'I'll have the green salad,' she told the waiter, 'dressing on the side.'
I ordered the lobster sandwich.
'You're doing that to be mean,' Rita said.
'I like lobster sandwiches. What's Ronan doing at Taft?'
'Ego. He may be the greatest criminal lawyer in the world. But criminal lawyers tend to represent criminals. And some of the dirt maybe rubs off. I think he took the professorship at Taft because it was prestigious.'
'Does he actually teach,' I said.
Rita shrugged.
'Taft's trying to build the law school. One way to do that is to attract a superstar. As you know, one of the prime perks of any teaching job is not to teach. Ronan is a superstar. My guess is that he probably lectures once a week. I think he would enjoy lecturing.'
'How about the wife?'
'Don't know much about her. She's not his first wife. She's a lot younger, and the couple of times I've seen her she was a knockout.'
'So why is he so dangerous?' I said.
'Because in any adversarial circumstance he will do anything to win. He is very wealthy and he is hugely connected, including all the bad guys he's defended.'
The waiter came with Rita's salad and my lobster sandwich, with mayo, on sourdough bread. Rita ate some salad. I had a bite of my lobster sandwich.
'Pig,' she said.
I nodded modestly.
'So how come you are involved with Ronan?' Rita said.
'His wife and three other women are suing Susan's ex-husband for sexual harassment.'
'Susan's ex-husband?'
'Yes. Guy named Brad Sterling. He changed it from Silverman.'
'Yeah. Swell. I was thinking of changing mine to Fire.'
'Fire Fiore?' I said.
'No, idiot, Rita Fire, attorney-at-law. So what's your deal with Sterling Silverman?'
'Susan asked me to see if I could help him out. She says he's on the brink of dissolution.'
Rita stared at me. 'Susan asked you to save her ex-husband?'
'In a manner of speaking.'
'And you're doing it?'
'I'm looking into it.'
'And you have to go against Francis Ronan to do it?'
'Maybe.'
Rita stared at me some more.
'Are you out of your fucking mind?' Rita said.
'Not yet.'
Rita started to speak and stopped and started again and stopped without saying anything. She sat silently shaking her head.
'You told Hawk about this yet?' she said finally.
'Yeah.'
'He have any comment?'
'He said, `Umm.''
'You got any idea what he meant by that?'
'I think he was implying that this enterprise fraught with peril.'
'Umm,' Rita said.
'Maybe,' I said.
'You say you've met Ronan?'
'Yeah.'
Rita smiled. 'And did you get along?'
'Not really well,' I said.
She smiled wider. 'Were you properly respectful?'
