Page 41 of Linc
“Well sir, Chandler is on vacation and Rich is out sick today, so I wasn’t sure how the chain of command went after that,” she says as she thumbs open her notebook.“I received a message from the police station saying one of our clients has been brought in and wanted to make sure that the right attorney was informed.”
“Sure,” I lean back in my chair and think if we have a procedure in place if both attorneys are out.Normally one is always there to answer the calls on the weekends.I’ll have to speak with HR about that one.Quickly, I make a note on my pad next to my phone.“I’ll have to check myself, Anne.Who is the client, and I’ll see what I can do and who’ll handle it for you?”
“Of course, Mr.Thorne.The client is,” she looks down and pulls the notebook closer.“Linley Lewis.She first showed as your client but was then assigned to Chandler and then to Rich in the event he was not available.”
“Linley Lewis?”
“Yes, sir.”
“What are the charges against her?”I’m confused but I know we don’t have any other client with that name; it must be her.
Anne turns the page then brings her glasses down from the top of her head.Maybe Linley was busted for drugs or driving while intoxicated.It wouldn’t be the first time that this has happened in our city or in our client roster.
“The officer I spoke to listed assault with a deadly weapon, attempted homicide, aggravated assault, resisting arrest and injury to an officer.”
What in the hell?
“Linley Lewis.Our client that’s a model for Blaire Hutchins’ modeling agency?”I ask again, to make sure I’m hearing and understanding her correctly.“The one whose face is on the billboard down the street.That Linley Lewis?”
“Yes, sir.The officer was adamant that she is our client.”
“Give me the information and I’ll see what I can do.”I wave her over to get her pages in the notebook and then send her on her way.
Two seconds later, I’m phoning Olivia.
“Hey, I need a favor.”
“Don’t you always.”She huffs.“What now?I thought you were out of the office until Monday?”
I tell her what Anne just gave me and have her handle it.Olivia knows quite a few officers down at the precincts so she’s more likely to get better details than me.
Thirty minutes later, I’m elbow deep in researching a potential new corporate client when Olivia rushes in, banging the door against the wall.
“Thanks for knocking,” I sarcastically say but her face shuts me up.I’ve never seen Olivia white as a ghost and she’s trembling.
“Lincoln,” she gasps.Her lips are opening and closing but nothing is coming out.
“What is it Olivia?What’s wrong?”Jumping up from my seat, I rush over to where she’s standing by the front of my desk.
“I-I just got off the phone with a friend down at the station.”
“Okay?”I cautiously say.It takes a lot to trip Olivia up so this must be colossal.“What did you find out?”
“Linley is in a lot of trouble, but that’s not what I’m concerned about.”She pauses and the anticipation is killing me.
“Okay, so spit it out.”
“It’s the person Linley assaulted.”
The silent pause has me even more confused.Why is Olivia all worked up like this?We handle cases like this every day.
“Let me guess, a cameraman or producer or some other model who took her position at the agency.”I raise my eyebrows for her to continue, as I’m not one to play guessing games at work.My time could be spent doing other meaningful tasks.
“It was Everly, Lincoln.Everly Bryant was listed as the victim.”
There are moments in life where you feel the world stop.Your body takes a pause to try to digest the information you’ve just been given.For some, that moment lasts mere seconds, but for others it can be up to hours before it registers back to normal.
“What?Who-who told you this?”I’m sure I heard her wrong because it couldn’t be Everly.My Everly.My angel that I just sent a text to this morning.The woman who woke up in my bed after the glorious night we’d spent together.
