Lisa Scottoline - Save Me

Oliver kept talking. “I cannot imagine a jury in the world who would find anything blameworthy in her conduct, because she is a hero. The fact that Amanda was eventually injured is the fault of the construction deficiencies, the school’s non-existent fire safety procedures, and the negligent supervision of the blond teacher in the hallway, who permitted her to run back in after an iPod.”

Rose remained still. John banged the keys on the table, but everyone ignored him.

Howard looked deep in thought, eyeing Rose. “Just to clarify, where was the other lunch mom, Terry Douglas, when you asked Amanda and the other students to stay behind?”

Rose swallowed, hard. “She was-”

“Stop.” Oliver raised his hand again. “I object to the phraseology ‘stay behind,’ and Rose has been clear about that. I won’t have you go over and over it.”

“I was clarifying.”

“It’s clear enough.”

“Not to us.” Howard shook his head. “The Commonwealth’s concern is that Rose assumed and insisted upon exclusive control of the three children, including Amanda.”

Rose felt her gut clench.

“We dispute that,” Oliver shot back, coolly. “As soon as Rose regained consciousness, she delivered Amanda and Emily to the hallway and the supervision of the teacher there. She excluded no one, at any time. There was no one helping any child, except Rose.” Oliver checked his watch. “We’ve been here an hour. That’s an hour you should have spent interviewing the contractor, subcontractors, school district officials, and a teacher who let a child run into a burning building.” Oliver rose, suddenly. “This meeting is over. Good-bye, and thank you for coming.”

Howard looked up, pursing his lips. “Grandstanding doesn’t help your client, Oliver.”

“Oh, please.” Oliver didn’t bat an eye. “I’m not grandstanding, I’m merely standing. If you persist, I’m going to have to wonder why you’re so intent on not investigating the school district and state officials who made the decision to hire whomever they hired. Please tell me it’s not because they pay your and your boss’s salaries, because the jury won’t like that, not one bit.”

“What?” Howard’s eyes flared an angry brown, and he got to his feet, as did Rick. “What are you suggesting? That I’m in somebody’s pocket?”

“I didn’t say that, did I?” Oliver strode around the table, went to the door, and opened it calmly. “No more free discovery. Know that if you come after her, I’m coming after you. ”

Oliver eased into Howard’s vacated chair across from Rose, exhaling with a smile. “So, now we can talk. How are you?”

“Worried sick.” Rose sipped her coffee, which was cold. “Tell me how you think it went. Will he charge me?”

“That, I don’t know.” Oliver buckled his lower lip. “But you did well. Your account was brief and to the point.”

“Thanks.”

“This isn’t in our control, and you have to understand that. We shot our wad, we bloodied his nose.” Oliver paused. “I’m mixing my metaphors.”

“It’s okay.”

“You heard the question he asked. That’s our problem. The Kellam case, as I told you.”

“Tell me if you think he’ll charge me. Take a shot.”

“We have to wait and see, about Amanda, and so forth, as I told you.”

Rose gave up. “Why did you say all that, about me filing suit?”

“To back him down, to show him he’s at risk if he moves against you.” Oliver’s smile vanished. “This is war, Rose. Make no mistake. Tom is right about that.”

Rose didn’t know what to say. She felt worried sick.

“This is no time to hesitate. You don’t want to be sitting in cellblock C, thinking, ‘I wish my lawyer had been more aggressive, I wish he’d fought harder for me.’”

Rose didn’t want to admit it, but he was right. “So, do you think there’s some payoffs going on, with the school district?”

“Of course not. I just said that to scare him. To let him know I’ll go after him and his boss if I have to. I don’t want him going after you instead of the district. I won’t let that happen.”

“Thanks,” Rose said, meaning it.

“I do think we have to put our story out now. Let me proceed with a press release, please. I’ll tell it from your point of view, and at the end, I can suggest that you’re thinking about suing, not that you actually are going to.”

“Why can’t you put out my side of the story, without talking about me suing anybody?”

“It’s not as newsworthy, and the first question they’ll ask me is, is she suing? If I say no, you’ll look weak.” Oliver shook his head. “I’d rather say nothing than say that. Then at least they’ll think you’re contemplating suit.”

“Then don’t say anything. To the outside world, saying I’m thinking about suing is the same as saying I am suing. These are distinctions that only lawyers make, Oliver.”

“Please, at least talk to Leo. See what he says.”

“Okay, fine.”

“You’ll see a change for the better, as soon as we do. In the short run, it will get more intense, but we want to win, in the end. Keep the long run in mind.”

“I will.” Rose was about to get up, and John had fallen asleep, now that the meeting was over. She slid the plastic keys from his hand as his grip loosened. “Such a good baby.”

“He earned his keep today, our little Exhibit A.”

“His name is John.”

“Exhibit J, then.”

Rose didn’t smile as she dropped the plastic keys into her purse, then raised John to her shoulder and stood up. “Thanks for everything today.”

“You’re welcome.” Oliver stood up, too. “You know, I get it, seeing you with Exhibit J.”

“Get what?”

“Why people want offspring. I never did, but all my wives did.”

“Children are all that matters, Oliver.” Rose met his eye and spoke to him from the heart. “This baby needs me, and so does Melly. They love their dad, but I’m their world. You have to keep me free, for them. Not for me, for them.”

Oliver dropped his cynical expression, seeming to get real. “Listen. I’ll try my best, but I can’t guarantee anything.”

“I know,” Rose said, aching. She picked up her purse and left. There was something she wanted to do, and she had no time to waste.

Rose steered into the school parking lot, her face hidden behind sunglasses, but Tanya Robertson and the other press at the cordon recognized her car. They snapped photos and shouted questions she couldn’t hear, with the car windows up and Disney lullabies on the CD player. John listened contentedly in his car seat, shaking his plastic keys, a toy worth its weight in gold.

She hit the gas, cruised as far from the press as she could go, and parked. The lot was almost empty because it was too early for dismissal, but she was a mom on a mission. She twisted off the ignition, grabbed her purse, got out, and slid John and his toy keys from the car seat. She gave him a big kiss on his fleshy cheek, and his tiny arm went around her neck.

“Bbsbb,” he gurgled, with a wet grin that revealed a white flash of tooth nugget on his lower gum.

“A new tooth!” Rose hadn’t noticed, with all the horrible stuff going on. She walked toward the school, reached the concrete ramp, and went inside through the door signed, ALL VISITORS MUST CHECK IN. It was the only door open to the public, and she thought of Tom. She couldn’t imagine filing suit against the school, shook it off, and entered the office. The room was large, with a sunny panel of windows, soft blue walls, and matching patterned carpeting. An oak-like counter divided the office lengthwise, and the front part served as a waiting room, containing four blue-cloth chairs, an end table, and a wire rack with tri-fold brochures for the PTO.