The Resurrection File by Craig Parshall Read Free Book Online Page A

know, you don’t need an assistant lawyer. What you need is a full-time nanny, a drill sergeant, and a priest, all rolled into one. And frankly, Will, that person is not me.”
    â€œGive me a break.”
    â€œNo. You give me a break. I tell people you’re one of my heroes. Which is really a remarkable thing considering the fact you’re white, and you’re a guy. But I’m tired of handling your screwups, like that client conference this morning.”
    â€œWhat client conference?”
    Jacki sighed heavily and shook her head.
    â€œThere is other stuff going on out there in the world, Will, besides your pain. You are going to have to get around to doing whatever you have to do—forgiving yourself for Audra—getting on with your life. Check yourself into rehab. I don’t know.”
    â€œI’m no alcoholic.”
    â€œMaybe not. But I’m seeing you heading for a cliff. And I’d rather not go along for the ride.”
    Then Jacki took her left hand off the steering wheel and, reaching over across to Will, waved her hand in front of his face.
    â€œLook at this, Will, what do you see?” Jacki asked.
    â€œNice manicure.”
    â€œThe ring, Will, the ring. Howard proposed to me two weeks ago. I’ve been wearing this diamond on my finger for two weeks. I wanted to see how long it took you to climb out of that cave you live in and notice it.”
    â€œI noticed it.”
    â€œThen why didn’t you say anything? ‘Congratulations.’ ‘Jacki, I’m happy for you.’ Anything.”
    Will looked at her, then he laid his head back against the headrest, and looked out the window.
    â€œCongratulations.”
    They drove in silence for a few minutes. Then Jacki said, “We need to talk business, Will. You and me. My life is taking a different turn now. Howard and I are going to be married. I have to have my career settled. I can’t afford to work in an office where I don’t know what my future is.”
    â€œCome on, you know what your future is with me.”
    â€œDo I? Hadley said in his e-mail that the firm has secured written consents from every one of your clients in the last forty-eight hours—to dump you, now that you are out of the firm, and to continue with the firm instead.”
    â€œEvery client? He’s a liar.”
    â€œLet me amend that,” Jacki said. “Every client except two. One is that big loser Tiny Heftland. Bates said that you can have him, and any money due to the firm from him—as if you will ever recover it—you can keep. And then there’s just one other client.”
    â€œYeah. Well, I just finished Tiny’s latest case today, so I guess that means I’ve got only one client.”
    â€œWhat happened in court?”
    â€œWe won. Great, huh? A victory for a nonpaying client, and on the same day that I get booted out of my law firm.”
    â€œWill, stop feeling sorry for yourself.”
    â€œListen, Jacki, Hadley has got to know that I will be taking him to court over the way he is dissolving my partnership share.”
    â€œYou want a friend’s advice?” Jacki’s voice was rising. “And frankly, I may be one of your only friends right now. Let it go. If you need to negotiate the figures with Hadley, let me work on him for you. But don’t make this a bloodbath.”
    â€œOkay, so where do you fit in this mess?” Will asked.
    â€œHadley wants me to stay on with the firm—relocate up to the D.C. office,” Jacki said, a little bit more softly. “Which actually works out well, I guess, because I’m barred in D.C. And Howard works up in northern Virginia, so I would be closer to him and have a shorter commute. And what I guess I am saying is this—Will, I can’t afford to stay on with you if you’re going to go it solo now. I mean really, besides Tiny, you’ve got only one client.”
    â€œJacki,