LITMIR.BIZ

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coming from Cleveland and maybe it was not even true.

      But it went well, they drank coffee and they make a date to meet at 6pm outside that bar.

      -3-

      Stacie jumped at the first taxi that was just passing and headed to the court which was about ten minutes from there. In those ten minutes she forced herself to concentrate on the job and to remove anything that might give her trouble. As she was setting out to do this, some images of that damn piece of paper were right in front of her eyes as the flashes of the journalists after the end of an important trial.

      “Miss, it’s 22$.Miss!” The taxi driver was more in a hurry than Stacie.

      “Keep the change. Thank you.” Stacie knew she had reached the court with a sigh of relief. She gave the taxi driver 30$ and she catapulted out of the car.

      “Peter, what are you doing out here? And the hearing? Tell me I'm still in time.” She began to sweat cold. The fear that months of work had gone up in smoke seemed to materialize.

      “You were born with a platinum spoon in your mouth; they pushed it because of the unavailability of the witness. The court decided to postpone by one week.”

      Peter seemed extremely peaceful, unlike Stacie.

      “Okay, I'll be there this time and we’ll get those pieces of shit. However, it’s time you accept my invitation and that I explain you all the details of this trial. Should anything ever happen to me, you're on your own and I don’t want to have to rush into a taxi again to try to get the court in time.”

      “Hey, I would agree, I always did, but you know well that Sam can’t stand to see us together even outside of work.” Peter retorted.

      “Don’t worry; Sam and I are not dating anymore.” Stacie replied laconic.

      “Since when? If I may say so.” Peter said with curiosity.

      “Since this morning. And if you love me, stop asking me questions about Sam.” Stacie could not but betray the still alive feelings for Sam, although wounded in the depths by an unexpected and misunderstood gesture that had not allowed any reply.

      “Okay, okay. For me, we can meet tonight if that's no problem.”

      A few months earlier, Peter had joined as a lawyer the law firm where Stacie worked and, although he was not lightning fast, a particularly irresistible charm was on his side. Stacie had immediately appreciated Peter since his arrival at the office and, of course, Peter had always known that he wasn’t blithely indifferent to Stacie. It was clear to everyone, however, that Stacie was having an important love affair with another man and would hardly have granted distractions.

      Just got home, Stacie paused a moment in the doorway, glanced at the stairs almost as if to exorcise the absence of Sam and then after a long sigh, she entered the house and began to tidy up, since the morning she had gone away in a hurry, leaving everything as it was. She gathered everything and quickly tried to make it disappear almost as if to hide the traces of a lover to his companion. She moved with difficulty as if it was already late although it was more than two hours to the meeting with Peter.

      She cleaned everything thoroughly and once assured that the house had regained a more than decent appearance, she allowed herself a shower.

      The two had to work for the defense of a boy - Frank Bigalow - fired by the company he worked for (a multinational in the telecommunications sector) because of its "inconvenient" open homosexuality.

      Some months before, Frank had knocked at Spencer’s office to ask for legal assistance. Once Frank had told his story, Mark immediately understood the media weight that the suit would have covered and how much its law firm could benefit to win against a giant of the communication, despite the risks.

      It was for this reason that he immediately decided to entrust the lawsuit in Stacie’s hands, because he had always considered her a phenomenon in the field of jurisprudence, despite the lack of experience and youth.

      All in all, Mark was more capable in business acumen than legal knowledge, while being an experienced man of the law; but just that sense of business that distinguished him, had pushed him to choose Stacie in what would probably be the most important suit of his life.

      -4-

      Sam walked long after Carla went off and tried to spend time in every way. He did not know why Carla had insisted particularly in offering to host him; after all it had been a trivial incident what had happened earlier. A simple "sorry" would have been enough for ending all there. While this and a thousand other thoughts like this turned into Sam’s head, he planted himself on the spot as if struck by an illness. He opened his astonished eyes and trying to react to what looked like a real paralysis, he tried to process a step forward. His astonished expression did not change but he managed to move again, and advanced more rapidly heading towards a bench where he reached out and grabbed the woman who had caused that reaction, turning her.

      “It is not possible...”

      The woman jumped up and put her hands to her mouth as if to try to silence a scream ready to go out, and looked at the man who had turned her so violently.

      Sam, however, had again planted himself and had looked down; his arms were limp as if to blow off steam.

      He had seen Stacie in that woman, he was not confused. He was sure he had seen her and had wanted to go to her to ask her the reason for such a persecution.

      Then he turned his back without even apologize and started walking aimlessly looking straight forward.

      Sam took a few steps and heard him say in a loud voice:

      “In the name of the law, stop where you are!”

      And after having read his rights, two agents who had seen the incident handcuffed him and escorted him by car to the Police Department.

      Sam now had not to find a way to pass the time until the meeting with Carla but he had to invent a way to get out of that place.

      After more than an hour waiting in there, Sam began to ask himself the reason for that waiting.

      “Hey, why did you lock me in here?”

      “Don't worry, about the harassment you'll manage with a couple years if you cannot afford the bail.” Agent Berrimow replied as he passed while Sam was wondering why such a long wait.

      “Hey. But what harassment, I only confused a girl with mine. I don't really know what came over me.” Sam had just said what he really thought.

      “Look, stop whimpering. There will be a court, a trial...”

      “Can I at least have a call?”

      “Sure, but be careful that you have a single phone call. You’d better choose a lawyer who can pay you the deposit if you want to get out of here.”

      Sam thought for just a moment to Stacie, but then passed to Carla. He had no intention of involving Stacie the day after having left that way. There was a problem. He did not know which law office Carla worked in. His only hope was that the policeman could help him.

      “Hey, listen up. I know only one lawyer. She’s from New York. Her name is Carla and she works in a law office here in the city but I don’t know her phone number. Can you help me, please?”

      The policeman looked at him with a half smile on his mouth and said:

      Maybe it's your lucky day today. Here in the Department we know well the lawyer De Sena. Think that I started a month ago and I already remember her. You hardly forget a beautiful girl like that. She comes to visit us constantly because she often gets office cases. I know the office where she works. I’ll get the number.

      “Carla, it’s Sam. Yes, the one you have overwhelmed this morning. I need your help. I’m at the police precinct. Can you come here?”

      After about half an hour Carla had reached Sam. She actually had not asked herself too many questions. Maybe she was used to rescue the scoundrels

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