Сидни Шелдон – Rage of Angels (страница 10)

‘No!’ All the old rage boiled up in Jennifer again. ‘I have nothing more to say to you or your damned disciplinary committee. I’m tired of being treated like – like I’m some kind of criminal!’

‘Have I said you were a criminal?’ Adam asked quietly.

‘You – isn’t that why you’re here?’

‘I told you why I’m here. I’m empowered to investigate and recommend for or against disbarment proceedings. I want to get your side of the story.’

‘I see. And how do I buy you off?’

Adam’s face tightened. ‘I’m sorry. Miss Parker.’ He rose to his feet and started for the door.

‘Just a minute!’ Adam turned. ‘Forgive me,’ she said. ‘I – everybody seems to be the enemy. I apologize.’

‘Your apology is accepted.’

Jennifer was suddenly aware of the flimsy robe she was wearing. ‘If you still want to ask me questions, I’ll put some clothes on and we can talk.’

‘Fair enough. Have you had dinner?’

She hesitated. ‘I –’

‘I know a little French restaurant that’s just perfect for inquisitions.’

It was a quiet, charming bistro on 56th Street on the East Side.

‘Not too many people know about this place,’ Adam Warner said when they had been seated. ‘It’s owned by a young French couple who used to work at Les Pyrénées. The food is excellent.’

Jennifer had to take Adam’s word for it. She was incapable of tasting anything. She had not eaten all day, but she was so nervous that she was unable to force any food down her throat. She tried to relax, but it was impossible. No matter how much he pretended, the charming man seated opposite her was the enemy. And he was charming, Jennifer had to admit. He was amusing and attractive, and under other circumstances Jennifer would have enjoyed the evening enormously; but these were not other circumstances. Her whole future was in the hands of this stranger. The next hour or two would determine in which direction the rest of her life would move.

Adam was going out of his way to try to relax her. He had recently returned from a trip to Japan where he had met with top government officials. A special banquet had been prepared in his honor.

‘Have you ever eaten chocolate-covered ants?’ Adam asked.

‘No.’

He grinned. ‘They’re better than the chocolate-covered grasshoppers.’

He talked about a hunting trip he had taken the year before in Alaska, where he had been attacked by a bear. He talked about everything but why they were there.

Jennifer had been steeling herself for the moment when Adam would begin to interrogate her, yet when he finally brought up the subject, her whole body went rigid.

He had finished dessert and he said quietly, ‘I’m going to ask you some questions, and I don’t want you to get upset. Okay?’

There was a sudden lump in Jennifer’s throat. She was not sure she would be able to speak. She nodded.

‘I want you to tell me exactly what happened in the courtroom that day. Everything you remember, everything you felt. Take your time.’

Jennifer had been prepared to defy him, to tell him to do whatever he pleased about her. But somehow, sitting across from Adam Warner, listening to his quiet voice, Jennifer’s resistance was gone. The whole experience was still so vivid in her mind that it hurt just to think about it. She had spent more than a month trying to forget it. Now he was asking her to go through it again.

She took a deep, shaky breath and said, ‘All right.’

Haltingly, Jennifer began to recount the events in the courtroom, gradually speaking more rapidly as it all came to life again. Adam sat there quietly listening, studying her, saying nothing.

When Jennifer had finished, Adam said, ‘The man who gave you the envelope – was he in the District Attorney’s office earlier that morning when you were sworn in?’

‘I’ve thought about that. I honestly don’t remember. There were so many people in the office that day and they were all strangers.’

‘Had you ever seen the man before, anywhere?’

Jennifer shook her head helplessly. ‘I can’t recall. I don’t think so.’

‘You said you saw him talking to the District Attorney just before he walked over to give you the envelope. Did you see the District Attorney hand him the envelope?’

‘I – no.’

‘Did you actually see this man talking to the District Attorney, or was he just in the group around him?’

Jennifer closed her eyes for a second, trying to bring back that moment. ‘I’m sorry. Everything was so confused. I – I just don’t know.’

‘Do you have any idea how he could have known your name?’

‘No.’

‘Or why he selected you?’

‘That one’s easy. He probably knew an idiot when he saw one.’ She shook her head. ‘No. I’m sorry, Mr Warner, I have no idea.’

Adam said, ‘A lot of pressure is being brought to bear on this. District Attorney Di Silva has been after Michael Moretti for a long time. Until you came along, he had an airtight case. The D.A.’s not very happy with you.’

‘I’m not very happy with me, either.’ Jennifer could not blame Adam Warner for what he was about to do. He was just carrying out his job. They were out to get her and they had succeeded. Adam Warner was not responsible; he was merely the instrument they were using.

Jennifer felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to be alone. She did not want anyone else to see her misery.

‘I’m sorry,’ she apologized. ‘I – I’m not feeling very well. I’d like to go home, please.’

Adam studied her a moment. ‘Would it make you feel any better if I told you I’m going to recommend that disbarment proceedings against you be dropped?’

It took several seconds for Adam’s words to sink in. Jennifer stared at him, speechless, searching his face, looking into those gray-blue eyes behind the horn-rimmed glasses. ‘Do – do you really mean that?’

‘Being a lawyer is very important to you, isn’t it?’ Adam asked.

Jennifer thought of her father and his comfortable little law office, and of the conversations they used to have, and the long years of law school, and their hopes and dreams. We’re going into partnership. You hurry up and get that law degree.

‘Yes,’ Jennifer whispered.

‘If you can get over a rough beginning, I have a feeling you’ll be a very good one.’

Jennifer gave him a grateful smile. ‘Thank you. I’m going to try.’

She said the words over again in her mind. I’m going to try! It did not matter that she shared a small and dingy office with a seedy private detective and a man who repossessed cars. It was a law office. She was a member of the legal profession, and they were going to allow her to practice law. She was filled with a feeling of exultation. She looked across at Adam and knew she would be forever grateful to this man.

The waiter had begun to clear the dishes from the table. Jennifer tried to speak, but it came out a cross between a laugh and a sob. ‘Mr Warner –’

He said gravely, ‘After all we’ve been through together, I think it should be Adam.’

‘Adam –’

‘Yes?’

‘I hope it won’t ruin our relationship, but –’ Jennifer moaned, ‘I’m starved!’

Chapter Five

The next few weeks raced by. Jennifer found herself busy from early morning until late at night, serving summonses – court orders to appear to answer a legal action – and subpoenas – court orders to appear as a witness. She knew that her chances of getting into a large law firm were nonexistent, for after the fiasco she had been involved in, no one would dream of hiring her. She would just have to find some way to make a reputation for herself, to begin all over.

In the meantime, there was the pile of summonses and subpoenas on her desk from Peabody & Peabody. While it was not exactly practicing law, it was twelve-fifty and expenses.

Occasionally, when Jennifer worked late, Ken Bailey would take her out to dinner. On the surface he was a cynical man, but Jennifer felt that it was a facade. She sensed that he was lonely. He had been graduated from Brown University and was bright and well-read. She could not imagine why he was satisfied to spend his life working out of a dreary office, trying to locate stray husbands and wives. It was as though he had resigned himself to being a failure and was afraid to try for success.

Once, when Jennifer brought up the subject of his marriage, he growled at her, ‘It’s none of your business,’ and Jennifer had never mentioned it again.

Otto Wenzel was completely different. The short, potbellied little man was happily married. He regarded Jennifer as a daughter and he constantly brought her soups and cakes that his wife made. Unfortunately, his wife was a terrible cook, but Jennifer forced herself to eat whatever Otto Wenzel brought in, because she did not want to hurt his feelings. One Friday evening Jennifer was invited to the Wenzel home for dinner. Mrs Wenzel had prepared stuffed cabbage, her specialty. The cabbage was soggy, the meat inside was hard, and the rice half-cooked. The whole dish swam in a lake of chicken fat. Jennifer attacked it bravely, taking small bites and pushing the food around on her plate to make it seem as though she were eating.

‘How do you like it?’ Mrs Wenzel beamed.