She spoke little to anyone else and seemed uncomfortable and anxious, as if she felt out of her depth. On occasion, a pained looked crossed her face, and I wondered if Scott’s behavior embarrassed her. I recall thinking she looked out of place beside him—almost too gentle to be associated with him. I wondered then how she could stand to live with someone so unscrupulous—unless she was cut from the same cloth. I knew all too well that appearances could be deceiving. She might come across as sweet, but she could be a coldhearted bitch for all I knew, using the veneer of her softness to her advantage. Wit and charm covered a multitude of sins.
Yet, the woman who had beseeched me a few moments ago—the woman who stood in the cold for hours desperate to talk to me, didn’t seem like a coldhearted bitch. Something in the depths of her tormented green eyes, in the pleading tone of her voice, told me she was honest.
I slid into the car and pushed the button to start the engine, setting the heat high on her side.
“It’ll be warm in a moment,” I assured her.
“Thank you.”
“Where do you live?”
“If you could drop me at the subway, that would be fine.”
I sighed as I clipped my seat belt in place. “It’s raining harder now. I’ll drive you home. Give me the address.”
“Mississauga, Mr. Smithers. It’s a long drive for you. If you drop me at the subway, that would be fine. My, ah, room is a couple of blocks from the stop on the other end.”
“Room?” I asked, confused. Why was she in a room? And why was she out in Mississauga?
Hutchings, as I recalled, lived in a ritzy area of Toronto.
“I went there after Scott—” she swallowed “—after things ended.” She glanced out the window, not meeting my gaze. “I’m staying with a friend.”
“Have you been in contact with him?”
She turned her head, the pain in her eyes evident. “No. He hasn’t returned my calls except to say he is going to cancel my cell phone plan and not pay for it anymore. He kicked me out, Mr. Smithers. Ended our marriage, handed me some money, and drove me to a hotel. He barely gave me time to pack a bag—it was as if he couldn’t stand to be around me anymore. He took away my keys to the house. I was in shock, and I had nowhere else to go, so I’m grateful for Joanne’s generosity.”
For a moment, there was only the purr of the engine and the low hum of the fan in the car as I processed her words.
Whatever had happened, whatever occurred, if she was telling the truth, Scott Hutchings was a complete bastard to his wife. I wasn’t the least bit shocked to discover that, but I wanted the whole story.
My fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
“Hal,” I informed her.
“I’m sorry?”
“I prefer my clients to call me Hal. Not Mr. Smithers.”
“Am I your client now?”
“Come see me on Monday, and we’ll decide.”
Monday morning, I was already in the office when Rene arrived. Today, he was dressed entirely in black, but his vest was a swirl of color, like bright starbursts in the night. A bow tie completed the outfit. His bald head gleamed.
I shook my head. “Did you wax your head? Jesus, you’re going to blind me today.”
He laughed, smoothing his hand over his skull. “The ladies dig it.”
I let his words pass. I wasn’t in the mood to hear stories about his personal life.
He set a coffee on my desk. “You’re here early. Still no sleep?”
Ignoring his question, I indicated the chair in front of me. “I need to talk to you.”
Frowning, he sat. “That sounds ominous.”
“Fiona Hutchings.”
His eyebrows rose. “What of her?”
“Why didn’t you tell me she had been calling?”
“Because she refused to tell me why she was calling. She’s Scott’s wife, and you loathe that man. I couldn’t think of any reason you would want to talk to her. I assumed it was for one of the many charities the various wives in the legal field are involved in. I told her to send a letter.”
I shook my head. “She isn’t looking for a donation. She needs legal advice.” I huffed out a lungful of air. “She’s a potential new client.”
“What?”
“Scott Hutchings removed his wife from their home and is filing for divorce. She’s living in a room in Mississauga and needs representation.” I paused. “My representation.”
“Why didn’t she tell me that? She kept insisting on only talking to you, and she refused to tell me why. I assumed it was personal, and I didn’t think you would want to talk to her, given your feelings for her husband.”
“Soon-to-be ex. You should have put her through, or at least told me and given me the option.”
“You’re slammed, Halton. You’re burning the candle at both ends, and your exhaustion is catching up with you. I was trying to keep her out of your hair. If she had said what it was about, I would have done so, but she refused. I had no idea—I haven’t heard anything about their marriage failing.”
I found that interesting. Rene heard all the gossip. If he hadn’t heard anything, Hutchings had to be keeping this quiet.
I mulled over his words. “From what she said, this hit her out of the blue. I don’t know the whole story yet, but she is lost. Her world got pulled away, and she is having trouble coping—not thinking clearly.” I had seen it many times with other clients. “I think I believe her, but I need to be sure. I need your gossip connections.”
Rene frowned. “I’ll make a few calls.”
“Good. I need it fast. She’s coming in today.”
“When did you meet her?”
I told him the story of the bar and her following me. He listened with interest.
“Tenacious,” he murmured.
“Desperate too,” I replied. “If she’s telling the truth, Hutchings handled this all wrong. He, of all people, should know to take the proper steps to end your marriage. You don’t kick someone out of their home and abandon them financially. He’s creating huge problems for himself.”
“Problems you are only too happy to make worse.” Rene smirked.
“I’m looking forward to nailing that bastard to the wall.”
Rene opened his tablet, scanning the screen. “You’re booked solid this morning, and you’re in court this afternoon. When do you plan to fit her in?”
“Get me some info, and if her story pans out, call her and tell her to come in at the end of the day. I should be back by six. I’ll meet her then, get her story, and figure out the next step. I’ll forward you her number.”
He stood. “I apologize, Halton. I should have said something to you.”
I waved his words away. “Let’s see what you find out.”
Rene was back in less than twenty minutes. “She’s telling the truth. It’s hush-hush, but he’s been having an affair. Someone overheard them in his office having an argument. His lover laid down the law. Her or his wife. I guess we know which one he chose. Apparently, there is some grumbling between partners as well. Things are not going smoothly business-wise.”