Page 102 of Passionate Defense

“Objection,” Lanie interrupted, rising again. “Asked and answered. How many ways does Mrs. Anderson need to say she was not interested in Mr. Simons and did not initiate, scheme, or propose sexual favors to advance her career at Wolfe, Williams & Simons?”

Beth shuddered delicately, as if she was repulsed by the mere thought of sex with the slimy defendant. Ethan bit back a grin as all nine women on the jury grimaced in obvious agreement.

“Sustained. Mr. Jackson,” the judge asked impatiently. “Do you have a new line of questioning, because I am tiring of your redundancy?”

“No further questions.”

“Thank God for small favors,” the judge murmured in an undertone, but her voice carried to the jury and the front row where Ethan and Steven sat. More laughter echoed throughout the room. His smile broadening as Lanie turned and gave him a covert wink.

He was so proud of her. Jackson hadn’t taken one legal stance that she hadn’t successfully shot down. If this was the caliber of attorney and the best defense WW&S had to offer, he was glad she’d gotten out of there when she did.

Except for the wink, her Ice Queen demeanor hadn’t cracked. She’d allowed Beth to play the sympathetic victim, while she remained cool and collected, proving herself to be proficient and credible to the judge, spectators, and most importantly, the jury.

“We’ll break for lunch,” Judge Studor announced, “and reconvene at one o’clock. Counsel, I’ll see you in my chambers.”

As the gavel fell, he was sure the judge had at long last had enough of this absurdity.

* * *

THE DOOR HADN’T SHUTbehind them before the judge, in the process of stripping off her voluminous black robe, started in. “Let me summarize what I’ve seen so far. We have eight plaintiffs. They’re young, attractive women, each with a sympathetic story to tell, especially the widow with three kids and the beauty queen from Iowa who’s a dead ringer for castaway Mary Ann Summers. All are credible and consistent testimony against a less than attractive, unsympathetic, hard-to-believe serial predator and his cronies who protected him by covering up his licentious behavior, or at the very least, looking the other way.” She moved behind her desk and took a seat before leveling her gaze at opposing counsel. “What are we doing here, Mr. Jackson? Why hasn’t this case been settled?”

Lanie tried not to show her amusement as she watched Bert Jackson squirm beneath Victoria’s scrutiny. She hoped she was never on the receiving end of her cutting tongue. She might be her friend, but she was intimidating in her judicial robes and showed no favoritism whatsoever.

“Uh, my clients—”

“Will lose, Mr. Jackson. Convince them to settle and get this ridiculous, although entertaining charade, out of my courtroom.”

Jackson stared at her in surprise then glanced at Lanie.

“This can’t be easy for you, Bert. Believe me, I know. But think of your future and get them to make this go away. With Walt’s recent plea, work on Art and Roger. They have the most to lose.”

“I’ll talk to them again.”

“Talk to them about ten million each,” Lanie called after him, biting back a smile when he stumbled over the price tag.

He glanced at the judge to see her reaction. She was of no help except for a single nugget of wise counsel. “Quit while you’re ahead, Mr. Jackson. I’d have asked for twenty.”

The attorney nodded then continued on to the door. He glanced at Lanie before he opened it. “You wouldn’t need another litigator at your firm, would you?”

“Sorry,” she said with a curt shake of her head. “We’re a women’s law firm. No boys allowed.”

He gaped at the judge. “Is that legal?”

Vicky’s eyes gleamed with amusement as she shrugged, not about to give him free legal advice.

After he’d left to find his clients and give them the bad news, the judge asked Lanie, “Did I date myself with theGilligan’s Islandreference?”

“No way. I watched TV Land for five days when I was home with the flu. I thought Mary Ann got the short end of the stick. She was so much cuter than Ginger.”

“I watched it in prime time as a kid,” Vicky lamented with a rueful shake of her head. “I keep forgetting I’m old.” From behind her desk, she considered Lanie, and said, all kidding aside. “Jackson’s got a point. You may want to take on a token male for appearance’s sake and to keep the EEOC off your back. It doesn’t have to be a partner, however.”

“Good, because I can’t think about working with a man after all this crap with WW&S.”

“I can understand how this experience has turned you off male attorneys, but there are good ones out there. I promise.”

“You mean aside from the sexy law professor who sat behind me in court today?”

“You’ve got more than a good one in Ethan. Few husbands are as supportive. I was glad to see him there for you, and not just for the eye candy he provided. Although I think it was part of your jury strategy to dress both Ethan and Steven in Brooks Brothers and seat them in the first row. Juror number eleven was very distracted. I almost had to say something.”

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