Page 96 of Playing With Fire
“This is a little out of your jurisdiction, don’t you think?” Greg sneers as he stops outside the door to the room my sister summoned him to. I’m not sure what she said to get him here, but he’s obviously not happy to see me.
I just smirk as I hold the door open for him.
Upon entering, we spot my sister standing next to one of the long tables in the courthouse conference room.
I expect to feel her angry energy permeating the air, but I feel nothing. It’s like there’s a shield around her hiding all of her emotions and she’s wearing a blank mask to match.
“Let’s make this little meeting quick, shall we? Some of us actually have work to do,” Gregor snaps.
“The faster the better,” my sister agrees as she holds up one of the sheets of paper laid out in front of her. “This is an affidavit of voluntary relinquishment of parental rights. You’re going to sign it giving up your custodial rights to Serafina.”
Monica holds out a pen as Gregor folds his arms.
“And whythe fuckwould I do that?”
“Because if you don’t, I’m going to inform the court of how you conveniently forgot to mention that your client is also your financial advisor. Trial started at eight o’clock yesterday and there was no disclosure of a conflict of interest. Personally, I think your client should sue since this is going to delay his trial…again. And if I were your partners, I’d have you fired just like Driscoll. What a rookie mistake to lose a trial over. Not to mention, I don’t think the firm will appreciate it when the news gets a hold of this story. Two blunders on the same trial from thesamelaw firm? Yikes.”
Someone needs to give my sister a damn award. Her flippant tone even has me on edge. She’s so sure this is enough to make him sign.
Gregor wavers, his jaw clenching and his nostrils flaring as he steps forward into my personal space.
“You’re going to fucking regret messing with me,” he snarls, still not signing.
“No,” Monica deadpans. “I don’t think we are.”
“Kid’s spiteful just like her mother anyway,” Greg murmurs to himself although it’s loud enough for us to hear, as he turns to the paper.
“Funny, Serafina likes me just fine,” I quip. Monica flashes me a warning glare and Gregor pins his black eyes on me.
“I’m going to ruin you, you know that, right?” Gregor says calmly.
“I’m not so sure you will, actually,” Monica chimes in, making me release my hold on Gregor. “You see, apparently, you’re also unfamiliar with a term we callduty to withdraw. So, allow me to spell it out for you. It’s a legal concept where an attorney has anethical obligationto cease representation of a client if they believe the client is guilty and intends to pleadnot guilty. Yousawthe original breathalyzer. Yousawthe photos of my husband’s mangled body. You read the police reports andstillyou defended Jason Reed even though youknewhe was guilty. You got him off on a bullshit technicality and now my kids will never know their father. It’s only fair yours won’t, either.”
Gregor throws a scathing glare at Monica. “Well played.”
But he still doesn’t sign, dammit.
Greg sneers, squaring up to my sister and I feel helpless, standing on the sidelines, watching them verbally duke it out. “Since we’re throwing terms around, have you ever heard ofcoercion? I’ll sign that form under duress and the threat of not seeing my daughter. That will never hold up in court.”
Monica gets in his face. “This is just the tip of the iceberg, Hartley. One phone call and there’s going to be an investigator looking intoallof your cases. And my guess is they’ll find more than what we’ve discussed here today which means you can kiss that partnership goodbye and any other job as an attorney as well, considering tampering with evidence is a felony.”
Monica moves on to multiple sheets of paper this time. First the police report from Will’s crash, then the photo of the real breathalyzer. Then the fake one.
It’s satisfying as all fuck watching the color drain from Gregor’s face.
“So, here are your choices. You sign this paper, giving up all rights to Serafina, drop the lawsuit against my brother and stay the hell away from Shannon, Hudson, and the rest of our family and friends, and I’llonlyreport the failure to disclose on the Ellington case. But if you so much asbreathein any of our directions again, I’ll take every piece of evidence I can get my hands on straight to the policeandthe bar association.”
Greg seethes as he snatches the pen from the table and furiously scribbles his signature on the form, freeing Serafina of his clutches.
Looking at the bottom of the form, I see that it’s already been notarized.
“There,” he snaps. “Now you two stay the fuck out of my business.” He moves past us and makes it to the door before Monica calls out.
“Oh, Gregor? I want written proof of the dismissal of the alienation of affection suit on my desk by tomorrow morning or I’m hitting send on the formal complaint against you sitting in my drafts folder.”
Gregor responds by slamming the conference room door so hard it rattles in its hinges.
“Again, I say…you are one scary woman, Monica,” I tell my sister. “But are you sure letting him continue to practice is a good idea? Evenwiththis threat hanging over his head, I don’t trust him.”
