Page 8 of Fifty-Fifty

One was her father, the other was Levy. As much as she loved her father calling her that name, she hated in equal measure the way Levy used it.

She took a step back and pivoted to face her boss. He took the document folder from her, and said gruffly, ‘This is a huge case for us. For the firm. We must secure this client. I need you on top form, okay?’

Kate nodded, said, ‘I’m good. What’s the case?’

Levy’s mouth fell half open, and he stayed that way for a few seconds. It looked like he was waiting for a passing bug, at which point he would shoot out a reptilian tongue and grab the thing in mid-air before retracting it into his pink mouth.

‘The former mayor, Frank Avellino, is dead. He’s been murdered in his bedroom, stabbed … what was it, Scott?’

‘Fifty-three times,’ said Scott.

‘Stabbed fifty-three times, my dear. And we are going to represent his eldest daughter. Both of his daughters were arrested at the scene, and each of them is blaming the other for the murder. One of them is lying, and our job is to prove that it’s not our client. Understand?’

There was a patronizing sting to Levy’s words, and Kate ignored it.

The my dear phrase was not meant to be gentlemanly. She’d gotten used to most of the shit she had to put up with, but my dear, or little lady, still made her grind her jaw. She fought down the anger as this was the moment she had been

waiting for since she joined the firm. Creepy guys in bars, and general everyday sexism on the street she could handle without a problem. When it came to the men who held her career in their hands, it was different. She knew it shouldn’t be, that this wasn’t right, but she thought it best to keep her lips sealed and her head down. For now. They had all the power. If she complained about this shit,

her best guess was she’d be out of the job in a heartbeat – her career over before it even really began.

For months she had been writing briefs, glad-handing clients and passing out canapés at the firm’s parties. Now she was on a case. A real-life, high-profile murder case. A flutter of excitement began in her stomach, and she smoothed down the front of her jacket, licked her dry lips and cleared her throat. She wanted to be ready for this. She felt ready.

‘I got it,’ said Kate.

Levy looked her up and down, and said, ‘What are you wearing? Are those running shoes?’

Kate’s mouth opened to respond, but she didn’t get the chance.

‘Levy! You’re up!’ said a voice. It was a cop, shouting from an open steel door.

‘We’re on,’ said Levy. He stood and pulled up his pants. They were often falling down below his small gut. It didn’t matter if he wore a belt or suspenders – Levy seemed to be constantly pulling his pants up.

Kate saw a small bunch of lawyers leave via the steel door. They had obviously been inside talking to the potential client. Their heads were down, and they looked tired. Levy would get the case. Whoever the client was. It didn’t matter. This was Levy’s forte. He was good with clients. Got them on side fast. He was a PR machine with a law license. They were going to land this case, and Kate was going to be front and center in the defense from the very beginning.

She had to stifle a smile that threatened to break out on her lips – it was excitement and nerves.

‘Okay, let’s go,’ said Levy.

Scott nodded to Kate. Kate returned the gesture. Together, the three of them took a step toward the door. Then a file came right at Kate’s face. She held out her hands as the file was lowered and thumped into her chest, stopping her dead.

Kate took it in both hands.

‘There are some things in this file of Scott’s that the client and the NYPD

shouldn’t see,’ said Levy. ‘Put it in the file storage safe in the trunk of my car.

It’s parked outside. The gold BMW.’

A set of keys dangled in front of her face. Kate took them, swallowed and felt a raw sensation in her throat. Like she was swallowing sharp stones.

‘We won’t be too long. You can use the time to think about why were you were so late getting here. When we’re done I can give you a ride home,’ said Levy.

And with that, Scott and Levy strode toward the open steel door.

Kate froze.

‘Never mind, honey. You got the most important job. You get to watch Levy’s car,’ said a voice from behind her. One of the rival lawyers.