Betrayed (Rosato & DiNunzio, #2)(45)

“Yes.” Judy knew Bennie meant this as high praise, even though it came off like criticism.

“But you don’t have a client base, and you can’t make partner without a client base. You understand that’s what’s holding you back, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Judy answered, honestly. She worked on cases that Bennie brought in and was the hired gun on some work she got herself, but she didn’t have the bread-and-butter client base that Mary did, getting repeat cases from small businesses all over South and West Philly.

“You don’t need me to tell you that the legal business has changed. That you can’t make partner in any law firm in this city without being a rainmaker. And Bendaflex is your best chance at starting your own client base.”

Judy wished she could give in, but she’d come this far, so she couldn’t. “What if I don’t like the work?”

“Seriously?” Bennie’s eyes flared an incredulous blue. “Are you really telling me you don’t like what’s for dinner, when I’m the one who left the cave, shot the beast, cooked it, and served it to you?”

“I’m not saying I don’t appreciate it.” Judy’s chest constricted. “But what if I can build a client base another way? Can’t you hire someone else to do the cases? Isn’t that my decision?”

“In a word, no.”

“No?” Judy repeated, blinking.

“I’ve heard you out, but you have to go with my decision. You’re not a partner, you’re still an associate, and as such, you’ll do the work we give you. End of discussion.” Bennie turned on her heel and walked away. “The safe’s this way.”

Judy stood red-faced, next to Mary, who looked stricken. The space between them widened to a corporate chasm.

Judy’s goose egg started to throb, but that could have been her imagination.





Chapter Twenty-one

“Frank?” Judy said, opening the door to the apartment, with her mother, Aunt Barb, and Penny behind her. Through the crack in the door came the unmistakable sound of a football game on TV, the stench of cigar smoke, and the hooting and hollering of American men losing their damn minds.

Judy’s heart sank at the scene in her living room. The mega-TV was on full blast, and the coffee table was cluttered with open pizza boxes, bags of hard pretzels, and beer cans. Frank and his two best friends were jumping up and down in front of the couch, cheering. She couldn’t be mad at Frank for feeling better and enjoying himself, but she knew her mother and Aunt Barb wanted to get to bed.

“Come on in.” Judy took the bags from her aunt and mother, setting them down in the small entrance room while Penny bounded into the living room, heading for the carbohydrates.

“TOUCHDOWN!” Frank yelled, raising his good arm. He had evidently recovered from his trip to the hospital, and was sitting in the middle of the couch, his bare feet on the coffee table, amid the clutter.

“I smell overtime!” shouted his chubby friend Eric Gordon, jumping to his sneakers. They called him Cartman because of his unfortunate resemblance to the round kid on South Park, and he demonstrated the same wardrobe choices, namely a T-shirt, blue jeans, and omnipresent knit cap.

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” shouted Adam Dalrymple, a tall, thin, crazy straw of a hipster, who taught music at a city high school by day and played guitar with an indie rock band by night. All three men had been friends since high school, and though Cartman and Adam were married, Frank would never be, at least not to Judy, because he hadn’t even noticed that she and her family were standing in the room.

“Frank?” she called out, and he turned, then did a double-take.

“Oh, hi everybody.” Frank grinned, set down his beer, and came over, with a glance back at the television, undoubtedly to see if they got the extra point. The game went to commercial, and he did a double-take when he spotted Judy’s bump. “Whoa, babe, what’s that on your face?”

“It’s a long story, I’m fine,” Judy answered, testy. “Say hello to my mom and aunt.”

“Hello, Delia, long time, no see.” Frank hugged her mother warmly.

“You, too, Frank,” her mother said, with a smile. “I heard you hurt your hand. What a shame!”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Hello, Barb, great to see you!” Frank gave her aunt an obviously heartfelt hug. “Listen, I heard you’re not feeling well, but I know you’re going to pull through this, I just do.”

“Thanks, Frank.” Aunt Barb released him with a weary smile, her knit cap askew. “I’m sorry to put you out. I promise I’ll keep this stay as short as possible.”

“Stay?” Frank asked lightly, and behind him, Cartman and Adam started cheering and jumping up and down again.

“They got it!” Cartman yelled. “We’re going into overtime, baby!”

“Yes!” Adam slapped him five. “I beat the spread! Woohoo!”

“Penny, no!” Judy shouted, trying vainly to stop the dog from grabbing a pizza crust.

“Excuse me, honey.” Aunt Barb touched Judy’s arm. “Can I use the bathroom?”

“Me, too,” her mother chimed in. “We’re middle-aged women, remember?”

“Sure, go ahead, I’ll be up with the bags in a minute.” Judy gestured to the stairwell.