"Lawyer or client?"
"What?" Piper responded to the stranger. They were both in the elevator and seemed to be going to the same floor.
"Well I can't tell if you are here to meet a lawyer or if you are in fact a lawyer yourself."
Piper told the stranger with an even stranger accent that she was a lawyer who was late for her meeting that's why she was a little bit fretful. The doors opened just as the stranger was about to say something else but Piper just bolted towards the boardroom. Sylvie and Lorna were already there waiting for her. She apologized and beckoned them to carry on with the proceedings as she grabbed Lorna's notes to catch up.
"…and my friend should be here anytime" Just as Sylvie said that, the stranger from the elevator was ushered into the boardroom by the new intern. Lorna was about to object when their client got up to hug the stranger, the friend who was a potential witness if it came down to court. The friend, same stranger from the elevator was Stella. Is she British? Piper thought. Those legs just go up to her neck…Piper stopped herself as everyone settled down and listened to what Stella had to say. They all listened as Stella told them about Sylvie's ex-husband and the countless times he sabotaged her whenever she wanted to further develop a business idea or get back into the corporate world in any way. She has proof of how they were going to start and lingerie business and couldn't implement it because when they were a few signatures away from final closure, he froze Sylvie's accounts and there weren't enough investors to cover the gap. Of course, they could start the factory construction but they had enough money to operate for less than a year and as a start-up, it was very difficult to get a loan or any bridge-financing with finances based on future projections. Piper was impressed by the Stella and soon her mind started wondering. I wonder what kind of lingerie they would have made; most importantly how would Stella look in an intricately designed lacy black number…did she just wink at me? Piper frowned and Stella winked..again.
The rest of the meeting went by so fast and Piper was more than happy. Lorna asked her if she wasn't feeling well because she looked flustered. Of course, Piper lied and said it was the weather. Their client and her friend…Stella...left after setting Sylvie's next appointment. Piper was eager to hear if that was any progress from their PI and Lorna promised to tell her everything over lunch away from the office. Piper didn't want to work from the boardroom so she picked up her things and went to her office. Just as she was getting settled, the new intern walked in again and asked for her business card.
"What's your name?" Piper asked. Her name was Brook Soso. Piper handed her a stack of cards then immediately went back to settling.
"So…funny story, my parents named me Brook after Brooke Shields, the actress. Um, but except without the "e," because they thought it would be a bit more original. But sometime around my 10th birthday, they started saying I was named after a brook instead. Ummm…like the bab…" Piper cut her short.
"Miss Soso, as much I'd like to sit around and partake in this trip down memory name to your naming ceremony I have work to do and I believe you do too. If I'm wrong by all means let me know and I will gladly give it to you. Close the door on your way out."
Piper didn't know where that came from but the last thing she needed was small talk with Soso…Soso I'd have been more interested to know what that means.
Lorna walked into Piper's office 4 hours later and she looked exhausted. She told Piper that her girlfriend was waiting for them at Café Hunt so they had to go and meet her now. Just in time, I was starving…Piper quickly closed her law journals and put her notes away. They talked about their respective days as they made their way to meet the PI. When they got there, Nicky was on the phone so they went to get their food first then came back to sit with her.
"Vause has to go to Brussels and Istanbul and won't be back for another 6 months at least so we have the house all to ourselves." Nicky said. She was obviously addressing Lorna because one she was looking directly at her and smirking and two Piper had no idea who that was. Lorna didn't seem as pleased though. Lorna told them that this Vause person was supposed to bring her the "L'Absolu Rouge in Absolute" from France which was her favorite shade of red lipstick and now she had to continue using the flaky stuff. Nicky and Piper simultaneously rolled their eyes, not that that was a surprise, no everyone knew of Lorna's obsession with red lipstick, it was the way she said it, her facial expressions, as if her world has just come crushing down. Piper reminded everyone why they were meeting and Nicky told them that the guy they were after may be involved in a drug trafficking ring and it would be best for them to stay away from him and try to fight it in court. Before she could explain any further Piper's, phone rang. She instantly recognized the voice...that accent
"Why didn't you wink back?"