Everything, Judy wanted to say. But what she answered was: “I’m fine.”
“And what’s up with the fifty grand? Please tell me you’re getting it out of my safe.”
“It will be gone by the end of the day.” Judy would have to deal with it before she went to the hospital.
“Good, talk to Marshall when you’re ready to remove it. She has the combination. I have to go. Take care.”
“Good luck,” Judy said, catching Mary’s eye, then she noticed Allegra’s lower lip puckering.
“Judy,” Allegra said, “I didn’t mean to get you in trouble.”
“You didn’t.” Judy patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, cheer up. You didn’t do anything wrong, and I’m a big girl.”
“I never saw Bennie get that mad.”
“You haven’t been here that long,” Judy said, forcing a chuckle.
“Judy,” Mary said, frowning. “Can I talk with you a minute, alone?” She smiled at Allegra. “It’s not personal, but you can’t be there when I slap her around.”
“Okay,” Allegra said, with a shaky smile, but Judy was already in motion, heading for her office, plopping her files and laptop down on the desk, with Mary following her inside and closing the door behind them.
“So, are you okay?” she asked, when they were alone.
“I’m just so, arg.” Judy set her phone face-up on her desk, where she could see if a call was coming in. “Meanwhile, what is my mother’s problem? I’ve texted twice. She can’t return a text?”
“Come on, why don’t you tell Bennie about your aunt?”
“It’s not her business.” Judy started pacing, too agitated to sit down. Unfortunately she had a small office, so there wasn’t far to walk, plus the floor was a mess, which only bothered her more.
“Bennie asked you directly, and it explains what’s bugging you.”
“No it doesn’t. What’s bugging me—” Judy stopped pacing to try to figure out how to finish this sentence, but threw her hands up. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes it does.”
“I don’t agree with her, how about that?”
“Okay,” Mary said slowly. She cocked her head the way she always did when she listened carefully, and she folded her arms, in a dark charcoal pantsuit.
“And the fact that my aunt has cancer doesn’t have anything to do with my not agreeing with Bennie.” Judy couldn’t tell if she was thinking clearly or emotionally, or both.
“So tell her anyway. What’s the harm? She’ll understand. She’s another woman.”
“I don’t want to be cut slack because my aunt is ill.”
“Why not? Everybody needs a break sometime.”
“I don’t need a break, that’s not the problem.” Judy stopped pacing, caught up short with the realization. “The problem is that I’m starting to be really unhappy here, because the lines of authority are not clear.”
“What are you talking about?” Mary asked, her expression bewildered. “I didn’t know you were unhappy.”
“I didn’t know it, either. Not until recently.” Judy shrugged, pained. She was thinking aloud, which she had done with Mary for as long as they’d known each other. “I recognize that I’m only an associate, but don’t I have any autonomy at all?”
“Of course you do.”
“No I don’t. I’m not allowed to decide which cases I take. I’m not even allowed to make the decisions in cases I’m assigned to. Am I even a lawyer?”
“Aw, honey.” Mary moaned. “She didn’t mean it that way.”
“Yes she did. Since when is that the way we work, take it and shut up?” The more Judy thought about it, the more right she felt, which was something that happened to her often. “What about female empowerment and all that? Or does it only apply when men are bossing us around, not women?”
Suddenly Judy’s phone rang on her desk, and she leapt for it, her heart beginning to hammer. The iPhone screen showed it was Rick Kelin calling. “Oh crap, I should take this, it’s Rick. Give me a minute.”
“Go ahead, and make nice.”
Judy picked up the call. “Rick, hi.”
“Judy?” Rick said, in a huff. “What the hell was that about?”
“Come on, Rick, since when did you turn into such a baby?”
“You think I’m going to sit there while you harass my witness?”
“Oh will you stop using that word? There’s no jury around. The case turns on credibility, and I’m entitled to press him. How long have you been practicing law? You’ve never had a rough deposition? You’ve never thrown an elbow?”
“You tore into the guy!”
“The hell I did!” Judy raised her voice, though Mary was flashing her the peace sign.
“I’m calling because I expected you to apologize.”
“Don’t hold your breath.”
“I’m warning you, I’m not going to let you treat Morrell that way tomorrow. I’m not.”
“He’s a liar, and I’ll do what I have to do.” Judy heard a click on the phone, which told her that another call was coming through. She checked the screen, and it was her mother calling from the hospital. She couldn’t let it go to voicemail. “Rick, hold on, I have to take this call.”
“We’re in the middle of a conversation!”
“It’s that emergency you couldn’t let me postpone for. I’m sorry, please hold, and I’ll be right back.” Judy pressed the screen to hold his call, then picked up on her mother. “Mom, how is she?”
“Judy, this is your mother.”
Judy felt like her head was going to explode. “Yes I know, I can tell from the phone screen. How’s Aunt Barb?”
“The nurse just came out to say she’s still in surgery, but that everything is going well.”
“Thank God.” Judy exhaled with relief. “Okay, Mom, let me call you right back, I’m on the other line.”
“The nurse said it’s going to take longer, but not to worry.”
“Why longer?” Judy was about to swap calls but stopped herself.
“I don’t know, dear.”
“Does it mean something went wrong?” Judy felt a tremor of fear for her aunt.
“She told me not to worry.”
“Did you ask what she meant?” Judy asked, her tone sharper than she intended.
“Don’t be so critical.”
“I wasn’t being critical. I just asked a question.”
“It’s your tone, dear. Your tone is very critical.”
“Mom, really?”
“What, ‘Mom, really?’” Her mother imitated her, which was something Judy hated, but she let it go. She glanced at the phone screen, but Rick had hung up.
“I’m sorry, I’m trying to get as much information as I possibly can, because if the surgery takes longer—”
“Please stop. You’re giving me a headache. This has been such a difficult morning. I’ve been updating your aunt’s friends. Colleen keeps calling. They mean well, but it’s a chore.” Her mother sighed. “Between you and your aunt, I’m caught in the middle, pulled in both directions.”
“No you’re not, Mom.” Judy exchanged a look with Mary, who got the message and let herself out of her office, which showed excellent judgment. “Look, I’m going to leave for the hospital. My deposition is over, so I’m going to pack some work and—”
“Why? There’s no reason for you to come yet. She’s still in surgery.”
“I want to be there. I can work from there.”
“Why go to the trouble?”
“It’s no trouble, and I can be there when she gets out of surgery.” Judy tried not to notice that her mother didn’t say they could keep each other company.
“By the way, your aunt keeps talking about Iris. She even started crying about her, right before she left for the operating room.”
“That’s understandable, isn’t it? They were friends.” Judy remembered it was a touchy subject, so she dialed it back. “And any loss is traumatic, especially coming after
Uncle Steve.”
“Anyway, she wanted me to remind you to find out about the autopsy. She said the results were supposed to be in today.”
“Okay, I’ll follow up.” Judy realized that her mother wasn’t up to speed on Iris news. “Also I found out that Iris’s apartment was broken into last night and searched. Her roommates weren’t home, so nobody was hurt, but this confirms that the guy who hit me last night wasn’t random.”
“You keep saying that, dear, but I’m not sure you’re right. There’s a lot of crime in their neighborhoods.”
Judy shuddered. “Mom, that sounds racist.”
“No it’s not. It’s the truth. You told me that yourself. The police said robbery is rampant with the illegals.”
Judy let that go, too. She didn’t want to get into a political discussion. “Mom, I should hang up, okay? I’ll make a call about the autopsy and pack up.”
“Judy, there’s one last thing. I don’t think we should tell your aunt about this robbery business.”
“You mean the fact that Iris’s apartment was broken into?”
“Yes. I don’t think there’s any reason for her to know that right now.”
“Why not?”
“She has much too much going on. I’d like her to focus on herself. Why stress her more?”
Judy hesitated. “I don’t like keeping things from her.”
“It’s for her own good. I want her to take her mind off these morbid subjects, take care of herself, and get well. Trust me on this.”
“Okay,” Judy said, hearing the finality in her mother’s tone. “We can tell her another time.”
“That’s right, when she’s feeling better. Timing is everything.”
“See you soon.”
“Fine.”
“And text me if there’s anything—” Judy said, but her mother had already hung up.
Chapter Twenty-six
Judy hustled around her office, grabbing case files and packing her messenger bag, worried about her aunt. She wanted to get to the hospital right away, though she’d have to stop to drop off the fifty grand with the estates lawyer. Meanwhile, she was also on her cell phone, her white earwire jumping around as she moved, waiting for the call to Rick Kelin to connect.
“Richard Kelin’s office,” said a female voice, picking up.
“Hi, is he in?” Judy asked, then introduced herself because she didn’t recognize the voice as Terry’s, Kelin’s secretary.
“No, he’s out for the rest of the day. I can tell him you called.”
“May I have his cell number?” Judy stuffed the Adler file into her messenger bag. She wanted to get on a better footing with Kelin before Morrell’s deposition, but she’d be damned if she’d apologize. On the contrary, the way he’d overacted made her think that she was on the right track. She knew that Govinda would tell Morrell and that both men would have a few sleepless nights, which was the desired effect.
“I’m not permitted to give out his cell number. Sorry.”
“He knows me, I’m opposing counsel, at Rosato and DiNunzio.” Judy wedged her laptop into the messenger bag next to the Adler file.
“I’m sorry, I’m just not permitted to do that.”
“Is Terry in? She knows me.”
“She’s on vacation this week.”
“Okay, could you just tell him I called and he can return my call at my cell number?” Judy gave the secretary her number while she hoisted her messenger bag on her shoulder, then went into her desk and grabbed her purse.
“Will do, thank you.”
“Thanks.” Judy hung up, went online, and Googled the Chester County Coroner as she left her office. She pressed in the phone number and hurried down the hallway while the call connected, wondering if she could ever do just one thing at a time.
“Coroner’s Office of Chester County, may I help you? This is the assistant coroner.”
“Yes, thanks, I’m Judy Carrier and I’m calling about the autopsy of Iris Juarez. I think the results were supposed to be in today.”
“Are you next of kin?”
“No, there’s no next of kin in the country. I’m calling for my aunt, who will be taking care of the burial.” Judy caught sight of Allegra in the library, opening cardboard boxes of the damages cases, and she took a quick turn to check in with her. Allegra looked up expectantly, and Judy flashed her the one-minute signal.
The assistant coroner continued, “In that case, there will be a fee for the report. Let me check if it’s available. Please stay on the line.”
“Thank you.” Judy put the phone on mute and peeked in the cardboard box, which groaned with thick red accordions. She said to Allegra, “Are you checking to make sure we have the right files?”
“Yes.” Allegra nodded, holding the list of case captions that Judy had emailed her.
“Good. Set them up for new matter reports, too.”
“I will, but there are so many boxes, like three hundred.”
“Why so many?”
“The medical files take up so much room. Some were scanned onto discs, but some of the cases are so old, it’s mostly hard copy.”
“Good job.” Judy gave her a quick pat on the back, then turned to go. “Call me if you have any questions. I’ll be at the hospital.”
“I hope everything is okay,” Allegra called after her.
“Hello, Ms. Carrier?” said the assistant coroner, returning. “I’m sorry, but that report has not been completed.”
“Has the autopsy been performed?” Judy headed for the reception area, where Marshall stood beside her desk with the duffel bag of cash. There were two clients in the waiting room, and Marshall handed the bag over discreetly, then they nodded good-bye to each other.
The assistant coroner was saying, “Yes, the autopsy has been performed, but the report will not be complete until the close of business today. You’ll have to call back then.”
“Okay, I will. By the way, is there a toxicology report?” Judy hit the DOWN button for the elevator, hoisting the heavy bag to her shoulder.
“Yes, there is an initial toxicology report and it screens for the presence of illegal drugs.”
“What about legal drugs? Does it test for that, too?” Judy wondered if Iris was abusing prescription medication, even counterfeit prescription medication.
“No. Further testing would be required to determine the presence of legal drugs, but there’s a fee for that and we don’t do it unless the coroner determines that it would be necessary.” The elevator arrived, the stainless steel doors rattled open, and Judy stepped inside the cab.
“Where is the body now?”
“In the hospital morgue. We should be releasing it tomorrow, so you may want to contact your funeral director. He will call us to coordinate the release on your behalf, rather, on your aunt’s behalf.”
“Thank you. I’ll call later for the report.”
“Good-bye now.”
“Bye.” Judy got off the elevator cab on the bottom floor and hurried through the crowded lobby with the duffel, trying not to be nervous that she was carrying so much cash. She acted normal, checking her email on the fly like everybody else. She scrolled through the first ten incoming and ascertained nothing needed immediate attention as she hurried through the exit doors, hit the pavement, strode to the curb, and spotted a Yellow cab almost instantly.
“Yo!” she called, flagging it down. She jogged to meet the cab at the curb, jumped inside, and closed the door behind her. The cabbie was a young African-American man, and he turned to her.
“Looks like you’re in a hurry,” he said with a friendly smile.
“I am. Can you take me to Fifteenth and Locust, then I’m going to run inside and ask you to wait?”
“Sure, no problem.” The cabbie hit the gas, and Judy faced the window of the cab as they took off. The traffic wasn’t bad, and the city whizzed past her, but she didn’t see anything. She was worried sick about Aunt Barb. They reached the office quickly, and Judy flew out
the cab door, into the mirrored building, up the shiny elevator, and finally into the old-school reception room of Eastwood & Respondi, where her classmate worked. He was one of the smartest kids on Law Review with her, but she hadn’t seen him in ages. She hurried to the front desk with the duffel bag, where a dark-haired receptionist smiled up at her.
“Hello, how may I help you?”
“I’m Judy Carrier, here to see John Foxman, he’s expecting me.”
“Please have a seat,” the receptionist said, picking up the receiver of the desk phone.
“But I’m in a hurry—”
“Judy?” said a voice that Judy recognized, and she looked over. It sounded like John, but it didn’t look like John. She remembered him as super tall and super skinny, with thick glasses and an insanely studious manner, but he had changed, to say the least.
“John?” Judy asked, trying to keep the shock from her voice, and if John noticed that she was drooling, he didn’t let it show. Either he had been working out or he was on steroids, but he looked tall and cut, filling out a sharply tailored dark suit with style. His formerly frizzy red hair had been tamed into short layers, and his blue eyes sparkled with amusement, which she guessed came with his new contact lenses.
“Judy, if you’re in a hurry, come with me. We’ll get this done quickly.” John crossed the carpet to meet her and reached for the duffel. “Let me take the bag.”
“Thanks.” Judy handed it over and fell into step beside him, though his strides were big as they hustled down the hall. “Nice of you to see me on such short notice.”
“I wanted to. You look great.”
“You, too.”
“I remember the way you used to dress.” John smiled. “So … fun.”
“I still dress fun, if not funny. I had a dep.”
“You don’t go to the reunions.”
“No.”
“You should. You’re missed.”
“Aw, thanks,” Judy said, surprised at his warmth. They had been fellow Comment Editors, working together plenty of late nights, but hadn’t dated. She couldn’t even remember if he had a girlfriend in law school, just that he was one of the scruffy guys in hoodies that hung out in the Law Review office. “It’s been a long time.”