Betrayed (Rosato & DiNunzio, #2)(54)

“Again, I cannot say. I’m not her superior. I don’t have the complete facts.”

“But you know that she referred you more customers than any of the other financial sales consultants, and that she made her quota for all three years.” Judy leaned forward, urgent. “What other facts do you need, Mr. Govinda?”

Kelin shook his head. “Objection, arguing with the witness.”

Govinda’s head swiveled to Judy. “I would need to know more facts concerning the employee who received the promotion. He was a new hire from PNC, and we didn’t know him.”

Judy threw up her hands. “It’s not a relative question. I’m not asking you to make a comparison. I’m asking you, simply upon the facts you have, did Ms. Adler deserve that promotion?”

Kelin interjected, “Objection, calls for speculation.”

Govinda blinked. “I cannot speculate.”

Judy cut to the chase. “Mr. Govinda, isn’t it true that Mr. Morrell told you that there was ‘no room for women at the top of PennBank’?”

“No.”

Judy wasn’t about to stop. “Mr. Govinda, I remind you that you’re under oath here, and I’m going to ask you again, isn’t it true that Mr. Morrell said that to you?”

Kelin scowled. “Objection, asked and answered!”

“Rick, I’m allowed to press him. Mr. Govinda, answer the question.”

“No, that’s not true,” Govinda answered, but he averted his eyes.

Judy tried a lateral attack. “Mr. Govinda, did Mr. Morrell hire you?”

“Yes.”

“Does he have the power to fire you?”

“Yes.”

“Does Mr. Morrell review your performance?”

“Yes.”

“Does he decide whether you receive raises or incentive pay?”

“Yes.”

“Have you received incentive pay?”

“Yes,” Govinda answered, then he volunteered, “every quarter since I’ve been at PennBank.”

“How about raises?”

“Yes, same thing.”

“Mr. Govinda, when I get you on the stand at trial, there will be a judge and a jury. Are you going to lie to them? Because we both know that Mr. Morrell said to you there was ‘no room for women—’”

“Objection, this is harassment!”

“No, this is litigation, and Mr. Govinda better get used to it.” Judy faced Govinda, her emotions bubbling over. “You’re lying through your teeth. You won’t get away with it, not in court, and neither will Morrell—”

“—Judy, objection! This is argumentative and—”

“—and I want you to worry about it every night until trial, I want you to lose sleep over it.” Judy felt her temper give way, which she’d never done in a deposition in her life. “I want you to tell Morrell you can’t keep his secret, that you won’t perjure yourself to cover his ass or to keep your job—”

“—improper! You have no right to speak to my client this way—”

“—and I am going to hammer you both until I find out the truth and nobody is going to believe you after I get through with you—”

“We’re leaving!” Kelin jumped to his wingtips, yanking Govinda out of his seat by his jacket sleeve. “This deposition is over!”

“—and anybody can see that you’re protecting your boss, and they’re going to know you’re covering up the truth!” Judy jumped up, as Govinda hustled to the door behind Kelin. “You better tell Morrell, too! You’re not going to get away with this! I’m coming for you!”

Kelin and Govinda left the conference room, the door slammed closed behind them, and the air went abruptly still.

“Wow, Judy!” Allegra shot up like a rocket, her cheeks flushed with excitement. “That wasn’t boring at all!”

The court reporter looked up, her hooded eyes confused and fingers poised over the stenography machine. “Counsel, I’m not sure I understood that last exchange.”

Me neither, Judy thought, but didn’t say. She picked up her laptop, case files, and papers. She was trying to figure out what just happened, but Allegra was bouncing around the conference room like an overexcited puppy.

“Judy, that was amazing!” Allegra’s eyes went wide behind her glasses. “I totally want to be a lawyer when I grow up! It’s so exciting!”

“It’s not always that exciting,” Judy said, dismayed. Aunt Barb’s operation, Iris’s death, the secret cash, the damages cases, it had all gotten to her. She checked her phone, but her mother still hadn’t called. She clutched her stuff to her chest and went to the door, with Allegra bopping along behind her.

“That was the coolest thing ever! You went right at them! They ran away!”

“But, listen, that’s not the best thing.” Judy held the door for Allegra, only to see Bennie standing in the hallway, holding a boxy trial bag and talking to Mary. Judy touched Allegra’s arm. “Allegra, don’t tell them about—”

“Guys!” Allegra called out, and before Judy could finish her sentence, the intern was off and running. “Guess what Judy just did!”