Two Prized Associates –

Louis

The second time Mike and Madison were caught drinking and working together, it was in the file room after a long day with too many long contracts and by-laws needing reviewing. Worst of all though, and it should have been a good thing, was the fact that Jessica had sent Madison off to arraignment without another senior partner backing her up, while she took a meeting. The other associates were obviously jealous and Mike, knowing how cruel they could be, had grabbed the pile of files sitting on her desk, along with a pile of his own and forced her to follow him into the file room. Sitting on the desk was a bag of Thai food and another bottle of cheap wine.

When Madison looked at him for an explanation, he just shrugged and replied. "Harvey's still in his office." He dropped the files on the tables next to the food.

-S-U-I-T-S-

It was late and Louis needed files from the file room, but stopped when he heard voices. He paused by the slightly open door and peered in. Empty take out containers littered the work table and an open bottle of wine sat open between the two associates.

"Did they ever catch the driver responsible for your parents?" Madison asked.

Mike grabbed the bottle and drank before replying. "No, he got away."

"I'm sorry."

Mike shrugged and handed her the bottle. "You said your mum didn't want to be associated with your father, why?"

Madison stared down at the bottle and shook her head. "I can't... It's... Everything always changes when people know."

"Come on," Mike insisted, "Nothing's going to change and whatever it is, I sure as hell won't be telling the others."

There was silence and Louis tried to peer in and get a better look. He saw Madison still staring at the bottle, but was surprised when she looked up at Mike. "My father was accused of embezzling from the firm he worked for, stealing from clients and taking bribes. This was twenty years ago, he was disbarred, humiliated in the legal world and my family, to which the law was everything, abandoned him."

"Including your mother," Mike stated.

"Including my mother," she affirmed.

"You ever, you know, think that he was innocent? Set up?" Mike asked.

Madison shook her head and took a long drink. "Not when I was younger. I was so angry. So hurt by the change in lifestyle and my mother leaving that I didn't care what he had to say. But... After he died..."

Mike waited her out patiently.

"I have the right to request files from the DA's office. So, I did. I got the help of a lawyer working with the project and he helped me work out the financial mess of the case. He works for this firm actually..."

Mike looked at her surprised. "Really?"

Madison nodded. "He's a good man."

"Who is it?" Mike asked eagerly.

Madison shook her head. "No, the other associates give me enough crap without them knowing I consider this person a friend. Truth is, I probably could have gotten a job at Person Hardman years ago with his help, but..."

"But what?" Mike asked, "You've been scraping by for years, working at a coffee shop, giving legal advice in lieu of rent, Madison, you-"

"Wouldn't have gotten the job on my own merits," Madison interrupted.

"But Harvey, he kept badgering Jessica," Mike replied.

"No, Harvey liked me after I got Donna's nod of approval-"

Mike laughed. "You noticed that did you? They did the same thing the day I applied."

"Anyway, I had court that afternoon and Harvey and Donna came to see. I bummed out in the interview. I didn't give Jessica a chance to say yes or no. I didn't think I could handle another one... Especially not at this firm... Anyway, I go do my closing after I screw up the interview. Jessica obviously came, and Harvey convinced her of that, but I convinced her to hire me with my performance. Not somebody else's opinion."

"So, what did this mysterious person who works here, figure out?" Mike asked.

"He discovered that my dad was set up," Madison replied.

"What? Why didn't you go to court with it? Clear your father's name?" Mike asked.

"There was no point. He was dead."

"No point?" Mike enquired. "You couldn't get a job because people connected you to him, clear his name, you'd have been hired by any firm in this city."

It was Madison's turn to shrug. "It would have been just for me, besides, the evidence was circumstantial at best. My friend told me as much. We'd have needed more evidence. Besides, you don't get lawyers of his calibre doing pro-bono cases for people like me..."

-S-U-I-T-S-

Louis walked away from the file room. The halls were empty, but there was a bustle from the associate's bullpen. Other's, who weren't invited to join the fun in the file room. Louis entered his office and went to one of the cupboards under the window that looked out over the city. He unlocked it and pulled out a file. The dropped it on his desk and looked at the name on front.

Phillip Siranno

He dropped into his own seat and stared down at the file, then stared out his office window in the direction of the file room. Perhaps it was time to finally take that case further. He wouldn't tell unless asked, but he'd never stopped looking and three years was a long time. All he needed, was the okay, to go ahead and take the case to trial.