Unchained Memories (24 page)

And then they were in each other’s arms, holding on for all the years they’d missed.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Brad Carlton sat at the head of the conference room table surveying the attorneys as if judging them. Charlotte knew the drill, for she’d been at a few other monthly attorneys’ meetings. As managing partner, Brad held the reins of the firm and rarely failed to point it out, not only to the lowly associates, but to his partners as well.

“Let’s get started.” He sent the budget reports around, a sense of superiority swelling his chest, and no doubt, his ego. “As you can see, the med mal group has exceeded its goal every month so far, and we’re on track to make this the biggest year ever.”

A few eyes rolled, but Charlotte saw the accompanying embarrassment. Clearly, not every department was on budget.

“Frank, what’s going on with the Personal Injury group?” He pointedly looked over the rim of his reading glasses, putting his colleague on the spot.

“The courts are backed up and we’re not getting trial dates on our cases. When the pressure’s not on the insurance companies to start trial, they’re not making serious offers. We’re in a holding pattern we have no control over.”

Brad wasn’t one to sugar-coat a problem or let Frank off the hook. “You’re on the County Bar Association’s Civil Trial Committee. You and your committee members have the ear of the judiciary. Obviously everyone’s in the same position. Can’t you come up with a plan to get these cases moving? Get the court to start scheduling trials, even if they don’t go off as planned.”

Brad loved to tell everyone how to do their job. Apparently, he didn’t mind pissing off his partners.

Frank’s face flushed at his verbal beating, and his eyes shot daggers in Brad’s direction. Brad smiled his smug smile.

“Walt, what about Worker’s Comp?” Brad turned his gaze to the other side of the table.

“We’re actually doing fine. We’re just slightly below our goal. Nothing to worry about at this stage of the game. It’s only July. We should make our budget by year’s end.”

Brad’s scowl proved he didn’t like that response either. “Being slightly behind, or making budget shouldn’t be the goal. We all need to work hard to exceed budget if we want to make more money. And I assume that’s what you’d all like to do.” Sarcasm punctuated his words. “I’m not about to bust my ass, or that of my department, to make up for your deficiencies. At the end of the year, if we’re the frontrunner, I’m going to make sure we’re rewarded for that. This is fair warning.”

“Brad, I hate to remind you, but this is a partnership.” Paul Diamond, the head of the Estates and Trusts Department, had been with the firm for over thirty years. He was one of Charlotte’s favorite people there, having been a friend to her parents and the Trustee of the educational trust set up in her parents’ Wills for her and Renee. His calm manner and senior statesman demeanor always lent authority to his words. “Some years we bring in more than you, and some years you bring in more than us. If you go back and analyze it, I’m sure you’ll find it’s a wash. We never penalized one department and rewarded another, since the tables can turn in an instant. That’s not the way this firm was built.”

Brad sighed at Paul’s statement. “As the firm gets bigger, things need to be modified to fit the new structure.” Brad used his pacifying tone, but Charlotte knew there was a fine line between accommodating and belittling. “If you don’t reward the profit-makers, they’re going to break off and start their own firm. I don’t want to see that happen here. I worked hard to put together the best medical malpractice team in central Jersey. Case in point, I hired Charlotte Taylor away from a hot shot firm in San Francisco.”

Charlotte’s ears burned at the mention of her name. Unfortunately, he continued. “She’s doing a bang up job for us. She’s motivated, a hard worker, cares about her clients and pushes for settlement. Yet she’s ready, willing and able to try a case. She’s building a great reputation in this area, and she’s only been here a short time. You all need to hire lawyers like that.”

Charlotte prayed for an invisible cloak to shield her. She had no desire to be Brad’s poster child, especially at the expense of the other attorneys in the room.

“You lucked out and you know it,” replied Frank, still smarting from his reprimand. “Charlotte’s connections to this place were formed when she was a kid. And she unmistakably has her parents’ genes.” Some of the others nodded their agreement.

“Luck has nothing to do with it. I reached out to her and convinced her to join us.”

Since Brad was gloating about her as his stellar acquisition, ignoring the real reason that brought her here, perhaps now was a good time to request her favor. Several of the partners would back her up, Paul Diamond included, whose support might sway Brad if he had any reservations. Confidence from her win in the Belton case bolstered her nerve.

“Since my name has come up, I’d like to raise an issue.” Charlotte sat up straighter, channeling a confidence she didn’t quite feel. “As some of you know, I spent a significant amount of time at Nassau General after the car accident that killed my parents.” She looked at Paul, given his superior knowledge of her circumstances. “I met many of the doctors and nurses there, and my father was a friend of Dr. Richard Collins.” No need to mention her current relationship with Clay. That was too personal for this meeting. “If possible, I would prefer to work on cases not involving Nassau General or its doctors.”

Paul spoke up. “There shouldn’t be a problem with that, right, Brad? I’m sure you have plenty of other cases.”

Brad found his fake smile. “Of course we have many other cases. But since I run the med mal department, I’ll make the decisions regarding what associate works on any particular case given the associate’s strengths and the best interests of our clients. I will, however, try to accommodate Charlotte’s request.” He glanced at Charlotte and his smile, albeit fake, failed to reach his hardened eyes.

Feeling like a child who had been warned to be seen, not heard, Charlotte kept her mouth shut. She was too new to the firm to join in the battle between Paul and Brad, even though it was over her issue. No one in her place would dare to challenge the partner who mentored her, in an effort to further explain her position.

An uncomfortable silence hung over the room, until Brad decided to clear the air. “Meeting’s adjourned. Who wants to go out to dinner?” Brad smiled at his minions as if all was forgiven.

Charlotte learned very quickly Brad’s leadership style rubbed many of the attorneys the wrong way, but they put up with it because they all wanted the same thing: a successful firm reputation-wise as well as profit-wise. And it was a given, that someone had to manage the firm so the rest of them could ignore the daily administrative hassles and practice law.

In a sense, they were lucky to have him.

****

“Is now a good time?” Charlotte poked her head into Brad’s office.

A week had passed since the uncomfortable attorneys’ meeting, but no negative fallout had occurred and things were normal between she and Brad.

“Yes. Come in. Have a seat. I want to talk to you about something.”

Why was he being so formal? And so nice. Generally he’d look up from whatever file had his undivided attention and say yea or nay. More often nay. His responsibilities as managing partner, head of the department and premier litigator had him pulling fourteen hour days and his tight schedule didn’t allow for pleasantries. Although, a kind word now and then would go a long way.

Charlotte took a client chair and waited for him to begin.

“We have a new case I think is perfect for you. We represent the family of a man who died during surgery. The decedent had been in a car chase with the police and crashed into a telephone pole. He’d managed to get out of the car and start running, so when the police caught him, they figured he wasn’t hurt. While in the back of the police car on the way to the county jail, he started having chest and back pains, so they took him to the hospital. They did some tests and determined he needed surgery. During the operation, he died. Dr. Hauser was the surgeon.”

A chill coursed down Charlotte’s spine, but she didn’t respond.

“He’s the same doctor who operated on your mother.”

“I know,” she rasped, unable to say more.

“I, as well as some of the other partners who were here when your mother died, always believed she died as a result of malpractice and not from her injuries in the car accident.”

Charlotte’s gut wrenched as it did anytime someone brought up her parents’ deaths, especially her mother’s. “I know that, too.” Charlotte cleared her throat. Why was he bringing this up now? Ten years later. The statute of limitations had run out years ago.

“The only reason I raise this now is because I thought you would want to work on this case with me. It’s a big case, but I know you can handle it. And maybe you’ll get some satisfaction out of nailing the doctor who killed your mother.”

His resolute confidence in her had little time to sink in before the lance drove straight through her heart. She closed her eyes and inhaled.

He must have sensed her devastation because he softened his tone. “Although you never filed suit and, therefore, we were never able to prove it, I believe your mother died because of medical negligence. Dr. Hauser performed the surgery on your mom. This is your chance, Charlotte. Your chance to go after him. You were young and vulnerable when you decided not to proceed with a lawsuit. Here’s your second chance.”

The sting of tears assaulted her eyes. Her mom. Could she really have survived the crash if she’d had another doctor? Would Charlotte have been a different person if she’d had a parent to love her, to care for her for the last ten years? She wanted to cry. Cry for the young girl who’d become an orphan in a matter of hours. Who’d lived for six months in a hospital without the benefit of a home, a family. Who went from carefree teen to responsible adult in a period of a few hours. And who had refused, at least until recently, to get too involved in a relationship because of the pain it would cause when it ended. But she couldn’t cry. Not in front on Brad. He was her boss.

Brad continued. “Everyone here thinks you’re doing a great job. Including me. The Belton case made us all take notice. I see you on the partnership track. A shining star. If you do a good job on this case, who knows?” He shrugged. “You could even be nominated early.” He paused, allowing his carrot to dangle in front of her. “So, what do you think?”

What did she think? She thought he was a master manipulator. But why should she care? This was her opportunity to avenge her mother’s death, to make Dr. Hauser pay for his mistakes.

Besides, how could she refuse to take a case handed to her by a senior partner? Yes, he was asking if she wanted it, but he wasn’t actually giving her an option. He had made it clear at the meeting he was in charge of this department and he was the one to make the decision as to which associate would work on any particular case. If she said no, she’d probably be fired. Maybe not today, but he’d find some excuse. And she couldn’t run the risk of ruining her reputation. She had to protect herself, her own future. And while she had no plans to stay around long enough to become a partner at the firm, she would need good references to move on.

She had no choice and Brad knew it. She was no fool. She rose stiffly, railing against his immoral tactics, the flattery, the personal stake, the key to partnership. He looked expectantly for her answer.

“Where’s the file?”

He practically beamed at her. “In the conference room on the table. Take your time in going through it. We’ll talk when you’re ready.”

How very thoughtful of him.

She plopped into a chair at the conference room table. What would she tell Clay? Her promise to avoid cases against Nassau General was what had turned the tide in their relationship. He’d put the past behind and focused on the future.

But what future could they have if she sued the hospital again? He’d see this as betrayal, pure and simple. Yet, this was her chance to go after the doctor who was responsible for her mother’s death. It was personal. In so many ways.

If Clay didn’t understand, then maybe they weren’t meant for each other. Hadn’t she already acknowledged that to herself when every brain cell in her head screamed their relationship would never last and she’d be hurt? This was what she’d been trying to avoid for the past ten years. Why did she think, for even a moment, she should toss away her conviction for a person who put work before all else? And whose work conflicted at every level with hers.

Charlotte massaged her forehead, hoping to rub the pain away. But it wasn’t in her head. It was in her heart.

For her heart was cracking.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“You look terrific,” Charlotte said as she squeezed through Renee’s front door, her trial briefcase in one hand and a convenience store bag in the other. “You were vague on the phone. Where are you going? It’s not like you to make plans on a Saturday night.”

“Just out to dinner with a friend.”

Renee’s lack of eye contact and defensive tone kicked in Charlotte’s radar. She was nervous, the poor thing. “A male friend?” she asked, trying to gain a little more information.

“Yes.” Renee disappeared into the kitchen.

“Mommy, I like your top,” Eva called after her, following Renee on plastic high heels with a boa draped over her shoulders. “Can I have it when I get older?”

“Sure, honey.” Renee reappeared with a glass of water. “Make sure you listen to Aunt Charlotte. Jake, you too.” Her eyes wandered over to her son, who sat on the floor amongst his cars and trains, putting them in a crooked row.

Neither of them answered, but Charlotte wasn’t worried. They really were the sweetest kids and no problem to sit for. Over the past eight months, they had all become a family, with Charlotte spending almost as much time at her sister’s house as her own. And once they’d dealt with their past, they were able to become even closer.

Eva came over to Charlotte, holding up a purse and a royal blue hat with a feather. “You need to get ready to go shopping with me.”