Excerpt of Rogue, Riches & Retribution by Harry Taylor

Chapter 3

THE PAST

Colin Smith, a senior partner in the law fi rm Lawson,
Lawson &
Smith, was in the office kitchen resting his backside
against a work
surface and reading the headlines in the morning’s
newspaper when
he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up he saw Ted
Lawson, the
Managing partner standing beside the door. “Morning Ted,
what’s the
event?”

“Morning Colin, what’s the event, how you mean?”

“Simple, it’s rare for you to be here this hour in the
morning. The
staff won’t be here for another hour yet.”

“I presume that’s the reason you’re making your own
drink.”

“Yeah, I’m waiting for the kettle to boil for a cup of
tea. Have you
read the news?”

“No, not yet why, is anything of interest?”

Colin glanced back to the front page of the Times
newspaper
and proceeded to read out the headline. “The American
space shuttle
Challenger exploded 73 seconds after launch yesterday,
28th January
1986, killing all seven crew members. President Ronald
Regan described
the tragedy as “a national loss.”

“There was a woman school teacher on that mission I
recall.”

“Yes, her name was Christa McAuliff e,”

“Does it say how it happened?”

“No, it’s too early at the moment. No doubt the news will
come out
later.”

“It’s sad, really sad.”

“So what brings you in so early?”

“I have to be in court later this morning and need to
work on the
papers. I took them home with me last night but we had
unexpected
visitors that ruined all my plans.”

“Tough. Would you like a cup?”

“I wouldn’t say no, but I’d prefer coffee.”

“Milk and sugar?”

“Black with one sugar.”

“Have you given any thought to the Brooks Steel account?”
Colin
enquired while passing Ted his hot mug of coffee before
following him
out of the room.

“Not yet.” Ted led the way along the corridor to his
office. “Have a
seat.” He indicated to a chair but Colin was already
seated in another
one. “I’m not sure if I can resurrect it. Brooks is a
stubborn bastard at
times.”

“Ted, it’s probably our best account. Th e annual fees
keep a large
section of this office in gainful employment and have
done so for years.
Not only that but word will quickly go around the to our
detriment
and it won’t bode well for us.”

“I don’t see it that way.” Ted took a sip coffee from his
mug as
he sat down.

“Questions will be asked as to we are no longer retained
by
Brooks Steel. It’s not going good when the stories told
that
the son of Ted Lawson was to look an idiot in court by a
young
solicitor on his first court case. Our competition will
jump at the chance
to put us down by saying we
are not the practice we used to be.”

“You’re dramatizing.” Ted felt uncomfortable, he knew
Colin was
right but at the minute he couldn’t fi gure out a way to
resolve the
situation. If it had
been anyone other than his son he would have fi red
him or her but he harboured hope that Toby would take the
fi rm over
from him when he retired.

“Ted, you know as well as I that on Friday night the boys
will get
together for their weekly drink in the bar. We’ll be a
laughing stock.
It was a simple case that we would normally have won with
our eyes
closed.” Colin paused to take a drink and quietly
reflected. ‘Why did I
have to go down ill on that day? I could strangle Toby.’

“You’re being a bit harsh on the boy.” Ted responded
halfheartedly.

“Harsh! Ted, I know he’s your son but he doesn’t give a
toss. Do you
know he never read the brief; instead he went out to a
cocktail party
with some fl oozy. And when he lost the case he made a
comment that
was overheard by someone from Brooks Steel’s office that
Brooks had
pots of money so the result was of no consequence.”

Ted Lawson grimaced upon hearing the words. He knew Colin
was right and had intended to reprimand Toby but his son
spoke to his
mother immediately after the trial and persuaded her to
pacify matters
with his father. Toby could wrap his mother around his
finger and knew
he could get her on his side. Hilda Lawson then told Ted
he shouldn’t
take the loss out on Toby. It wasn’t his fault.

“It was an unfortunate incident Colin.”

“Unfortunate be damned.” Colin was getting a little angry
at Ted’s
complacency. “It was sheer laziness and he couldn’t care
a toss. Th e
sooner you sort him out the better. Th is practice can do
without the
likes of Toby. Your son or not Ted, you have to know.”

“He had good results from University and should do well
for us.”

“Ted. This is the real world. We have work at what we do
not
play around.”

“Okay, leave it with me. I’ll see can sort out things
with him
and make him see reason.” Ted sighed, without any
knowledge of what
to do.

“You’ll speak with Brooks today, yes?” Colin stared
intently across
at his partner.

“See what this afternoon.” Ted felt uncomfortable. Colin
was like a bull once he got his teeth into something.

“You can’t delay the matter. Th ere has to be some way of
getting him
to stay with us. Too much money is at stake for the
company to lose the
business through this one incident.”

“Can’t for the minute see how we can put any leverage on
him,”

sighed Ted, now somewhat despondent. “I guess their
payments are up
to date.”

“Spot on. They never miss; money is in our bank account
on the same
day every month. Hey, hang on a minute.” Colin paused in
thought for
a second. “I have an idea. Brooks is a member of your
lodge isn’t he?”
Colin asked with a glint in his eye.

“He is yes, why the question?”

Colin took a hard look across the desk towards his
partner. Ted had
the power to get Brooks to reconsider his hasty decision.
“Think I’ve
got the answer!”

“Go on!”

“You’re the chairman of that particular Masonic Lodge if
I’m not
mistaken.” He paused, waiting for Ted to acknowledge his
statement
before continuing. “Well, you must have close friends in
the lodge.” He
stared pointedly at Ted.

“I’m beginning to see where you’re coming from.”

“Good. These friends could put pressure on Brooks and
make him
realize that it would not go down well with your
committee if his
business were seen to dump that of the chairman’s.

“I like it, but dump?” Ted was not in favour of the
expression.

“Use whatever adjective you like but that’s what adds up
to.”

“Hmm.” Ted eased himself back into his chair. “Okay, I’ll
give it
some thought.”

Colin rose from his seat to head door. “Ted, please do it
today.”

“Okay,” Ted replied.

As the door closed behind his partner Ted Lawson reached
for
a cigarette from a box desk. God he had enough on his
plate
without problems this. If it wasn’t one thing it was
another.
Julia, his adopted daughter, was forever in his thoughts
and a constant
pain with her behaviour. His wife Hilda complained to him
every week
about her attitude and insolence and she was getting too
stroppy for
them to handle. He often wished he had never let Hilda
persuade him
to adopt her. He only did it to stop Hilda’s constant
badgering and had
on many an occasion regretted it. He knew little of
Julia’s real parents
and wondered if they were also arrogant and obnoxious
like her. Th e
child totally ignored all their instructions. They had
had to change at
least two schools because of her insolent behaviour but
the thing that
really angered him was that he had to go cap in hand and
sit in front of
a school disciplinary board that comprised a load of
common upstarts.
It was of little surprise that he could no longer stomach
Julia.