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‘Yes, well, I’m aware that some of my actions and perhaps some of the conversations we had leading up to you going away may have suggested I’d been thinking of making you partner...’
‘You’d more than suggested it.’ Evie shook her head. Melissa had literally told her to use up her holiday before her promotion. She couldn’t have been clearer.
‘Yes, well, I’m afraid a few issues came to light, which made me question my decision and ...’
‘What do you mean? What issues? I’m a great solicitor, you know that. What issues are you talking about?’ She shoved her free hand in her pocket. She hadn’t meant to sound so self-assured, but she was. She received nothing but praise from her clients and for Melissa to suggest otherwise... She glared at the lamppost across the road.
‘Just a few things.’
‘What things?’
‘I’d rather not say.’ Melissa paused, stumbling over her words. ‘I wouldn’t want to betray anyone’s confidence.’
‘Don’t tell me someone has issues with me and then refuse to explain them. I have a right to know.’
‘Look, it’s Jennifer. She’s finding it awkward to work with you.’
‘Jennifer?’ Evie closed her eyes. What was Melissa playing at? It had been Jennifer who had rung and told her that Steven had been promoted instead of her. It had been Jennifer who had been sending her daily updates, telling her how Steven was parading around as though he owned the firm. ‘It’s not Jennifer.’
‘Evie, just accept it, would you?’
Melissa was getting irritated now, Evie could hear it in her voice, the way she spoke, her voice clipped and short. She kept quiet. She’d worked with Melissa long enough to know that she couldn’t stand awkward silences. If there was a sure-fire way of Melissa dropping the act and telling the truth, it was to say nothing.
‘Just accept that sometimes we all make mistakes. Decisions have to be made for the greater good of the firm.’ Melissa was speaking quickly now, her voice climbing an octave.
Leaning her head back, Evie looked at the grey clouds forming above her.
‘All right, I’ll tell you, but you mustn’t breathe a word of it to anyone. Not to the team, not to Jennifer, no one, do you understand?’
‘I understand.’ Her voice was quiet, steady.
‘The firms going under, gone under. I don’t know, I’ve not looked at the business account for weeks now. Steven’s buying me out. I had to make him partner. That’s the only way I could save the firm.’
Steven had bought the firm out? She shook her head. Why hadn’t Melissa told her about the money troubles? How were there money troubles? The firm was one of the best in the whole city, if not the best. ‘How?’
‘I’ve been having some problems. I took my eye off the ball, didn’t I?’
‘But why didn’t you say anything?’
‘I couldn’t. I just couldn’t.’
Evie closed her eyes. ‘And the issues?’
‘There are no issues, you know that. You’re one of the best solicitors I know. No, the best. No one ever has any issues with you.’
‘So, what happens now?’
‘I don’t know. I’d hoped things would cruise along as normal but Steven’s already throwing his weight around the place, the jumped up little so and so.’ The exasperation was clear in Melissa’s voice.
‘And just to clarify, you instructed me to take the holiday I was owed so you could make Steven partner whilst I was out of the way?’
‘What was I supposed to do? I had to make him partner. I had to save the firm, and I knew you’d somehow put a stop to it if you’d been here.’
‘Too right I would have.’ Evie spoke quietly.
‘What’s that?’
‘Nothing.’
