Read Online The Innocent Woman by Parnell Hall - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Parnell Hall
Ads: Link
keep moving.”
“I’m sure he won’t be long,” Tracy said with a slight edge in her voice. After all Steve had done, it was a little much, this woman not being willing to wait. She was about to say something to that effect when Steve came out the door.
Amy Dearborn’s eyes lit up. “Mr. Winslow, I just can’t thank you enough. I’ve been going crazy out here waiting to tell you. Where did you go?”
“I told you, I had some business to take care of.” Steve reached into his pants pocket and, with a bit of a flourish, pulled out some money. “I believe this belongs to you.”
Amy Dearborn blinked. “What?”
“It’s not much, I’m afraid, but forty dollars is forty dollars.”
“Forty dollars?”
“Yes. Two twenty dollar bills. With quite a history. If you don’t need to spend them, you might want to frame them.”
“You got them to release the court exhibit?” Tracy said.
“Of course I did. This money was removed from her person. If she didn’t steal it, it’s rightfully hers.” Steve held it out to Amy. “Here you go.”
Amy put up her hand. “Please. You should keep it.. After all you’ve done.”
Steve smiled. “Thanks all the same, but I’d rather not. If it got out I was charging forty bucks for a day in court, it would be hard to explain. I’d rather leave things just as they are.”
“But you have to be paid.”
Steve shook his head, “Not for this. You gave me a dollar. Provisional retainer just to make it legal. Well, that’s all the money I expected to see from this case.” Steve held up one finger. “On the other hand, F. L. Jewelry fired you without cause, had you arrested and charged you with theft. That charge was without foundation, has been proven so in a court of law. I would expect a jeweler to have both assets and insurance.”
Amy looked at him. “Do you mean...?”
“I think you’re entitled to some compensation for what you went through. If you agree, I’d be happy to file suit in your behalf. In which case, I would feel justified in taking a fee.” Steve held up his hand. “But that’s beside the point, and I wouldn’t want you to file suit just for that reason. But the way I see it, yes, we’re happy you got off. You did nothing wrong, so you should have got off.
“On the other hand, Fletcher and Lowery did something wrong, so why should they get off? Macklin too.”
Amy frowned. “Mr. Macklin? Why him?”
“Why not. He’s the one who came up with the stupid plan in the first place. Planting the twenty dollar bills, and then letting everyone get a hold of them. Some plan.
“But the point is, in a case like this you file suit against everyone. Because Fletcher and Lowery will try to shift the blame to him anyway, and he’ll try to dump it back on them. You don’t worry about that. You name everyone, and let the jury award damages and apportion blame.”
“Just what does that mean?”
“Well, say the jury finds in your favor and awards you a hundred thousand dollars. Then they might decide the fault was ninety percent F. L. Jewelry and ten percent Macklin’s. Then the jewelry company’d give you ninety thousand, he’d give you ten.”
Amy’s eyes were wide. “A hundred thousand dollars?”
Steve smiled. “That’s just a for instance. And I would take a third, as my fee. That’s the way these things work. On a contingency basis. I only get paid if there’s a settlement, and then I get a third.”
Amy frowned. “I see.”
“So would you like me to go ahead and file suit?”
Amy exhaled. Shook her head. “Let me call you tomorrow about that. Everything’s happened so fast. I haven’t really had time to think. I’m very grateful, but I just don’t know.” She looked at her watch. “Listen, it’s late, I’ve got to go. I just want to thank you again. For everything. You don’t know what it means. Anyway, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Can I give you a lift somewhere?” Steve said.
Amy put up her hand.
“I’m sure he won’t be long,” Tracy said with a slight edge in her voice. After all Steve had done, it was a little much, this woman not being willing to wait. She was about to say something to that effect when Steve came out the door.
Amy Dearborn’s eyes lit up. “Mr. Winslow, I just can’t thank you enough. I’ve been going crazy out here waiting to tell you. Where did you go?”
“I told you, I had some business to take care of.” Steve reached into his pants pocket and, with a bit of a flourish, pulled out some money. “I believe this belongs to you.”
Amy Dearborn blinked. “What?”
“It’s not much, I’m afraid, but forty dollars is forty dollars.”
“Forty dollars?”
“Yes. Two twenty dollar bills. With quite a history. If you don’t need to spend them, you might want to frame them.”
“You got them to release the court exhibit?” Tracy said.
“Of course I did. This money was removed from her person. If she didn’t steal it, it’s rightfully hers.” Steve held it out to Amy. “Here you go.”
Amy put up her hand. “Please. You should keep it.. After all you’ve done.”
Steve smiled. “Thanks all the same, but I’d rather not. If it got out I was charging forty bucks for a day in court, it would be hard to explain. I’d rather leave things just as they are.”
“But you have to be paid.”
Steve shook his head, “Not for this. You gave me a dollar. Provisional retainer just to make it legal. Well, that’s all the money I expected to see from this case.” Steve held up one finger. “On the other hand, F. L. Jewelry fired you without cause, had you arrested and charged you with theft. That charge was without foundation, has been proven so in a court of law. I would expect a jeweler to have both assets and insurance.”
Amy looked at him. “Do you mean...?”
“I think you’re entitled to some compensation for what you went through. If you agree, I’d be happy to file suit in your behalf. In which case, I would feel justified in taking a fee.” Steve held up his hand. “But that’s beside the point, and I wouldn’t want you to file suit just for that reason. But the way I see it, yes, we’re happy you got off. You did nothing wrong, so you should have got off.
“On the other hand, Fletcher and Lowery did something wrong, so why should they get off? Macklin too.”
Amy frowned. “Mr. Macklin? Why him?”
“Why not. He’s the one who came up with the stupid plan in the first place. Planting the twenty dollar bills, and then letting everyone get a hold of them. Some plan.
“But the point is, in a case like this you file suit against everyone. Because Fletcher and Lowery will try to shift the blame to him anyway, and he’ll try to dump it back on them. You don’t worry about that. You name everyone, and let the jury award damages and apportion blame.”
“Just what does that mean?”
“Well, say the jury finds in your favor and awards you a hundred thousand dollars. Then they might decide the fault was ninety percent F. L. Jewelry and ten percent Macklin’s. Then the jewelry company’d give you ninety thousand, he’d give you ten.”
Amy’s eyes were wide. “A hundred thousand dollars?”
Steve smiled. “That’s just a for instance. And I would take a third, as my fee. That’s the way these things work. On a contingency basis. I only get paid if there’s a settlement, and then I get a third.”
Amy frowned. “I see.”
“So would you like me to go ahead and file suit?”
Amy exhaled. Shook her head. “Let me call you tomorrow about that. Everything’s happened so fast. I haven’t really had time to think. I’m very grateful, but I just don’t know.” She looked at her watch. “Listen, it’s late, I’ve got to go. I just want to thank you again. For everything. You don’t know what it means. Anyway, I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Can I give you a lift somewhere?” Steve said.
Amy put up her hand.
Similar Books
