Continued from Part 1:
The phone was ringing again.
"Oh, for God's sake, answer that!" She shouted exasperated! So I did and the whole evening went to shit.
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* Chapter 5 *
The call was from my biggest single client. His name was Jack Jones - no lie. Everyone called him JJ and he owned a logistics company with over twenty trucks running both long and short haul routes. I answered and the story went as follows: He often substituted for a sick driver and tonight he would have been away on a two-day trip but the 16 pallets of cargo were not ready to load so he went home instead only to find his wife in bed with her lover.
JJ was a grizzly bear of a man who proceeded to systematically beat him to a pulp. The wife was screaming at the top of her voice that he was killing 'him', the neighbours heard a commotion and called 911 He was arrested for aggravated assault, possibly attempted murder and maybe murder two, should lover-boy die. It was that bad.
I told him to inform the cops that he had representation and to not utter another word until I got there. I turned to Shannon who was watching and listening. "Sorry but this is a biggie, and I must get going right now. I'll take a rain check." She started to say something but changed her mind, tried to say something else, didn't, then turned briskly and almost a run to her car. I watched her leave with a sense of an opportunity missed but it couldn't be helped. 'Worktime before playtime' my father always said.
As I drove to the police station, the wheels in my head already spinning. I thought I had a reasonably plausible alternative with the exception of the wife's statement, but I would be talking to her soonest.
At the end I had called in almost every favour I had, from the ADA to the cops and everyone else in-between. We supplied a statement that in essence said that he walked in to find someone raping his wife and proceeded to defend her. How was he to know that it was her lover as he certainly had no clue that she was a cheater - It was certainly plausible.
I carefully explained to Mrs. Jones that she and lover-boy were engaged in very vigorous -- almost violent sex when Jack found them, and that Jack would both appreciate her saying so and would take that into consideration in any future proceedings as their prenup had an infidelity clause leaving the cheater with almost nothing. Clever woman that she was, she recognised how she and lover-boy were having extreme sex which could have been misconstrued as rape and agreed to testify to that if necessary.
I visited lover-boy in hospital, but he was heavily sedated. It turned out that he was married, and his wife was there trying to understand what was going on. I gave her the short version. That her husband was fucking another man's wife and that he was going to be in a heap of trouble when it all went public so perhaps it was in her best interest to look after herself first.
Before I left, I made sure she had my number in her cell-phone for possible future representation in case she decided to divorce his cheating ass.
* * *
By the time I got home it was almost 04:00. JJ would be held in the police cell till Monday when his arraignment was set so there was nothing more that I could do. I fell into bed and passed out till 10:00 Sunday morning. I awoke with a start remembering that I was hosting an end-of-Summer BBQ for colleagues, friends and family that afternoon. It was about twenty adults and about eight kids. After a long shower I felt awake enough to start prepping. I went shopping for some of the fresh produce I hadn't purchased yet and had a long conversation with Rebecca catching her up on the night's events.
Her response. "Christ you're cold blooded."
"I hate cheaters Rebecca, which is why we'll never knowingly represent one."
"Okay, we'll talk later, see you at twelve thirty."
That gave me an idea and I called Shannon. "What?" She almost snarled into the phone. I told her I wanted to invite her to my place. "It's not Saturday!" She shouted and cut the call. I didn't even get to say for a BBQ lunch. I tried again and she ignored me. I texted her while I drove - not clever, I know - to please pick up the phone or to call me back - nothing.
I was home and unpacking the groceries and preparing the meat when she called.
"What do you want Erik, are you hoping to finish last night cause it's too late for that. The DEAL, remember. Your deal to be precise".
"Jeesh, Shannon can you give it a break." I shouted back. I'm inviting you over as I'm having an end-of-Summer get together with friends and family and there's someone I want to introduce you to that can help you." There was a change in tone on the other side. "Also, you said you never went anywhere and as there's going to be some other children here, I thought you might want to bring Kerry and Kayla over and let them play."
"Is that all?"
"Yes"
"Are you sure?" She started interrogating me but after some back and forth her suspicions were mostly allayed. "Ok, can I bring something?" She asked. "I make a mean Bobby Flay Cole-Slaw, or a Paula Dean Potato salad?" I laughed and told her to bring either, then remembered to mention that I had a swimming pool, and she could bring costumes and towels if she or the girls wanted to swim.