Thank you Charmed-Snow for your long and nice review!!
I'm glad that you also like this story!!!
And there's already the next chapter, but it's a short one!
4. Chapter
Cole was still dozing, when the phone was ringing next morning. A few minutes later he heard somebody knocking at his door.
"Yes? What?" he asked and got up. He put on some clothes quickly and went to the door to open it slightly.
Clara Jennings was standing on the other side with a phone in her hand. "You are wanted on the phone." she told him disapproving and gave him the phone.
Cole took it surprised and sat down on the chair standing under the window. "Yes?"
"Mr. Turner?" a woman asked. "I'm Isabell Swallow, I hope I didn't disturb you."
"No, don't worry." Cole explained watching at his watch, it was already half past nine, usually he got up earlier. He would absolutely have to buy an alarm clock, but unfortunately he hasn't got the money and Prue was very tight with her money. Probably he should really change this situation. He shook his head and tried to concentrate on Mrs. Swallow's words.
"I call you on behalf of Mr. Wingrove, he is partner of the law office Wingrove, Silberman and Davies. He happened to hear, that you are looking for a new sphere of activity. He would like to talk to you about this matter."
"I'd love to!" Cole said, wondering, that his search for a job got around so quickly.
"Great, Mr. Wingrove has a busy schedule, but we could fix a date at 2 o'clock this afternoon. If you can manage."
"No problem, I can arrange it." Cole explained and listened to Mrs. Swallows description where to find the office. When she hang up, Cole looked out of the window. He never had thought, that David Morgen would find a job for him so quickly. Morgen even didn't know his phone number. Lost in thoughts he found out, that he was sitting on his suit, he had worn last night. Damn it, he thought angrily, he had only one single suit at the moment and now he would have to iron it. Hopefully he could bring Mrs. Jennings to do it for him, he thought annoyed and decided that it was high time to earn some money.
In the afternoon Cole noticed that it was indispensable to work again, when he had to call for a taxi to take him to his appointment with Mr. Wingrove. He even didn't have a car. He watched Mrs. Jennings a little frustrated. She was sitting satisfied in front of the tv to watch her favourite soap. "You have to tell me about Helena's mysterious disease, when I'm back again." he told her and said goodbye to Daniel.
"Don't worry, I'll tell you everything." Mrs. Jennings reassured him. "And good luck for your appointment."
"Thanks." Cole said and left the house, when the taxi drove up to the entrance.
Minutes later, he arrived in front of a big office building. When he entered the entrance hall, he felt a cold breeze. It was a warm day again but inside of the building it was ice-cold because of the air-conditioning. Cole went to the reception and was sent to the highest floor. He entered the elevator made of glass, so that he had a view on the neighbouring buildings on his way up.
When the lift arrived at the top, a dark-skinned woman with a learned smile was waiting for him. She wasn't very tall and had a severe hair style. She wore a simple gray suit and loud glasses. "Mr. Turner, I suppose."
"You've guessed right." Cole said. "And you are Mrs. Swallow?"
"Isabell Swallow." She shook hands with him. "Come this way please, Mr. Wingrove is already waiting for you." She explained and turned around busy.
Cole followed her across a corridor with a fluffy carpet. He watched Mrs. Swallow and wondered how she could go at some speed along the corridor on her high-heeled shoes. She stopped in front of an office and opened the door. Mrs. Swallow entered the room first and gave Mr. Wingrove notice of Cole. Then she let him enter the room and left it again.
A middle-aged man stood up from his chair behind a solid desk made of oak. He went to Cole and shook hands with him. "Edward Wingrove."
"Cole Turner, I'm glad to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine. Sit down please." Mr. Wingrove was a tall man with full slightly turned gray hair. His complexion and the lines on his face were a sign of his preference to spend leisure time in the open air. He sat down and waited until Cole was sitting, too. "Of course you are surprised, that I wanted to arrange an appointment with you so quickly, but I've met David Morgan in court this morning and he has told me about you."
Cole nodded, although he was surprised, why David Morgan had mentioned him. After dinner Cole didn't exchange a single word with him.
"He knows that we are always searching for good lawyers." Edward Wingrove smiled. "I must confess that I've already called your former employer. And they've told me, that they were always satisfied with your work and that they let you off unwillingly."
Cole looked at him unbelieving and tried to hide his astonishment. "I'm glad to hear that." he said with a detached smile. Even if he took into consideration that Jackman, Kline and Carter existed in this world. Much as he'd like to believe, they would never give him a good reference. His work wasn't the problem, they couldn't have anything against it. But they knew his unreliability very well and that he disappeared without a trace untimely. Cole looked at Wingrove sceptically. He had never talked to anybody of Jackman, Kline and Carter this much was certain, but why did he fell compelled to lye?
Wingrove nodded. "Unfortunately I have to tell you, that we're just looking for a lawyer for routine work at the moment. Mainly contractual right. You can imagine, what I'm talking about, copyright law, unfair competition, breach of trust." He looked at Cole excusing. "I know, that doesn't sound rather tempting, but you can work at home for the most part. And I can promise you, that we'll change something in near future. You'll have excellent promotion prospects with your abilities. And the pay is not to be sneezed at." He leaned forward and wrote something on a piece of paper. "I can imagine, that you want to consult other law offices, too. Of course they are always searching for good lawyers, but I won't let you go so easily. So what would you say about this." He showed Cole the note where he had written a figure.
"That doesn't sound bad for the moment." Cole said calmly, although the amount exceeded his expectation by far. The sum was more than a simple lawyer would usually earn for routine work.
"Of course the amount just relates to the period of the first six months. Then we'll talk about your future pay. And you'll have a company car at your disposal." Mr. Wingrove smiled. "You could start with your work tomorrow morning. So what do you say?"
Cole smiled, there was something fishy about this offer, but that didn't worry him at the moment. Advance payment, a car. "I think we'll come to terms."
After Mr. Wingrove had welcomed Cole in his team enthusiastically, Isabell Swallow brought the contract ready for signature. She handed him over the key for the company car and a cash check.
Half an hour later Cole entered the underground car park satisfied. He looked for the car and found out, that it was a brand-new BMW- much to his pleasure.
He set off but stopped the car again, when he saw the next branch bank. He parked his car and entered the bank to cash. When he left the building with his money, he found a toy shop beside the bank. He entered the shop and looked for some presents for Danny. After he's having a big splurge, he went back to his car and on his way home, he stopped again to go into a delicatessen.
When Prue arrived at home that evening, she slumbled over a red toy car. She looked around surprised. "What's going on here? Did you rob a toy shop?" she asked Cole, who was just coming into the hall.
"No, don't worry, I've paid for all of it. In fact with my own money." he told her satisfied.
"Really? But don't you think Danny is a little bit too young for the red car?" Prue wanted to know with a sceptical look at the toys.
Cole shrugged his shoulders. "He was very enthusiastic about it."
"Is that so?" Prue asked and went into the living room to welcome her nephew, who didn't look very happy. "Well I wouldn't say, he looks very happy."
"It's because, I've taken away this hideous pink bunny." Danny cast a angry glance at him. "Danny honey, this stupid bunny isn't the right toy for you." Cole held out a green crocodile to him. "Take this crocodile if you absolutely must have a cuddle toy."
But the little boy started to cry and ignored the crocodile. Cole looked at Prue grimly, who smiled back satisfied. "I guess this stupid bunny was your present." he stated.
"You're right, where did you put it down?" Prue asked and looked around. Finally she found the bunny on the couch on the other side of the room. She walked there to bring it back to Danny, who took his bunny with a happy smile.
Cole watched what happened and shook his head. "Traitor." he said softly and looked at his son angrily. Immediately Danny reached out for the green crocodile.
When the little boy slept satisfied with the pink bunny and the green crocodile in his arms, Cole lead Prue into the dining-room. The doors to the garden stood open and the best delicacies piled up on the table.
Prue looked at Cole surprised. "What's going on? Come on, tell me, what has happened." she ordered him.
"I've a new job." he told her plainly.
"That was quick." Prue said surprised and sat down on the chair, Cole offered her.
"I know." he agreed and poured out a glass of wine. It was a disappointment for him, that Prue was less enthusiastic than he had expected.
"And where did you get all the money from?" she asked suspiciously.
"I've got an advance payment." he explained.
"Without working one single day?" Prue asked surprised.
"That's the meaning of this word! Advanced payment!" he told her about his conversation with Mr. Wingrove.
Prue looked at him doubtfully. "You'll earn so much money? What kind of law office is that?"
"I don't know, and to tell you the truth I don't care." Cole explained. "I'm used to worse."
Prue shrugged her shoulders. "There are a few demons among the human beings, too."
"You don't have to tell me. But there is a subtle difference, you may not kill them."
"What?" Prue looked up from her plate.
"Forget it." Cole gave an dismissive gesture and came back to their actual problem. "Honestly Prue, who cares? It doesn't really bother me, what they are doing. It's a usual law office and you had got to tell me yesterday, that I'm to earn some money. I would have continued watching soaps with Mrs. Jennings, but now I'm quite satisfied."
Prue looked at him attentively. "I just thought you'd prefer to do something useful."
"No, if I help people, it won't help me along." He looked at Prue. "It doesn't change anything, I've done in the past."
"Perhaps it would be good to do penance." she suggested.
"I repent what I've done and I have to life with it all my life. Isn't that enough atonement?"