“No worries.”
“Plus a gun,” Bennie said, surprising even herself.
“For real, Al?”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?”
“Sorry, can’t help you there.”
“Forget it,” Bennie said, but she wouldn’t. She was already taking the splint off her right hand.
Chapter Seventy-two
Alice crossed the reception area, pasting on a smile to meet the Rexco people. “Gentlemen,” she said, reaching out to shake hands. “I’m Bennie Rosato. So glad you could make it.”
“Hans Mescal, good to meet you.” He shook her hand, and he wasn’t how she had pictured him, from the file. He had hooded blue eyes behind his steel-rimmed bifocals, a brushy white mustache, and a gray suit that fit badly, showing that he was a tightwad, for the boss of a Fortune 500 company. He introduced the other men, and they all said a round of hellos, but Hans acted as if he was the only one who counted, and Alice took her cue.
“Hans, everyone, please, come this way.” She led them into the smaller, enclosed conference room, which had been stocked with hot coffee, fresh fruit, and cinnamon buns, and Mary was already waiting with a legal pad.
“Welcome, everybody,” she said, smiling like the first day of school.
“DiNunzio, introduce yourself to Hans and the others, and let’s get started. Hans, please, sit by me.” Alice turned to Hans, gestured him into the seat at her right, and sat down at the head of the table. They all settled, and she began. “Let’s get started. We all know the problem. Your employees made off with your trade secrets and lit out for the West Coast. You went to McGarity & Boston for the complaint, but they’re not up to the task. You’re a big enough company that every law firm in town wants your business, but I want it the most.”
Hans cocked his head, listening.
“In fact, I want it so much that I’m willing to be unconventional in my billing practices.”
The older man next to Hans frowned. “We don’t usually talk fees before we talk substance.”
“Why?” Alice never took her eyes off Hans. “The law is clear. You need a restraining order, and any court would give you one. You’ve probably already interviewed Morgan, Lewis, and Dechert, all the big boys. They’ve told you the same thing, right?”
The older man said, “But do you think the order should-”
Hans lifted an index finger, silencing him. “How unconventional, Bennie?”
“You can buy a restraining order from any of us, but they’re expensive. Generally, a law firm has to drop everything, conduct discovery, and draft papers on the double. Yours would require two lawyers, full-time, for the next three weeks, through the preliminary hearing. It all adds up. The other firms were talking seventy-five to eighty grand for next month, correct?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll do it free.
“Why would you do that? What’s the deal?”
“If you’re satisfied with the job we do, then you let us represent you for the next year, on all litigation matters. If you don’t like our work, you walk away.”
“That’s quite a risk.”
“No, it isn’t. We’re the best lawyers in town.” Alice looked over at an astonished Mary. “Right, partner?”
“Right!”
“So what do you say, Hans?” Alice felt a little charge. She wouldn’t be around to pay this debt anyway, and an admiring smile was spreading across the CEO’s face.
“I didn’t expect this, I must say.” Hans stroked his mustache. “You think long-term. You have confidence in your team. I heard you were unorthodox.”
“You heard right. Do we have a deal?” Alice extended her hand, and Hans shook it.
“Done,” he answered, nodding.
“Wonderful.” Alice gestured to Mary. “I should have mentioned that Mary here has just become my new partner, and she’d be more than happy to field any technical questions you may have.”
Mary looked surprised but recovered with a game smile. “I sure would, gentlemen. Any questions?”
After the meeting, Alice led them out to reception, said good-bye to Hans and the others, and had Mary pack them into the elevator while she went back to her office. She saw that Grady wasn’t in his, so maybe he’d gone to the bathroom, which gave her an opening. She hustled into Bennie’s office, shut the door, and called the number for USABank.
“Marla, it’s Bennie,” she said, when the call connected. “I wanted to check in before the day ended. I’ll send the signature cards out tonight. Did you wire the money?”
“Yes, it’s all sent, as were the scanned signature cards. All of your money has been transferred to BSB, and your Bahamian accounts are open, pending receipt of the hard copies.”
“Excellent.”
“By the way, Alice called me earlier but I refused to discuss anything with her, as per our agreement.”
“I did. I spoke with Marshall, but she said you were in a meeting.”
“Oh, sorry.” Alice thought a minute. So Bennie had figured out what she was up to, but she didn’t know the details and by the time she figured them out, Alice would be out of town, a step ahead of her, and Q.
“Bennie, you should also know that someone, undoubtedly Alice, tried to access your accounts online. She was denied because she didn’t have the new password. You have to reset it yourself online, and I sent you an email with instructions to that effect.”
“Thanks.” Alice logged on to her email, skimming the boldfaced names until she found one from USABank. “I see, okay. Thanks. Gotta go.”
Chapter Seventy-three
Mary entered the coffee room, where Grady and Judy were standing in front of the Bunn machine, feasting on leftover cinnamon buns. They looked up, and if Judy was still mad at her, it didn’t show because her mouth was full of carbohydrates.
“How’d Rexco go?” she asked. “Apart from the food, which rocks.”
“Amazing. We got ‘em.”
“How?” Judy asked, and Grady leaned against the granite counter with a Styrofoam cup of coffee while Mary told them the story. By the time she was finished, Grady looked charmed, but Judy’s smile flattened.
Mary felt tense all over again. “I think doing it free was a great idea, don’t you, Grady?”
“Brilliant.” He grinned. “I
“Sure is.” Mary felt like he was a kindred spirit. “She’s not afraid to take a risk, either. The client loved her, you could tell.”
“I’m sure.” Grady smiled, sipping coffee. “Do I have to give him a beatdown?”
“No.” Mary laughed, if only to cover Judy’s silence, which Grady didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m glad we got some good news, after that debacle with Alice. Marshall said the clients have been calling all afternoon. Reporters, too.”
“Any word on if the cops got Alice yet?”
“None.”
“Too bad,” Mary said, and Judy seemed to come to life, looking over at Grady.
“Was Bennie upset by that scene with Alice?”
Grady blinked. “Sure she was. Couldn’t you tell?”
“Not really, but I don’t know her as well as you do.”
