On the way to his small office, David passed the newly decorated office that would belong to one of the chosen partners, and he could not resist looking inside. It was a large, beautiful office with a private washroom, a desk and chairs facing a picture window with a magnificent view of the Bay. He stood there a moment, drinking it in.
When David walked into his office, his secretary, Holly, said, “Good morning, Mr. Singer.” There was a lilt in her voice.
“Good morning, Holly.”
“I have a message for you.”
“Yes?”
“Mr. Kincaid would like to see you in his office at five o’clock.” She broke into a broad smile.
So it was really happening. “Great!”
She moved closer to David and said, “I think I should also tell you, I had coffee with Dorothy, Mr. Kincaid’s secretary, this morning. She says you’re at the top of the list.”
David grinned. “Thanks, Holly.”
“Would you like some coffee?”
“Love it.”
“Hot and strong, coming up.”
David walked over to his desk. It was heaped with briefs and contracts and files.
Today was the day. Finally. “Mr. Kincaid would like to see you in his office at five o’clock… You’re at the top of the list.”
He was tempted to telephone Sandra with the news. Something held him back. I’ll wait until it happens, he thought.
David spent the next two hours dealing with the material on his desk. At eleven o’clock, Holly came in. “There’s a Dr. Patterson here to see you. He has no app—”
He looked up in surprise. “Dr. Patterson is here?”
“Yes.”
David rose. “Send him in.”
Steven Patterson came in, and David tried to conceal his reaction. The doctor looked old and tired.
“Hello, David.”
“Dr. Patterson. Please, sit down.” David watched him slowly take a chair. “I saw the news this morning. I—I can’t tell you how very sorry I am.”
Dr. Patterson nodded wearily. “Yes. It’s been quite a blow.” He looked up. “I need your help, David.”
“Of course,” David said eagerly. “Anything I can do. Anything.”
“I want you to represent Ashley.”
It took a moment for the words to sink in. “I—I can’t do that. I’m not a criminal defense lawyer.”
Dr. Patterson looked him in the eye and said, “Ashley’s not a criminal.”
“I—You don’t understand, Dr. Patterson. I’m a corporate lawyer. I can recommend an excellent—”
“I’ve already had calls from half a dozen top criminal defense lawyers. They all want to represent her.” He leaned forward in his chair. “But they’re not interested in my daughter, David. This is a high-profile case, and they’re looking for the limelight. They don’t give a damn about her. I do. She’s all I have.”
“I want you to save my mother’s life. She’s all I have.” David said, “I really want to help you, but—”
“When you got out of law school, you went to work for a criminal law firm.”
David’s heart began to beat faster. “That’s true, but—”
“You were a criminal defense lawyer for several years.”
David nodded. “Yes, but I—I gave it up. That was a long time ago and—”
“Not that long ago, David. And you told me how much you loved it. Why did you quit and go into corporate law?”
David sat there, silent for a moment. “It’s not important.”
Dr. Patterson took out a handwritten letter and handed it to David. David knew what it said, without reading it.
Dear Dr. Patterson,
There are no words that can ever express how much I owe you and how much I appreciate your great generosity. If there’s ever anything at all that I can do for you, all you have to do is ask me, and it shall be done without question.
David stared at the letter without seeing it.
“David, will you talk to Ashley?”
David nodded. “Yes, of course I’ll talk to her, but I—”
Dr. Patterson rose. “Thank you.”
David watched him walk out the door.
“Why did you quit and go into corporate law?”
Because I made a mistake, and an innocent woman I loved is dead. I swore I would never take anyone’s life in my hands again. Ever.