Читать книгу Piano in the Dark - Eric Pete - Страница 14

“Counselor, you know the court’s rules about cell phones. I suggest you silence it while I’m in a good mood,” Judge Akers offered from the bench. Her eyes beneath her excessive plume of red hair were exaggerated by her large, thick-rimmed eyeglasses.

“Your Honor, it’s not mine,” Jim Warner, one of the firm’s distinguished senior partners, said as he looked inside the coat pocket of his suit. I was oblivious to the matter, trying to organize the documents I’d delivered for the large class-action case Jim was trying today. Until I realized they were both looking at me.

It was my phone. I’d forgotten to turn off upon entering the courtroom. Credit my returning to work a day earlier than what was prescribed by my doctor for the slip-up. My mind was still not fully back in gear, but I was needed.

“Sorry,” I mouthed silently as I hastily ended the ringing. As it powered down, I had a moment to glance at the number of the incoming call. Not familiar. Probably a wrong number getting me in all kinds of trouble.

“Do you need to take that?” Jim asked as I went back to my arrangement of his presentation items and exhibits.

“No,” I answered discreetly. “Probably a wrong number. I’ll check on it later.”

Later came during a recess to allow a key witness for our case time to arrive from the airport. It was an unseasonably warm and humid day, but I welcomed the chance to defrost outside along with the casts of potential jurors grateful for an escape from the frigid confines of the Harris County Civil Courthouse. Confidently clear of Judge Akers’s edict, I retrieved my phone and turned it on as I leaned against the brick retaining wall.

“Hey, baby. Have a brief break, so figured I’d call,” I said

“How are you feeling?” Dawn asked. Our agreement was that she let me go in to work and I would call at my first available moment.

“Good. Real good. I’m pacing myself just like I promised. Despite enjoying your company, I was going stir-crazy.”

“Yeah. You were driving me a little crazy too with all your pacing. Couldn’t even enjoy The View without you wanting to change it to CNN,” she joked.

“Well, enjoy your TV, babe. It’s all yours once again. I’m about to go back inside the courthouse.”

“Okay. No working late, though.”

“I promise.”

As I prepared to shut my phone off once again, it buzzed with the delivery of a text message.

The message was a number I didn’t recognize. Probably same as my earlier missed call.

How r u feeling? It read.

Better. Thx. Who is this?

I rapidly replied as I looked at my watch.

Are you alone?

Kinda.

I texted back, wondering who could be toying with me like this.

Jacobi, stop playing. U know I’m in court.

I sent upon further thought.

Wrong guess. Now my feelings r hurt.

Oops. Sorry. L I gotta go. Who is this?

Gotta w8 now since u guessed wrong. I’ll tell you tomorrow. Over lunch?

Just getting back to work. Already have plans 4 tomorrow. Going to be busy.

Whoever was messing with me was slow on the response. Almost thought one wasn’t coming. I went to turn off my phone again, tired of the games. Then it buzzed.

U might have plans 4 tomorrow. But who knows tomorrow’s plans for u? N’est-ce pas?

I smiled, having no clue what it meant. But I liked it.

But tomorrow could wait because today was calling my ass back inside the courthouse.