Bitter Truth

BITTER TRUTH/39
“Oh, so they would know of you?”
“Yes,” I said. “Very well.”
“Then maybe we can do some business after all.”
“I don’t think so,” I said. They had checked me out all right,
and it was interesting as hell that they were so interested, but
their scouting report was old. I might have gone for the bait one
time or another, given much to garner the business of an old
and revered client like the First Mercantile Bank of the Main
Line, but not anymore. “You see, we once sued Talbott, Kittredge
& Chase and won a large settlement. They hate me there, in
fact a memo has been circulated to have their lawyers harass
me at every turn, so I don’t think they’d agree to your giving
me any work.”
“Well of course,” said the blond man, “it’s our choice really.”
“Thank you for the offer,” I said, “but no. We don’t really
represent banks.”
“It’s sort of a moral quirk of ours,” said Beth. “They’re so big
and rich and unkind.”
“We sue them, of course,” I said. “That’s always good for a
laugh or two, but we don’t represent them. We sometimes represent
murderers and tax cheats and crack mothers who have
deserted their babies, but we will only sink so low. Are you
finished counting, Jeffries, or do you think Ben Franklin will
start to smile if you keep tickling him like that?”
“Give Mr. Carl his money,” said the blond man.
Jeffries put the bills back in the envelope and handed it to me.
“Thank you for banking with us, sir.”
“My pleasure,” I said as I tapped the envelope to my forehead
in a salute. “I’m a little surprised though at how much interest
you both seem to take in Miss Shaw’s affairs. She must be
someone very special.”
“We take a keen interest in all of our clients’ affairs,” said the
blond man.