Barely Legal

6

Yvette sipped her cappuccino and smiled at Herbie across the table at the café he had chosen for their engagement brunch. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“Yes, I did. It’s not every bride-to-be who gets shot at instead of eating dinner.”

“That makes me special.”

“You are special.”

Yvette’s French toast arrived. She poured on pure maple syrup and loaded a forkful with berries, nuts, and cream. She took a bite and practically purred.

Herbie sliced into his ricotta pancakes and watched her fondly.

“I hope you’re not planning a big wedding,” Yvette said between bites.

“Of course not. Just two or three hundred of our closest friends.”

“I’m serious, Herbie. My parents are dead and I have no close relations.”

“We could run off to Vegas if you want.”

“Are you serious?”

“Well, if it’s over the weekend. We have this corporate merger.”

Yvette laughed and shook her head. “Ah, Herbie, you hopeless romantic. Willing to do anything wild and impulsive as long as it fits into Woodman & Weld’s schedule.”

“It’s not so bad, really.”

“I didn’t say it was bad. I just find it amusing. Oh, I brought your phone.” Yvette took it out of her purse and held it up, teasingly. “I’m not sure I should give it to you. You’ll just get a call from work.”

Herbie smiled. “I told them to hold my calls.”

Yvette passed the phone over.

It rang.

“See?” Yvette said. “There’s the office now.”

“It won’t be work,” Herbie said. He clicked on the phone. “Hello?”

“Oh, Herb! Thank God I got you! I’m in a terrible bind. I need your help.”

“Who is this?”

“It’s James Glick.”

Herbie frowned. James Glick was one of Woodman & Weld’s upcoming young lawyers, but he was a trial lawyer. It wasn’t often that trial lawyers needed a corporate consultation, and never urgently and during lunch.

“Yes, James,” Herbie said. He tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, but having just told Yvette it wouldn’t be someone from the office, he was not in a forgiving mood.

“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s the lunch hour, isn’t it? I’ve lost all track of time.”

“So, call me later.”

“No, no, you don’t understand. I need you now. I’m supposed to be in court, but I had to go to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy.”

“So call the court and get a continuance.”

“I can’t. It’s Judge Buckingham. You know what he’s like. A real prosecutor’s judge.”

“Wait a minute. This is a criminal case?”

“That’s right.”

“Why are you handling a criminal case?”

“It’s a major client — Councilman Ross.”

“The councilman’s facing criminal charges?”

“It’s his son. College kid, busted for drugs.”

“Drugs?”

“Possession of a controlled substance. Possession with intent to sell. Trafficking.”

“Trafficking!”

“Not really. They pile on the charges so they’ll have something to plea-bargain. That’s all this is. A plea bargain.”

“What’s the deal?”

“Suspended sentence, community service, the kid walks.”

“That’s what you’re asking?”

“That’s what they’re offering. It’s all set up.”

“Why would they offer that?”

“The councilman’s a big supporter of the police department. They’re happy to cut him a break.”

“So all I have to do is appear in court and accept the deal?”

“That’s right. Just ask the judge for a recess to talk to the ADA. He’ll offer you the deal.”

“James, there must be someone you can get better suited than me. I don’t work on these kinds of cases at all.”

“Not on such short notice. I don’t have time to shop around, Herb. I’m calling you from pre-op.”

“I was your first choice?”

“No, you were the one who answered the phone. Thanks a million, pal. Just get down to the courthouse. You need to be there by two PM.”

Herbie was acutely aware of Yvette’s eyes on him. He couldn’t bail on her again. Not with her teasing him about being obsessed with his job, and not from their second straight engagement celebration. He was desperately trying to think how to get out of it when James interrupted his train of thought.

“The anesthesiologist just arrived — gotta go! Thanks a million, Herb.”

Herbie hung up to find Yvette looking at him with an I-told-you-so smile.

Herbie sighed. “Honey?”