Cash Call, A Stan Turner Mystery Vol 5

  Chapter 32

  Settlement

   Passing on the Cochran case to Paula was a big relief but I still had plenty on my plate. When I got to the office the next day, I looked around to see what task was begging the hardest for my attention. There was always a lot more to do than any human being could possibly accomplish. Before I got it figured out, Jodie advised me I had a call from Paul Byrom. My pulse quickened.

   "Paul?"

   "Hi, Stan. Okay, this is the best I can do. $50,000 and not a dime more."

   "Come on. That's pocket change for your client's daddy."

   "Maybe so, but that's all he's willing to cough up. He's fed up with bailing Richard out of trouble and is thinking about revoking the trust and cutting him out of his will."

   "Hmm. Sounds like he's pissed."

   "To say the least."

   "Well, let me run it by my client. I can't promise anything."

   "Tell him to take it, Stan. I promise it's the most blood he's going to get out of this turnip."

   I laughed. "Okay. I understand."

   I called Ravi and explained the situation. He wasn't happy but reluctantly agreed to settle when I told him in rather strong terms that this was the best he was going to get and if he didn't settle, he might get nothing. Jodie walked in when I hung up the phone.

   "So much for my BMW."

   "Oh well, twelve grand is better than a stick in the eye," I said.

   "Eight grand after expenses," she reminded me.

   "Eight, ten . . . whatever. It's just money."

   She shook her head, turned around and walked out. As I looked out the window at the Dallas skyline, a great sense of relief washed over me. I had really been stupid in the way I had jumped on the Ravi case without thoroughly checking it out. It could have turned out worse had I been forced to try the case. It had been a tough lesson, but one I wouldn't soon forget.

   That night on the way home I decided I had no choice but to tell Rebekah about Paula and our partnership. Unfortunately, she'd already seen the news and ambushed me the moment I walked in the door.

   "How did Paula Waters get the Jim Cochran case?" she asked warily.

   "Ah. I referred him to her?"

   "I thought she was a prosecutor."

   "She is--was," I replied. "She quit the DA's office today."

   Rebekah's eyes narrowed. "So, who's she going to work for?"

   "Ah. Well. For herself for now--until this case is over."

   "Then what's she going to do?"

   "Well, we were talking about going into a partnership."

   "A partnership. I don't think so. I saw her on TV. She's a knockout. Don't think for a minute I'm going to let you hang around all day with a woman like that."

   "Oh, give me a break. I have no interest in her aside from the fact that she's a good lawyer and we work well--"

   I stopped realizing I'd forgotten something important. Rebekah didn't know that Paula and I had worked on the Brad Thornton case while we were in law school.

   "What were you going to say?"

   "Well, in law school we worked together on a few projects and we work well together."

   "You never told me about that," Rebekah accused.

   "I didn't. Really. I thought I told you about Paula. She and I had criminal procedure together with Professor Hertel. She helped on the Brad Thornton case--like all the rest of the students in the class did."

   "Un huh. It sure is funny I'm just finding out about it now. What did you two do besides study together."

   "Nothing. She's just a friend and she'll be a good partner."

   Rebekah shook her head and stormed off to the family room. The kids, who had gathered around to see what all the ruckus was about, retreated without a word. I collapsed into a chair. My head was pounding. It never occurred to me that Rebekah would see Paula on TV and put two and two together.

   Not wanting to let Rebekah stew too long, I went into the family room. The kids were all gathered around Rebekah like new born puppies. All eyes were on me.

   "It's time for bed, kids," I said. "Mom and I have to talk."

   Without a word the children calmly disappeared. They were scared and I felt badly that they were having to go through this. I sighed. "Nothing is going to change. You're the only woman I'll ever love. Paula will be strictly a business partner."

   Rebekah shook her head. "That's what you may think. You don't know women the way I do. She's got another agenda."

   "How do you know that? You've never even met her for godsakes."

   "The fact that you didn't introduce her to me makes it obvious she has feelings for you and you knew if I met her I'd see it."

   I shook my head. "No. I just knew you'd jump to the wrong conclusion and I didn't have the energy for it. I had so much going on back then."

   "Well, that was your doing not mine."

   I sighed. There was no arguing with Rebekah. She was relentless and logic rarely swayed her.

  "So, what would you like me to do. Tell her I can't be her partner because my wife doesn't trust me around women?"

   "No. Let me do it."

   "I don't think so. I'm going to be her partner. I'm sorry you don't approve, but it's going to be a good partnership and you'll just have to get used to it."

   Rebekah got up and stormed off again, this time to the bedroom. She slammed the door indicating I'd be sleeping on the couch.

  The next day when I got to the office I told Jodie about the new partnership and how Rebekah had reacted to the news. She didn't seem too happy about the partnership either and was unusually quiet all morning. I wondered if I'd made a mistake agreeing to it. Obviously, I should have talked to Rebekah and Jodie about it before I made a commitment. As I was regretting my reckless behavior Jodie called on the intercom and told me Rebekah called and said she was meeting Paula for lunch. My stomach twisted.

   "Oh, shit! Where are they going?"

   "The Highland Park Cafeteria,” Jodie advised. “And she said she had a gun."

   "What!?"

   I rushed out of the office to the parking garage and jumped into my Corvette. I was only fifteen minutes away, so I thought I had a chance of beating Rebekah to the restaurant. She must have taken Don's gun. Damn. Why did I bring it home? Thank God it isn't loaded. As I drove I imagined the scene at the restaurant.

   Rebekah and Paula are sitting across from each other. Rebekah stands up abruptly, slips her hand into her purse and pulls out the big .38. Paula freezes. A lady sitting next to them screams. Everyone scrambles for the exits. Rebekah points the gun at Paula. She says, "This gun isn't loaded but if you mess with Stan, next time it will be."

   Two policeman cautiously enter the restaurant. "Put the gun down!" one of them says. Rebekah turns inadvertently pointing the gun toward them.

   She says, "It isn't--"

   Both officers fire striking her in the shoulder and the chest. She falls to the ground.

   Oh God, noooo!

   I pressed down the accelerator and passed two cars, barely darting back into my lane before hitting one that was coming straight at me. When I got to the cafeteria, everything seemed normal. Relief swept over me like I had plunged into a cool lake on a hot summer day. I straightened my tie and walked into the restaurant. Scanning the room, I didn't see Paula or Rebekah. Then I heard Rebekah laughing. I turned and saw them sitting at a table in a corner. They were smiling and laughing like sorority sisters. For a moment I just sat there in shock, then Rebekah noticed me.

  "Stan," she yelled. "Over here."

   I went over to them smiling. "Hey. What's going on over here? I didn't know you two knew each other."

   Rebekah frowned. "We don't . . . or we didn't. Paula asked me to lunch. What are you doing here?"

   "Ah . . . well I was just passing by, and I saw your car so I wondered what you were--"

   "Oh, checking up on me, huh?"

   I blushed. "No, just
surprised to see you in this part of town. I figured you must be out with Marcia."

   "No, my mother is watching her."

   I looked at Paula. "So, lunch . . . what's the occasion."

   Paula replied, "I'm sorry, Stan. It was probably presumptuous but I wanted to meet Rebekah and get to know her since I'm going to be your partner."

   "Oh, right."

   "Yeah, Stan neglected to tell me about it? I had to dig it out of him." Rebekah complained.

   I blushed again. "Ah, well I was waiting for the right moment."

   Rebekah laughed. "Oh, it's all right. Paula has been telling me all about it. What a load off your back it will be when Paula takes over administration of the firm. Maybe now you'll be able to get home in time for dinner and you won't have to bring work home, huh?"

   Rebekah was beaming. Paula knew exactly how to handle her. It was a unbelievable. I looked at her and shook by head in amazement. She winked.

   "Paula says she's going to keep an eye on you for me too, since you're a sucker for a pretty woman with a sad story."

   She was referring to a pretty young travel agent who'd got arrested for mail fraud and when she couldn't post bond she talked me into guaranteeing it for her. It worked out in the end as I kept her out of jail and never had to make good on the guarantee. Unfortunately, that didn't make any difference to Rebekah and she liked to chastise me about it at every opportunity.

   "Paula's going to teach me how to use that gun you brought home too, so I can protect our homestead from your clients or their enemies."

   Now she was referring to Doomsayer. A religious fanatic who had threatened me and the family during the Sarah Winters case. Fortunately, none of us had been hurt but we did lose our dog to a demented killer.

   Paula looked at me and laughed. "Your wife's a hoot. I love her already."

  "I didn't know the DA's office trained you in handling weapons," I said.

   "They don't, but the sheriff does. It helps when we are prosecuting cases if we know something about the weapons criminals use. Plus, in this day and age, it can be dangerous being a prosecutor."

   I nodded.

  "Wonderful, now I'll be coming home to an armed wife."

   "Yeah," Rebekah said, in her best John Wayne imitation. "So don't even think about coming home late again. . . . Comprendez?"