Phillip Margolin - Fugitive

Frank waited for his host in a comfortable armchair across from a small marble fireplace. After a while, he glanced at his watch and realized that only five minutes had passed. There was a narrow, floor-to-ceiling bookshelf next to the fireplace. Frank was about to inspect Pope’s library when the door opened and Pope hobbled in.

“Thank you for coming, Mr. Jaffe.”

Frank noted the tremor in the older man’s voice and the difficulty he had navigating across the room to the armchair opposite Frank. When he lowered himself onto the chair, he grimaced.

“Why am I here, Mr. Pope?”

Senior stared at Frank, irritated that his guest had taken control by skipping the usual pleasantries that preceded a business meeting.

“I see you like to get right to the point.”

“Which is?”

“You are ideally situated to perform a service for me, which will bring me great satisfaction and will bring you a substantial reward.”

“Go on.”

“I understand you’re representing Liam O’Connell in the guardianship contest.”

Frank nodded. Pope shook his head slowly.

“What a sad affair. Poor Sally. We definitely had our differences, some quite vehement, but she was a fighter and I admired her spunk. She probably didn’t know that.”

Frank didn’t respond. If Pope was trying to convince him that he was sorry that Sally was dead, he was failing. Frank knew how Pope really felt about his daughter-in-law and no phony show of sympathy was going to change his mind.

“I regret very much that Sally saw fit to cut herself off from me after my son’s tragic death,” Pope continued.

“If I remember correctly, Mr. Pope, you had something to do with that.”

“You’re completely correct, Mr. Jaffe. My son’s death was a crushing experience. I was not rational at times after he passed and my grief interfered with my judgment. When Sally was indicted for Arnold’s death I focused my hatred on her and I saw the dismissal of the charges against her as a personal affront.

“After the dismissal-after I had gotten my emotions in check-I hired a team of investigators to review the case. They concluded that there was a strong possibility that Sally had been unjustly accused.”

Frank noted that Pope had conveniently managed to forget his involvement in the false accusations and the manufactured evidence that had led to Sally’s indictment. He was tempted to remind him about the photographs and the note that had lured his son to his death, as well as the strong evidence that Otto Jarvis had been bribed to lie at Sally’s trial, but he decided to hold his tongue.

“I made numerous attempts over the years to apologize and I made many offers to renew our friendship, all of which, to my sorrow, she rebuffed.” Pope lowered his eyes and made a show of contrition. “I can’t say I blame her.”

“Where is all of this breast-beating leading, Mr. Pope?”

A flash of anger was Frank’s reward for his blunt question, but Pope mastered his emotions quickly.

“I am very concerned about my grandson. Sally kept us apart as punishment for the way I treated her, but I love Arnie very much…”

“Sally’s son is named Kevin,” Frank interrupted, eliciting another flash of anger from Pope.

“Yes, Mr. Jaffe. His legal name is Kevin. My son wanted to name him Arnold Pope III but Sally named him Kevin to spite me. I bear her no grudge for that but he will always be Arnie to me.”

“You were getting to the point of our meeting,” Frank prodded.

“Sally designated Liam O’Connell as Kevin’s guardian in her will, but he has no right to be the boy’s guardian. He and Sally never married, he’s not kin.”

“Kevin looks up to Mr. O’Connell and he’s very fond of Kevin. From what I’ve seen, Mrs. Pope made a good choice.”

“Kevin may be fond of this Irishman, but he has my blood in his veins.”

“If I remember correctly, you and I discussed the possibility of you becoming Kevin’s guardian shortly after Mrs. Pope’s trial. Have you forgotten why your attorney advised you to drop your plans for a custody battle?”

Senior flashed a malevolent smile. “You mean your contention that I bribed Otto Jarvis and had something to do with that Rodriguez person, who took the pictures of Sally and her convict friend? Maybe you haven’t heard, but Otto Jarvis passed away, a heart attack, I believe. And Mr. Rodriguez was shot to death in an alley. Something to do with a drug deal gone bad. So you would no longer be able to produce witnesses to support your allegations. But why bring up Sally’s trial? It’s old news.”

“I still don’t understand why I’m here.”

“You’re representing Mr. O’Connell, so you are in an excellent position to influence him. I want to adopt Kevin. He would be my heir. Surely you see the advantage to the boy in that. I want you to convince your client to turn down the guardianship and support my claim to be the boy’s adoptive father.”

“Why would I do that?”

“I have occasional need for an attorney with your talents, Mr. Jaffe. Obviously, I couldn’t retain you or your firm while you’re representing Mr. O’Connell in this matter, because of the conflict of interest that would create. However, if this business is concluded swiftly and favorably, the conflict would cease and I would be able to put your firm on a very healthy retainer.”

Frank stared directly at Senior. Senior didn’t blink.

“You don’t see anything wrong in the offer you just made?”

“None whatsoever.”

“Some people might interpret it as a bribe.”

“Nonsense. It’s to my advantage to have the very best legal talent at my disposal.”

Frank smiled. “I appreciate the compliment, Mr. Pope, but I’m going to turn you down.”

“That might not be wise. If you don’t assist me I may have to contact the bar with some disturbing information I’ve had in my possession for some time. I would be very upset if I was unable to retain you because you were no longer permitted to practice law.”

All of Frank’s tolerance for Pope’s clumsy attempt to corrupt him disappeared instantly, and Frank fixed his host with an icy stare.

“Why wouldn’t I be able to practice law, Mr. Pope?”

Senior pulled a photograph of Frank and Sally Pope going into her home at night out of his inside jacket pocket.

“The bar frowns on affairs between a lawyer and his client. I have numerous pictures of you and Arnie’s wife together during and after her trial and investigators who will swear before a disciplinary panel that you left my daughter-in-law’s house in the small hours of the morning on many occasions.”

Frank stood up. “You’re going to have a hard time convincing the bar that I wasn’t conferring with Mrs. Pope about her legal affairs, but do your worst. I’ve never sold out a client and this definitely will not be the case where I start.”

“You’re making a big mistake.”

“No, Mr. Pope, you are. If you come after me, do not think for one moment that I won’t come right back at you.”

Ican’t believe I’m doing this,” Mike Greene said as he carried two duffel bags loaded with Karl Burdett’s files in the Pope and Marsh cases into Amanda’s condo shortly after seven in the evening. Amanda gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

“You’re a prince,” she said as she picked up one of the bags and carried it into the living room. Amanda’s romance with Mike Greene had been rocky at times, but that had always been her fault, especially when she’d been traumatized by the events in the Cardoni case. What made her love Mike was his consistency. He was always there for her and he never judged her, even when she was at her worst.