work out a trial strategy for the lawsuit against Eugene. Wrongful death wasn’t her area of expertise, but she knew lots of tricks of the trade that might be useful at trial.
“So Jamal isn’t helping you?” Vernetta asked.
Nichelle pulled a stack of cases from her satchel. “Nope. His managing partner vetoed that. They’re concerned about the type of publicity this case is likely to attract.”
“Well, you’ve got Sam.”
“He’s not about to help me. He doesn’t even think we should be suing Eugene. But don’t worry. It’s been a while since I litigated, but I have a pretty good handle on everything. I just wanted to bounce a few ideas off of you.”
They discussed several recent negligence and wrongful death cases involving HIV and AIDS and made a list of the legal elements Nichelle would need to prove. It was close to nine when they finally decided to pack up.
“I need to drop off a document for O’Reilly’s secretary,” Vernetta said. “I’ll be right back.”
When she reached the secretary’s cubicle, she heard laughter coming from O’Reilly’s office. Male laughter
and
female laughter. She stood there, eavesdropping through the closed door.
Vernetta saw the doorknob turn and dashed into the secretary’s cubicle and pretended to be writing a note. When she turned around, Haley was standing behind her, white as a sheet.
“I . . . uh . . . I was . . . just looking for a document in O’Reilly’s office,” Haley volunteered.
Vernetta had not asked a question, so her unsolicited explanation made her sound guiltier than she looked.
Her blond hair was mussed and her red lipstick was smeared to the left of her lower lip. Haley noticed Vernetta examining her untidy state and quickly wiped her mouth and raked her fingers through her hair.
“O’Reilly forgot to give me some documents I needed for the Vista Electronics case,” Haley offered, again without solicitation.
But he hasn’t left the office yet
.
Vernetta’s mind raced.
Was O’Reilly stupid enough to be messing around with Haley? And here in the office of all places?
Men were such knuckleheads when it came to sex
.
“Which documents were you looking for? I might have copies.”
“Uh . . . the . . . oh, never mind. It’s late and I’m exhausted. I better be getting home.”
“Are you okay, Haley?”
“Yeah, of course.” She ran her fingers through her hair again. “Why do you ask?”
“You just seem a little flustered.”
“I’m fine.” She started walking away.
“Good night,” Vernetta called after her.
Haley turned back and flashed a syrupy smile. “Good night to you, too.”
Vernetta was dying to charge into O’Reilly’s office and bust him. He was probably inside with his ear pressed to the door. Instead, she scampered back to her own office.
She closed the door behind her and rushed over to her desk, her heart beating wildly.
“What’s the matter?” Nichelle asked.
“I have the gossip of the century.”
“Do share.”
“You know that little witch, Haley?”
Nichelle nodded.
“She’s messing around with the managing partner.”
“And how do you know that?”
“I just caught them.”
Nichelle stood up. “You caught them? Here? In the office?”
“Yeah—I mean no. I didn’t actually
see
them. But I heard laughter coming from O’Reilly’s office and then Haley walked out with her hair messed up and her lipstick smeared.”
Nichelle sat back down. “I don’t think that evidence would hold up in a court of law, counselor.”
Vernetta plopped down behind her desk. “I’m telling you, he’s screwing that girl. I could tell by the look on her face. The same guilty look both of them had when I saw them here late a couple nights ago.”
Nichelle apparently wasn’t buying it. “That doesn’t make sense. He would not take the risk of messing around with her in the office.”
“We’re talking about sex,” Vernetta said. “Men take stupid risks for a five-second
“So Jamal isn’t helping you?” Vernetta asked.
Nichelle pulled a stack of cases from her satchel. “Nope. His managing partner vetoed that. They’re concerned about the type of publicity this case is likely to attract.”
“Well, you’ve got Sam.”
“He’s not about to help me. He doesn’t even think we should be suing Eugene. But don’t worry. It’s been a while since I litigated, but I have a pretty good handle on everything. I just wanted to bounce a few ideas off of you.”
They discussed several recent negligence and wrongful death cases involving HIV and AIDS and made a list of the legal elements Nichelle would need to prove. It was close to nine when they finally decided to pack up.
“I need to drop off a document for O’Reilly’s secretary,” Vernetta said. “I’ll be right back.”
When she reached the secretary’s cubicle, she heard laughter coming from O’Reilly’s office. Male laughter
and
female laughter. She stood there, eavesdropping through the closed door.
Vernetta saw the doorknob turn and dashed into the secretary’s cubicle and pretended to be writing a note. When she turned around, Haley was standing behind her, white as a sheet.
“I . . . uh . . . I was . . . just looking for a document in O’Reilly’s office,” Haley volunteered.
Vernetta had not asked a question, so her unsolicited explanation made her sound guiltier than she looked.
Her blond hair was mussed and her red lipstick was smeared to the left of her lower lip. Haley noticed Vernetta examining her untidy state and quickly wiped her mouth and raked her fingers through her hair.
“O’Reilly forgot to give me some documents I needed for the Vista Electronics case,” Haley offered, again without solicitation.
But he hasn’t left the office yet
.
Vernetta’s mind raced.
Was O’Reilly stupid enough to be messing around with Haley? And here in the office of all places?
Men were such knuckleheads when it came to sex
.
“Which documents were you looking for? I might have copies.”
“Uh . . . the . . . oh, never mind. It’s late and I’m exhausted. I better be getting home.”
“Are you okay, Haley?”
“Yeah, of course.” She ran her fingers through her hair again. “Why do you ask?”
“You just seem a little flustered.”
“I’m fine.” She started walking away.
“Good night,” Vernetta called after her.
Haley turned back and flashed a syrupy smile. “Good night to you, too.”
Vernetta was dying to charge into O’Reilly’s office and bust him. He was probably inside with his ear pressed to the door. Instead, she scampered back to her own office.
She closed the door behind her and rushed over to her desk, her heart beating wildly.
“What’s the matter?” Nichelle asked.
“I have the gossip of the century.”
“Do share.”
“You know that little witch, Haley?”
Nichelle nodded.
“She’s messing around with the managing partner.”
“And how do you know that?”
“I just caught them.”
Nichelle stood up. “You caught them? Here? In the office?”
“Yeah—I mean no. I didn’t actually
see
them. But I heard laughter coming from O’Reilly’s office and then Haley walked out with her hair messed up and her lipstick smeared.”
Nichelle sat back down. “I don’t think that evidence would hold up in a court of law, counselor.”
Vernetta plopped down behind her desk. “I’m telling you, he’s screwing that girl. I could tell by the look on her face. The same guilty look both of them had when I saw them here late a couple nights ago.”
Nichelle apparently wasn’t buying it. “That doesn’t make sense. He would not take the risk of messing around with her in the office.”
“We’re talking about sex,” Vernetta said. “Men take stupid risks for a five-second
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