“I think you’re getting the picture,” Stone said.
“Then I can’t sue him?”
“Not until you can prove that he has tried to kill you, and if you’re in a position to do that, it would be much faster to let the police take care of it.”
“Why?”
“Because, Herbie,” Stone said with all the patience he could muster, “lawsuits take months or years, but when the police have good evidence, they make an arrest immediately. That’s also cheaper than a lawsuit.”
“But he could get bailed out, couldn’t he?”
“Not if we can prove that he might try again to kill you.”
Herbie nodded gravely. “That makes a lot of sense, Stone.”
“Thank you, Herbie. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other work to do.”
Herbie stood. “Yeah, okay, I understand. But…”
“But what?” Stone asked and was immediately sorry that he had.
“But what if he hires somebody else to kill me while he’s in jail?”
“Herbie,” Stone said, “whether it’s a civil or a criminal matter, that’s a chance you’re going to have to take.”
“Okay,” Herbie said, then left.
Stone took deep breaths, trying to compose himself.
12
Joan came to Stone’s office door. “How’d it go with Herbie?” she asked.
“Joan,” Stone said, “I’m having a great deal of trouble impressing upon you my desire not to see or speak to Herbert Fisher.”
“Oh, I completely understand,” she said.
“Not completely; otherwise you would not have allowed him into my office only a few minutes ago.”
“No, I understand completely,” Joan reassured him. “It’s just that we have certain ethical obligations to Herbie now.”
“Ethical obligations?”
“Yes. We’ve taken his money, so we owe him our time.”
“And just how much of our time do you reckon we owe him?” Stone asked.
“Well, your time, really. About a year: all day, every day, five days a week.”
“So you think I should spend all of the next year with Herbie?”
“It’s what he’s paid you for,” she said.
“He didn’t pay me, he paid you,” Stone pointed out, “and you rashly put the money in the bank and paid all my bills. I’m innocent of this, really.”
“You think it’s rash to put money in the bank, pay taxes and pay bills?”
“Not usually,” Stone admitted. “Just when the money comes from Herbie.”