Page 51 of Maddy's Justice

“Good for you. Listen, we want to invite you and Connie to a party on Monday. It’s an annual thing we do at Brandon’s place on Lake Minnetonka.”

“I don’t know, I, um, I’m not sure I can…”

“Unless you’re going to a parent’s funeral, I’m gonna insist,” Spenser pleasantly said. “Seriously, Marc. Our senior partner from our Washington office is here for the weekend. You may have heard of him, Wade MacAlister.”

“Sure, I’ve heard of him. Who hasn’t?” Marc said while thinking,a Wall Street crook who should probably be in prison.

“Well he’s heard of you and Connie. He’d like to meet with you and discuss the case. He’s a big-time power in Washington and a huge source of income for us. He won’t let me take no for an answer.”

It’s always about money with these guys, Marc thought.

“Well, okay. You guys are a client…”

“Bill us for it. I’ll personally okay it,” Spenser said.

Goes without saying, Marc thought.

“Do I get double time and a half since it’s a holiday?”

Spenser went silent for a long moment before Marc said, “I’m kidding, Cliff. Tell you what. Connie’s already out of town, but I’ll try to make it. When and where?”

Spenser gave him the information and while he wrote it down, Marc tried to figure out how to tell Maddy.

The shoreline estate of Bandon Stafford was larger and more expensive than even the Corwin Mansion two miles away. The valets handling the party’s parking opened the doors for Marc and Maddy then gawked at Maddy as they walked toward the house.

“Bigger place than Vivian’s,” Maddy said.

“Bigger ego than Vivian and with a lot less reason,” Marc replied.

Maddy was wearing a sleeveless, light summer dress. The shoulder straps were too narrow to cover up either the bullet wound scar on her right shoulder or the faded knife slash scar on her left shoulder. This was entirely intentional on her part.

Marc gave his name to the man at the door. While he went down the list, the burly guard peaked at Maddy’s scars. Being an Iraq war vet, he recognized them for what they were.

“Here it is,” the guard said as he marked the list.

He opened the front door for them and took one last look at the bullet scar.

“I shot him twice before he got me,” Maddy said.

The guard looked at her, smiled and said, “You go girl.”

“Show off,” Marc said as they entered the foyer.

“Marc, there you are,” they heard Cliff Spenser say.

A housemaid had led them through the house and into the backyard. They were standing by the pool looking over the grounds when Spenser spotted them. There were easily two hundred people in attendance and Marc knew virtually none of them.

“Cliff,” Marc said as they shook hands.

“And this must be your plus one, you lucky dog,” Spenser said looking at Maddy.

“She’s a hooker. I had to pay her to come,” Marc said.

“What!” Maddy almost yelled.

Marc looked at Spenser who had taken a step back away from him and said, “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”

“And you’re gonna regret it buster. Besides, you couldn’t afford me,” Maddy said.

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