Page 16 of The Grand Duel
“If I wasn’t on the phone to you, you’d have never known. Come on, it’s fine. I’m fine.”
“You almost crashed, Charles. You’re doing too much for everyone else and not looking after yourself.”
“I’m fine.”
“I’m getting you a driver.”
I tighten my jaw. “I don’t need a driver.”
“Like you don’t need an assistant, I know. I’m getting you a driver.”
She pulls my favourite mug from the kitchen cupboard and lines it up under the coffee machine. I watch her for a minute, trying to get a gauge on how she’s feeling.
Edna has worked for me since before I even had this place. I hired her as a young lad right out of university when I was still working from my tiny living room, knowing I’d need the right people in my corner if I ever wanted to make a name for myself as a lawyer in the city.
Turns out I did make it, and when the company expanded from this office into the five hundred thousand square foot,multi-levelled headquarters down in the financial district, I decided to keep this place for just the two of us to work from.
“I’m sorry if I scared you. It wasn’t as bad as it sounded on the phone, and I’m okay.”
She side-eyes me and then nods. “No more working the case on the road. Ever. I don’t care how busy you are. You don’t want to employ the staff youneedbefore I retire, you deal with the consequences. You’re burying me not the other way around.”
I step back again and scrub at my face, sighing. Truth be told, things have started to get on top of me lately. “If you’re that hell-bent on getting an assistant, go for it.”
She turns on me. “What?”
“Hire whoever you want. Just enough of the silent treatment.” I don’t like it. I brush my hand down my tie and eye the cake she’s made and brought in. “Is that ginger?”
She drops the knife. “I can hire you an assistant?”
“Whatever takes the pressure off you,” I tell her. “Just make sure they’re right for the job. I trust you to find the right person for this.”
“Why the one-eighty from last week?”
Because I partially drove through a level crossing barrier yesterday and almost got taken out by a train. I reach around her and take a slice of the cake. “Because you made me my favourite cake.”
“Rubbish. You’ve never hired anyone you haven’t head-hunted or poached.” True. “You know you’re struggling, don’t you?”
“Struggling? The business is thriving.”
“The business is thriving, yes. Surviving, I’m not quite so sure anymore. You have to look after yourself better, Charles. Time away from the cases and spent with your family again. You’ve not been the same since Lance’s trial, and I get it, I do. But I just want to see you loosen the reins a little and live.”
My chest burns at the thought. “I spend plenty of time with my family.” I kiss the top of her head and turn to leave. “Stop stressing, okay. I’ve got?—”
“A case,” she finishes for me, waving me off as she finishes up my coffee and holds it out to me. “I know.”
I take the coffee and force a wink to pacify her. “Thank you, lovely Ed.”
“Boy will be the death of me,” I hear her mutter as I leave.
The only light in my office comes from my computer and a small lamp on the side table. I should have left hours ago. Edna’s words ringing true if the time at the top of my screen is anything to go by.
It’s six minutes past eleven.
But there’s this case. It’s almost the exact same as Lance’s. A man in Argentina who was imprisoned for manslaughter after killing a woman in what he thought was self-defence has now been released, having his sentence slashed in half due to an appeal. I found it around a month ago and haven’t been able to let it go since.
The leather chair creaks under my weight as I lean back, scrubbing at my face, a heavy sigh leaving me.
When I pull my hands away, I find Daisy sat beside my chair. She drops her head to lay it across my thigh.