Dead in the Water

Marks, we place the highest possible value on civility among members of the bar. You should not have shouted at Winston.”
    “I’m sorry, but he shouted first…sort of.”
    “Winston is not a man to be dallied with,” Hewitt said.
    “I didn’t dally with him.”
    “He could be a very dangerous man to insult. I hope you did not insult him.”
    “I tried not to, but he really began to get up my nose.”
    “I sincerely hope he does not decide to retaliate,” Hewitt said sadly. “It could be the end of Allison.”
    “Oh, Jesus, Leslie, don’t tell me that,” Stone moaned.
    “Tell you what?” Hewitt said.
    “Tell me…” He looked closely at the old man. His eyes had taken on that glazed look again. “Oh, never mind.”
    Allison came out the back door and came to the table.
    “I’m afraid that was as long as I could take in the powder room,” she said. “I did everything I could think of.”
    Stone stood up. “We have to be going,” he said.
    “Oh, don’t go,” Hewitt cried. “Please introduce me to this beautiful young woman.”
    Allison turned and looked closely at Hewitt. “What?”
    “Leslie,” Stone said, “thank you for your hospitality, but we have to go now. We’ll see you soon.” He took the protesting Allison by the arm and steered her through the house. In the cab he leaned back and wiped his face with his handkerchief.
    “What was that all about?” Allison demanded. “What did he mean, introduce me? Doesn’t he know who I am anymore?”
    “Allison, please be quiet until we get to the yacht,” Stone said through clenched teeth, pointing at the driver. They made the rest of the trip in silence.
    Back aboard Expansive , Allison practically stamped her foot. “Now tell me, what was that all about?”
    “You first,” Stone said, getting himself a beer from the fridge. “What were you doing at Leslie’s house?”
    “He invited me to lunch,” she said, “and sent a taxi for me.”
    “Allison, I don’t want you ever to meet alone with Leslie again.”
    “And why not? Isn’t he representing me?”
    “He is a consultant; I am representing you. Leslie is not…the man he once was.”
    “Is that why he didn’t seem to recognize me?”
    “Yes.”
    “You mean he’s…gaga?”
    “At times.”
    “I’m being represented by a lawyer who’s gaga?”
    “You’re being represented by me. Leslie is simply advising me on the local judicial system.”
    “Well, he was talking to me as if he were my only lawyer in the world,” she said. “He made me go through the whole story again, and in the greatest possible detail.”
    “I’m sorry that happened, but you should not have gone to see him without me.”
    “And speaking of you, where the hell were you?”
    “Two policemen showed up this morning and dragged me to Sir Winston Sutherland’s office.”
    “Why?”
    “I’m not sure; I think he was fishing for something he could use. He asked a lot of questions about Libby.”
    “And what did you tell him about her?”
    “The truth, but without the financial details.”
    “God, how could you do that?”
    “Why shouldn’t I answer his questions? We’ve nothing to lose by telling him the truth about her. Believe me, this is no time to start lying to the local authorities.”
    “What did he want to know?”
    “Mostly, he wanted to know about next of kin. I think he’s having trouble notifying someone about her death.”
    “Well, that’s not our responsibility, is it?”
    “I told him where she was from and suggested he get in touch with the nearest American consulate.”
    “He couldn’t figure that out by himself?”
    “Apparently not.”
    “What if he starts talking to her relatives?” she asked.
    “What if he does? That doesn’t matter to us, does it?”
    She didn’t reply.
    “Does it? Allison, is there something you haven’t told me about Libby?”
    “No, certainly not,” she said.
    “Because this is no time to start withholding information from your lawyer. I need to know everything there is to know.”
    “You do. I mean, I’ve told you everything I know about her.”
    “I certainly hope so, because I don’t want to get into that courtroom tomorrow and have Sir Winston raise something I’ve never heard about. You do understand the necessity of my being fully prepared, don’t you?”
    “Of course I do,” she cried. Now she was really getting upset; there were tears in her eyes.
    “All right, all right, don’t cry,” he said. He