Tides of Truth [03] Greater Love (23 page)

“Yes, sir.” I swallowed.

“Ms. Fletchall checked the active roster of attorneys with the Alabama State Bar and couldn’t find him. Of course, if he’s inactive it would be harder to track him down. The defendant insists I contact him about the case, but I’m going to leave that up to you.”

“Yes, sir. How are you going to answer her letter?”

“I’ll treat it as a motion to remove you as her attorney, issue a onesentence order denying the request, and send it over to the jail. Tell your client she’d better cooperate with you if she wants the benefit of a lawyer in her case.”

I flipped over to a page of notes I’d made after meeting with Jessie.

“Your Honor, since I have you on the phone, there are a couple of things I didn’t get to bring up in chambers yesterday—”

“Follow proper channels, Ms. Taylor. I don’t like ex parte communication with attorneys on active files, but the defendant’s letter raised an unusual issue.”

“Yes, sir.”

I hung up the phone. Judge Cannon’s idea of teaching a young lawyer to swim was simple—throw her in the water and watch her flail about without a word of guidance from the shore.

13

J
ULIE CAME INTO MY OFFICE SHORTLY BEFORE NOON.

“Do you want to grab lunch?” she asked.

“Only if we can go to Gillespie Street. I’m still trying to locate Sister Dabney.”

“I didn’t sign up for that field trip. And I have a good reason you should reconsider. I’m on my way to pick up Vinny and thought you would want to be included.”

“You invited Vince to lunch?”

“No, he called me. I can pretend he enjoys my company, but he always uses these times to pump me for information about you.”

“What would he want to know?”

Julie rolled her eyes. “I’m sure he knows about your conversation with Zach, and Vinny wants to know whether or not he’s in the running for the Tammy Lynn Taylor Sweepstakes.”

“You think Zach told him about that?”

“Zach said he and Vinny are best buddies, didn’t he? Dumping the decision into your lap is their way of avoiding having to settle the matter in a fistfight.”

“But Vince called you. He didn’t invite me to lunch.”

“Trust Dr. Julie. If I show up with you hiding behind me, Vinny isn’t going to run screaming out of the restaurant. I think you need to get a current vibe from Zach’s competition while I’m there to chaperone.”

I hesitated.

“You can get with Dabney later,” Julie continued. “She’ll know when you’re coming and be sitting on her front porch in that green rocking chair.”

“It’s blue. I don’t think she has a green one. The one at the church is purple and there is a yellow one and a red one in her living room.”

“Which is weirder than I thought.” Julie checked her watch. “Are you coming to lunch or not? The only way you can defend your maiden honor is in person. If you’re not there, I’m prepared to tell Vinny anything I want.”

“Okay.” I leaned over and picked up my purse. “Judge Cannon should have appointed you to represent the young woman accused of burglary. You both have overactive imaginations.”

“Burglary? What did she break into?”

“Bacon’s Bargains and stole a bag of donuts. Remember when you abandoned me there because you were afraid to get out of the car?”

“Oh, yeah,” Julie answered, making her eyes big. “I would have wanted to break out of there, not break in.”

On the way to lunch, Julie mapped out an entire conversation with Vince.

“You can’t predict what people are going to say,” I protested. “It doesn’t work with witnesses; it won’t work with Vince.”

“How did you get to be such an authority on witness psychology? Have you been secretly taking depositions?”

“No.”

“Then leave Vinny up to me. The purpose of lunch is to put you in close proximity to him and find out if he makes your blood boil with passion.”

“No one has ever made my blood boil with passion.”

“Then I’ll settle for a slight tingle in the uppermost layer of skin.” I thought of the few times I’d felt tingly around Zach. Julie, who was driving, glanced sideways.

“That’s familiar territory, isn’t it?”

“Not familiar, but I’ve been there.”

Julie took both hands off the steering wheel and clapped.

“At last, scientific evidence that you’re not a department store mannequin.”

W
E DROVE TO THE RIVER DISTRICT TO MEET
V
INCE AT A DELI THAT
was one of his favorite lunch spots. It was a short walk to the restaurant across uneven cobblestones that had originally served as ballast for sailing ships coming to the new world. I felt more and more nervous as we drew closer. Vince was waiting for us inside the front door of the deli.

“I brought along a street person who hasn’t eaten a good Reuben sandwich in weeks,” Julie said as soon as we entered. “I hope it’s okay with you.”

“That’s fine,” Vince replied a bit awkwardly.

We ordered our sandwiches and drinks at a counter where the meats were displayed then joined him. Julie sat down first and maneuvered her chair so that I would have to be closer to Vince.

“How’s life at the old law firm?” Julie asked.

Vince, who was wearing a nice blue suit, white shirt, and yellow tie, furrowed his brow slightly.

“It’s different being an associate than a summer clerk. I worked hard for Mr. Braddock last summer, but now that I’m responsible for billable hours, the demands have gone way up. He doesn’t ask me if I have time to work on the project; he gives it to me and expects me to figure out a way to get it done.”

“It’s been the same for Tami at our place,” Julie replied seriously. “I only allow her to use my first name when we’re in a social setting like this, but at the office she has to call me Ms. Feldman and bill at least nine hours a day.”

Vince looked at me and smiled. “I know you’re doing great.”

“Not completely,” Julie added.

“What do you mean?” Vince asked.

Before I could kick Julie under the table, she blurted out, “Judge Cannon appointed Tami to represent a defendant in a criminal case based on the recommendation of that crazy woman preacher we sued last summer.”

“Dabney?”

“The one and only,” Julie replied. “The only way I could keep Tami from skipping lunch to talk to Dabney about this new case was to tell her you would be here. It was touch-and-go, but you won out in the end.”

Vince picked up his sandwich to take a bite.

“I’m not competing with anyone.”

Julie cut her eyes toward me. I pretended that I’d found the perfect potato chip and closely inspected it before putting it in my mouth.

“When are we going to have another night out with the boys?” Julie asked, breaking the silence.

“Not for at least a week. Zach’s going to Washington, D.C., with Mr. Appleby. I’m on my way to Atlanta later today for a dinner meeting with an estate client.”

“By yourself ?” Julie asked.

“Yes. The client is a wealthy individual the firm has represented for years. He has children our age, and they’re going to be at the dinner. Mr. Braddock hopes the firm will continue to represent the family in the future and wants me to develop rapport with the next generation.”

“Wow,” Julie said with big eyes. “Tami and I are trying to convince the poorer cousins of the present generation to give our firm a try.”

“I saw Maggie’s ad in the paper,” Vince said. “How is that working?”

Julie leaned in. “Tacky, isn’t it? She didn’t ask my advice, which ticked me off, but the cases have been rolling in. People pay when they’re in danger of losing their driving privileges. It’s hard to believe, but every defendant charged with DUI only admits to drinking two beers. Some of them must have been barrel-size mugs.”

“Who’s handling the cases?” Vince asked.

“Mostly Maggie. I’m learning the ropes, but it’s not in Tami’s contract. She’d rather be run ragged researching the areas of the law we don’t know anything about.”

Julie kept the conversation on the practice of law. As I watched Vince’s face, I began to wonder what, if anything, Zach had told him about the discussion at the gazebo. Toward the end of the meal, Julie went to the restroom.

“How are you really doing?” Vince asked as soon as Julie was away from the table.

“In what way?”

“At work.”

“Oh, there are a lot of adjustments to make, but Maggie is a good boss. And Julie, well, she’s Julie. I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to work with her. She jokes around a lot, which—” I stopped, not wanting to criticize Julie behind her back.

“Is a by-product of her insecurity.”

It wasn’t the way I would have finished the sentence, but Vince was probably right.

“We all have areas of vulnerability and different ways to protect ourselves,” he continued.

I glanced across the room to make sure Julie was still out of sight.

“Did Zach tell you about our conversation the other night on Tybee Island?”

“Yes,” Vince replied, looking me in the eyes. “I’m not trying to cause a problem, but I have to be honest with you, Zach, and myself.”

My insides turned over.

“And it’s up to me to decide?” I asked. “How am I supposed to do that?”

“I’m not that smart. But for now, you’re committed to spending time with Zach. If that doesn’t lead where you believe it should, I’m waiting.”

Julie returned and plopped down in her chair. “Were you able to carry on a conversation without me being here? I ran into a girl in the restroom I met at a bar a couple of weeks ago. We’re going to get together for dinner later in the week. She works for the head of the convention bureau and has access to all kinds of free stuff. Can you think of anything you’d like to see or go to?”

Both Vince and I gave her a blank stare. Julie rolled her eyes.

“It’s hard for either one of you to imagine having a good time. I’ll choose and make it a surprise.”

After we finished eating, Julie and I walked with Vince to his car.

“Have fun in Atlanta,” Julie said. “If one of the young heiresses is cute, don’t forget to get her phone number as well as her Social Security number and bank account information.”

Vince got in his car and waved as he drove away from the curb.

“Well?” Julie asked as we continued down the sidewalk.

“What?”

“Did you get the tingles? I didn’t peek under the table to make sure, but it looked like Vince slid his leg next to yours and bumped you several times. It reminded me of a fish checking out the bait before it strikes.”

“The only leg touching me belonged to the table. You had me squeezed in so tight there wasn’t any place for me to put my legs.”

“You could be wrong. Vince is muscular, kind of lean and sinewy. His leg is as hard as a tree.”

“When did you touch his leg?”

“Bunches of times, but he never touched back.”

We got in Julie’s car.

“You haven’t answered the important question,” Julie said. “What kind of vibe did you pick up from Vinny?”

“He’s interested in me.”

“Duh.”

“But I didn’t get a hint of the tingles. However, that’s not all it’s cracked up to be. It only lasts a few seconds.”

Julie sniffed. “If you’re going to hunker down in self-righteous, self-controlled, Tammy Lynn mode, there isn’t much I can do for you.”

“Then give up.”

“Oh, no. I’m going to hang around to see how hard and long you fight before either Zach or Vinny reels you in and mounts you as a trophy on his wall.”

“That’s a lame analogy.”

Julie shrugged and smiled. “At least we agree on something.”

U
PON RETURNING TO THE OFFICE,
I
CALLED
S
ISTER
D
ABNEY.
B
Y
this point I’d memorized both her home and the church numbers. On the fifth ring, she answered.

“Judge Cannon appointed me to represent Jessie Whitewater,” I said. “I’d like to come by and ask you a few questions about her.”

“Are you sure you’re ready to meet with me?” Sister Dabney asked.

“Yes. I’ve talked with the judge and interviewed Jessie at the jail.”

“That’s not what I mean. It may be too soon.” The woman paused. “But you’re going to have to make up your mind eventually.”

“I’ve accepted the case, although I didn’t really have a choice.”

“Of course you didn’t have a choice.”

I shook my head in bewilderment.

“Do you want to come over now?” she continued.

“Yes, ma’am. I guess so.”

“I’ll be here.”

W
HEN THE HOUSE CAME INTO VIEW,
I
COULD SEE
S
ISTER
D
ABNEY
sitting on the front porch in the blue rocker. As I walked up the steps she took a drink from an oversized plastic convenience-store cup.

“Let’s go inside,” she said. “It’s hot and getting hotter.”

The living room was only slightly cooler than the front porch. I could hear a window-unit air conditioner laboring in another room I took to be a bedroom. Sister Dabney sat in a red rocker and motioned for me to sit in the yellow one.

“Is the Lord about to show me something?” I asked, remembering the last time I’d been in the yellow rocker.

“He’s saying a lot more than most folks are hearing and less than some are claiming,” Sister Dabney replied.

It took a second to wrap my mind around the statement, but when I did, I nodded in agreement.

“Are you ready for Jessie?” Sister Dabney asked.

“I’m ready to represent her.”

“No, you’re not listening to me,” Sister Dabney spoke in a louder voice. “Are you ready for Jessie?”

I stopped rocking. “I don’t know how to answer that unless you explain what you’re really asking me.”

“Is Jessie going to get out of jail?”

“Only if she can post bond. Right now, it’s set at ten thousand dollars, but I doubt she has the ability to pay anything. Most bondsmen charge a fee of ten percent.”

“I can cover her bond. This house is worth a lot more than that, and the bank doesn’t have a claim against a square foot of it.”

“You’d post her bond?” I asked in surprise. “If Jessie gets out and runs away, you’ll have to pay the money or lose your home.”