FiFty Fifty

Chapter Seventeen

KATE
Kate hit refresh on her phone, watched the screen change and then she saw it. Fifty thousand dollars. In her account. A down-payment on legal fees. There would be more payments totaling two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Her
first fees as a lawyer. As a sole practitioner.
The waiter brought her coffee. She hadn't touched the cucumber and lettuce
juice. The carrot and almond muffin in front of her was still as pristine as when the waiter had brought it fifteen minutes ago. She was too excited to eat.
Checked her watch.
Bloch was running late. Just a few minutes. Then, she walked in.
Her friend wore the same leather jacket, blue jeans and boots. Her tee had
changed to navy blue, and now she wore a black and white scarf. She took a seat opposite Kate and picked up the glass of bright green juice.
'What is this?' said Bloch.
'Cucumber and lettuce juice. Want to try?' said Kate.
'You mean drink it?'
'Yes.'
Bloch made a disgusted face, shook her head.
She gave Bloch an update. Told her what happened yesterday in the office –
that Scott had stolen her idea and used it to bag himself second chair in the Avellino case. And then, she told her what she had done in retaliation.
'Well done,' said Bloch. 'Have you told Levy yet?'
'I thought we might go see him together.'
Bloch nodded.
'I don't want you there just as a friend,' said Kate. 'I'm on my own. I need an
investigator. You used to be a cop. You train cops how to investigate cases. I need help and I want you. What do you say?'
Bloch nodded.
'Is that yes? You'll do it.'
'Yeah. Cover expenses and—'
'Oh, I'll pay your going rate, or we can split my fees? I'm excited. And a little
scared. I need you with me.'
Bloch nodded, said, 'Let's go ruin Levy's year.'
 
The red-haired security guard insisted that Kate sign Bloch in as a guest on the firm's premises. Bloch had to show ID, and once she was issued with a visitor's pass they rode the elevator together to the fourteenth floor. The office was alive when they stepped into the corridor. Paralegals, secretaries, associates were all milling around Levy and Scott who were in their shirt sleeves, in a glass-walled conference room issuing orders and stacking piles of paper. Motion production was in full swing.
Kate led Bloch into the conference room. Kate was in her business suit jacket, but she wore jeans and boots.
Levy noticed her come in and slapped down a bunch of loose pages on the desk, spilling them.
'Katie, where the hell have you been? And why aren't you properly dressed? What do you think this is? A rodeo?'
'I quit,' said Kate, and handed Levy a photostat copy of the form of authority signed by Alexandra Avellino.
'What the hell is this?' said Levy.
'It's payback. You can keep these motions, I just want the indictment, prosecution disclosure and then I'm on my way.'
Scott took the paper from Levy and his face turned pale as he read it. Which was a nice contrast to Levy, whose head looked like it was about to explode.
'You can't do this! Your contract forbids soliciting clients from this firm. I'll sue you for every cent you've got. I'll report you to the Bar Association too. You've just signed your death warrant,' said Levy.
'That was a threat,' said Bloch, stepping forward.
Two secretaries, both in their late twenties wearing the firm's standard grey and blue staff uniform, came into the conference room, folded their arms and listened.
'Who are you?' said Levy, then he noticed the secretaries and waved a hand at them to get out. They didn't move.
'I'm with Kate Brooks. Get the documents and we'll be out of your hair.' 'You're not taking a single page from this office. Scott, call security.'
Scott leaned over, grabbed the phone on the conference room desk and
pressed an intercom button.
'If you fail to honor that form of authority then I can report you to the Bar
Association. The documents, now,' said Kate.
Levy blew out his cheeks, huffed and puffed. He clenched and unclenched his
fists, then came around the table with his finger raised. He started pointing it in Kate's face, spittle flew from his lips as he shouted and screamed at her.
'You're finished! I will RUIN you ...' His finger poked Kate in the chest.

Block stepped in, took hold of Levy's finger in her fist and bent it, just a little. There was a tiny crack, but the finger didn't break. It was enough to shut Levy up, but not enough to cause serious damage.
Kate heard one of the secretaries behind her let out a whoop.
Scott talked frantically to security on the phone, told them to get here right away.
'Are you going to give us these documents so we can leave you alone?' said Bloch.
Levy's eyes were wide with embarrassment and fear. 'Let go of me, this is assault.'
She bent the finger a little more.
'Get them the documents,' said Levy.
The secretaries covered their mouths to hide their laughter, but between them they took two sets of papers from the other end of the conference room and handed them to Kate.
'You ever need a secretary, you call me,' whispered one of them, careful to make sure Levy didn't hear her. Her name was Jane, and Kate made a mental note. Kate couldn't afford an office, never mind a secretary, but some day she might.
Kate heard hurried footfalls in the corridor outside the office. Five security men ran in, almost knocking over Jane.
One of the security guards, a broad, tall man north of fifty-five with a buzz cut said, 'Bloch? Is that you?'
Bloch turned around, saw who it was and said, 'Hey Reggie.' She still had hold of Levy's finger, and when he tried to pull it away, Bloch added more pressure, buckling Levy's knees.
The other security guards all looked to the man Kate now knew as Reggie. He must've been their supervisor. They looked foolish and incompetent, just standing there while Bloch had hold of Levy.
'Get her off me, right this second!' said Levy.
'You on the job?' asked Reggie.
'I'm private now, like you.'
'Bloch, that's my boss. I need you to let him go,' said Reggie. 'He needs to apologize, first,' said Bloch.
The red-haired guard who'd been an asshole in the lobby made a move toward Bloch, and Reggie's huge arm snaked out, grabbing him by the shirt and hauling him back.
'Don't move. Let me deal with this. You can't cover shifts if you're in the hospital,' said Reggie.

Scott, who seemed to have found some nerve, started moving toward his boss. Levy's predicament merely gave Scott another chance to suck up to him if he made the effort to rescue him from his plight. He was trying to sneak up behind Bloch, his arms wide, ready to make a grab for her.
Bloch must've sensed this. She shot Scott a look and said, 'I've got two hands, hero.'
Scott stopped dead, backed up.
'Mr. Levy, I think you should apologize, sir,' said Reggie.
'What?! What am I paying you for? Get her off me,' said Levy.
'Sir, a month before my retirement, Bloch took my squad on an advanced
driving refresher and a control and restraint course. She's six feet away and there are only five of us. I think you should apologize, sir.'
'She's hurting me,' said Levy, forcing the sentence through the pain.
The security guards looked at Reggie, who was holding in his laughter, his mouth and lips trembling with the effort.
'Sir ... I'd do as she says.'
'I'm sorry, alright, I'm sorry,' said Levy.
'Miss Brooks, do you have the papers you need?' said Bloch.
'Got them right here,' said Kate.
Bloch released Levy's finger, and he backed away, cradling his hand. Reggie
stepped aside, leaving a space for Kate and Bloch to leave. 'This isn't over, Katie,' said Levy.
'It's Miss Brooks, to you,' said Kate.

Frank Avellino
Journal Entry, Wednesday September 5, 2018. 7:30 a.m.
Someone is following me.
It happened yesterday. A woman on a black motorcycle. It might be the same person I saw, all in black,
last week.
I am not losing my mind.
I came out of Jimmy's restaurant after breakfast and she was on the other side of the street. This is the
second time I've seen her in as many days. She gunned the bike and rode away just as Hal came out the front door of the restaurant. He said he didn't notice her.
Maybe Hal's losing his goddamn marbles.
I called Mike Modine, right then. I told him to hire the PI Hal had recommended.
10:30 p.m.
Sofia came over with some chicken noodle soup and we watched Jeopardy. After the show she made grilled

cheese and gave it to me on a tray with some milk. It wasn't as good as Alexandra's cooking, but I didn't dare say that to her.
Alexandra made me pasta last night and it was great. Strange aftertaste. I had one of those smoothies so I couldn't tell if it was the pasta or the smoothie. It didn't matter, the meal was so good I slept for an hour afterwards.
I worry about Sofia. She's not like her sister. Alexandra is strong, organized and making her own way in the world. Sofia doesn't even have a job. No boyfriend either, although these days that's not such a bad thing.
Some of the guys she's dated were just junkies. I knew it soon as I looked at them. She tells me she's clean. I believe her.
As she cleared the empty tray away, I saw her arms.
There was a bloodstain on her sleeve. On the forearm.
She's not using but she's still cutting herself. This is how it starts. In six months I'll have to book her
into another clinic to dry out.
She tells me she's taking her meds. I tell her that her sister never missed her anxiety meds, and look how
good she's doing. Sofia won't talk about Alexandra. These two will never make up. It just won't happen. I thought about telling her to watch out for a woman on a motorcycle, but then thought better of it. Sofia is paranoid enough.
When she was here she did something. A gesture, or a movement, or something I just can't remember and it reminded me of her mother. I wanted to tell her that but right then I couldn't remember her mother's name. I couldn't remember my own dead wife's name.
Maybe I really am losing it.