“I’ve received good reports from several sources about the way you and Ms. Feldman have been working together,” the lawyer said. “The incident this morning is an opportunity for growth. Julie is probably scared that you’re telling me a boatload of bad things about her. That may be punishment enough for baiting you. When you go back, I expect you to confront her actions in a gracious yet professional manner.”
“Yes sir.”
“I’ll meet with her later today.” Mr. Carpenter paused. “And keep me posted via weekly memos on the Jones case.”
“Yes sir.”
I left Mr. Carpenter’s office. I still had a job. I looked at my watch. It was past time for the phone call to Maggie Smith at the district attorney’s office. I turned to go upstairs, then remembered my obligation to Julie. I walked quickly to the library and opened the door. Julie looked up from a casebook.
“I’m sorry,” she said hurriedly. “What’s he going to do?”
“Mr. Carpenter thought you’d be worried.”
“Worried? I’ve been frantic! Trying to figure out how I was going to break the news to my parents if I lost this job.”
“He wants to talk to you later.”
“Am I going to get in trouble? What’s he going to do to me?”
“Probably tell you to act more professional,” I said. “That’s what he said to me. He knows we’ve been working well together. He realizes this was a temporary blowup.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Anything else?”
I looked directly in her eyes. “I’m sorry I told you to shut up. We can joke around but shouldn’t be cruel.”
Julie looked down at the table. “Sure, like I said, I’m sorry too.”
I WENT UPSTAIRS TO ZACH’S OFFICE, determined to act professional. The stack of papers on his desk was higher than before.
“Sorry I’m late. Mr. Carpenter called me into his office,” I said.
“You didn’t miss anything. I just got off the phone with the DA’s office. Smith won’t want to commit to any modification of her plea offer without the judge getting involved. It’s an extreme position for a misdemeanor case, but she wouldn’t budge. We won’t know anything else until we go to court this afternoon.”
“Okay.”
“Why were you talking to Mr. Carpenter?”
“He had some questions for me.”
Zach stared at me for a few seconds. I remained silent.
“Fine,” he said. “We’ll leave for the courthouse thirty minutes before the calendar call. The order of cases isn’t released in advance. We could be first; we could be last.”
I nodded and left.
Julie wasn’t in the library when I returned. On my side of the desk was a memo from Bob Kettleson. He wanted me to research a complicated municipal corporation issue before the end of the day. I read the memo again, thankful that I’d completed the course in law school and received an A.
Shortly before noon, the library door opened. I looked up, expecting to see Julie. It was Vince.
“Lunch plans?” he asked.
I smiled. “Thanks, but I don’t have time for a long meal. Bob Kettleson needs an answer to a question, and I have a hearing in my criminal case this afternoon.”
“My appointed case is on the calendar too,” he said. “The client is going to pay a speeding fine and replace his muffler in return for dismissal of the racing charge.”
“I wish my case was so simple,” I sighed.
“What’s the problem?”
I eyed Vince for a moment. He was smart and less likely than Zach to try to impose his will on me in a condescending way. His input might be helpful.
“I’ll tell you if we can grab a quick sandwich.”
“I know a place,” he replied.
While notifying the receptionist that we were leaving for lunch, I glanced up the staircase and saw Zach looking down at us. He quickly walked away.
It was hot outside, and Vince started his car with his remote as soon as we left the building.
“It won’t do much good,” he said, opening the car door for me. “But it’s a nice thought.”
He drove a few blocks to a deli near the river. There was a parking place directly in front on the curb.
“Do you ever pray for parking spots?” he asked.
“No, I don’t own a car.”
“That will change once you graduate and get a job,” Vince said.
“I wonder where I’ll be.”
“Why not here?”
There was no tactful way to mention what Julie and I knew— Vince would be the summer clerk offered an associate attorney job.