know, the standard for granting a temporary restraining order is whether it appears that the plaintiff’s case is so strong that he will prevail at trial. Not only is this case weak, it is crying to be put out of its misery. I will do so now by dismissing this case. Mr. Fieldstone, let me remind you that the court abhors the use of the justice system merely for vindictive purposes. You could end up paying the defendant’s attorney fees and court costs. Now, Ms. Katz, you go out there and prosper in your practice. Next case, please.”
I thanked Karen a dozen times as we left the courthouse.
“Don’t thank me yet. Remember, one down and one still to go. Let’s save the celebration until we get rid of the ethics complaint.”
I had almost forgotten in my euphoria over outsmarting Franklin Fieldstone, the Harvard lawyer. My next thought was about Lillian’s case. How I would love to see her bouncing down the courthouse steps with the same happiness I was feeling. That seemed like a long shot now that I believed another woman had been involved with Gary. Had Lillian heard the rumors? I had to get her family to level with me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The following Monday, Catherine reported for work at eight o’clock. I had a full morning in court followed by an afternoon of depositions. For the first time in weeks, my office was running like a Nascar winner and without my presence. I got messages that actually made sense every time I called in. I returned to the office at five thirty. A stack of neatly typed correspondence was on my desk for signature, all the files were off the floor, and there was a note taped to my computer.
I hope you don’t mind my putting up a few
pictures around my desk. Hope everything is
satisfactory. See you tomorrow.
Catherine
P.S. I left you some peanut butter cookies that I baked yesterday.
I found the cookies and attacked them. This was as close to heaven as a law office can be. Then I went to look at the pictures. I was anxious to see what Catherine’s boys looked like. The pictures were not familytype, at least not a human family. There were photographs of wolves in the snow, wolves by a stream, and wolves coming out of a forest. Well, everyone has her own quirks. This one was interesting. There must be a story here. I couldn’t wait to hear it.
I got to the office at nine thirty on Tuesday. The luxury of such a late arrival made me feel decadent.
Catherine, who heard me come in the back door, whisked into my office and shut the door. “There’s a woman in the waiting room. She doesn’t have an appointment. She said it’s important that she see you. I rang your house right after she got here. I guessed you were on the way in.”
“How long has she been there? What’s her name?”
“Oh, sorry, she’s Marian Brandeis. She said you’d know who she was. She got here a little before nine. I gave her some coffee. She looks nervous.”
“Everyone looks nervous in a lawyer’s office. You did good, Catherine. Show her right in.” I couldn’t imagine why Jack Brandeis’s wife was here. Maybe this was a breakthrough, or maybe she was angry about my visit to Jack.
“Right in here, Mrs. Brandeis,” Catherine said.
Marian Brandeis was probably in her mid-fifties. She wore a designer knit pantsuit and expensive pumps. Her short dark hair was cut to precision, revealing gorgeous diamond earrings. She was slightly plump. She must have been a beautiful young girl, and was still a handsome woman.
She stared at me and around the office, her eyes darting in nervous flickers, as she perched on the end of the seat across from me.
“Ms. Katz, I’m sorry to barge in on you like this, but I just had to talk to you,” she said.
“That’s perfectly all right, and please, call me Mary. Let’s move over to the sofa. You’ll be more comfortable. Now what can I do for you.”
“I know you’re doing your best to represent Lillian. Jack told me about your visit with him. First,
I thanked Karen a dozen times as we left the courthouse.
“Don’t thank me yet. Remember, one down and one still to go. Let’s save the celebration until we get rid of the ethics complaint.”
I had almost forgotten in my euphoria over outsmarting Franklin Fieldstone, the Harvard lawyer. My next thought was about Lillian’s case. How I would love to see her bouncing down the courthouse steps with the same happiness I was feeling. That seemed like a long shot now that I believed another woman had been involved with Gary. Had Lillian heard the rumors? I had to get her family to level with me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The following Monday, Catherine reported for work at eight o’clock. I had a full morning in court followed by an afternoon of depositions. For the first time in weeks, my office was running like a Nascar winner and without my presence. I got messages that actually made sense every time I called in. I returned to the office at five thirty. A stack of neatly typed correspondence was on my desk for signature, all the files were off the floor, and there was a note taped to my computer.
I hope you don’t mind my putting up a few
pictures around my desk. Hope everything is
satisfactory. See you tomorrow.
Catherine
P.S. I left you some peanut butter cookies that I baked yesterday.
I found the cookies and attacked them. This was as close to heaven as a law office can be. Then I went to look at the pictures. I was anxious to see what Catherine’s boys looked like. The pictures were not familytype, at least not a human family. There were photographs of wolves in the snow, wolves by a stream, and wolves coming out of a forest. Well, everyone has her own quirks. This one was interesting. There must be a story here. I couldn’t wait to hear it.
I got to the office at nine thirty on Tuesday. The luxury of such a late arrival made me feel decadent.
Catherine, who heard me come in the back door, whisked into my office and shut the door. “There’s a woman in the waiting room. She doesn’t have an appointment. She said it’s important that she see you. I rang your house right after she got here. I guessed you were on the way in.”
“How long has she been there? What’s her name?”
“Oh, sorry, she’s Marian Brandeis. She said you’d know who she was. She got here a little before nine. I gave her some coffee. She looks nervous.”
“Everyone looks nervous in a lawyer’s office. You did good, Catherine. Show her right in.” I couldn’t imagine why Jack Brandeis’s wife was here. Maybe this was a breakthrough, or maybe she was angry about my visit to Jack.
“Right in here, Mrs. Brandeis,” Catherine said.
Marian Brandeis was probably in her mid-fifties. She wore a designer knit pantsuit and expensive pumps. Her short dark hair was cut to precision, revealing gorgeous diamond earrings. She was slightly plump. She must have been a beautiful young girl, and was still a handsome woman.
She stared at me and around the office, her eyes darting in nervous flickers, as she perched on the end of the seat across from me.
“Ms. Katz, I’m sorry to barge in on you like this, but I just had to talk to you,” she said.
“That’s perfectly all right, and please, call me Mary. Let’s move over to the sofa. You’ll be more comfortable. Now what can I do for you.”
“I know you’re doing your best to represent Lillian. Jack told me about your visit with him. First,
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