to admit, they were pretty shocked. Told me to think about it. I told
them I already had.
As much as I’m going to.”
The incredulity was stiff in his voice. “You quit your job?
Jesus, Kate, you’ve put a helluva lot into your career. You can’t just
throw that away.”
She suddenly rose and stood by the window, looking out.
“That’s just it, Jack. I’m not throwing anything away. My memories of
what I’ve done for the last four years add up to about a lifetime of
horror films. That’s not exactly what I had in mind sitting in Con Law
as a first-year debating grand principles of justice.”
“Don’t sell yourself short. The streets are a heckuva lot safer because
of what yoi!”ve done.”
She turned to look at him. “I’m not even stemming the flow anymore. I
got washed out to sea a long time ago.”
“But what are you going to do? You’re a lawyer.”
“No. You’re wrong. I’ve only been a lawyer a tiny fraction of my life.
My life before that time I liked a whole lot bettee, She stopped and
stared at him, her arms folded across her chest. “You made that very
clear to me, Jack. I became a lawyer to pay back my father. Three years
of school and four years of no life outside a courtroom is a pretty big
price.” A deep sigh emerged from her throat, her body teetered for a
moment before she regained her composure. “Besides, I guess I really
paid him back now.”
“Kate, it wasn’t your fault, none of it.” His mouth stopped moving as
she turned away from him.
Her next words rocked him.
“I’m going to move away, Jack. I’m not exactly sure where yet. I’ve got
a little money saved. The Southwest sounds nice. Or maybe Colorado. I
want as different from here as I can get. Maybe that’s a start.”
“Moving.” Jack said the word more to himself than to her.
“Moving.” He repeated the word as if both trying to make it go away and
trying to dissect and interpret it in a manner that was not as painful
as it felt at the moment.
She looked down at her hands. “There’s nothing keeping me here, Jack.”
He looked at her and he more felt than heard the angry response rush
past his lips.
“Goddamn you! How dare you say that?”
She finally looked at him. He could almost see the crack in her voice as
she spoke. “I think you better leave.”
JACK SAT AT IHS DESK UNWILLING TO FACE THE MOUNDS OF work, the small
mountain of pink messages, wondering if his life could possibly get any
worse. That’s when Dan Kirksen walked in. Jack inwardly groaned.
“Dan, I really don’t—”
“You weren’t at the partners meeting this morning.”
“Well, no one told me we were having one.”
“A memo was sent around, but then your office hours have been somewhat
erratic of late.” He looked disapprovingly at the shambles of Jack’s
desk. His own was unfailingly in pristine condition; more a testament to
how little actual legal work he did than anything else.
“I’M here now.”
“I understand you and Sandy met at his house.”
Jack eyed him keenly. “I guess nothing’s private anymore.”
Kirksen flushed angrily. “Partnership matters should be discussed by the
full partnership. What we don’t need are factions developing that will
decimate this firm any more than it already has been.”
Jack almost laughed out loud. Dan Kirksen, the undisputed king of the
faction-builders.
“I think we’ve seen the worst.”
“Do you, Jack? Do you really?” Kirksen sneered. “I didn’t know you had
so much experience with this sort of thing.”
“Well, if it bothers you so much, Dan, why don’t you leave?”
The sneer quickly evaporated from the little man’s face.
“I’ve been with this firm for almost twenty years.”
“Sounds like it’s about time for a change then. Might do YOU good.”
Kirksen sat down, removed a smudge from his glasses.
“Piece of friendly advice, Jack. Don’t throw your lot in with Sandy. If
you do that, you’ll be making a big mistake. He’s through.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
“I’m serious, Jack, don’t endanger your own position in some futile,