Checked her watch.
Bloch was running late. Just a few minutes. Then, she walked in.
Her friend wore the same leather jacket, blue jeans and boots. Her tee had changed to navy blue, and now she wore a black and white scarf. She took a seat opposite Kate and picked up the glass of bright green juice.
‘What is this?’ said Bloch.
‘Cucumber and lettuce juice. Want to try?’ said Kate.
‘You mean drink it?’
‘Yes.’
Bloch made a disgusted face, shook her head.
She gave Bloch an update. Told her what happened yesterday in the office – that Scott had stolen her idea and used it to bag himself second chair in the Avellino case. And then, she told her what she had done in retaliation.
‘Well done,’ said Bloch. ‘Have you told Levy yet?’
‘I thought we might go see him together.’
Bloch nodded.
‘I don’t want you there just as a friend,’ said Kate. ‘I’m on my own. I need an investigator. You used to be a cop. You train cops how to investigate cases. I need help and I want you. What do you say?’
Bloch nodded.
‘Is that yes? You’ll do it.’
‘Yeah. Cover expenses and—’
‘Oh, I’ll pay your going rate, or we can split my fees? I’m excited. And a little scared. I need you with me.’
Bloch nodded, said, ‘Let’s go ruin Levy’s year.’
The red-haired security guard insisted that Kate sign Bloch in as a guest on the firm’s premises. Bloch had to show ID, and once she was issued with a visitor’s pass they rode the elevator together to the fourteenth floor. The office was alive when they stepped into the corridor. Paralegals, secretaries, associates were all milling around Levy and Scott who were in their shirt sleeves, in a glass-walled conference room issuing orders and stacking piles of paper. Motion production was in full swing.
Kate led Bloch into the conference room. Kate was in her business suit jacket, but she wore jeans and boots.
Levy noticed her come in and slapped down a bunch of loose pages on the desk, spilling them.
‘Katie, where the hell have you been? And why aren’t you properly dressed? What do you think this is? A rodeo?’
‘I quit,’ said Kate, and handed Levy a photostat copy of the form of authority signed by Alexandra Avellino.
‘What the hell is this?’ said Levy.
‘It’s payback. You can keep these motions, I just want the indictment, prosecution disclosure and then I’m on my way.’
Scott took the paper from Levy and his face turned pale as he read it. Which was a nice contrast to Levy, whose head looked like it was about to explode.
‘You can’t do this! Your contract forbids soliciting clients from this firm. I’ll sue you for every cent you’ve got. I’ll report you to the Bar Association too. You’ve just signed your death warrant,’ said Levy.
‘That was a threat,’ said Bloch, stepping forward.
Two secretaries, both in their late twenties wearing the firm’s standard grey and blue staff uniform, came into the conference room, folded their arms and listened.
‘Who are you?’ said Levy, then he noticed the secretaries and waved a hand at them to get out. They didn’t move.
‘I’m with Kate Brooks. Get the documents and we’ll be out of your hair.’
‘You’re not taking a single page from this office. Scott, call security.’
Scott leaned over, grabbed the phone on the conference room desk and pressed an intercom button.
‘If you fail to honor that form of authority then I can report you to the Bar Association. The documents, now,’ said Kate.
Levy blew out his cheeks, huffed and puffed. He clenched and unclenched his fists, then came around the table with his finger raised. He started pointing it in Kate’s face, spittle flew from his lips as he shouted and screamed at her.
‘You’re finished! I will RUIN you …’ His finger poked Kate in the chest.
Block stepped in, took hold of Levy’s finger in her fist and bent it, just a little. There was a tiny crack, but the finger didn’t break. It was enough to shut Levy up, but not enough to cause serious damage.
Kate heard one of the secretaries behind her let out a whoop.
Scott talked frantically to security on the phone, told them to get here right away.
‘Are you going to give us these documents so we can leave you alone?’ said Bloch.
Levy’s eyes were wide with embarrassment and fear.
‘Let go of me, this is assault.’
She bent the finger a little more.
‘Get them the documents,’ said Levy.
The secretaries covered their mouths to hide their laughter, but between them they took two sets of papers from the other end of the conference room and handed them to Kate.
‘You ever need a secretary, you call me,’ whispered one of them, careful to make sure Levy didn’t hear her. Her name was Jane, and Kate made a mental note. Kate couldn’t afford an office, never mind a secretary, but some day she might.
Kate heard hurried footfalls in the corridor outside the office. Five security men ran in, almost knocking over Jane.
One of the security guards, a broad, tall man north of fifty-five with a buzz cut said, ‘Bloch? Is that you?’
Bloch turned around, saw who it was and said, ‘Hey Reggie.’ She still had hold of Levy’s finger, and when he tried to pull it away, Bloch added more pressure, buckling Levy’s knees.
The other security guards all looked to the man Kate now knew as Reggie. He must’ve been their supervisor. They looked foolish and incompetent, just standing there while Bloch had hold of Levy.
‘Get her off me, right this second!’ said Levy.
‘You on the job?’ asked Reggie.
‘I’m private now, like you.’
‘Bloch, that’s my boss. I need you to let him go,’ said Reggie.
‘He needs to apologize, first,’ said Bloch.
The red-haired guard who’d been an asshole in the lobby made a move toward Bloch, and Reggie’s huge arm snaked out, grabbing him by the shirt and hauling him back.
‘Don’t move. Let me deal with this. You can’t cover shifts if you’re in the hospital,’ said Reggie.
Scott, who seemed to have found some nerve, started moving toward his boss. Levy’s predicament merely gave Scott another chance to suck up to him if he made the effort to rescue him from his plight. He was trying to sneak up behind Bloch, his arms wide, ready to make a grab for her.
Bloch must’ve sensed this. She shot Scott a look and said, ‘I’ve got two hands, hero.’
Scott stopped dead, backed up.
‘Mr. Levy, I think you should apologize, sir,’ said Reggie.
‘What?! What am I paying you for? Get her off me,’ said Levy.
‘Sir, a month before my retirement, Bloch took my squad on an advanced driving refresher and a control and restraint course. She’s six feet away and there are only five of us. I think you should apologize, sir.’
‘She’s hurting me,’ said Levy, forcing the sentence through the pain.
The security guards looked at Reggie, who was holding in his laughter, his mouth and lips trembling with the effort.
‘Sir … I’d do as she says.’