Page 102 of Maddy's Justice

“Sorry about his rudeness,” Connie said to the woman. “We simply cannot get him trained,” she continued while following right behind Marc.

“Come in,” they heard Melanie say in response to Marc’s knock.

Instead of sitting at Melanie’s desk, they used a small couch and matching chairs in a corner. They took their seats and Melanie looked at Marc with a curious expression.

“Something’s been bugging me, and I need to ask you about it,” Marc said.

“Okay,” Melanie replied.

“The last time I was here, when Cliff gave me a tour then fed me lunch, I saw something I need to ask you about. It may be nothing. It may be firm business that is none of my business and if so, please just say so.”

“Fair enough,” Melanie said.

“When I left, I was on the elevator with two people who got off on thirty-eight,” Marc said. He paused and looked for a response of some kind, anything at all. When she did not, he continued.

“While they were getting off, I saw Brandon Stafford walk very quickly past the elevator.”

“What was Brandon doing on thirty-eight?” Melanie asked, mostly to herself.

“I stopped the door from closing and stuck my head out to watch him. He went to a door with a keypad lock.

“I watched him and tried counting the number of buttons he pushed. It was at least eight or nine which is a very secure, almost impossible code to break.”

A very puzzled Melanie Stewart leaned closer and with a flip of her right hand encouraged Marc to keep going.

“He went in and I could hear some noise that I couldn’t make out. When the door closed, I noticed there was no firm name or even a room number on or around the door.

“I can’t help wondering, what’s going on in there?”

Slowly shaking her head with a very concerned look on her face, Melanie silently thought for a moment. She looked down at the floor thinking about it then finally looked first at Marc, then at Connie.

“I don’t know. This is the first I’ve heard of it,” she said. “Are you sure it was Brandon you saw?”

“Yes, absolutely. Something’s not right. I don’t know what it is, and I just found out it is something being kept from a very senior partner.”

Melanie abruptly stood up and with a fierce look in her eyes said, “Well, I’m getting a little tired of the boy’s club keeping things from me. I’m gonna go kick some ass, right now.”

Marc stood up to momentarily block her from leaving.

“Wait a minute,” he said. “They’re probably meeting in Brandon’s office right now getting a report on court today. Do you want to go barging in there demanding to know something that may not have anything to do with the firm?”

“You’re damn right I do,” Melanie almost snarled.

“Who’s the weak link among them?” Connie asked.

“That’s easy, Gavin Blake,” Melanie said much more calmly. “You’re right, I’ll go after him. He’ll fold like a cheap suit.”

Melanie went to her desk and dialed her phone. She spoke into it for barely fifteen seconds to Gavin’s assistant.

“You have to make an appointment to talk to each other?” Marc asked.

“Usually, yes. Why, what do you do?” Melanie asked.

“Yell out the door,” Connie answered. “Or at least that’s what he does.”

“It’s a very efficient intercom system,” Marc said.

Melanie laughed then said, “Sounds like it’s a lot more fun at your place.”

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