Catalyst (16 page)

"When the verdict is read there will be no reaction
from the gallery. All emotion and reactions will be restrained, or
the court will be cleared before the verdict is given," the judge
ordered and nodded to a young man beneath the bench. As he'd done
throughout the trial, he translated her words into Spanish.

The judge's eyes searched both sections of the crowd
and took the nods and body language as an agreement. "Very well.
Has the jury reached a verdict?"

"We have, Your Honor."

Renee's heart thumped in her rib cage.

"To the charge of second degree murder, how do you
find the defendant?"

"Not guilty, Your Honor."

Renee glanced at Rosa and saw her pale lips twitch
ever so slightly as the woman riveted her eyes on the jury
chairwoman. A faint murmur switched off as soon as the judge
glanced across the gallery.

"To the lesser charge of manslaughter, how do you
find the defendant?"

"We, the jury, find Rosa Elvia Escantia not guilty."
The woman's words echoed through the silent room and were
immediately translated into Spanish.

"What does it mean?" Rosa blurted out.

"You go home, Rosa," Renee replied. "You're
free."

Only then did Rosa burst into shuddering tears and
plunge her face between her hands.

"This case is dismissed," Judge Rebecca Telles said.
"The defendant is free to go."

"Thank you, Miss Bonnett," Rosa said through her
tears. "I believe God was beside me when you were appointed as my
attorney. God bless you, Renee."

"We did it together, Rosa, " Renee replied and smiled
to acknowledge the lifting of eyebrows from the district attorney
across the room.

Fifteen minutes later, Renee was surrounded by dozens
of women from Rosa's extended family who wanted to shake her hand.
Males, though, were conspicuous by their absence, except for one
elderly man who pushed through the crowd and grasped Renee's right
hand with both of his. His leathery face, calloused hands and bent
body made him appear ancient before his time but his brown eyes
were alert and clear.

"Rosa is my youngest daughter," he said in heavily
accented English. "If it was not for you..." His words changed to
Spanish but Renee had some knowledge of the language and knew the
old man was overwhelmed with emotion in his attempt to thank
her.

"Rosa was a victim," she said quietly. "When the jury
realized that, they knew there was no crime to answer for."

"But the gringo jury, especially that head señora
with her flashy clothes didn't care about us," the old man
continued.

"Whether she cared or not, didn't matter," Renee
explained. "They were there to decide what the truth was and they
did."

"But without you, they would have never been told
this truth. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Señorita
Bonnett. Ricardo was an evil man who beat my Rosa many times and
only laughed at me when I tried to stop him."

He squeezed Renee's hand so hard it hurt, slipped an
arm around his daughter and the pair walked out into the gray
Washington day.

"You can be proud, Sweetheart," A familiar voice
said.

Renee swung around and smiled. "Dad," she said. "I
didn't realize you were here."

"I've been here since Tuesday, Sweetheart," Jack
replied. "How could I miss seeing one of the state's top attorneys
in action?"

Renee felt as if all her years of study had suddenly
bore fruit. She was a professional who had won a major criminal
case. "Oh Daddy, you're exaggerating again." She rushed across and
hugged her father then took out her cellphone. "I have to tell
Lem."

"Oh, he's just arrived," Jack said. "He drove up from
Seattle, picked up Courtney from Burlington and returned here."

Renee smiled again. There was nobody in the world she
would rather see than the great hulk of a man at the door and the
blonde teenager beside him.

"Hi, Big Time Attorney, are you still speaking to us
plebs?" Courtney called out.

"Have you an appointment?" Renee replied and
laughed.

"Several," Lem walked up, folded his arms around her
and placed a firm kiss on her lips. "That was appointment one.
Appointment two..."

"Okay, I get the idea. I need to return to the office
for a few moments. Perhaps you could all follow me there."

****

The reception at the office was a complete antithesis
of the warmth experienced earlier. Annette intercepted Renee in the
foyer and abruptly guided her into a side interview room. Her face
was like thunder and her hand shook as she held a document.

"My God, Renee. I poured my heart out at you on
Monday and you knew all along."

"Knew what? I have no idea what you're talking about,
Annette."

"Dad's will," the woman almost screamed. "Don't say
you didn't write it. It has your style over every page, the modern
language, no indented paragraphs…everything!" She slapped the
document on the small desk.

Renee swallowed. "I have never seen nor had anything
to do with your father's will. Look at the witness signatures if
you don't believe me. Why would William Senior confide in me,
anyway?"

"Because you're a major beneficiary, that's why!"
Annette stood with hands on her hips and eyes focused on Renee.

With her own anger rising Renee could not stop the
shocked expression that paled her face. She held the other woman's
gaze, felt for a chair behind her and sat down. "I had no idea,"
she whispered.

Annette never focused elsewhere. Her expression
changed from outright hostility to curiosity to almost acceptance.
For seconds she held Renee's gaze before she broke contact.

"Oh Jesus," she swore and sat in the second chair.
She pushed the will at Renee. "Read it," she whispered.

"No, it's a family document," Renee replied. "Tell me
about any sections that apply to me."

"My brother is furious." Annette gave a thin smile.
"He's going to the highest court in the land to have the will
declared null and void."

"But why?"

"Dad left eleven percent of the company shares to
you, Renee. You never knew?"

"No idea at all," Renee replied and switched to her
lawyer mode. "I am honored, of course but that is hardly a
controlling interest."

"But it is. There's more. The remaining forty percent
has been put in a frozen trust for five years. Only after that time
will it be divided between my brother and me. The trustees are
three old business friends of Dad's." Annette heaved in
exasperation. "But you read Clause 27 B."

Renee picked up the will and read the clause
mentioned.
In the course of the five years these shares are
frozen, I name Miss Renee Bonnett as the sole owner of the proxy
voting rights. She may use her majority voting rights to guide the
firm in any direction she wishes, except to sell the company. At
the end of five years, the shares and voting rights will revert to
my two children. By that date, I hope they will have learned how a
law firm should operate.

"Somewhat sarcastic," Renee whispered and read
several other relevant clauses before she looked up. "I knew
absolutely nothing of this, Annette."

"Why did Dad suddenly back you up on everything in
the last few months, then?" Annette's tone was still
suspicious.

"My Dad." Renee explained how her father and William
Senior had become friends at the club.

"Oh, I see," Annette replied in a more reconciliatory
tone.

"If your brother appeals this will, everything will
be frozen until the outcome is decided. It could be tied up for
years."

"Dad thought of that, too," Annette said in a
resigned voice. "He anticipated this action and had it covered.
Look a Clause 49."

"Tell me."

"Basically, it says the trustees of the will are
directed to hand the management of this company over to you until
all appeals are decided."

"And if I turn down the offer?"

"The trustees become a managing committee. In either
case, William and I are frozen out for five years or until the will
is nullified. Dad knew the law. I'll give him that much."

"I never wanted this. I'll have to think about the
implications."

"Well, it's better than I thought," Annette
confessed. "If William had taken over we'd be insolvent within a
year, I can just about guarantee that."

"And what about everything else? Your dad's home and
personal things?"

"I misjudged him, Renee. It's split down the middle.
William and I get half each, so I did better than expected. My
pride was pricked when I thought you knew what Dad did." She
smiled. "But even you couldn't fake that look of surprise when you
heard the news."

"Well, I'm sure we can work together and we can
tackle William from a point of strength, can't we?" Renee
added.

****

William Junior's reaction to the news was different
than Renee expected. He walked into her office on Friday and
glowered.

"I suppose the firm is now Bonnett, Usborne and
Usborne," he said sarcastically and sat down. "No doubt my sister
told you all the exciting news."

"She did," Renee replied. "However, I see little
reason for anything to change."

"But it will. You can bitch over everything as much
as you like, Renee but you won't have me to kick around." He
laughed sarcastically. "Didn't Nixon say something like that when
he resigned?"

Renee studied the man and saw someone stone sober.
That, in itself, was unexpected. He had a resolute expression with
a jaw that protruded, his hands folded formally across his crisp
new suit.

"Go on, William."

"I'm getting out. I'm selling my share of the firm,
Dad's house and going east."

"But you can't," Renee protested. "Your father's will
restricted sale of shares."

"Dad's bit for sure," William corrected. "But you
forget that I own twenty percent of the company outright. I can do
whatever I like with that and I choose to sell. You and my pathetic
sister can squander what's left to your heart's content. I know you
had it sorted out between you, anyway. You rolled your eyes at the
old man and he was putty in your hands." He lowered his eyes to
gaze at her bosom. "Or did you let him bed you a few times to get
his attention?"

If the comment was aimed at making Renee annoyed, it
worked. She flushed a bright red, stood and pulled her suit jacket
closed, so her blouse beneath was covered. Her eyes turned ice cold
and she fixed them on the man.

"Have you finished?"

William smiled. "Well, actually no. I know all about
women like you who ooze sex and use their bodies…"

"Get out!" A high-pitched voice from behind the pair
interrupted. "Sell your shares and good riddance to you, I say.
You're damn lucky to get anything from Dad. You deserved
nothing."

Renee was angry but nothing compared with Annette
Usborne who stood at the door with her face contorted in rage.
"You're a dirty-minded playboy who thinks everything is done with
that corrupt organ between your legs. We aren't all like that,
William, so just get."

William attempted to make another rude innuendo but
failed. Instead, he glanced back at Renee and shrugged. "Stupid
bitches," he muttered and walked out.

"I heard everything," Annette said. "I'm sorry,
Renee. He's a real bastard, isn't he?"

"Yes," Renee whispered. "I feel so sorry for his
wife."

"Me too," Annette confessed. "But he's solved our
problem, hasn't he?"

"What's that?"

"Saves you firing him, doesn't it? We could never
have worked with him. He did little enough with Dad keeping his eye
on him. With that influence gone he would have been
impossible."

Renee nodded. "So we can build the firm, together,
can't we?"

"I hope so," Annette replied. "If you want to try, I
am prepared to meet you halfway."

"No bosses, just partners," Renee added. "Those are
my conditions. It would have been impossible to operate like that
with William Junior but I think we can work well together."

"Yes," Annette said in a quiet voice. "The best law
firm in the Northwest."

The obnoxious Usborne son was forgotten as the two
lawyers kicked off their shoes, relaxed and discussed their future
together.

****

CHAPTER
15

The weekend had arrived, a cold blustery December
evening with rain thrashing windowpanes of the Bonnett farmhouse.
Inside, the central heating worked efficiently and the occupants
were snug and warm. Jack stood in the bedroom and waited in
anticipation. He heard the shower turn off and knew what would
happen. Every Friday it did.

Amy walked in the room with a towel wrapped around
her body, while she used a second towel to rub her damp hair dry.
She glanced at Jack standing by the bed and without a word dropped
the bottom towel. Nude and still red from the hot shower she
stepped into Jack's arms and kissed him frantically on the
lips.

Seconds later the two were on the bed and forty years
poured from Jack's life as the woman aroused him more than he
thought possible. "Oh, Jack," moaned Amy as his thrusts reached a
climax.

But at the height of passion, Jack's mind saw Sally
smiling at him. His dear wife and Renee's mother clung to him and
kissed him softly.

"You're my man, Jack," she whispered and held him
close for a few tender moments of intimacy before she sprung out of
bed.

But this heaving, desperate woman in the last stages
of her own climax was not Sally but Amy. She smiled into Jack's
face, gave him a quick peck on the cheek and disappeared from the
room.

A moment later she returned dressed in a shapeless
nightgown and slipped back in bed. "Night, Jack," she said, rolled
over and fell asleep.

It was over. That was the trouble. Amy was his lover;
he was sexually attracted to her but that was it. He did not love
the woman.