Monterey, Tuesday
I n Mike’s office, Veronicabeamed. But I was not ushered right in. I had time to bask in Veronica’s smile and to get a really good look at some of Mike’s magazines. I read an interesting study on the archaeological evidence for Kings David and Solomon of the Bible. According to the article, it is pretty sketchy. A single inscription does name Solomon, but digging for anything more is likely to start another Mideast War.
Next I devoured an account of the Schuar people, an Amazon tribe best known for shrinking the heads of their enemies. Their first Western contact was with the Spaniards. The Schuar gave their guests gold in friendly fashion only to find that, rather than creating warm feelings, it made the Spaniards pushy.
So they killed all the Spaniards except the governor and a priest. The governor was tortured until he revealed the location of his hoard. The Schuar brought out his gold, built a great fire and melted it down. Forcing the priest to watch, they poured the gold down the governor’s throat. Then all eyes turned to the priest. “Go,” their chief told him, “and tell all who will listen, of the Schuar, and of their gold.” The Schuar were not visited again until well into modern times.
I had just started a piece on what the crews who flew the B17s had to put up with in the way of cramped space and high altitude conditions without the proper equipment, when Mike startled me.
“Come on in.”
I could have started by pointing out that since Mike hadn’t seen me right away that he too must have other clients. But it was no time to be a wise guy. There hardly ever seems to be an right time to let our inner wise guy express himself, and this may be a source of many of the world’s ills.
Mike led off. “You have to drop your other client immediately.”
∨
“I expect no further work from that client.”
“Can you guarantee me you’ll have no further contact with them?”
“No contact? I haven’t billed them. I can’t refuse to take their calls.”
“That makes it easy. No bill, no obligation. Just return their retainer.”
I wasn’t about to tell Mike that I took a retainer from Sue but didn’t ask for one from Heavensent. “I can’t simply drop a client without a word,” I said.
An unseen seagull complained outside. The gull had a long time to lay out his case before Mike spoke. “My client is extremely serious about this.
Enough so to pursue extensive litigation.”
“I recognize that. If I had realized your concern I would certainly not have accepted that other small amount of business.” This was a lie. If Lorraine was dead or in trouble, I would not for the world have stayed out of it. Mike might even know it was a lie, which was fine. He could not prove it false and as a lawyer he should admire a well-crafted lie.
I poured it on. “What if another client asked about my progress in your interests? I can’t be fully forthcoming with you on details of that other client’s business without betraying them. Because someone apparently is interested. I was followed yesterday. The police got involved.”
“Who was it?” Mike’s tone showed interest, whether genuine or not.
“There was a chase and he escaped.” The “he” was deliberate misdirection.
If Mike knew nothing, it made no difference. If he did know something, my chances of catching one of California’s best lawyers in a slip were tiny. But you try.
“So we’ll never know,” Mike said.
“Not necessarily. He left a ton of DNA.” I watched Mike’s face. It revealed nothing and I continued. “I am fully aware that full scale litigation over this would ruin me financially, even if I won . . . ”
“Which you would not.”
“But if potential litigation was the main thing keeping me discreet, who-ever presented the greatest legal threat could dictate how I deal with my other clients. I’d just be bounced every which way by legal threats.”
“Which is a good reason why you should not have accepted other busi-ness.”
“I will end the other relationship, and do only what is absolutely essential not to leave them hanging.”
“For all our sakes that absolute essential had better be nothing or damn close to it. Sue is furious over this. If you think I am giving you a hard time
Of the Schuar, and of Their Gold
over this, wait until you talk to her. Because frankly, she had me squirming over this matter. I don’t mind saying that when she decides she wants to be intimidating, she can make me wish I was dealing with other lawyers. I don’t know how she does it, but if I were you I’d want to make her happy.
Sue wants to meet you in the Presidio Chapel. You know where that is?”
I did. On my way out, I wondered why Mike had not demanded the retainer back. He wouldn’t get it and we both knew that, but I had expected some arm twisting.