his
entire privileged life. But he's never been in any serious trouble before,
either. Just the usual juvenile problems with speeding and drinking."
"Where
is he now?" Harriett asked, softly brushing her fingertips lightly along
Alex's temple.
"Waiting
for you at police headquarters."
"I
haven't agreed to take the case yet."
"Fact
is, Harriett, Junior knows we handle his father's legal matters and said he'd
read about one of the cases you defended last year. Clarence Wilkes didn't
exactly ask us to recommend someone. He demanded we assign his son's case to
you."
"So
you're not really giving me the option of rejecting the case?"
"Of
course we are. If you're uncomfortable with the case, or if you agree to meet
with Jared and then want to turn it down, you're free to do that."
"Why
do I have that uncomfortable feeling that unless I take the case, Winston and
Dunne might lose Wilkes Transport as a client?"
"People
like Wilkes always make threats like that. They're used to having people jump
through their asses when they speak, but Winston and Dunne will never allow
itself to get tangled up in being intimidated by its clients."
"I
guess it can't hurt to talk to Wilkes. Who knows? Maybe he is innocent,"
Harriett said taking a drink from her coffee cup. "The worst that can
happen is that I'll delay my weekend by a few hours. Not much anyone can do
before Monday morning anyway and it isn't likely any judge is going to grant
bail on a multiple homicide."
Alex
looked at her, and the slow smile Harriett had come to love crossed her face.
Alex outlined Harriett's face with the tips of her fingers before rising from
the couch and leaving the office. Harriett picked up her shoes and went to her
desk, glancing at her wristwatch before punching the intercom button.
"Yes,
Ms. Markham," Eleanor's voice answered.
"Would
you see if you can catch someone at the DA's office, Eleanor? If possible,
whoever will be prosecuting the Jared Wilkes case," Harriett said,
slipping her shoes back on. "And see if you can reach my mother."
She
vaguely recalled reading an inside article noting the death of a teenage girl
in Dallas, but since that wasn't a total rarity, she didn't remember much else
about the article. As soon as she knew more, she would get Eleanor to research
back issues of the newspaper for articles about the cases her potential client
was being charged with. Her thoughts were interrupted by a buzz on her
intercom.
"Yes,
Eleanor."
"I
have Assistant District Attorney Connor on line two, Ms. Markham," Eleanor
reported.
"Thank
you," Harriett said. As she picked up the receiver, she pulled off an
earring and leaned back in her chair, turning to look out her office window at
a sun that was swiftly setting on what was supposed to be the beginning of her
perfect weekend.
"Todd?
Harriett Markham. How are you?" she said.
"I'd
be better if I could get the hell out of here and go home. I was almost out the
door when your secretary called. What can I do for you?" Todd Connor
asked.
"I'm
calling about the Wilkes case, Todd, and..."
"Please
tell me you haven't agreed to represent that pervert, Harriett. It's a loser
from start to finish."
"Can
you tell me what you've got?"
"You'll
get it during the pre-trial disclosure. There isn't anything I'd care to talk
about over the phone, but it should be sufficient to get Mr. Wilkes the fatal
cocktail somewhere down the line."
"You
sound pretty confident."
"On
this one, I am. They don't come any guiltier than this guy, Harriett, and I'd
advise you not to let the honchos at Winston and Dunne convince you this is a
career maker."
"The
young man's father is a client here and has asked us to help the kid. You know
how it goes."
"Have
you talked to 'the kid' yet?"
"No,
I'm meeting with him in a little bit, but thought I'd check in with your office
first."
Connor
laughed, "You just wanted to know who you'd be going against if you took
the case. Guess that'd be me. Don't you hate it when you have