Page 79 of Maddy's Justice

A minute later, Maddy said, “Let’s go.”

Naomi had sat down on the granite bench circling the fountain in front of the building. There were several feet of space on both sides of her. Enough so they would not be overheard.

“Is anyone sitting here?” Sherry asked, referring to the space to Naomi’s left.

“No, go ahead,” Naomi said with a spoonful of yogurt on the way to her mouth.

“Thanks,” Sherry replied as she sat to Naomi’s left while Maddy, who had come up from the other direction, sat to her right.

Since neither one of these women was carrying a lunch, Naomi immediately became suspicious. She looked first at Maddy then said to Sherry, “Okay, who are you and what do you want?”

“Relax,” Sherry replied. “We’re friends. We just want to talk to you.”

“If it’s about Emerson, I’m not talking to you.”

“Who? What’s an Emerson?” Sherry asked with a very puzzled look.

“It’s a ...case,” Naomi said looking back and forth at the two intruders.

“We don’t know anything about any case you might be working on,” Maddy said. “Look, Naomi, my name is Maddy Rivers. I’m a private investigator working for a lawyer, Marc Kadella. He’s…”

“Representing Stafford, Hughes in a harassment suit several women have brought. I read the paper,” Naomi said, “and I’m not talking to you about Stafford, Hughes, may they all be disbarred and put in prison.”

Naomi put the cap back on the yogurt, started to put it and her sandwich back in the bag while saying, “I’m leaving. Please leave me alone.”

“I already talked to Paloma Vitale,” Maddy quickly said.

Naomi stopped, straightened up and asked, “You talked to Paloma?”

“Yes,” Maddy said. Then, taking a chance, she added, “She told me she was drugged and raped by Troy McGovern. We’re investigating the firm for the lawsuit. We need to know if other women will be joining the plaintiffs.”

“Well, I won’t be,” Naomi said a little too quickly.

“Because you settled with them,” Maddy said.

“How do you know…?”

“What difference does it make. What did Troy do to you?” Maddy asked.

“Didn’t they tell you when they told you I settled? When they paid me to keep quiet?”

“They didn’t tell us. They aren’t very cooperative,” Maddy said.

Sherry, very motherly, placed a hand on Naomi’s left arm. Naomi turned to her with tears forming in her eyes.

“You’re still hurting, aren’t you?” Sherry asked.

“I…I can’t tell you. I signed a…”

“Nondisclosure agreement,” Maddy said. “We know.”

“How do I know you’re not testing me for them? Pushing me to breach the NDA so they’ll get their money back?”

“Excellent question,” Maddy said. “Give me a minute.”

Maddy stood and walked about twenty feet away. She made a phone call and spoke for a minute then went back and sat down.

“Here,” Maddy said handing the phone to Naomi. “It’s Paloma.”

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