She stares dumbly. “But, but I ...”
Chu turns to her. “You didn't disclose any of this to me, Sabrina,” he says. His face is impassive, but you can tell he’s furious. She looks from one face to another, in shock. She'd been expecting sympathy and has gotten only contempt.
“You didn't ask,” she says in a baby voice.
“Of course, I did,” he mutters. “Never mind, we'll discuss this after the meeting. But I warn you: non-disclosure changes everything.” He’s incensed, and should be. I’ve just won this case.
“There are another two assault cases before this trumped-up charge against my client, Gryphon James,” I continue, warming to my topic, “but clearly he is the big Kahuna. The white whale of Sabrina Forbes' collection of trophy men to suck dry. And now you want a cool two million?” I throw the sheaf of papers down. “Perhaps you might have been successful if you hadn’t gotten so greedy. Maybe just asked for a few hundred grand each time. But a rich client will always hire the best law firm.” I steal a look at Carlton, whose face is filled with awe, or shock, I can’t tell which.
“You threaten my client with bringing this trumped up story to the news,” I finish. “But can you handle having your money-grubbing exploits spread all over the country?” I sit down, head held high, and Gryphon takes his place beside me, his eyes wide. “All the major papers showing your picture? Your name on the nightly news? Getting slammed on the internet? Unless you want all of this to be public knowledge, and the name ‘black widow’ to be your moniker from now on to everyone you meet, Miss Forbes, you can forget the money you're trying to extort from my client.”
“Are you threatening me?” Sabrina asks, her voice shaking, not with crocodile tears anymore but with the rage of a trapped animal.
“Not at all,” I say coolly. “Just stating facts. It’s your choice, Miss Forbes. Either you drop the case, or your record of systematic fraud will be spread all over the news. Would you like another napkin to wipe your ‘tears?’” I push the stack toward her. “Because that's all your getting from this meeting. Except perhaps ...” I turn to Gryphon. “A counter suit? Mr. James, is that something you'd like to pursue?” I can't help but touch his forearm again, an the sparks of electricity almost make me jump. “Because that can very easily be arranged.” I pat his forearm. “Don’t answer now, Mr. James. Think about it.”
I sit back in my chair, knowing that I must for all the world look like the cat that ate the canary.
“Just because some of these charges might be uhhh… somewhat less credible doesn't mean that this particular one wouldn't stick,” Raymond Chu manages to spit out.
“While unlikely, that might be true,” I concede, “so I also had Mr. James investigated, and there is no record of him behaving in an abusive way in any of his former relationships. Mr. James’ success story where he’s emerged from a difficult past will play well to a jury, while your client's behavior represents a clear and repeated pattern of reprehensible behavior: extorting ever-larger sums of money.” I pause. “Your argument is weak, councilor. And you know that better than anyone. You’re grasping at straws here.”
“This meeting is over,” Carlton butts in finally. “Thank you all for coming in today. Should my client decide to go ahead with the counter suit, I'm sure you'll be hearing from us in due time.” He does up the buttons of his expensive suit jacket, very coolly, and motions toward the door.
Sabrina stands up, suspiciously dry-eyed still. “I've had just about enough of your shit,” she tells me.
“What a coincidence,” I answer. “Because everyone else has had just about enough of yours.”
“That's enough, Odell,” Carlton says sharply. I try not to react, but…shouldn’t he be patting me on the back? “Thanks for coming in today, everyone,” he continues. “It's been a pleasure doing business with you all.” He pushes a button to fetch the receptionist and she arrives, cool as a cucumber, face and makeup perfect as usual. She motions them out.
Raymond and Sabrina leave, his hand reaching to her shoulder as she storms out. My face breaks into a smile despite Carlton’s characteristic coldness. Gryphon turns to me, a big grin on his face as well. “How did you do that, girl?” he asks, hugging me tightly. He kisses my cheek. “I don't even know what to say. That was masterful!”
“I have my ways,” I answer coyly. I pull away and take a quick glance at Carlton, whose face has the usual scowl when I was hoping for vindication. He has to rain on my parade. “Look I'll have to meet up with you later, Gryphon.” I pat him on the shoulder and turn away to gather my papers.
“Don't you want to go out and celebrate?” Griff asks. He’s grinning now from ear to ear. “Get a nice drink, anything you want, anywhere you want! My treat, of course!”
“I'd love to, but I still have some things to finish up here.” Carlton's eyes are burning holes into the back of my head. “I'll call you,” I mouth at Griff. He looks stunned, and then quickly acquiesces. “Congratulations, Mr. James.” I finish.
“Thanks for coming today, Mr. James,” says Carlton. “And my congratulations on your recent game. Odell, may I please speak with you for a moment?” His voice is colder than ice.
“Of course,” I answer coolly, letting Griff out the door. He's so big and muscular, his body almost fills the frame. I wish more than anything that I were following him out for that drink, but now it’s time to face the music. I turn to Carlton, who has unbridled contempt in his eyes.
“What on earth was that?” Carlton asks. “Another display?”
“What do you mean, sir?” I ask him. “I just did some private detective work on Sabrina Forbes. I had a hunch, and it paid off.”
“I’m not talking about that right now. That’s only part of the problem.” His voice lowers to an ominous whisper. I would be more comfortable if he were yelling, actually, but no such luck. “What, do you think I’m blind or something? You're sleeping with a client of our firm, which we’ve already spoken about. And you lied to me!”
“What are you talking about?” I ask. “Look at the big picture, Carlton. I just won this case for us. I've earned a lot of money for the firm, which is always the bottom line. And I’ve kept us out of the press, unless it’s on our terms. Not only is our client going to have the charges dropped against him, but we also might have a counter suit on our hands, if we wish.” My stomach is starting to turn and I feel nauseated again. “And that will net even more money for Smith Williams Smith. I honestly don't know where you're going with this Carlton, because it's 2016.”
“I don't care what fucking year it is,” he says. I jump back a little. I can't help flinching. Carlton has to be at least sixty years old, and when he curses it sounds a lot worse than when someone my age does. His hair plugs are standing at attention. “This sort of behavior has never happened in the history of our firm. A lawyer at Smith Williams Smith, one of the most venerable law firms in the United States, sleeping with a client?” He roars this now, and despite my gratitude that the doors are fairly soundproof in the meeting room, I still cringe with embarrassment “You might as well be in flagrante delicto!”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Carlton,” I say. How can I even entertain his bullshit? I’d be fighting back tears if I weren’t so angry. It just feels like my parents all over again—not caring what I’ve gone through to achieve my success, just hearing I’m not good enough.
“And now it's more than clear why. If we can't trust you to behave yourself, a woman who won this job despite my vehement lack of recommendation, why should we take on any other woman as a partner, much less an employee? I was against your hire from the start and I'm only proven right. Time and time again. And after such a short time.”
“Am I missing something here?” I look around, genuinely confused. “I just spent my own money, sourced a private investigator, and got these horrendous charges dropped. Now, you're talking about how you should never have hired me?” The gall of this man. How dare he tell me I don’t deserve my job when I have gone above and beyond.
“We need unbiased people in our firm Odell.” His face is beet red, now. “People who know how to keep their hands to themselves. Professionals! People whose first loyalty is to the firm, not to whatever good-looking hunk of beefcake happens to hire them for a case that week. Perhaps you had a hunch this woman was taking advantage of all these men because you yourself have your own pattern of taking advantage. Of their sexuality.”
“You have got to be kidding me.” I am flabbergasted. “You can't actually believe the things you're saying. It's preposterous, for one, and sexist for two!”
“Sexist.” He shakes his head. “That’s irrelevant. It's bad, unprofessional behavior, is what it is. And you need to be held responsible for it. I'll be telling this to the other partners, don't you worry. And then we'll see if you have a job here at all.”