Page 16 of Lost Room Lawyer
“Look on the bright side. At least you have the chance to work with a good-looking man. I spend most of my days in a studio with old women.”
“Yeah,” I replied cynically, getting up from my chair. “Lucky me.” I grabbed my jacket from the coat rack and went back to the kitchen when I saw my mother slightly bending over the sink, holding her head.
“Are you okay?”
It took a moment for her to straighten up and give a slight nod. “Yes. I’m fine. Just another dizzy spell.”
“Another one?”
“I’ve had them from time to time lately. But they usually pass quickly.” She put her cup in the dishwasher and smiled at me. “All good.”
“Are you sure?” I asked suspiciously. “Maybe you should have it checked out.”
“Yeah, I can do that.”
I knew I needed to remind her and made a mental note. She would likely be absorbed in her art, which was one of the reasons I came by at least twice a week.
But I enjoyed the time with her. While my father, Leonard, the lawyer, dealt with rules and laws every day and had even steered me onto that path, she had never grown tired of reminding me that art was always an option; and for that, despite my writer’s block, I was incredibly grateful.
“Have a nice evening,” she said, walking me to the door.
“You too,” I said, bidding her farewell. “Talk to you soon.”
5
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Nico
“Excuse me? Are you kidding me? … No! He’s at your second house in Vevey!… How is that supposed to work?”
I sat at my desk, bewildered by how Hector could lose his cool. He had been pretty composed since I started working here—at least that was the impression he gave. Even though I was less than ten feet away from him and could overhear almost every phone call—except for the one he had with this Juri Vinzens. Despite the open nature of the office and the fact that I was essentially his secret, I couldn’t help but take it personally for reasons I couldn’t quite understand.
“What do you mean, it can’t be done?” Hector snapped into the phone, annoyed. “Your house! Your keys! You don’t seem to realize what’s at stake. We’re not just talking about a fine here! Your freedom is on the line. You’ll go to jail if we don’t finally provide evidence! It’s too late to postpone the hearing.”
I knew he was talking to Pierin Canonica, but I was surprised by his tone. From the files, I knew that the man was already sixty. And from the collected newspaper articles, that he had a 25-year-old girlfriend. Well… girlfriend… Would she even describe herself that way? I opened OneNote and made a note about one of my characters.
“Do you think I’m doing this alone?… Yes, damn it!… No! Now! Then find someone to hand it over to me, or you can find yourself a new lawyer!” Hector slammed the phone down and let out a loud curse.
Secretly, I found it amusing how he had lost his composure so suddenly; it was oddly endearing. He was usually meticulous about maintaining a perfect exterior.
Besides his flawless hair and impeccable styling, it was only his tired, puffy eyes in the morning that hinted that he was actually a night owl. But apparently, he was trying to set a good example for me as a mentor, making sure to always be in the office before 10 AM.
I imagined how exhausting it must be to constantly uphold such a flawless appearance, especially since I knew his secret.
Maybe that’s why it’s even more important for him to keep up appearances,I thought, making a note at the same time.But he should be smart enough to know that such a web of lies will eventually collapse.
“Nico! Get your coat and shut down the computer! You’re coming with me!” Hector’s sharp voice echoed from his office.
“Yes, sir!” I responded obediently, jumping up from my chair like a soldier.
I’d been here for two weeks now, and it was the first time Hector took me anywhere. It was already Friday afternoon. I tidied up my desk and went to the reception. As I slipped into my coat, Linda gave me a wink.
“You’d better just keep quiet,” she whispered kindly. “After phone calls like that, he needs a moment to calm down.”
Just then, Hector came out of his office. He was holding his coat in one hand and a briefcase in the other. “If Pierin calls again, tell him… Damn it! No… Try to reach Gerry. I want to know if he has anything yet.”
“I’ll do that.”
