Mary’s mother had listened to every word, as she managed to serve dinner, which was a plate of steaming ravioli with slow cooked tomato sauce and broccoli rabe glistening with olive oil, garlicky enough to leave an aftertaste for days, until it finally left Mary’s body via her pores. Judy wolfed down her meal as she finished the story, which did Mary’s heart good. If Judy was eating, sooner or later, world order would be restored. But what preoccupied Mary was John’s killer.
“MARE, YOU UPSET, TOO, AREN’T YA?”
“Yes, I am.” Mary pushed her plate away, since she had eaten for three. “I can’t imagine who would kill John. I want to touch base with Lou and see if he found out anything. I called him and Bennie, but I haven’t heard back yet.”
Judy looked over, miserably. “They would’ve called us if they found anything.”
Mary knew it was true as soon as Judy said it. “So what do we do tomorrow? Just business as usual, with all this going on?”
Judy nodded sadly. “We have to, we have no other choice. You have a deposition to defend inLondon Technologies. The show must go on—until I get arrested.”
“JUDY, JESUS, GOD! DON’T SAY THAT! THEY CAN’T DO THAT! YOU DIDN’T KILL NOBODY! YOU NEVER WOULD!”
“Che, che?” Mary’s mother asked irritably, just as some car commercials started blaring on the TV in the living room, making it harder for her to hear.
“Ma, I got it, don’t worry.” Mary rose, went to the living room, and picked up the remote, about to turn off the TV when the screen changed with a teaser for the evening news, but the lead story showed a picture of Nick Machiavelli. LAWYER CLAIMS KNOWLEDGE OF SUSPECTS IN SLAYING OF CENTER CITY ATTORNEY, read a banner under the screen.
“Judy, come in here quick!” Mary shouted, appalled, and Judy hurried into the living room, followed by Mary’s mother and father, who stood in a shocked circle around the television.
A female anchorperson was saying, “Our lead story tonight involves bombshell allegations by Center City attorney Nick Machiavelli in connection with the murder of fellow Center City attorney, John Foxman. We take you now to Attorney Machiavelli’s offices, where he is speaking live with our reporter…”
Mary froze as Machiavelli appeared on the screen, interviewed in his office, behind his ornately carved desk. He was leaning forward earnestly, his hair slick as an oil spill and his manicured fingers linked in front of him. He gave the appearance of being honest and believable, unless you knew better, which Mary did.
“The police claim they have no suspects in the murder of John Foxman, but they’re covering up the truth. I’m calling onthem now to expose the conspiracy that I believe exists behind John Foxman’s murder. Because it is my opinion that he was killed by the partners of the law firm of Rosato & DiNunzio.”
“What?” Mary said, astonished.
“Did he sayconspiracy?” Judy’s eyes flew open.
“HE SAID YOU DID IT!”
“Deo!” Mary’s mother said, frightened.
The reporter frowned, though he held the microphone under Machiavelli’s face. “But to be fair, Mr. Machiavelli, the authorities reported today that they have no suspects, so what are the facts on which you are basing your opinion?”
Machiavelli lifted an eyebrow. “It’s obvious, isn’t it? They took Mary DiNunzio, Judy Carrier, and Bennie Rosato into the Roundhouse for questioning this weekend. Those are the three partners that I am trying to bring to justice because they discriminated against my clients. And John Foxman’s statements that those three women discriminated againsthimformed an important part of my proof against them. He was going to be my best witness—and now he’s dead.”
Mary gasped. “I can’t believe he’s doing this. This must be what he meant on the phone, before. But this is defamation. This isslander.”
“No, it’s not.” Judy shook her head, looking grave. “It not defamation if it’s a statement of opinion, and he’s couching it in those terms. Defamation arises when it’s a misstatement of fact that damages somebody’s reputation. For example, it’s defamation to say ‘he was drunk in the operating room,’ but it’s not defamation to say, ‘I believe he’s a drunk.’ And, truth is an absolute defense. The statements of fact, like the fact that we were called in to the police station, or that John said he believed he was discriminated against, are true. It’s not defamation, but he’s killing us and the firm.”
“MARE, HE’S NOT GONNA GET AWAY WITH THIS! I’M TELLIN’ THE BOYS! HE CAN’T TALK ABOUT YOUTHAT WAY! I ALWAYS HATED HIM AND HIS SPACONE FAMILY!”
“Va, fanculo!” Mary’s mother shook her fist at the television, and Mary didn’t translate the Italian, which was self-explanatory.
Machiavelli continued, “So ask yourself? Who stands to gain the most if John Foxman, the key witness against them, ends up dead? Murdered?”
The reporter shook her head. “But these are only allegations, isn’t that correct?”
“That’s up to your viewers.” Machiavelli turned to the camera and looked into it directly. “Everybody out there can make up their own minds. The main witness against Mary DiNunzio, Judy Carrier, and Bennie Rosato was found murdered. He was theonlymale lawyer who worked at this all-female law firm, and he had already come forward to say that he was leaving them because he felt that he would not make partner there, as a man. How far will these lawyers go to protect themselves and their corrupt law firm? Do we have to spell it out?”
Suddenly Machiavelli held up a video on his phone, showing uniformed police officers leaving the building that held Rosato & DiNunzio, carrying several cardboard boxes and a large desktop computer. “If the partners weren’t suspects, why would police be raiding their office today, taking John Foxman’s office computer and files? I have the footage right here, you can see for yourself!”
“When didthathappen?” Mary asked, horrified.
Judy recoiled. “When we were with William. Oh no, I hope they didn’t search my office too. And what about my apartment? Do you think they searchedmyapartment? Mylaptop?”
“God, I hope not.” Mary’s mind raced. Things were happening so fast, she could barely keep up. “I don’t think they have enough for a search warrant against you yet, or Bennie or me. They can seize John’s property as part of the investigation, but not yours.”
