Turning back to Victoria, Steve said, “I’m gonna have to pull rank here.”
“Rank?”
“I’m the senior partner.”
“We’re
“But I’ve got seniority. Rank and grade. If this were the army, I’d be the general.”
“If this were the army, you’d be court-martialed.”
“So, tell me this: When you opened that fancy bag of yours just now, was that a gun I saw?”
“What about it?”
“Are you going all
“Every prosecutor gets a gun.”
“You’re talking like this isn’t a one-case deal. Like you’re planning on some permanent changes.”
“Would you just relax, Steve? I’ll be back as soon as the case is over. Think of the publicity I’ll get. This gives us a chance to upgrade our clientele.”
“Nothing wrong with the cases I bring in.”
“Really? What about Needlemeyer versus Needlemeyer? The kid suing his parents for being ugly.”
“Not just being ugly. Passing on the genes.”
“That’s what I mean. Junk cases, when I can win a murder trial.”
“You mean lose a murder trial, because if I’m defending, it’s gonna be talking cockatoos all over again.”
“You planning to take a dump on my sleeve?”
“Anyone who steps into court against me risks utter and total humiliation. You know that.”
“Now you’re
“Just telling it like it is, cupcake.”
“Cupcake? You’re really trying to piss me off, aren’t you?”
“Why would I do that, sweetie?”
“Because you think I’ll lose my cool. You think I’ll say nasty things about what a bastard you are. Then I’ll feel guilty and apologize. After that, I’ll have no choice but to withdraw from the case and let you have your way.”
“You think I’m that clever?”
“I think you’re that devious. But it’s not going to work.”
Steve didn’t reply. He grinned at her, as if he’d just filled a straight on Fifth Street, and she held nothing but a pair of cracked aces.
I
Daring her to try a case against him. Hauling out the memory of birdshit on her jacket, thinking he could intimidate her. But she saw right through him.
“You’re scared, aren’t you, Steve?”
“What?”
“You’re scared of a powerful woman. So you’ve got to swing your club like some caveman.”
“You’ve been reading Maureen Dowd again, haven’t you?”
“When we go out to dinner, why do you always pay?”
“I don’t. I put it on the firm credit card. You’re paying half.”
“But you insist on using
“What difference does it make?”
“Are you playing dumb or are you really that obtuse?”
“Is there a third choice?”
“You maintain control by whipping out that card. MasterCard becomes your penis.”
“That’s your second dick metaphor in the last minute. Are you horny?”
“Ha!”
“Because you’re a little flushed. Or is it that time of month?”
She took a deep breath and reminded herself, yet again, that she loved this man, no matter how aggravating he could be. “Last bastion of male chauvinism, attacking our reproductive system, as if it makes us weak. When, in fact, it’s your Y chromosome that makes you the weaker sex.”
“You
“It’s an evolutionary fact. The male chromosome is losing genes. Men are losing their potency, but you still try to act like Genghis Khan.”
“What are you saying? You want to go off the pill?”
She smiled sweetly. Then she said, “You can’t stop me, Steve. I’m going to prosecute this case. And I’m going to win.”
“Hit me with your best shot, Vic.”
“Oh, I will. I’ll chop you into little pieces and use you for bait.”
“Ouch.”
“But if I feed you to the sharks, they’ll never touch you.”
“Professional courtesy,” Steve acknowledged, nodding.
“So I’ll just annihilate you in the courtroom.”
“How? Bore me to death?”
“I’ll file memos of law on every motion, briefs on every legal issue, make you work for a change.”
“Great. Death by a thousand paper cuts.”
“I’ll beat you in front of the jury, too. In opening. In cross. In closing. I’ll tie you in knots. And I’m gonna do it in a way you never could. I’m gonna win fair and square.”
Twelve
Walking along the corridor at Ponce de Leon Middle School, Bobby was totally bummed. He’d never see Spunky and Misty again. By now, they could be in the outer islands. Starving. They needed to eat thirty pounds of fish a day. Would they know how to catch their own? Or would they be waiting for someone to feed them?
In some weird way, Bobby felt responsible. If he’d only reacted faster, maybe he could have saved them. He could have told the dolphins to hide. They’d have understood him. They’d have gone underwater and stayed there for twenty minutes on one breath.
Deep down, he knew it wasn’t his fault, but still….
He blamed Uncle Steve, too. He’d refused to take out a boat and search for the dolphins, saying it was impossible. He reminded Bobby of the fisherman’s prayer: “Oh, Lord, my boat is so small and your sea is so wide.”
In his heart, Bobby knew his uncle was right. But still, Uncle Steve was the grown-up. He should have thought of something. Instead, he ended up representing that creep, Gerald Nash, the guy who’d messed up everything.
Bobby headed for his locker through the gauntlet of jocks, weirdos, nerds, pretty girls, chubby girls, brainy girls, geeks, freaks, and sleeks.
Leaning against the gray bank of metal lockers, chewing gum with his mouth open, like a sea lion gobbling a mackerel, was Rich Shactman. A concrete block disguised as a human being, in a muscle shirt stretched tight across his hairy chest.
