Tides of Truth [02] Higher Hope (20 page)

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“He’s still interested in me.”

Julie stared at me. “Don’t tell me you led him on.”

“He wants to meet my family.”

“You’re kidding. Is that legal in your religion? You know, to date two guys at once.”

“No.”

“That’s reassuring.” Julie rolled her eyes. “But why would Vince beat himself up like that? And don’t you think Zach will put his foot down?”

“Vince doesn’t seem to mind. Zach’s reaction is up to him. Maybe he’ll be supportive.”

Julie rubbed her temples with her fingers. “Does either Zach or Vince own a gun?”

“I don’t know. Why?”

“Because I need to blow my brains out. A brain is optional for someone spending the summer with you.”

14

AN HOUR LATER, I PRINTED OUT FOUR PAGES OF INTERVIEW questions for the Dabney case and handed them to Julie. She quickly read them.

“This could take a couple of hours to go through with each per-son,” she said. “How many names do we have?”

“About fifteen or twenty.”

“And why is all this information in here about you and me? It sounds like a feature article on female law clerks for the human-interest section of the Savannah newspaper.”

“I want the witnesses to be comfortable with us before getting into the real issues.”

“That will happen when they look you in the eye and see that you’ve never sinned or had a wicked thought.”

“What about you?”

Julie batted her eyelashes. “A couple of those will take care of the men. I’ll leave the women up to you.”

“How many of the questions do you want to use?”

Julie flipped through the pages again. “Here’s a good one: ‘Tell us what Ramona Dabney said to you about Jason Paulding or any other employees of Paulding Development Company. Get specific dates if possible.’ That goes to the heart of the issue.”

“I still think we need a way to get into the interview gradually without being so direct.”

“You don’t do that by talking about us. The best way to convince people to open up and trust us is to ask them to talk about them-selves. Everybody loves telling their story.”

“Let’s call a few witnesses,” I suggested. “You do it your way; I’ll do it mine.”

“You’re on.”

Julie and I divided the list. There was only one landline phone in the library, so Julie used her cell phone.

“Should we leave a message if no one answers?” I asked.

“Sure. Just don’t tell them why you’re calling, or we could tell them they may be prizewinners in a sweepstakes and need to call back and claim their prize.”

“No way.”

“I agree. I was just making sure you’re still opposed to deception given the web you’re weaving around Zach and Vinny.”

I made a face. “Zach and Vinny are both winners.”

“Very clever.”

After three more unsuccessful calls, I began to wonder if we would interview any witnesses within the time deadline set by Mr. Carpenter.

Julie wasn’t having any success either. I punched in another number.

This time someone answered. My heart immediately sped up when I heard the man’s voice.

“Is this Bernard Miller?” I asked, double-checking my notes.

“I reckon so, except nobody calls me that except for my mother, and she’s been dead for over ten years. My name is Sonny. Who is this, and how did you get my phone number?”

“I’m Tami Taylor.” I answered the first question and ignored the second. “I’m working this summer for Braddock, Appleby, and Carpenter.”

“Is that the plumbing supply company on Forsyth Avenue?”

“No, sir. It’s a law firm.”

“And you’re a lawyer?”

“I’m a summer clerk, not a lawyer.” I glanced down at my list of questions. I’d already gotten off track. “I’m investigating a case. Do you know Ramona Dabney?”

“Sister Dabney at the church over on Gillespie Street?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Why do you keep calling me ‘sir’? It makes me sound like you’re trying to sell me something, and I don’t have two nickels to rub together.”

“I’m being polite. Would there be a convenient time to meet with you so I could ask some questions about Sister Dabney?”

“Meet at a convenience store?”

“No, I mean a good time to talk in person.”

“We could meet at Bacon’s Bargains. It’s at the corner of Maxwell Street and Caldwell Road near the secondhand furniture store owned by Mr. McDonald.”

I had no idea about the location, but I knew someone in the office would be able to point me in the right direction.

“That’s great. What time?”

“About one thirty. Make sure you bring a twenty-dollar bill with you.”

“Why do I need to bring twenty dollars?”

“That’s how much I charge lawyers to talk to me.”

“You charge to answer a few questions?”

“Isn’t that what lawyers do?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll try to bring the money. How will I recognize you?”

“Don’t worry. From the sound of your pretty voice, I’ll be able to pick you out of the crowd that hangs out down there.”

“There will be another woman with me.”

“Sounds good. Should I bring a friend?”

I felt my face flush.

“Just joking with you, sweetheart,” the man continued. “But I could see if Sister Dabney wants to come along. I need a new pair of shoes, and she always keeps a pair my size at the church. It’s not easy finding shoes that fit a fellow with real narrow feet.”

“No, don’t bother her. Let’s start with you.”

“Okay. Don’t forget that twenty dollars. There are a couple of bottles waiting for me to rescue them from the shelf at the store.”

The thought that the law firm might help fund a wino’s habit made me uncomfortable.

“And you’d better bring another twenty, too,” he said.

“Another twenty dollars?”

“Yeah, I need to make a payment on my cell-phone bill so you can call me anytime you want.”

“We’ll discuss it tomorrow. See you at one thirty.”

I hung up the phone. Julie was staring at me.

“You’ve only talked to one witness, and you’re already buying testimony?”

I told her the rest of the conversation.

“That makes perfect sense,” Julie said when I finished. “But there’s one thing that puzzles me. Isn’t it odd that Sonny Miller has a cell phone and you don’t?”

WE SPENT THE NEXT HOUR on the phone. Julie connected with three people. Two of them refused to talk as soon as she mentioned Ramona Dabney. The third, a businessman who owned an electrical supply company that had sold products to Paulding Development Corporation, agreed to meet with us on Wednesday.

“That’s the kind of witness we need,” Julie said as we updated our list. “It would be good if we could include a count in the complaint for tortious interference with a business relationship. That’s much better than whining about hurt feelings.”

There had been a section in Julie’s research paper about business claims. I couldn’t remember the details.

“What did the man say?”

“That after Dabney talked to him, he didn’t ship a large order requested by Paulding’s company.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“We’ll find out when we talk to him, but it sounds like Dabney dug her nails into the guy’s tender flesh until he screamed. If Paulding had to pay more for the same items from another supplier, it would prove financial injury.”

I looked at the clock.

“Should we check with Zach? He ought to know what we’re doing on the case.”

“And about other things, too.”

“I’m going upstairs to his office,” I said, ignoring the dig.

“And I’ll keep working the phones,” Julie said. “You don’t want me around making sure you’re honest.”

I saw Gerry Patrick at the top of the stairs. She waited for me.

“Mr. Carpenter asked Zach to supervise Julie and me in a case,” I said when I reached her.

“Did Zach tell him that the two of you are spending personal time together?”

“I’m not sure they talked in person. Mr. Carpenter was going to send Zach an e-mail about the case.”

“Zach isn’t my responsibility, but I want you to keep me informed.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ms. Patrick descended the stairs. As I watched her, I tried to figure out why she was being so harsh. I’d made mistakes early in the summer but thought those blunders were behind me. The door to Zach’s office was closed. I knocked.

“Come in,” he said.

He was sitting behind his desk, facing his computer. A file folder was open on his left.

“May I interrupt?” I asked.

He swiveled in his chair. “Yes.”

“Did you receive the e-mail from Mr. Carpenter about
Paulding
v. Dabney
?”

“Not yet. Tell me again what he told you this morning.”

I repeated the gist of the meeting, briefly mentioning Julie’s aversion to Ned Danforth. Zach pushed his chair away from his desk.

His face had a seriousness I’d not seen before.

“I thought I made it clear that I didn’t want to be dragged into that case. I have plenty of work to do, and keeping you and Julie out of trouble was more than I needed on my plate.”

“Julie and I aren’t getting into trouble,” I answered sheepishly.

“But you will. And if Ned Danforth harassed Julie, it should be brought to Mr. Carpenter’s attention. The firm doesn’t tolerate that kind of behavior, which is a lot more serious a problem than Gerry Patrick getting all worked up about you and me.”

There was a ping on Zach’s computer.

“Here it is,” he said, spinning his chair to the side. “Mr. Carpenter has officially made me the designated driver in your case. He wants me to review your progress on a regular basis and prepare memos to keep him informed of my opinion.”

“Are you really mad about it?”

“I’ll do my duty. Bring me up to speed. Tell me what you and Julie have planned for Reverend Dabney.”

A lump of guilt lodged in my chest. Zach made notes on his computer while I talked. He didn’t approach Myra’s speed, but his fingers rapidly tapped the keys.

“That’s not the best part of town,” he said when I mentioned the rendezvous with Sonny Miller at Bacon’s Bargains.

“I’ve already set it up, and we’re under a lot of time pressure from Mr. Carpenter.”

“Let me check my schedule to see if I can come along.” Zach stared at the screen for a moment, then looked at a note on his desk. “I can’t go, but you should be okay at that time of the afternoon, especially if you and Julie stick together. Just don’t get into any arguments with the witness. If he doesn’t want to cooperate, move on.”

“What about the forty dollars?”

“Get it from Gerry. She’ll charge it as an expense against the file.”

“Is she the only option?”

Zach’s fingers hit the keys. “I’ve sent her a request. And I’ll be avail-able to meet with the owner of the electrical company on Wednesday. What’s his name?”

“Carl McKenzie.”

“Did you run a search to see if he or his company has ever been a client of the firm?”

“No, but I will.”

“Do that with everyone.”

“Including Sonny Miller?”

“Yes, but we’d probably have his name as Bernard. That’s it. I’ve got to get back to work.”

“Sorry about supper,” I offered.

“Me, too,” he answered without looking up.

I slipped out of his office and returned to the library.

“What did he say?” Julie asked.

My thoughts were on his feelings. I kept my words on the case.

“That we should be careful when we interview Sonny Miller. The convenience store is in a bad neighborhood. Zach wanted to come with us but can’t do it. He’s available on Wednesday for the meeting with Mr. McKenzie.”

“And?”

“What?”

“Did you tell him that Vince wants to date you, too?”

“No, he didn’t ask about lunch. He’s mad about getting dragged into the case.”

“He’ll get over it.”

“How do you know?”

“Men have short memories.”

BY THE END OF THE DAY, Julie and I were able to make contact with several more potential witnesses. One was a woman named Betsy Garrison who’d attended Dabney’s church for a number of years.

Julie asked her a few questions, then handed me the phone.

“I don’t know what she’s talking about,” Julie whispered.

“This is Tami Taylor. What can you tell me about Reverend Dabney?”

“She’s going to know that I’m talking to you,” Garrison replied in a slightly hoarse voice. “And she probably already knows your name, too. That’s what I was telling the other girl.”

“Our law firm hasn’t contacted her yet.”

“It don’t matter. She ran me off a few months ago even though I’d been faithful to her and the preacher since they came here. They stayed for free in a rental house I owned on Morgan Street for almost a year when they decided to settle down and come off the road. I warned her about Lynnette Vinson, but no, she wouldn’t listen to nobody. You can see where that got her. I think that’s why she turned on me. She knew I’d been right, and it hurt her pride. Pride goes before destruction—”

“And a haughty spirit before a fall,” I said, completing the verse.

“You know your Bible?” the woman asked.

“I try. Who is Lynnette Vinson?”

“The other woman. Why do you want to talk to me?”

I resisted the urge to ask about Vinson. “It has to do with a client of ours, Mr. Jason Paulding, who owns a real-estate development company. Reverend Dabney said some things about him that weren’t true.”

“Is he the man who wanted to buy the church?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Sister was hot about that. She says land is like people. Once it’s dedicated to the Lord’s purposes, it shouldn’t go back to the world.”

“What did she say about Mr. Paulding?”

“A lot. I can’t remember it all. She talked to the whole church about it.”

“So all the members would have heard her.”

“We didn’t have members. Sister don’t believe in that.”

“Can you tell me what you heard her say about Mr. Paulding?”

“That he was going to prison and lose his marriage if he didn’t repent.”

I was taking notes but stopped and looked at Julie.

“She made allegations of criminal conduct by Mr. Paulding?”