Contingency (Covenant of Trust) (35 page)
Read Contingency (Covenant of Trust) Online
Authors: Paula Wiseman
She dropped the lipstick tube into her beaded clutch purse and headed down the back stairs to the family room. A World War II video game commanded Brad’s undivided attention, but Joel saw her walk in the room. “Wow, Mom! You look great!”
“Thanks, Buddy. You guys will be okay, right?”
“I’ll watch out for Brad. Don’t worry.” Brad threw a pillow from the sofa at his brother, without missing a beat on the video game.
“You know the rules, no visitors, and if anyone calls, do not tell them you’re here alone. My phone is charged and the firm’s number is by the kitchen phone.” She double-checked her purse for her cell phone. “Oh, Aunt Rita and Uncle Gavin had plans this evening, but the Shannons are home if you need anything.”
“Crud!” Brad exclaimed as his turn ended. “So close!” He dropped his controller on the floor in front of the television. “Mom, just go. We’ll be fine.”
“Are you in a hurry to get rid of me? What are you going to get into?” Bobbi asked, her eyes narrowing in mock suspicion.
“We only have three islands to go to defeat the Japanese, so we’ll be right here when you get back.”
“I know, I know. You’ll be fine.” Bobbi kissed Brad on the cheek, and turned to kiss Joel on the top of his head. “I thought I heard your dad. Is he here?”
“I am,” Chuck said from the entry hall behind Bobbi. “I put the pizza in the microwave.” When Bobbi turned to face him, she saw a look in his eyes that rivaled his first glimpse of her on their wedding day. “You look ... incredible.”
“Thanks.” Bobbi felt her face flush. “I need to get my coat.” She pointed past him to the front closet.
Chuck stepped aside and opened the closet, then took out Bobbi’s coat and held it for her as she slipped it on. Two steps onto the porch, she stopped dead in her tracks and stared at the nice, new, but unpretentious, grey sedan in the driveway. “What is this?”
“It’s a Chrysler,” Chuck said. He took her by the arm, and walked her toward the car.
“I can see that. Where’s your car?”
“That
is
my car.”
“No, really. Where’s your BMW?”
“I traded it.” Chuck opened the sedan’s door for her.
“But you loved that car,” Bobbi said as she got in.
“No, I love you, and you hated that car. I bought it for all the wrong reasons.” Then he smiled and patted the car’s hood. “Besides, this one has a four hundred and twenty-five horsepower engine.” He closed her door, walked around the car and got in. “Are you positive you want to go to this party? Because we can just go to dinner or something, if you’d rather.”
“I want people to know you still have a wife.”
*******
Bows, ribbons, wreaths
, and evergreen branches hung in every corner at Benton, Davis, & Molinsky. Soft string music played in the background. The rich aromas from the buffet met Chuck and Bobbi as soon as they entered the building. Among them, Bobbi thought she recognized Dear Joe’s Moroccan coffee.
“What’s wrong?” Chuck asked.
“Nothing. It just ... it smells like ...”
“Like what?”
“Moroccan coffee.”
“Not everybody drinks liquor,” Chuck said, reaching for her coat.
“And nobody else drinks imported coffee.”
“What’s your point?” He hung her coat on the rack, then slipped his overcoat off. “You don’t think we should try to accommodate our guests?”
“Guest, singular.”
“I happen to love Moroccan coffee,” he said.
“You threw half of the Turkish blend away.”
“Fine,” he pouted. “I had the caterers get it special for you. Sue me.”
She smiled and arched her eyebrow. “You should know better than to say that in a building full of lawyers.”
“Yes, but don’t hold that against us.” Walter Davis slipped up behind her and took her hand. “It’s good to see you. I hope you’re able to enjoy the evening.” He leaned forward, kissing her cheek.
Bobbi stiffened and held her breath to keep from choking on the strong scents of cigars, Old Spice, and bourbon. “I’m sure everything will be fine,” she said once he stepped away.
Walter pumped Chuck’s hand. “The food’s back towards the conference room like last year.”
The words ‘conference room’ stabbed Bobbi. Could she do this? Could she push from her mind all the things she knew happened in this building, and be the wife she took a vow to be?
Dear God, stick close to me tonight.
“Where’s Helen?” Chuck asked, glancing back through the lobby.
“She’s not here. Her sister broke a hip a week or so ago, and Helen is staying with her this weekend.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Well, Pat’s healing, and it means no one is counting what I have to eat and drink this evening.” He slapped Chuck on the back, then wandered off to continue his hosting duties.
“I’d say Walter’s had a couple already,” Bobbi said.
“You think?” He slipped his hand around hers. “Can I get you a cup of that coffee?”
“I’d like that.” They walked across the lobby toward the conference room and Bobbi felt eyes on her. Before she could turn around to see who it was, Chuck began reintroducing her.
“Bobbi, you remember Eva Tamashiro, one of our paralegals.”
Bobbi reached out a hand, but the other woman mumbled a hello and walked away. “Frosty.”
“Eva didn’t like me before and now she hates me. All the women here hate me, except Christine, our receptionist. She still speaks to me.”
“What did you do to get in her good graces?”
“Nothing. She prays for us every day.”
“Tell her thank you.”
“You can tell her yourself. Come on.” He led her across the room to a young blonde woman with sparkling blue eyes. “Christine, I’d like you to meet my wife.”
“Mr. Molinsky, Merry Christmas!” She smiled and reached her hand out to Bobbi. “Mrs. Molinsky, I’m very glad to meet you.” She pulled the elbow of the young man next to her. “This is my husband, Brian. He’s a paramedic.”
Brian shook hands. “I drive the ambulances you guys chase.”
“Sorry,” Chuck said. “That’s not us. You’re thinking of Carter Gilman. We’re all business law.”
“Chuck, it was a joke.” Bobbi rolled her eyes at her husband. “Christine, I wanted to thank you for your prayers. We need them.”
“My heart did a little flip when I saw you guys come in together,” she said, raising a hand to her chest.
“We’re making progress, but don’t mark us off your prayer list yet.”
Christine took a step toward Bobbi and lowered her voice. “Can I be really honest with you, Mrs. Molinsky?” As if on cue, Brian stepped forward and directed Chuck toward the buffet.
“I know Mr. Molinsky was wrong,” Christine said, “completely, totally wrong, but he didn’t stand a chance. That woman was determined to ... take advantage ... of somebody. Mr. Davis was probably the only one safe, and I’m not so sure about him.” Christine shook her head. “She was awful. She insinuated herself into everything Mr. Molinsky tried to do—”
“And now she’s gone, and we’re trying to move on with our lives,” Bobbi said.
“Oh, of course, I’m sorry.” Christine’s cheeks flushed.
Bobbi dropped her head, frustrated for shaming the one ally she had in the building. “You have a very kind heart, and I appreciate you being Chuck’s friend.”
“Yes, ma’am, but he spelled out the boundaries after he came back to work. He told me not to come to his office, but to call him out front, and to make sure he never has a meeting alone with a woman. Sometimes, that’s a real trick to schedule.”
“It means a lot that you go to that much trouble for us,” Bobbi said. Chuck never mentioned any of this, even though it would have benefitted him.
“Oh, it’s kind of fun sometimes. One time, he asked me to sit in on a meeting, so it wouldn’t be just him and a lady client, you know. I carried in a big ole stack of folders and notebooks, and just acted like I knew what they were talking about.” Christine smiled. “Thankfully, nobody asked me any questions or anything. I would’ve been dead.”
“No, trust me, lawyers are all talk. I’m sure you could’ve faked it.” Bobbi glanced around the room. “I don’t think there are too many people standing in line to help Chuck out these days.”
“No, ma’am. It’s a shame, too. Mr. Molinsky is a really nice guy.”
“That’s one I don’t hear very often. You and Brian are newlyweds, right?”
“Is it that obvious?” Christine smiled, and blushed again. “We got married in July. Brian’s a goof, but I love him to death.”
July ... when my marriage was falling apart.
“I hope you and Mr. Molinsky and your boys are able to enjoy Christmas. Don’t let that woman steal that from you,” Christine said, as Brian and Chuck returned to rejoin the conversation. “If you would kindly excuse us, I need to introduce Brian to Mr. Weinberg. He’s our newest partner.”
Bobbi leaned close to Chuck. “I thought Pete was Jewish. He comes to the Christmas party?”
“This is purely a social event for him. Here, I brought your coffee.”
Bobbi took the cup from him and savored the aroma before taking a long drink. “How long has he been a partner?”
“Walter moved him up in late July.”
“How late?”
“The Friday after I got back from Kansas City.”
Bobbi watched Chuck as he dragged his shrimp through the cocktail sauce on his plate. “Was Walter punishing you by moving Pete up?”
“Pete’s earned it. He works hard.”
“You didn’t answer my question. What else did Walter do to you?”
He looked up from his plate. “Walter made some management decisions that he believed were in the best interest of the firm as a whole.”
“You are
such
a lawyer,” she said, rolling her eyes. For the first time, Bobbi considered what the affair cost Chuck professionally. Tracy Ravenna, however, walked away unscathed. What was she really after? Partnership? “Did you consider Tracy for partner?” Bobbi asked.
“What?” Chuck coughed to keep from choking.
“You heard me.”
“No, I never recommended her.”
“Her plan didn’t work then, did it?” Bobbi said, raising her eyebrow in the slightest a hint of a smirk.
Before Chuck could answer, a balding man in his late fifties broke in between them and seized Chuck by the shoulder before he fell over. He reeked of whiskey and once he regained his balance, he slurred, “Chuck, you have great taste in women.”
“Walker, this is my wife.” Chuck set his plate down on a nearby table and took a step closer to her. “Bobbi, this is Walker Prescott. He’s a client.” She forced a smile and shook the man’s hand.
“Your wife!” Walker clutched his heart and staggered backwards a step. Off to the left, a couple glanced in his direction and moved further away. “You cheated on this woman? Then you’re just plain stupid.”
“That’s the consensus,” Chuck said, his eyes darting past Walker. Bobbi knew he was looking for an escape, some way to get rid of Mr. Prescott before the conversation degenerated.
“The other one must have been a goddess. Do you still have her phone number?” he asked Chuck with a leering wink.
Chuck’s eyes flashed, and he reached out in what appeared to be a handshake, but with a quick twist, he locked Walker’s wrist.
“What are you ... doing? I have ... tendinitis ...”
“You’re drunk,” Chuck hissed. “That’s the only thing saving you right now—”
“Mr. Prescott, have you met Will Hines?” Chad Mitchell tugged Walker’s free arm and Chuck let go. “He just joined us in April.” Chad gave Chuck a quick ‘got your back’ nod.
Chuck returned the nod, then faced Bobbi without raising his eyes to hers. “I’m sorry. I lost it. He ... None of that ...”
“I should go congratulate Pete,” she said, ignoring his sputtering. He was defending her, defending their marriage. How could she fault him for that?
“Walker didn’t know where he was, much less what he was saying—”
“Chuck, shut up. Let it go.”
“Only if you will.”
“It’s gone,” she said, then smiled at him. “But what was that wrist thing?”
“My dad learned that in the army. I didn’t want you to think that I’m like Walker at all.”
“I don’t.”
Just before nine-thirty, Walter Davis called everybody to the lobby. He recounted the year’s accomplishments, congratulated Pete, thanked the staff for their hard work, and wished everyone a Merry Christmas. The party was over and Bobbi let herself breathe again. She survived.
Before she could escape, Walter Davis motioned at her from his office. “Do you know what Walter wants?” she asked Chuck.
“No idea.” He took her hand and crossed the lobby.
“I’d like to speak with you for a few moments,” Walter said, leading them into his office. “Do you have time?”
“I guess,” Bobbi said.
“Please, have a seat,” he said as he shut the door behind them, then took his seat behind the desk. “Bobbi, the last thing I want to do is to pry into your personal life, so don’t feel obligated to say anything, but I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”
