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“Apparently he also buys his bait there,” Jayna pointedout. “He’s not willing to give that up. There’s something magical about Last Chance Gas Stop’s worms. I got a whole lecture about it.”
“Then maybe your client should think about planting some shrubbery or something at Geraldine’s.” It was handy to have opposing counsel right down the hall. He didn’t have to schedule a call to go over the little things. “My client merely contends that she’s an old lady who should be able to use her backyard in peace.”
Jayna was back to her usual fashion perfection in a pencil skirt and a silk blouse. Her feet were now in designer shoes instead of the bunny slippers she’d used to run his brother off. Her hair was straight, the edge running just below her jaw.
He found both versions of Jayna incredibly appealing. He liked the distinct differences in the woman who’d negotiated with him over breakfast and the one who stared him down now.
“I know the sheriff is reluctant to arrest Geraldine, but eventually he’ll have to,” she pointed out. “Wait until the tourists show up in a couple of weeks. When Geraldine’s protests start costing the town money, he’ll do something about it.”
“The sheriff is properly interpreting the law.” She’d been gone for a while. She might not remember how things tended to go here in Papillon. “And he’s smart enough to know that if he arrests Geraldine, he’ll get a bunch of geriatric protestors after him all hours of the day and night, and they do not mind using a walker on a man.”
She growled, a sound that shouldn’t be so sexy. “You have to see that it’s unreasonable to ask my client to pay for... what? Screens? I don’t even know how we’d get around the town fence code. Even if we could, he’s notpaying for a new fence. He had every right to take down that tree, and he’s done what he could to mitigate the light coming into her house at night.”
He didn’t point out that last week she’d argued the opposite. It was a given in their world. The argument was the point. “He took the tree down, so now he gets a front-row seat to all of Geraldine’s parties.”
“Well, we’ll see what the judge thinks.” She frowned, her arms crossing over her chest. “He should recuse himself, if I’m being honest. He’s too close to the case. Those worms give him a real stake in how this whole thing goes.”
“And then who hears the case?” he asked. That was the problem with being so remote. They didn’t have a lot of choices. “If this gets bumped to New Orleans, it could be years before there’s any legal relief.”
“You think he’ll be able to be fair even though his heart health is apparently at stake?” she asked.
“I’ve known Judge Brewer since I was a kid. He’s a solid guy. I worry about what happens when he retires. I don’t know anyone who’ll want the seat.”
Her nose wrinkled. “I wouldn’t. I can’t imagine having his job. They’ll have to bring someone in or we’ll get a totally unqualified judge.”
“Mr. Havery.” Sienna stood behind her sister.
“It’s just Quaid, Sienna.” Mr. Havery was still his father to him. Only very young people called him mister. The ones who remembered his dad usually still treated him like he was a newbie trying to replace the old man.
“I got a call from the courthouse, and it looks like the public defender from Houma isn’t going to make it today. They’ve got two arraignments this afternoon,” Sienna explained. “I actually know what that is because so many of our cousins get arrested. Yeah, I probably shouldn’t mention that.”
He let his head fall back. He’d hoped to get some writingin this afternoon. He’d cleared his schedule and everything. But he couldn’t leave people sitting in jail. Usually it was for minor offenses, and if it took too long they would end up transferring the prisoner to a larger jail. It wouldn’t be the first time some kid who’d been caught smoking pot got lost in the system.
The weight of responsibility pressed down on him.
“I’ll take it.” Jayna slapped a hand on his desk. “It’ll be fun. I don’t have a lot to do since I’m perfectly ready for our Friday showdown. I’m going to win, by the way. And if I don’t get back in time to go grocery shopping, you need to buy those steaks. I’m not joking. Remember what I promised Paul? I can do the same thing to you.”
“I will have them ready or I will take you out tonight and buy you the biggest steak I can find.” He believed her. She could be mean. The last thing he needed was the town deciding it was time for him to settle down.
But wasn’t it? Was that what this restless feeling was deep inside? He’d had it for a couple of years now, this feeling that he was missing something in his life. Jayna had turned that whisper into a voice that threatened to scream.
She grabbed her briefcase. “Oh, that’s even better. That way I don’t have to cook. I want a place where I can get a decent martini. I’ve heard Guidry’s makes a good one. Oh, and I’m going to need...”
He tossed his keys her way. “Do not bang up my car, Jayna.”
She grinned, catching the keys. “I promise nothing. Be back in a bit.”
She turned and walked out.
“You gave her the keys to your Benz?” Sienna looked at him like he’d gone a little crazy.
He hadn’t even thought twice about it. “Is she a terrible driver?”
“Well, no. Although she drives pretty fast.” Sienna frowned as she thought about the situation. “But you don’t know her very well. She could run off with it.”
“I have her dog as collateral.” Luna was hanging out in the office, her big bed near the front door. The pup wasn’t a problem. She liked to nap and sniff things. She gave the office a homey feel. He sat back. Jayna had bought him a whole afternoon, and the evening was suddenly looking up. He seemed to remember Remy talking about how they were going to have live music tonight. He might be able to get Jayna on the dance floor. It was one way to get his hands on her. “Somehow I don’t think your sister is going to run off with my car.”
“Well, she wouldn’t, but some people think we would,” Sienna pointed out.
