Save Me - Lisa Scottoline [95]
“He recognizes a good defense strategy when he sees one, and I hope you’ve come around.”
“No, and I won’t.” Rose didn’t get angry. For the first time in a long time, she felt supremely in control. “The very suggestion that I’ll sue the school is damaging to my family. The office was stone cold when I called today, and I can’t imagine how Melly can attend a school that her parents are suing.”
“They have no right to react or retaliate, and I’ll send them a cease-and-desist letter, immediately.”
“Oliver, they’re human, they’re people. They have feelings. You can’t cease-and-desist feelings.” Rose would have laughed, in another mood. “I’ve tried, and it doesn’t work.”
“Rose. You’re in very serious trouble, have you forgotten? Civil suits and criminal charges may be brought against you, any day now. The smartest thing for you to do is pre-empt them and file first.”
“I’m not sacrificing my family for my own hide, and the school didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Of course they did. The blond teacher at the door let Amanda—”
“Enough.” Rose wanted to get real, finally. “It was an emergency, and that teacher did her best in the circumstances, just like I did. Do you think she wanted Amanda to get trapped in the fire? Did anybody really want this?”
“They left the doors propped open.”
“It was hot, Oliver. People make mistakes, and they don’t have to get sued for them.” Rose was thinking of Thomas Pelal. “Don’t you think that teacher feels bad enough? For the rest of her life?”
“Fine,” Oliver snapped. “Then we won’t sue, but you need good press for the public and the jury pools. We need to spin the story our way.”
“No, it’s not about the spin, it’s about the truth. I’m not suing anybody, or threatening to. That’s just being a bully. I hate bullies, and I’ll be damned before I’ll turn into one.” Rose came finally to the point. “Oliver, I’m sorry, but you’re fired.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am. Bill me for the time we spent, and I’ll send you a check.”
“Rose, I’m the best criminal lawyer in the state. What are you going to do?”
“I’ll figure it out. Good-bye, Oliver.” Rose hung up and was about to start the engine when she caught sight of the dashboard clock.
And got a better idea.
Chapter Fifty-one
Rose pressed L for Leo and waited for the call to connect. It was 5:15, and court would be adjourned for the day. She knew the trial schedule because she’d helped him once in court, and he usually got a break before dinner and the night’s witness prep began.
“Hey,” Leo said coolly, taking the call.
“Hi. Did I catch you at a bad time or a good time?”
“I only have a minute. We’re about to go eat.”
“I figured, so I’ll get to the point.” Rose could hear the distance in his tone, but she hadn’t expected more. “I just got off the phone with Oliver. He said you told him that it was okay to say we were considering suing. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“Why did you say that? They’re angry at me in the office, and I don’t blame them.”
“I sent you to Oliver because he’s one of the smartest lawyers I know, and he came up with a brilliant defense. Let him do his job.”
“He won’t be doing his job for me anymore, I just fired him. Litigation isn’t always the answer, Leo. You’re thinking too much like a lawyer.”
“Can you blame me?”
Suddenly Rose realized what Leo had meant the other day. “Honey, listen. I’m sorry for not telling you about Thomas Pelal, and for how I’ve been acting. You were right. I haven’t been thinking of us as a family, and now I know how it feels. Lousy. Because you weren’t thinking of us as a family, either, by telling Oliver to go ahead.”
“I was thinking of us. That’s why I said that. The best way to protect our family is to sue the school.”
“No, it’s not. Do you know what they’ll do to Melly? Her life will be hell.” Rose didn’t get it. “If we’re really partners, it’s fifty-fifty, and nobody has veto power over the other. So I won’t do it to you, but you can’t do it to me.”
“I don’t have time to deal with this now.