Barely Legal

73

Herbie had to get away. He was being pulled in too many directions. Stone wanted to help him win the case. The councilman wanted him to lose the case. His client wanted to know what was going on. His client’s sister had been kidnapped and he couldn’t tell anyone. And his girlfriend had been killed, apparently by a sneak thief who had nothing to do with any of all that. And James Glick, the guy who got him into it all, had disappeared off the face of the earth, and probably wasn’t coming back.

If he told Dino, even in confidence, Melanie Porter was as good as dead. At least that’s what her father thought, and Herbie wasn’t going to go against his wishes. Not the way his luck had been running. Ever since this case began it had been one disaster after another.

Herbie had to walk and clear his head, get away from the constant questions being thrown at him, so he’d have time to concentrate on his own. He headed for the East River. He’d walk uptown, along the bank, until something came to him. In all probability, he’d walk all the way home.

Herbie didn’t even notice the limo cruising along beside him, not until the doors flew open and Carlo descended on him. It was more than he could take. If he’d had a gun, he’d have pulled it. He was lucky he didn’t.

He was flung into the limo. Mario Payday sat in the backseat, puffing on a big cigar. It was stifling in the car with the windows up and the cloud of smoke, but no one was complaining.

Mario shook his head disapprovingly. “Mr. Fisher. I hardly thought that I’d be seeing you again.”

“What do you want?”

“So rude? That’s uncalled for, Mr. Fisher. I understand you’ve had a hard time, but that does not relieve you of your obligation to me. You owe me ninety thousand dollars, Mr. Fisher, and the last time I checked, you had not paid.”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake.”

“I’m sorry about your fiancée. A most unfortunate occurrence. Surely the police have come to their senses and realized that was not your fault. Any money you had tied up in bail would be returned. And it couldn’t have come at a better time. When you have a pressing obligation.”

“I can’t deal with this now.”

“Mr. Fisher, you have had several days. Much longer than any of my other clients. Indeed, were it to get around that I am allowing people several days, it would hurt my reputation. I am Mario Payday. I am not Mario Pay-me-in-a-few-days-when-it’s-convenient.”

“I don’t have the money.”

“You have plenty of money. You won the jackpot in the Lotto. Even you, my reckless friend, have not managed to run through all of it. You have more than enough money left to settle your debts.”

“I can’t touch it.”

“What?”

“I can’t touch the money. I have a conservator. Any expenses must be justified.”

“I find that hard to believe, Mr. Fisher. Why in the world would you allow that?”

“I bought a penthouse apartment on Park Avenue and the condo board didn’t like the rate at which my money was decreasing.”

Mario shrugged. “Condo boards can be difficult.”

“This one is. And I have a problem with my conservator.”

“Why not simply explain the philosophy of Mario Payday?”

“He’s not familiar with it.”

“That’s a shame. It’s something everyone should learn. You’re a lawyer, are you not, Mr. Fisher?”

“I am.”

Mario grimaced, held up his hand. “That’s where your story doesn’t ring true. A lawyer can sell anything. That’s what he does. I can’t believe you can’t come up with a pressing need for ninety thousand dollars that your conservator would go for. Assuming that story is true, and not just the wild concoction of a desperate lawyer.”

Herbie smiled. “Would I lie to you?”