I can ride your coat tails, get some good press standing next to Gerry O'Doul.''

''
Be happy to oblige, Mr. Mayor. Happy, indeed. I'd be especially proud if we could be seen shaking hands on a bit of the city business before you're off to conquer Washington.''

''
Gerry, you never change. My dad always said once you set your sights on something you were dangerously tenacious. He also said you were so smooth when you saw an opening that nobody saw the bite coming.''

''
Your father was a smart man. I'll ask for only a moment, Mr. Mayor, to try to convince you O'Doul & Associates is fit as a fiddle and ready to perform. You've got the business. Last I read it was almost thirty-six police officers alone who were being sued by the citizens of your fiscally well run city.''

Carl Walsh cocked a wry grin, knowing it was useless to try to deflect Gerry's advances. Sidestepping had never worked with his father either.

''
Call my office for an appointment. But I'm not promising. Shay, Sylvester & Harrington is still the city's firm of record. I'd hate to get on Richard's wrong side. Even for you, Gerry.''

''
I wouldn't either.'' Gerry's, voice lost some of its twinkle, his eyes darkened just a shade. He recovered nicely. ''Besides, I'm a little long in the tooth to cause Richard any trouble. He might even find it amusing that I'm mentioning this at all. Crumbs, is what I'm looking for, Carl. If you don't ask, you'll never know what you might have had.'' He raised his hand, the signet ring he'd worn since the day he graduated law school flashing as they parted company. Gerry shot back a last reminder, ''Crumbs, is all, Carl.''

Gerry walked sprightly out of the Beverly Wilshire alone, a small, content smile on his face. There was change in the wind. A second chance had come his way, and Carl Walsh had a big '2' emblazoned on his forehead. Poor boy didn't have a clue what was about to hit him.

Behind him, Carl was watching. Gerry O'Doul had a spring in his step that a man half his age would envy. Carl allowed himself one small sound that he thought underscored the surprising pleasure he felt at seeing Gerry and being reminded of his father. Actually, it sounded more like a noise to ward off evil spirits. Carl Walsh felt as if someone had just walked over his grave. The phone rang again. He flipped it open and turned away from Gerry O'Doul's retreating figure.

''
Yes?'' He listened. ''Of course. Of course, I'm thrilled.'' He listened a bit longer and responded as he knew his caller wanted him to. ''I can't thank you enough. We're a great team. Nothing can stop us now. The election is in the bag.''

Carl flipped the phone closed, thought of the man on the other end and wished he was more like Gerry O'Doul.

Then Carl Walsh changed his mind and thanked his lucky stars he wasn't.

''
You're three o'clock is here, Mr. Jacobsen.''

''
Show him in.''

Richard Jacobsen laid his fine hands on the desk as his eyes darted over the office. Everything was in order: there was good news to tell, the future looked bright, the billing statements were on target, and, of course, the relationship with this particular client could not be paralleled.

The door opened.

Richard rose to greet the handsome young man with dark hair. He had the look of someone on the way up. Richard had always admired that look. He only wished he had had it as a young man. He could have gone so much further, so much quicker. But what was a little time? Richard, a firm believer in fate, knew that it was better this way. The look of success may have made him stand out sooner but his history, and those he had fatefully encountered in the last few years, put him light years ahead of his more comely peers. Money. Power. Prestige. Richard Jacobsen had all this city had to offer and soon he would make the country his business. She had always wanted this for him and he appreciated her sacrifices that had made all this possible.

Luckily, the young man coming through the door wanted quite a bit, too. He was willing to do just about anything to get what he wanted and that benefited Richard quite nicely. Unfortunately, neither this man, nor the woman who gave her life to him, understood what drove Richard Jacobsen. His lips tip up just a tad. Even he, humorless as he was, thought that was quite amusing. They would be so amazed - or would they be appalled? - to know what passion drove him.

''
So nice to see you. And right on time.''

''
I'm glad to be here. Have you spoken to our friend?''

''
Yes. Everything is on schedule. He's elated.''

''
Fine. Fine.''

The younger man walked straight up to Richard Jacobsen. They met beside his desk, looking at each other the way men will who understand their power over one another. They were both very clear on that.

''
I haven't been able to find anything in the office regarding the problem we had this morning. I searched everywhere.''

''
Not to worry. Everything's been taken care of.'' The younger man didn't look convinced. Richard put his hand on his shoulders and said sincerely. ''I promise. You needn't worry. I needn't worry. There's nothing that can change what's already been done, but you'll never have to ever think about it again.''

''
Didn't anyone ever tell you never to say never?'' the young man asked peevishly.

''
No,'' Richard answered quietly. In his business he saw lots of people upset over lots of things. He knew what to do. The hand on the man's shoulder was surprisingly tight. Richard slipped it down toward the elbow. He held on a moment then, with the gentlest of pressure, led the man across the huge office. ''You'll want to freshen up.''

''
Yes, yes. That would be good.'' the young man said. He didn't look well at all. Richard felt terrible that he hadn't noticed the moment he came in. That had been terribly inconsiderate.

''
Do you need anything?''

''
No, I have it all right here.'' He patted his breast pocket and Richard thought it was dangerous to carry something, so important, so casually.

''
All right. I'll wait. I've blocked off the afternoon for you.''

The young man looked over his shoulder. He smiled for the first time. It was shaky, but a smile nonetheless.

''
It won't take that long. It never does.''

''
There's always a first time,'' Richard answered quietly as the other man walked toward Richard's private bathroom.

It was only after the door shut that Richard remembered her picture was still there. He wished he remembered to put it away.

Richard was, after all, a very, very private person.

''
Dorty & Breyer, how may I help you? Miss Cotter? Yes, I believe she's here. Just a moment and I'll connect you.''

She pushed the hold button and zoomed around the reception desk, as sure on her high heels as a mountain goat.

''
You didn't fool anyone,'' Cherie called, but Kathleen barely gave her a glance. By the time Kathleen was in her chair, Cherie was kneeling on her credenza, her arms dangling over the top of the carpeted wall that partitioned their cubicles. She tapped Kathleen's head with a pen. ''You can't disguise that voice of yours. No way.''

Kathleen brushed at her hair. Cherie tapped again when Kathleen pushed the line that was lighted.

''
Kathleen Cotter, may I help you?'' Her voice was back to normal: sweet and girlish in pitch; professional in tone. The caller didn't seem to sense her duplicity. Kathleen listened intently then hung up without another word. Cherie waved a hand, hoping to catch Kathleen's peripheral vision.

''
Earth to Kathleen. Who was it? I hope it was a murderer. We need something to perk this place up. I don't have anything fun to do.''

''
No, it wasn't a new client. It wasn't anyone. I mean, it was someone. He wanted to know if I was busy Saturday night.''

Cherie tapped Kathleen's head again and laughed, but it didn't sound as if she was happy. ''You've been holding out on me. I didn't know you'd started dating again.''

''
I haven't, and what that caller had in mind wouldn't be called dating anyway. He just saw me on the commercial that's all. Will you stop it?'' Kathleen brushed away Cherie's pen and stood up so fast the other woman almost lost her balance. By the time Kathleen was standing in the opening of Cherie's cubical the other woman was settled on the credenza, her legs dangling, her arms crossed. ''You know, you've been getting very strange over the last few months. We're attorneys, Cherie, not children. I really think you should start acting like you take your profession seriously.''

''
Oh, you mean like pretending you're the secretary then running to your chair and pretending to be a lawyer?''

''
I am a lawyer.'' Kathleen raised her chin proudly. ''Breyer & Dorty may not be a fancy firm -''

''
It's the MacDonald's of the law, Kathleen. We're legal bimbos.'' Cherie grabbed her cigarettes without taking her eyes off Kathleen.

''
It's a general law practice and the people who come here need us. They haven't anywhere else to go. You should be proud of that. I know I am.''

''
Oh, yeah, so proud you're going to leave. You're going to go to Beverly Hills, la-de-da.'' Cherie lit her cigarette and inhaled deeply, letting her statement slap Kathleen in the face. They'd never been best of friends outside the office, but inside they clung to one another. There was no one else except Jay Dorty, and neither of them would want to cling to him.

''
You've been going through my desk?'' Kathleen's red lips pulled tight. It wasn't anger that flared, but disappointment in a fellow human being. She never indulged in the former without the latter, and the former usually crept up on her late at night when there was no one to yell at.

''
I wasn't snooping. I was in your desk looking for something and I just happened to see that letter. I mean, wow, what can I say? Beverly Hills and everything. Geez, you start fixing yourself up a little bit here and there, and suddenly you're not good enough for this place. You're even too good for Riverside. You went all the way to the top.''

Cherie sniffed. She took another drag, tossed back her head, raised her chin and exhaled loudly. Kathleen had seen the tough girls in high school act like this. She hated women who acted like they were better than everyone else when everyone else could see they weren't. Funny thing, though, all those everyone's were usually intimidated by those girls. That was the funny thing.

Cherie, tired of looking at the cloud of gray smoke above her head, swung it back and let her lids lay low over her eyes. ''Are you going? 'Cause if you expect a going away party, I can't afford it.''

It sounded like an accusation, as if Kathleen was contemplating murder.

Kathleen sighed and plopped herself in Cherie's chair, crossed her very long legs and considered the other woman. One arm was crooked to hold her cigarette up; the other was crossed over an androgynous chest. Her color stripped hair was pulled back in a short little pony tail. Cherie wouldn't look Kathleen in the eye. She probably thought Kathleen wasn't worth the effort.

''
I was going to tell you about it when I decided what to do. Really I was.'' In truth, Kathleen had thought of sneaking out in the middle of the night just to spare Cherie's feelings. After all, news like this would be like announcing she'd won the lottery just when Cherie showed her the dollar she found in the gutter. ''I was just waiting for the right time.''

''
Well, when was the right time going to be? I mean, when were you going to drop this on me? When we had a couple of new clients and this office needed both of us? When my car broke down and I didn't have enough money to repair it and needed a ride in? When my ex-called to let me know that he'd found another perfect woman? Get real, Kathleen. This isn't the kind of news I would want to hear, now is it?'' Another drag. Her chin went higher. ''I thought you were my friend.''