Painted Ladies

14

I called Rita Fiore in the morning. Rita had once been a Norfolk County prosecutor. Now she was a litigator at Cone, Oakes.

“Tell me about a lawyer named Morton Lloyd,” I said.

“Mort the Tort,” she said. “Got his own firm, Lloyd and Leiter, offices downtown, Milk Street, maybe. What are you looking for.”

“Wish I knew,” I said. “What should I know about him?”

“He’s smart. He’s tough. I don’t think he tests out so good on ethics, but if I were going to sue somebody, Mort would be my guy. You want to sue somebody?”

“Nope. I’m just nosing around,” I said.

“I hear you’re involved in that art heist and murder,” Rita said.

“Who says?”

“I’m sort of friendly with Kate Quaggliosi,” Rita said.

“Isn’t she a blabbermouth,” I said.

“What are friends for?” Rita said. “She’s a pretty smart cupcake.”

“Smart as you?” I said.

“Of course not,” Rita said. “Not as hot, either.”

“Who is?” I said.

“How would you know,” Rita said.

“I am a skilled observer,” I said.

“You’re not ready to cheat on Susan, are you?” Rita said.

“When I am, you’ll be the first to know,” I said.

“How encouraging,” Rita said.

“I assume Lloyd charges a lot for his services,” I said.

“A lot,” Rita said.

“Ashton Prince, the guy that got blown up, claims that Lloyd was his attorney.”

“On a professor’s salary?” Rita said.

“Maybe pro bono?” I said.

“Mort doesn’t do pro bono,” Rita said. “You going to talk to him?”

“I suspect that he wouldn’t tell me which way east was, if I went in.”

“I suspect you’re right,” Rita said. “You want me to talk with him?”

“Yes.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Anything he’ll tell you. Did he have a professional relationship with Ashton Prince? If he did, what for? How was Prince planning to pay his fee? Stuff like that.”

“No problem,” Rita said. “Mort’s always lusted for me.”

“And you for him?”

“No,” Rita said. “But he doesn’t know that.”

“Is it ethical to use sex as a tool of exploitation?”

“ ‘Tool’ may be an unfortunate choice of words,” Rita said. “But the nice thing about Mort is you don’t have to sweat ethics or morality with him.”

“Makes it easier,” I said.

“Do you want your name mentioned?”

“Not unless you think you need to, and I can’t see why you would.”

“Me, either,” Rita said. “I assume this is pro bono.”

“Not at all,” I said. “I plan to reward you with a long lunch at Locke’s.”

“I accept,” Rita said. “And afterward?”

“I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

“Damn,” she said.