Page 18 of The 1 Lawyer

“Hi, Stafford Lee.” Wrinkling her nose, she said, “Is something burning?”

Stafford Lee rose from his seat at the far end of the table and said, “Jenny, I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I’ve got something for you.” With a swift glance at Caro, Roman, and Charles Penney, she said, “I’ll wait out in reception until y’all are done here.”

Stafford Lee said, “No need to wait. Come back in about an hour—I’ll be free then.”

“Join us, Jenny.” Charles Penney acted like he hadn’t noticed the tension in the atmosphere. Offering the chair beside his to Jenny, he asked, “Do you know Hiram and Joey? Joey Roman’s about your age. He played ball at Clemson, years back.”

Jenny, perched on the edge of the seat, had no intention of feeding Joey Roman’s ego. She said, “I don’t follow Clemson.”

Charles continued as if hosting a cocktail party. “Jenny is a private investigator,” he told Hiram and Joey. “She looks too pretty for that line of work, wouldn’t you say? But my boy has a lot of confidence in her. She gives him some real good help.”

“He needs it,” Joey said.

Jenny saw Hiram Caro tug back his sleeve and check his watch. Mississippi had legalized gambling, and Caro supposedly operated on the right side of the law now, but his dangerous vibe had a lot of people convinced that he paid no attention to the line between legal gaming and organized crime.

Jenny silently urged, Go, please. Get out of here.

When Caro stood up, pocketing a pack of cigarettes, Roman also rose, pushing his chair back with his shoe. The movement caught Jenny’s eye and she observed a crushed cigarette butt on the floor.

What a jerk.

“No need to show us out,” Caro said.

The moment the front door closed behind them, Jenny asked, “What was that all about?”

Stafford Lee shook his head. “Caro just stopped by to complain. Nothing to worry about.”

“The hell you say.” Charles Penney spoke sharply. The jolly host had disappeared. “Stafford Lee, you’ve got a problem. Why do you think Hiram Caro paid you a visit tonight?”

Jenny found a disposable glove in her bag and picked up the cigarette butt. It had left a scorch mark on the floor. “I’m going to toss this,” she said.

While she flushed the cigarette in the restroom, she heard the elder Penney railing at Stafford Lee. “That was a message of disrespect.”

Even in the hall, Jenny could hear every word. She returned to the conference room, hoping that her presence would provide moral support for Stafford Lee.

Charles Penney continued upbraiding his son. “I heard you didn’t make headway with a single witness today—and not just the forensic scientist. The DA bested you with a waitress and a kid who parks cars for a living. A valet!”

“Are you done?” Stafford Lee asked. “Because I need to get to work.”

Penney shook his head in disgust. “Mr. Nice Guy. That’s not your job.” He pushed away from the table. “I’m leaving.” On his way out, he patted Jenny’s shoulder. “Try to set him straight, Jenny. He never listens to me.”

“Night, Mr. Penney,” she said. “Good to see you.”

When the old man slammed the door shut, Stafford Lee slumped in his chair with a comical grimace. Jenny laughed, grateful to feel the atmosphere lighten.

He said, “Please tell me you haven’t come here to kick my ass, Jenny.”

“Nope. Not today,” she said.

“Thank God. I think I’ve reached my limit.”

Jenny crossed her arms and said, “When I was waiting at the bar this afternoon, I saw the witness who identified the car. The woman with pink highlights in her hair.”

Stafford Lee checked the witness list. “Brandy Mitchell?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. She was at the Salty Dog holding court, telling everyone she’s testifying tomorrow.”

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