Page 40 of Lost Room Lawyer
Eventually, we said goodbye to our client and headed to the parking lot. Hector placed some files on the back seat and slid into the driver’s seat, closing the door behind him. Seeing him take a moment, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly as he took a deep breath, unsettled me, and I wasn’t sure how to interpret his behavior. I noticed his dry hands and felt a slight pain in my own.
“That went well,” I said calmly.
“Yes,” he replied, visibly tense as he turned the key in the ignition. “It really did.”
“Why do I have a feeling that something went wrong after all?”
“Well, the case isn’t closed yet. The prosecutor will try to present new evidence.”
On the drive back to the office, Hector explained what we could expect next. When we sauntered through the door shortly before four o’clock, Gerry was at the reception talking to Linda.He was apparently just about to leave but took a moment to update Hector on the latest news. Meanwhile, I went to my computer and organized a few documents.
“Ciao, Nico!” I heard Gerry call. “Have a great weekend!”
“You too!” I called back from my desk, just as I noticed Hector walking down the hall to his office.
After a brief silence, Hector came back and handed me some documents to review by Monday afternoon, then Linda appeared in the doorway.
“I wish you both a great weekend,” she said.
“You too,” Hector replied.
Linda and I exchanged smiles. He had apparently forgotten that she was going to a wedding in France—and I had just lost a bet.
“I’ll be on vacation for the next two weeks,” Linda reminded him with a smile.
“Oh! That’s now?” Hector asked, surprised. “Well then … have a good time.”
“Thanks,” Linda said sincerely. She then gestured toward me. “I’ve shown him everything. He knows how the franking machine works and goes through the mail each morning.”
Hector stood right next to me and nodded. “Excellent.”
“Enjoy!” I said.
“Goodbye, you two!” Linda called out as she left the office.
Grinning, I glanced at the files on my desk; now I knew what I’d be doing first thing Monday. At some point, I noticed that Hector was still standing beside me. The moment I looked up at him, he turned away and left the room.
It was awful! Since this morning, my senses had been completely on edge. The time in St. Moritz had been the most forbidden thing I had ever done, yet I longed to return to the mountains so much because there I could have Hector. Here, I was his damn intern, which I had been feeling all day.
Hector ignored me, and every time I felt like he might have noticed the attraction between us again, it turned out to be a mistake. Just like now. I barely saw him disappear into his office.
Maybe I should call it a day too, I thought, as I gathered my hair into a bun. I put my phone in my back pocket and packed up my things. “I’m heading out too,” I said, as I braced myself on the desk and shut down my computer. I didn’t get a reply. He was probably busy writing an email, as he always was. As I stepped into the hallway, I grabbed my coat from the rack and put it on.
Hector came toward me at a brisk pace. He approached me so quickly that I couldn’t fully assess the situation. When he grabbed me by the upper arm and led me down the hall into his office, I was completely bewildered. He closed the door and I found myself back at the same place as on the first day, an uneasy feeling welling up inside me.
Now comes the termination.
Nervously, I rested my hand on my neck, digging my nails into the skin, and sought support on the floor—the dark cherry wood floor was indeed beautiful.
Consider it research. It’s not so bad.
Hector stood behind me, but I didn’t dare to turn around.
“Are you firing me?” I asked, my voice trembling.
“What makes you think that?”
I felt him move closer. My pulse quickened. “It would make sense, given what happened in St. Moritz.”
