Rage Of Angels Part 21

"You're pretty good, honey, but I've been at it a lot longer than you. Tell your client I said better luck next time."

And he rang off.

Jennifer sat there holding the telephone in her hand. She thought of Connie Garrett sitting at home, waiting for the news. Jennifer's head began to pound and a film of perspiration popped out on her forehead. She reached in her desk drawer for an aspirin and looked at the clock on the wall It was four o'clock. They had until five o'clock to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court.

"How long would it take you to prepare the filing?" Jennifer asked Dan Martin, who stood there suffering with her.

He followed her glance. "At least three hours. Maybe four. There's no way."

There has to be a way, Jennifer thought.

Jennifer said, "Doesn't Nationwide have branches all over the United States?"

"Yes."

"It's only one o'clock in San Francisco. We'll file against them there and ask for a change of venue later."

Dan Martin shook his head. "Jennifer, all the papers are here. If we got a firm in San Francisco and briefed them on what we need and they drew up new papers, there's no way they could make the five o'clock deadline."

Something in her refused to give up. "What time is it in Hawaii?"

"Eleven in the morning."

Jennifer's headache disappeared as if by magic, and she leapt from her chair in excitement. "That's it, then! Find out if Nationwide does business there. They must have a factory, sales office, garage-anything. If they do, we file there."

Dan Martin stared at her for a moment and then his face lit up. "Gotcha!" He was already hurrying toward the door.

Jennifer could still hear Patrick Maguire's smug tone on the telephone. Tell your client, better luck next time. Tell your client, better luck next time. There would never be a next time for Connie Garrett. It had to be There would never be a next time for Connie Garrett. It had to be now. now.

Thirty minutes later Jennifer's intercom buzzed and Dan Martin said excitedly, "Nationwide Motors manufactures their drive shafts on the island of Oahu."

"We've got them! Get hold of a law firm there and have them file the papers immediately."

"Did you have any special firm in mind?"

"No. Pick someone out of Martindale-Hubbell. Just make sure they serve the papers on the local attorney for National. Have them call us back the minute those papers are filed. I'll be waiting here in the office."

"Anything else I can do?"

"Pray."

The call from Hawaii came at ten o'clock that evening. Jennifer grabbed the phone and a soft voice said, "Miss Jennifer Parker, please."

"Speaking."

"This is Miss Sung of the law firm of Gregg and Hoy in Oahu. We wanted to let you know that fifteen minutes ago we served the papers you requested on the attorney for Nationwide Motors Corporation."

Jennifer exhaled slowly. "Thank you. Thank you very much."

Cynthia sent in Joey La Guardia. Jennifer had never seen the man before. He had telephoned, asking her to represent him in an a.s.sault case. He was short, compactly built and wore an expensive suit that looked as though it had been carefully tailored for someone else. He had an enormous diamond ring on his little finger.

La Guardia smiled with yellowed teeth and said, "I come to you 'cause I need some help. Anybody can make a mistake, right, Miss Parker? The cops picked me up 'cause I did a little number on a coupla guys, but I thought they was out to get me, you know? The alley was dark and when I seen them comin' at me-well, it's a rough neighborhood down there. I jumped them before they could jump me."

There was something about his manner that Jennifer found distasteful and false. He was trying too hard to be ingratiating.

He pulled out a large wad of money.

"Here. A grand down an' another grand when we go to court. Okay?"

"My calendar is full for the next few months. I'll be glad to recommend some other attorneys to you."

His manner became insistent. "No. I don't want n.o.body else. You're the best."

"For a simple a.s.sault charge you don't need the best."

"Hey, listen," he said, "I'll give you more money." There was a desperation in his voice. "Two grand down and-" grand down and-"

Jennifer pressed the buzzer under her desk and Cynthia walked in. "Mr. La Guardia's leaving, Cynthia."

Joey La Guardia glared at Jennifer for a long moment, scooped up his money and thrust it back in his pocket. He walked out of the office without a word. Jennifer pressed the intercom b.u.t.ton.

"Ken, could you please come in here a minute?"

It took Ken Bailey less than thirty minutes to get a complete report on Joey La Guardia.

"He's got a rap sheet a mile long," he told Jennifer. "He's been in and out of the pen since he was sixteen." He glanced at the piece of paper in his hand. "He's out on bail. He was picked up last week for a.s.sault and battery. He beat up two old men who owed the Organization money."

Everything suddenly clicked into place. "Joey La Guardia works for the Organization?"

"He's one of Michael Moretti's enforcers."

Jennifer was filled with a cold fury. "Can you get me the telephone number of Michael Moretti?"

Five minutes later, Jennifer was speaking to Moretti.

"Well, this is an unexpected pleasure, Miss Parker. I-"

"Mr. Moretti, I don't like being set up."

"What are you talking about?"

"Listen to me. And listen well. I'm not for sale. Not now, not ever. I won't represent you or anyone who works for you. All I want is for you to leave me alone. Is that clear?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Will you have lunch with me?"

Jennifer hung up on him.

Cynthia's voice came over the intercom. "A Mr. Patrick Maguire is here to see you, Miss Parker. He has no appointment, but he said-"

Jennifer smiled to herself. "Have Mr. Maguire wait."

She remembered their conversation on the telephone. It's not how you play the game, it's whether you win or not, right? You're pretty good, honey, but I've been at it a lot longer than you. Tell your client I said better luck next time. It's not how you play the game, it's whether you win or not, right? You're pretty good, honey, but I've been at it a lot longer than you. Tell your client I said better luck next time.

Jennifer kept Patrick Maguire waiting for forty-five minutes, and then buzzed Cynthia.

"Send Mr. Maguire in, please."

Patrick Maguire's genial manner was gone. He had been outwitted, and he was angry and did not bother to conceal it.

He walked over to Jennifer's desk and snapped, "You're causing me a lot of problems, friend."

"Am I, friend?"

He sat down, uninvited. "Let's stop playing games. I had a call from the general counsel of Nationwide Motors. I underestimated you. My client is willing to make a settlement." He reached into his pocket, pulled out an envelope and handed it to Jennifer. She opened it. Inside was a certified check made out to Connie Garrett. It was for one hundred thousand dollars.

Jennifer slipped the check back in the envelope and returned it to Patrick Maguire.

"It's not enough. We're suing for five million dollars."

Maguire grinned. "No, you're not. Because your client's not going into court. I just paid her a visit. There's no way you can ever get that girl into a courtroom. She's terrified and, without her, you haven't got a chance."

Jennifer said angrily, "You had no right to talk to Connie Garrett without my being present."

"I was only trying to do everybody a favor. Take the money and run, friend."

Jennifer got to her feet. "Get out of here. You turn my stomach."

Patrick Maguire rose. "I didn't know your stomach could could be turned." be turned."

And he walked out, taking the check with him.

Watching him go, Jennifer wondered whether she had made a terrible mistake. She thought of what a hundred thousand dollars could do for Connie Garrett. But it was not enough. Not for what that girl would have to endure every day for the rest of her life.

Jennifer knew that Patrick Maguire was right about one thing. Without Connie Garrett in the courtroom, there was no chance that a jury would return a verdict for five million dollars. Words could never persuade them of the horror of her life. Jennifer needed the impact of Connie Garrett's presence in the courtroom, with the jury looking at her day after day; but there was no way Jennifer could persuade the young woman to go into court She had to find another solution.

Adam telephoned.

"I'm sorry I couldn't call you before," he apologized. "I've been having meetings on the Senate race and-"

"It's all right, darling. I understand." I've got to understand, I've got to understand, she thought. she thought.

"I miss you so much."

"I miss you, too, Adam." You'll never know how much. You'll never know how much.

"I want to see you."

Jennifer wanted to say, When When? but she waited.

Adam went on. "I have to go to Albany this afternoon. I'll call you when I get back."

"All right." There was nothing else she could say. There was nothing she could do.

At four o'clock in the morning, Jennifer awakened from a terrible dream and knew how she was going to win five million dollars for Connie Garrett.

18.

"We've set up a series of fund-raising dinners across the state. We'll hit the larger towns only. We'll get to the whistle-stops through a few national television shows like Face The Nation, Face The Nation, the the Today Today show and show and Meet the Press. Meet the Press. We figure that we can pick up-Adam, are you listening?" We figure that we can pick up-Adam, are you listening?"

Adam turned to Stewart Needham and the other three men in the conference room-top media experts, Needham had a.s.sured him-and said, "Yes, of course, Stewart."

He had been thinking of something else entirely. Jennifer. He wanted her here at his side, sharing the excitement of the campaign, sharing this moment, sharing his life.

Adam had tried several times to discuss his situation with Stewart Needham, but each time his partner had managed to change the subject.

Adam sat there thinking about Jennifer and Mary Beth. He knew that it was unfair to compare them, but it was impossible not to.

Jennifer is stimulating to be with. She's interested in everything and makes me feel alive. Mary Beth lives in her own private little world... and makes me feel alive. Mary Beth lives in her own private little world...