"When was the last time you got laid?"
Diane tried not to choke on her salmon and just stared at Olivia for a moment. They had been best friends since college and today, like many times over the past several decades Diane was questioning why. "Do you have to be so crude?"
"That long huh?" Olivia laughed. "And that wasn't crude. If I wanted to be crude I'd ask who the last person to fu"
"I'm fine." Diane cut her off. "It hasn't been that long. What about you, are you dating anyone?"
Olivia lifted her left hand and wiggled her fingers. "I'm married." She laughed when Diane raised her brow. "Touche. But I actually like this one. I'm totally exclusive."
"Well fifth times the charm I suppose."
"What can I say, I like wedding." Olivia shrugged. "We can't all leave men at the alter."
"I didn't leave him at the alter." Diane sighed, before a slow smile spread across her face. "I broke up with him three days before the wedding."
"Much classier." Olivia laughed sipping her wine.
"What made you bring that up? I haven't thought about Douglas in years."
"He's looking for a condo. It seems his marriage is over and she kicked him out. His price range is impressive. You missed the boat on that one."
"I think I've done fine on my own." Diane said rolling her eyes. She looked at her watch and smirked. "I'm impressed you made it thirty-two minutes before bringing it up. That's so unlike you. Are you his agent?"
"No, but I saw him in the hallway. He looks good. He has all his hair. I got the dirt on him. Want to know more?" Olivia titled her head slightly. "If you say no, I'll keep asking about your sex life."
"You don't play fair."
"My best friend is a lawyer." Olivia shrugged. "So. He's a surgeon. And a respected one. I goggled him. He's won awards and shit. He's on wife number two, a nurse. She's about 12 years old. I have no idea why it didn't last. He has a son from his first marriage who is in law school. And the 12 year old popped out a daughter 8 months ago."
"Fascinating." Diane sighed.
"Do you want his number?"
"No!"
"Why not? It would be like a movie. Getting back together after all these years. He could be your soul mate. It would be so romantic."
"How much wine did you have before I got here? If you're not drunk you're insane." Diane laughed grabbing her purse. "You didn't even like him. Why would you want me to call him? Don't answer that, I have to get back to work."
"Are you happy with your townhouse? There is a three bedroom for sale in Highland Park."
"I'll pass."
"Okay." Olivia smiled. "But lunch is on me. We talked real estate, I can write it off."
Diane shook her head and laughed, "I'm not helping you if the IRS comes after you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He was sitting in her office when she got back to the office.
"I'm sorry Miss Lockhart, he insisted on waiting." Maxie said when Diane froze outside her office. "He said you were friends and would want to see him."
"It's fine." Diane said forcing a smile for her assistant. She straightened her posture and entered her office. "Were your ears burning?"
"Hello Diane." Douglas said not bothering to turn to face her "Been awhile."
"Yes." She agreed taking a seat at her desk. "I was just at lunch with Olivia, she mentioned seeing you. And now you're here. What's going on?"
"I'm impressed you can still put up with Olivia. But you were always patient." He looked around the office and smiled. "Impressive. Your own firm. Looks like you got everything you wanted."
Diane shrugged her shoulders, but remained silent, waiting for him to mention why he was in her office.
"I'm happy for you. You always knew what you wanted out of life. I'm happy for you." He repeated. "Even though what you wanted wasn't me."
Diane shifted in her seat slightly. "What brings you to my office. I doubt you came to catch up."
"I would love to." Douglas smiled. "But no, I do have other motives. Ah! Motive. I need a lawyer."
"And why not me?"
"Well you're one of the best aren't you? You have quite the reputation in town."
Diane smiled slightly. "Since when do you believe everything you hear?"
"Oh, I try not to. I know from experience it's not always true."
"Why do you need a lawyer?"
"Well Miss Lockhart, it is still Miss right?" He asked, chuckling when she just raised her brow at him. "My soon to be ex-wife is threatening to accuse me of murder."
"Murder?" Diane asked not bothering to hide her surprise.
"Erik Thompson's"
Fall 1976
"What are you doing?" Olivia demanded bursting into Diane's room.
"Go away, I'm studying. I have an exam tomorrow. Find someone else to smoke with you."
Olivia grabbed Diane's book and tossed it on the floor. "Erik Thompson is dead. They think he was murdered."
"Dead? What do you mean?"
"I mean dead, no longer alive." She made a gun motion with her fingers. "Shot. Right in the heart." Olivia flopped onto Diane's bed. "I can't believe it. When he went missing I thought he was going to show up laughing about some week long party he had gone to."
"Dead?" Diane asked her eyes filling with tears. "Erik's dead? You're sure it was him?"
"I didn't see the body or anything, but yeah, it was him."
Diane tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like a giant anvil had been dropped on her chest. "Tell me what happened?"
"Well, from what I recall, Erik went to a party with you and your idiot boyfriend showed up all drunk and screamed "I'll kill you" in front of half the campus and now Erik is dead."
Present Day
"How does she even know about Erik?" Diane asked shifting in her chair. "Was she even alive when he died?"
Douglas smiled. "I see you've looked me up too."
"Olivia filled me in."
"No, she was not alive. But she did go to my thirty year reunion with me. It was dreadful. Skip yours. There was an inmemorium for everyone who died. Depressing. How's you heart? There was a lot of cardiac arrest in the slideshow, Do you have a regular checkups?"
"Jesus." Diane muttered.
"Fine." Douglas chuckled. "There was a tribute to Erik. People started to whisper, I got a lot of angry glaneses. I told her the story."
"What story did you tell her?"
"The true one. I didn't like him, we fought, he died, I didn't do it."
"So why is she accusing you of murder?"
Douglas leaned forward looking Diane in the eye, He smiled when she moved her head, breaking their locked gaze, "Because she's a money hungry bitch. She'll ruin my career if people think I murdered someone and she knows it. Even if the police don't believe her and call it a bad robbery I won't be able shake it off."
"Is it a coincidence Olivia saw you at her office and now you're in mine?"
"Well it's all connected to my divorce, but yes. The realtor was referred to me. I had no idea she worked there. I assumed she'd marry rich and spend her days at the mall, not working." He smiled when he saw Diane was trying not to laugh. "And I came here because I need a good lawyer to stop this before it happens. And you're good. And you were there. And despite all the choice words you had for me when you dumped me, you always knew I was innocent."
"Hmm." Diane nodded. "I can't be your lawyer." She picked up her phone and quickly dialed Will's extension. "Will you please come to my office when you have a moment." She asked when he picked up. "I might have a case for you."
"I'll be right there."
"My partner, Will Gardner will see you." Diane said hanging up the phone. "He'll be a better fit for this."
"Oh. So I read even that wrong?"
"Read what wrong?"
"That you thought I was innocent. Is that what it was, deep down you thought I was guilty?"
"No." Diane sighed. "I never thought you had anything to do with Erik's death. I think he was just at the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Hmm." Douglas nodded. "I don't know what is worse. Being dumped after being wrongly accused of murder or just because of my personality."
"I's not going to work." Diane smiled. "I'm not going to feel sorry for you. You and I both know we shouldn't have gotten married. One of us would have had to change and would have been miserable." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "I can't take the case because I'm too connected to it. It wouldn't help you."
"Will you have dinner with me?"
"What?" Diane laughed waving Will in. "Of course not." She rolled her eyes. "Will Gardner, this is Dr. Douglas Bates. He needs your help."
"Nice to meet you." Douglas said shaving Will's hand. "I'm sorry she's pawning me off on you. I'm getting used to it."
"Sop it." Diane said shaking her head when Will looked at her. "When I was in law school someone on campus was murdered. Dr Bates' wife is divorcing him and threatening to go to the press saying he committed the murder."
"It's still an open case?" Will asked.
"No one was ever charged." Douglas said. "She has no evidence. But she doesn't care. I'm up for a very prestigious award. If I win the grant money will help me save endless lives. If there is talk I am a murderer…"
Will nodded. "I get it."
"Thank you." Douglas said reaching for his jacket. "I need to get to the hospital. I'll be in touch."
"Okay." Will nodded. "Diane has you contact information?"
"She knows how to reach me."
"No I don't." Diane said, blushing slightly.
Douglas winked and put his card on her desk. "Good afternoon Miss Lockhart. I will see you later."
"What was that?" Will laughed as they watched Douglas walk away.
"Long story." Diane sighed.
"So you knew him in college? Did you date?"
"You could say that." Diane shrugged. She laughed when Will just stared at her. "I almost married him."
