He could hear the fear beneath the surface of her false bravado. He mentally applauded the courage she was attempting to show. A father of four boys himself, he knew what a parent’s love and worry meant, and the toll it could take on a person.
When he continued to give her his most professional perusal, she forged ahead.
“And about your fee?” Lou asked getting right to the point.
“Oh, well,” he muttered, not expecting her to broach the subject so soon but was spared from answering by the young couple and the dog entering from the sliding glass doors off the living room.
“Mom, I will take care of his fee,” Ronnie stated strongly as she led Missy to her bed. Making her way to her attorney, Ronnie extended her arm to shake his hand. He took it, and she shook firmly. The girl was confidant and had an air of strength about her. He felt an instant connection, and despite the clothes, too tight, and the hair, too colorful, he doubted very much that she was a drug dealer, a smuggler. But, it was going to be hard to prove. The evidence was stacked against her. He had his personal assistant fax everything to him about the case before leaving New York yesterday, and he read the file on the airplane and again last night before heading to bed. He couldn’t wait to interview her. Hopefully, she would give him some information he could use to begin developing her defense.
“My fee,” he started awkwardly.
“I have some savings bonds. Gifts from my grandparents. I’ve managed not to touch them through college. They are yours, about eight thousand. Then I can make payments, I presume, once I’m working,” she stated with firmness, trying to negotiate the matter. He had to smile at her naiveté though she tried to sound worldly.
The young man behind her looked uncomfortable. Familiar too, Ronald thought giving him a once over trying to place him.
“Um, Ronnie,” Nikko started and she tossed him an annoyed look over her shoulder to silence him. Nikko placed his hands up and allowed her to take the lead. He was there for support, he reminded himself.
When Ronnie turned back to Mr. Stimson, Nikko just shrugged his shoulders and smiled at Ronald, and that’s when he recognized the young man, he was one of the Marinos. His firm used them, Andreas mostly, the older brother, on occasion to do some digging for them. He correctly assumed Marino’s Bail and Bonds must have posted her bond, and this young man was her watchdog. But from what he had seen in the backyard, this young couple seemed to be more than casual acquaintances.
The oldest brother was smart. Hopefully, this younger one was as well, and did not mix business with pleasure.
“Ronnie, my friends call me Ronnie too, but at work I go by Ronald. As for my fee, and what Mr. Marino may have been trying to tell you, is I am quite, quite expensive.” His repetition of the word had been intended. She would be getting a break, but he wanted to let her know ahead of time this was a serious matter, not to be taken lightly. Clients tended to be more cooperative when they knew what they were getting, and the worth.
Her false bravado wavered slightly, but nearly a breath later, “How much?”
I usually ask for twenty-five thousand up front for costs. My retainer. As my expenses incur, I begin to bill for my services and my time as I accrue it, and then when I go beyond the retainer, I usually expect similar payments to be forthcoming. My hourly wage is three hundred dollars.” He hated to scare the woman, but the proud daughter needed to know these things and the seriousness of the case.
Lou gasped, and her eyes widened.
“I guess we will have to look elsewhere,” Ronnie mumbled less confidently, and began to turn away from him.
“No need,” he reported when Louisa was about to protest Ronnie’s dismissal, “My firm expects each attorney, myself included, to do one pro bono case a year, something big and splashy that will bring us some publicity. Lucky you, I haven’t taken my case yet, and sorry, this case is big and splashy.”
“What?” Ronnie asked afraid to hope, but not believing all the lucky breaks she was getting so far could extend to free attorney services from a greatly respected defense lawyer. “Can you repeat that?” she asked, fearing she hadn’t heard right.
Nikko was behind her; he reached for her hand, took it, and squeezed it reassuringly behind her back. She had heard correctly. He knew Ronald Stimson was a shark. This man fought hard, and knew the law, all the loop holes, and the system. If there were flaws in the case he would find them. Reasonable doubt was all he needed.
Not giving Mr. Stimson a chance to explain, Lou piped in. “Really?” Her stomach had done multiple flip flops, between her nerves and the baby; she didn’t think she would be able to deal with the stress of trying to find a decent attorney she could afford. His words had an invigorating effect on her. She felt like she could breathe again.