Page 28 of Maddy's Justice

NINE

For the next three weeks, the investigation continued. Maddy interviewed the other two women lawyers and the female staff of Troy McGovern’s department. She also received several names of former women lawyers who left the firm. Maddy was in the process of tracking them down. She was also interviewing secretaries and female paralegals, both past and present.

Marc had private interviews with the male members of the currently five male lawyers and four paralegals. There was one he did not get to who was out of town on a case. There were no male legal assistants or secretaries in the Mass Torts Department.

Maddy, being the last one to arrive, poured herself a cup of coffee from the chrome carafe. She was, once again, in the conference room of Marc’s office along with Marc, Connie, and Tony Carvelli. An update meeting was on the agenda.

“Okay,” Marc said as Maddy sat down across from Marc next to Carvelli, “let’s get started.”

Maddy nudged Carvelli with an elbow and quietly asked, “Are you awake? Pretty early for you.”

“Don’t pick on Tony,” Connie said.

“Let’s get started,” Marc said again.

“Apparently, our boy Troy is happily heterosexual. At least according to the men in his department,” Marc began. “And one of them, Bob Sawyer, openly admitted he offered to find out. Bob’s one of the lawyers and is gay. He interviewed with Troy and admitted he made an advance on Troy and Troy politely declined. Bob got the job on merit.

“According to his personnel file, which Bob signed an agreement to let me have, he’s a good lawyer. Works hard and does a great job. Been with Stafford, Hughes for eleven years. Senior associate. Has told the firm management committee he has no desire for partnership. Says nothing but wonderful things about Troy and Stafford, Hughes.”

Marc put down the notepad he had been reading from, looked around the table and said, “As do all of the men, four more lawyers and four paralegals, on Troy’s team. Perfect boss, great place, happy as a clam, couldn’t be better and on and on.”

“Exact same BS I got from the women,” Maddy said. “All denied any form of harassment. The worst they had to say was the hours were long. Two of the legal assistants, secretaries, admitted they were going to request a transfer. Not because of Troy or any harassment. Both were engaged and looking for a more normal life.

“Except,” Maddy continued, “it was as if they were all reading from the same script. The Stepford Wives of Stafford, Hughes and they don’t last long. The average time on the mass torts team for the legal assistants and paralegals is less than three years. For the lawyers, it’s a little over four.”

“Mr. Carvelli,” Marc said, “have you found our two missing lawyers, Olivia Harris and Amy Kempton?”

“No, not a trace. One day they were there then the next day, poof, gone!” Carvelli told them. “Even my computer friend…”

“Paul,” Maddy said.

‘…who shall remain nameless, can’t find them.”

“What?” Connie asked. “How could that be?”

“They’re both gone,” Carvelli repeated. “The cops have a missing persons file for each, but no evidence of foul play. What little family they have, Amy has a mother and deceased father, no siblings, Olivia, a mother, a dead-beat dad and two brothers and a sister somewhere, who have not heard from them.”

“They’re off the grid on purpose,” Maddy said.

“Maybe, but why?” Marc asked.

“There’s a rumor around the office that they were lesbian lovers and stole a couple million bucks of client money,” Carvelli said. “I’m skeptical. These two were clean. Good grades, worked their way through college and law school, making a good living, more than they ever had. They could’ve kept their jobs and made more than what they allegedly stole. Something’s wrong.”

“You think they’re dead,” Marc said, a statement not a question.

“I do,” Carvelli agreed. “But then I’m a cynical cop.”

Marc asked Connie, “Is any of this privileged? The information we have about these two women?”

“If our client is involved, did we obtain the information from him or Stafford, Hughes?” Connie asked Marc.

“We have no reason to believe Troy or anyone at Stafford, Hughes is involved,” Marc replied. “We obtained our information by doing our job and legitimately found out what we have from other sources.”

“Mostly legitimate,” Maddy reminded him.

“But not from our client except the fact that these two abruptly quit and can’t be found,” Connie said.

“Who contacted the police?” Marc asked Carvelli.

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