“Are you certain?” Chris question her in a very professional manner. “No offense Stephanie.” She added half heartedly as she shoved the papers into her briefcase and snapped it shut. Chris then crossed back over to Allison and touched her gently on the arm.
“None taken” I said honestly as I understood completely that she was only doing her job. “I understand.” Truth be told I didn’t care if Chris out and out accused me of spying, hell she could of accused me of kidnapping the Lindberg baby … just as long as she stopped touching Allison. “Chris, I’ve nothing to hide from Stephanie.” Allison added in a harsh tone as she once again stepped away from Chris’ grasp. “I’ve been accused of bribing a jurist.” Allison explained to me.
“What?” I gasped.
“Allison!” Chris cautioned her.
“Let it go Chris.” Allison warned her.
“All right.” Chris grumbled.
“Allison?” I voiced my concern over the seriousness of the situation.
“Don’t worry they can’t touch her.” Chris added in a serious tone. “First off the statue of limitations has run out.”
“No.” Allison cut in. “First off I didn’t do this.”
“I know.” Chris reassured her.
I realized at that moment despite some of her personal short fallings Chris was a very good lawyer. Watching the way she handled herself when she wasn’t flirting, Chris proved to be quite an impressive figure. This woman could sell ice to an Eskimo. Of course there was one little problem with Chris, and that was Allison. I hated the ease between the two. The little intimacies that showed that they had once been a couple. I knew it was a fact of life, just the same it worked my nerves.
“So then why are they bothering with this?” I asked in hopes of drawing out Chris’ instincts as a lawyer. Perhaps that would keep her from touching Allison.
“The ADA is using the RICO stature. He is claiming that the firm was involved in a string of illegal activities.” Chris answered as she approached me. My plan was working. “If he can prove this then he can turn it into a federal case. But his case is falling apart. We’ve managed to clear away most of the charges. With the exception of the one against Allison.”
“If that is the case then how is he hoping to prosecute Allison?” I questioned. “RICO implies an ongoing racketeering case. Right? If the other charges have been dropped, and the statue of limitations of bribery has expired he cannot bring charges against Allison.”
“Very good.” Chris answered. “That’s true but Allison won’t allow me to go to a judge and have the case dismissed.”
“I’m not going to have people think that I did this.” Allison fumed. “Chris you know as well as I do that people will always assume that I’m guilty and I simply used my name to get out of it. Plus I could still be disbarred. That would kill me parents. I need to prove my innocence.”
“It’s a mute point Allison.” Chris shot back. “He can’t proceed with it.”
“I didn’t do this!” Allison responded angrily. “Hell I didn’t have to. That case was garbage. Even if it wasn’t I would never break the law. My name is on the line and I’m not letting Simon Brenner drag it through the mud!”
“That’s really what this is all about isn’t!” Chris shot back.
“Who is Simon Brenner?” I asked innocently.
“Jessica Beaumont’s husband.” Allison explained bitterly.
“Well I guess you two really don’t have any secrets.” Chris smirked. “I think it’s personal for him.”
“It’s not like he knew.” Allison said with disgust.
“Not about her.” Chris began slowly. “But every time you went up against Simon in court you made a fool out of him.”
“So I’m petty.” Allison sighed. “But I never broke the law.”
“You do have an alibi for the night of the twenty second.” Chris pointed out. “That alone could end this. I mean if this bozo is lying about one of the dates it casts a doubt on the rest of his story.”
“I can’t use Higgins.” Allison groan in desperation. “I’ve already explained that to you. If the judge or Brenner questions him about what we were doing together he’ll have to perjure himself.”
“So?” Chris shot back.
“Counselor may I remind you that suborning perjured testimony is a crime.” Allison shot back. “I can’t go to a judge and tell the truth about what I was doing with Higgins. Somehow I don’t think that telling a judge that I couldn’t have possibly been bribing a juror on that day since I was busy committing a different crime would help my cause any.”
“Excuse me?” I questioned her.
“Higgins is a professional deprogrammer.” Allison explained. “I was meeting with him all day and night making plans to have my brother snatched from the cult he joined.”
“Isn’t it an alibi?” I asked confused by how that would be a bad thing.
“It’s also kidnapping.” Allison replied grimly.
“I guess I never looked at it that way.” I sighed. “I suppose legally trying to save someone from a bad situation doesn’t count if they are there by choice. I could help you.”
“That’s sweet but only the truth can help me.” Allison smiled as she answered me.
“I can help you.” I repeated. “And I can do it without lying.” Allison and Chris looked at me strangely. “I couldn’t help but notice the dates written on one of the sheets of paper. One of them caught my eye. On the twenty sixth of August 1989 you were standing on the sidewalk in front of your office building yelling at me.”
“What?” Allison gasped.
“What time was that?” Chris asked with enthusiasm.
“I don’t know the exact time.” I explained. “But I distinctly recall that I caught the six twenty train back to New Haven.”
“How can you be so certain about the date?” Chris pushed in full lawyer mode.
“How could I forget, it was my birthday and I was in tears.” I answered honestly. I had never intended of letting Allison know that her actions that had hurt me so deeply happened on my birthday. But if telling her helped her out of this mess, I had to do it.
“You made her cry?” Chris shot out at Allison. “Hey this helps.” She said suddenly. “Your secretary has you leaving the building at five fifteen and your time prior to that is accounted for. It isn’t enough but it defiantly closes the gap. Stephanie would you be willing to give a deposition?”
“Of course.” I answered without a second thought. I looked over at Allison and was surprised to see the sullen expression on her face.
“Great.” Chris was almost cheering with joy. “Now if we could just figure out where you were for the rest of that evening and the following one this will all be over.”
“I was probably with you.” Allison muttered. “She’s lying.” I thought to myself.
“No you weren’t.” Chris answered with her professional tone. “I’ve already checked my old appointment books. And we did not start seeing each other until the following week.”
“I can’t believe I made you cry on your birthday.” Allison groaned. “God I’m such an ass.”
“Allison it was over ten years ago.” I groaned. “Let it go. Speaking of birthday’s this is no way to spend yours. You have been promised dinner and dancing now let’s get going. The only legal talk I want to hear for the rest of the evening is whether or not we should risk parking in a tow zone got it!”
“Fine by me.” Chris agreed. “But in light of this new information dinner is definitely on Wainwright & Griggs.”
As we gathered our coats I caught Allison smiling out of the corner of my eye. I let Chris exit the apartment ahead of us. I quickly pulled Allison aside. “And just what are you smiling at?” I asked her.