Final Exam: A Legal Thriller by Terry Huebner

interrupted, “but we’re hoping for other things now, I guess.   We’re going to work the surrender at eight.   I want to be back down here by seven, seven-thirty.”  
    “Where are you?” she said.   “Are you outside?   What’s all that noise?”
    “Yeah, I’m on my cell phone.   I’m walking over to Meg’s office.”  
    “You mean you haven’t told her yet?”  
    “No, I just found out.   I’m going to walk over and talk to her in person.”  
    “Okay,” she said, “what do you want me to do?”  
    “I’ve talked to Mark already, and he’s going to call Ken, and they’re going to meet over there later this afternoon.   Mark’s going to have some motions and stuff to put on the system so we can get them ready and on file ASAP.   Dan should be working on the brief for the bail hearing.   That should take place tomorrow morning.”  
    “Yeah, I think he’s already working on that.   He’s got a draft pretty well done.   Dianne is already typing it.”  
    “Good.   I’ve got to stop back at the house after I talk to Meg so I can change into a suit.   I don’t know what the fuck I was thinking dressing like this today, but I’ve got to have a suit on later.   I should be back there sometime this afternoon.   Put me through to Conlon.”  
    “Oh, by the way, how did your meeting with the asshole go?”  
    “Kind of fun actually.   I’ll fill you in later.”
    Nancy transferred Ben to Dan Conlon, who said that the first draft of the brief had indeed been completed and was being typed at that very moment by Dianne Reynolds.   Conlon also pulled copies of the key four or five cases cited in the brief and would make extra copies for the Court and the prosecution.   Convinced that things were under control back at the office, Ben signed off and continued over to Meg’s office.  
    Ben found her in a hallway on her way to the bathroom.   They both stopped in their tracks when they saw each other.   She knew instantly why he had come and her shoulders sagged.   Tears welled up in her closed eyes as she fought to compose herself.   Without saying a word, Ben went to her, took her softly by the arm and led her to a small conference room at the far end of the corridor, closing the door behind them.   They sat in silence for several minutes before Ben relayed the details of his brief telephone conversation with Detective Nelson.   Nelson would be coming by the townhouse around eight to pick her up.   She would then be transferred to a local stationhouse on the near north side for processing before transferring to the main lockup at the Cook County Jail.  
    Their entire conversation lasted only a few minutes and Ben rose to leave.   “I’m sorry.   I have to get going.   I have a lot of things to do before I get back to your place.”  
    She nodded.   “I’ll be alright.   Just get going.   I’ll see you later.”
    “Would you like me to take you home?” he asked.  
    “No.   No.   I’ll be okay.   I’m just going to sit here for a little bit and get myself together.   Then I’m going to talk to Joe.   You go ahead.”  
    She got up to say goodbye, and he put his arms around her in a long embrace, an uncharacteristic move for him.   “Trust me,” he whispered into her ear.   “We’ll get through this.   We’re going to beat this.”  
    She nodded.   “I’ll be okay.   Now you go ahead.”  
    He opened the door, took one last look at her, then closed the door behind him and was gone.  
    Traffic on the Eisenhower was light and he was back in his driveway in less than forty-five minutes.   He decided to grab a quick shower before he changed.   After he finished, Ben went around the corner to the walk-in closet and picked out a charcoal gray suit, white shirt and conservative blue tie.   He couldn’t believe that he was dressing with TV in mind.   
    As zero hour and Megan’s arrest rapidly approached, Ben felt himself enter a sort