Writ of Execution by Perri O'Shaughnessy Page B

where the gun was, and Nina thought, Holy smokes, was he thinking of using that thing on himself?
    “I’m also doing it for Joya,” Leung went on, as if that ought to clear the matter up.
    Paul turned to the girl. “Is that your name?”
    She shook her head.
    “Joya is all that’s left of beauty and love in this world,” Leung said with a lachrymose catch to his voice.
    “Oh, he’ll make a fine husband,” Paul told the girl. “You’re both chock full of secrets. The two of you belong together. Listen. Go back to Prize’s and tell them who you are. These kinds of complications, you never know where they may end.”
    “He’s right,” Nina said to the girl. “I know you’re afraid right now. But I believe, no matter what the problem is, that Paul and I could protect you.”
    “No. I can’t take a chance. I’m sorry.”
    “Paul, would you take Kenny into the outer office for a minute?” Nina asked.
    Paul got up and the two men went out, shutting the door. The girl squeezed her eyes shut again, as if she were experiencing severe emotional pain.
    The almost playful philosophical exercise had suddenly strayed into the realm of substantial possibility and Nina felt the need to backtrack. It was one thing to answer questions and offer legal information, but how could she, in good conscience, encourage such dealings? “I’m concerned and uneasy about this marriage idea,” Nina said as soon as the door closed. “It made sense to consider marriage as an option among other options, but Paul’s right. It could have unpleasant, unpredictable consequences.”
    Such as Kenny Leung deciding to make trouble about a divorce or pushing for more money at a later date. Such as the casino people finding out and withholding the jackpot indefinitely. Such as Kenny really being married to someone else, or even this girl really being married to someone else. “Let’s shelve this idea. You don’t know this young man. You could find yourself in bigger trouble than you are already in.”
    “Isn’t it better than just lying and saying we’re married?”
    Nina considered her answer. “Maybe. It’s technically better. If those are the only choices you have. But we can think some more about this. It’s shady.”
    “I’m trying to save my life! It’s not going to hurt anyone. This is my only chance. I’m going to do it, and I really need you. Will you help me? Will you meet me at Prize’s afterwards to get the check so that turkey in the outside office can’t just walk off with my money?”
    Nina heaved a sigh. She thought about it. Shady, but the intent wasn’t fraudulent. She could fix the problem in a few days, when the girl calmed down. Then she thought about logistics. Bob, home in bed, all alone. She’d have to draft up some sort of agreement to protect the money from Kenny and it would be three or four o’clock in the morning before Kenny and the girl could get back from Reno.
    She could roust her brother, Matt, and ask him to go get Bob. She looked at her watch. It was almost one A.M. She made her mind veer away from what she and Paul could have been doing.
    “I’ll pay you twenty-five thousand dollars out of the check for your help tonight,” the girl said.
    “Don’t throw away money you don’t have yet,” Nina said. “I charge two hundred an hour plus expenses and”— she rummaged in the top desk drawer for a retainer agreement—“and I’ll ask for a five-thousand-dollar retainer when and if the check clears, because part of this is that I’m going to try to help you with the other problem you have. And I’ll charge you for travel time tonight. Is that fair?”
    “More than fair. I may not be able to pay you all that if—if this is all for nothing.”
    “I’ll take that chance.”
    “Thank you. Thank God Sandy knew you. What about—the blond man out there? The bodyguard?”
    “Paul van Wagoner’s my investigator. You hire me, you get him too.”
    Nina filled out the top portion of the