FiFty Fifty

Chapter Fifty Six

EDDIE
One Month Later

'Don't I know you from someplace?' said the hotdog vendor. 'I'm a lawyer,' I said.
'Yeah, you represent that girl who killed Frankie Avellino.' 'Not anymore.'
'She fire you?'
'No, I fired her.'
'What do you want on your dog?'
'Chili, cheese, jalapenos – the works,' I said.
He handed me a huge hotdog on a plastic tray. I gave him a ten and told him
to keep the change. He wasn't the first person who'd recognized me in the past few weeks. It still burned that I hadn't been able to spot Sofia. That she had managed to con me, Harry and ... Harper. She'd made me feel sorry for her. And I hadn't seen the monster behind that mask. If I had, maybe Harper would still be here.
That night, while the paramedics loaded Soames, Tyler and Sofia into separate ambulances, I called Kate. I told her everything. She had cried on the phone. The relief she felt hit me even harder. Kate had been right about Alexandra all along.
'I should have listened to you. You called it right from the beginning.'
'You were conned, Eddie. Not just you. Sofia convinced everyone. It's not your fault.'
'Don't worry about me. Go get your client out of jail.'
Soames and Tyler survived the attack, and Alexandra Avellino became the first defendant in the state's history to have her conviction overturned before she'd even been sentenced.
Sofia was facing multiple murder charges. She would plead not guilty by reason of insanity. It wouldn't work. Her mental health problems were real, but none of them made her a killer, or explained the evil that came from within her. She'd survived the gunshot to the shoulder, but she'd lost the arm in the process. Maybe that was justice for Frank – because he would never have his killer put on trial – double jeopardy prevented it. Not that it mattered to Sofia – she would
 
spend the rest of her life in pain, and in a cell. The pain would be made worse by the knowledge that Alexandra would inherit Frank's estate.
I crossed the street and went through the glass doors of the building that was home to Levy, Bernard and Groff, attorneys at law. A receptionist gave me directions to the correct floor and I took the elevator. There were two guys in suits who were there to escort me. I recognized one of them as Scott. Levy's blue-eyed boy. In the elevator, Scott wrinkled his nose and stared at my hotdog in disgust.
'Sorry, you can't have any,' I said.
The doors opened and I was led to a glass-walled conference room. In the center of the room was a long table. The three managing partners of the firm sat at one side. John Bernard was in his seventies, well-groomed and wearing a tailor-made pin-stripe suit. Matthew Groff was a little younger, and paler, if that was possible. Levy was the youngest, and he sat in the center of the group. They were flanked by a group of security guards and associates. I'd heard about Bloch's little incident with Levy. I liked Bloch.
Kate and Bloch sat facing the opposing army. Kate directly opposite Levy. Bloch on her left. I took the empty chair to the right of Kate. A view of the Manhattan skyline opened up behind Levy and his partners.
Kate had a laptop open in front of her. Bloch had a cardboard box at her feet. The associates that sat around the table all had iPads, legal pads or huge stacks of legal papers in front of them. Same with the partners.
I put my chili dog in front of me, and asked Bloch and Kate if they wanted a bite. Kate politely declined. Bloch just shook her head.
'This is a without prejudice negotiation, in relation to the matter of Levy, Bernard and Groff, a firm, versus Kate Brooks. Do we have any questions before we commence?' said Levy.
'Yeah,' I said. 'Could I get a fork? This hotdog is a lot messier than I thought.'
Levy looked at my lunch, then me, and said, 'We've been waiting for you for ten minutes. We couldn't start the negotiation without the defendant's attorney. I'd hoped you'd be bringing more than cheap junk food to the table.'
'Oh, I'm not the attorney for Kate,' I said.
'What?'
'Nah, she's doing just fine on her own. She doesn't need me,' I said and I took
a bite from the hotdog. It was hot, and delicious.
'Then why are you here, Mr. Flynn?' asked Bernard. He had a voice that
sounded like it was coming from the back of a deep, oak wardrobe. 'I'm just here to watch. I wouldn't miss this for the world,' I said.