Chapter 16

Over the next few months we worked solely on this client and getting them their money and reputation back. It was October before we finally had a court date, by that time it was in every newspaper in Chicago. I went into work the monday before Halloween weekend, to Josh sitting in my office. "Can I help you?" I asked a little nervous. He had never waited in my office before, we usually worked late in his office. I would go out for dinner and we would sit on the floor and gather paperwork for motions, chit chat a little. "Yeah, I have some potentially good news," he answered standing. I raised my brows in anticipation, "The accounting firm is looking to settle," he told me with a smile and his hands raised. "That's great, have they sent you a number or anything?" I asked putting my bags in my desk drawer. "No, we are going to meet them in an hour, that's why I'm here, your coming with us," he said. "Oh ok," I said a little worried about how I was dressed. I always dressed professional but I was in fitted black pants a white shirt and navy blue blazer. There wasn't anything I could do now, so I just smiled. "Be in conference room two in thirty minutes we can premeet with the client about how much we are willing to take," he suggested and left.

I sat down and powered up my mac book and checked my emails. There was an email from Sandra. I quickly opened it:

Dear Whitney,

How are you? I've missed you. Sorry it's been so long, I've been busy. Roman and I moved to Paris and we started work right away. I'm working as a receptionist in a law firm which made me think of you. Roman got a job giving tours of Paris, he gets to sight see all day. I hope you can come visit us.

Write soon,

Sandra

She included pictures of her and Roman, which mad me a little jealous. She had found love and was happy, I was happy for her. I guess I had just twisted Jack into someone I wanted not accepted him for who he was. I checked my watch and gathered up all the files I had on the accounting firm Smith and Co. I headed downstairs to the second conference rooms. The second floor was full of different sized conference rooms, based on the clinet size and how many lawyers helped that account.

I sat on the other side of Chris as he and Josh were the leads in this case. I passed the files over to Josh, as Dave Canmore and the chairman of the board Linda Duffy. We all stood and shook hands before taking a seat and begining a strategy. Dave wanted an admission of guilt, testifying against the former CEO Bob Wells, and paying back any money they recieved for helping him steal. We then positioned ourself on the far side of the table and waited for Smith and Co. and their lawyers to show up. Which didn't take long. We stood and introduced ourselves, Gerald Smith was there as he was head of the company. The man who ran the account for the hospital at the time, Patrick Crawford. The legal team Mark Roberts and Dan Griffin, we all sat down. "Let's not drag this out, Mr. Brooks, name your price," Mark Roberts stated cooly. Josh smiled, "Is that an admission?" he asked. Mr. Roberts shook his head in irritation, "We want a full admission, as well as testimony in court," Josh began. "Is that all?" Mr. Roberts questioned. He was clearly attempting to play cat and mouse, "And whatever payment Mr. Crawford recieved for helping him," Josh finished. "I didn't get payment," Patrick blurted out. "Shut up, Patrick," Mr. Smith said behind gritted teeth. "You expect us to believe he helped embezzel nearly three million dollars for free," Josh readdressed the legal team. "You arent' seeking any other compensation?" Mr. Griffin asked. Josh looked down to Dave who shook his head. "No," Josh told him just as cooly. Mr Roberts paused, "Fine, we will turn over Mr. Crawford's finicial record and any payments he recieved by Bob Wells will be added up and sent to your clients," he relented. I almost felt bad for Mr. Crawford, with the look on Mr. Smith's face.

After they left, we told Dave as things came in we would be in contact and we went to work filing for Bob Wells arrest for embezzlement. The next few weeks were going to be just as difficult if not mor difficult. It wasn't going to be hard to prove, but once Bob Wells legal team heard we settled with Smith and Co. they were going to attempt a settlement for less.

I went back to my office and Beth was there. "Hey I was going to leave you a sticky note," she said. "About what?" I asked. "See you already forgot, my halloween party," she answered. I closed my eyes, I had completely forgot with this case. "You better get a halloween costume, because half the office will be there," she told me. "I'll leave early today," I said knowing most of the costume shops would be sold out of anything cute. Sure enough the first three stores I went to didn't have much. Most wouldn't fit me, but I found a superman shirt, a pair of thick rimed fake glasses and figured I could diy something together, so I bought it. I went home and looked in my closet a white button up and a black pensil skirt and boom, I had a costume. Now I could get finish my week actually doing work.

By Thursday we had heard back from Bob Well's lawyers, they wanted to set up a meeting in a week. On Friday Josh came into my office, "Bob Well's and his lawyers canceled," he stated plopping down in a chair. "Why?" I asked annoyed. "I think he's just playing a game, he's trying to wear us down. Don't worry he'll reschedule," he assured. I nodded, there was an awkward silence, "Are you going to Beth's Halloween Party tomorrow?" he asked. "Yeah," I answered. "Oh good, I'll see you there," he said and got up and left. I finished up a few things for another paralegal and headed home.

On Saturday I felt that sad and empty feeling creeping back in. I decided I would email Madame and thank her for my time there. I didn't know what to say but I think I basically rambled on about how much I appreciated her help and how I was doing. I wasn't even sure if I should send it when I was done, but I did. Then I began cleaning my condo nervously waiting for a reply. By five o'clock I needed to get ready to leave, so I tousled my hair, put on my superman shirt with a fitted white button up, open just enough to see the symbol. I couldn't decided to use a pensil skirt or fitted slacks, after staring that them for a good fifteen minutes, I went with the black pensil skirt and added suspenders. I put on the fake glasses, grabbed my purse and headed out.

I showed up at the old house, they had gone completely out. There was a haunted maze on the property, which we were likely going to go through before the end. Beth had booked a company that did murder mystery dinner. I knocked and was greated by a butler, "May I take your coat?" he asked. "Thank you," I said as he helped me take off my coat. "The cocktail hour, is just in there," he directed me through a door way. Cocktail hour, my mind flooded with memories as Beth hugged me. I smiled, "Come on, they created a special drink just for us tonight," she said pulling me to the bar. I was given a chalise of a deep purple drink, "They call it witches brew," she told me happily. It wasn't a special drink, but I let her have that moment. I mingled around with some people from work and a few I didn't know. Josh showed up in a mobster costume, Lindsey and Chris showed up as a fireman and dalmation, Beth and her fiancee were Bonnie and Clyde. Another paralegal from the office showed up as batman. We were all chatting, when the staff came and handed out character cards. We were told to review them and learn our characters secrets, then shuffled into dinner.

During dinner we gave certain secrets away, at each courses. By the end of dessert, the fake police were there taking statements as one of the actors was dead. My character was sleeping with Chris's character, who was married to Lindsey's character, obviously. The actor that died was blackmailing Chris. He was the brother of Josh's character, but they had a bitter rivalery as Josh's character had slept with the actor's wife, Beth. As the night dwindled down Lindsey guessed who the killer was, Beth. Beth's character killed the actor, to be able to marry his brother Josh's character. We hung around another hour having a night cap and laughing. Josh had been firting with me all evening and I just wanted to go home.

As some gathered at the door to go to through the haunted corn maze, I got my coat and was heading to a cab. "Heading home?" Josh asked. "Yeah, I'm not much for haunted mazes," I answered. "Want to get a drink in town?" he asked. I felt my heart screaming at me no, that I couldn't betray the love I had felt for Jack. "Sure," it had popped out before I realized what I was doing. We climbed in the cab, who drove to a bar in town. We sat the bar, "Thank you for working so hard on this case with me," he offered. I smiled, "Your welcome just doing my job," I replied. "Where did you grow up?" he asked ordering a couple beers. "Ohio," I replied. I could see he was distracted. I tilted my head to see what he was looking at, there was a scantily dressed bar wench. "Someone you know?" I asked. "Huh," he said turning back towards me. I took a sip of my beer, "Sorry," he answered. "No problem," I told him, though I already knew I wasn't staying. "You're from Florida," I gave another attempt at conversation, and his attention was now on a sluty looking red riding hood across the bar. I nodded though he didn't see me. I put some money on the bar, and snuck out without him even noticing. I walked out into the cool evening air, shaking my head. I waited for a cab and went home.

I wiped off my make up and got into my pajamas and couldn't help but laugh at the nights events. It was ridiculous to think Josh flirting with me until some more beautiful or maybe it was the fact that they were in sluttier costumes. I turned on a scary movie and sat there watching until I couldn't keep my eyes open. I dreamt of Jack that night, being in his arms, hearing his heartbeat, and feeling his hands on my body.