The flight to Fresno was relatively quick. Normally, Cody would've spent the time discussing the case with Nick, but he was preoccupied trying to figure out why his fellow associates had chosen to accompany him. A couple of ideas came to mind: one, they were jealous and wanted to find out his secret (which could never happen) so that they could replicate it and score their own points with the partners; or two, the supervising partners wanted the same information and had sicced their guppies on Cody.
Cody would be the first to admit that since he'd started flying with Nick, his success rate had gone through the roof, and he could attribute it to no other reason than teaming up with the pilot. But, of course, sharing that information with any of the back-stabbers at the firm would put him on the streets in less time than it took to confess. But surprisingly, Cody felt no guilt about bending the rules. He and Nick had gotten a little justice for their clients, and aside from his friendship with Nick, that was pretty much the only part of his life that was enjoyable since he'd moved to California.
Cody noticed a slight change in the constant roar of the chopper blades, and he glanced over at Nick who was plugging in Cody's headphones. He hadn't even realized they weren't turned on. "Are we there already?"
"Pretty close."
"I really am sorry about this. I didn't—"
"No big deal." Nick briefly glanced toward the back seat and then out the front. "Listen, those guys have been running you down the whole flight. They're not here to back you up."
Cody offered a wry smile. Nick had made sure Cody wouldn't hear, but he'd listened to every word from the back seat. "I already knew that, but thanks."
Nick bumped Cody's arm with his elbow and went back to landing the chopper. By this time, Cody was almost used to flying. All these trips with Nick had rendered his phobia relatively moot. He was the soul of serenity in front of the other associates as Nick settled the helicopter on the landing pad.
Cody and the guppies were almost to the roof door when Cody heard Nick jogging up from behind.
"Hey, Cody!"
Cody turned, worried that something might be wrong. "Yeah?"
"You—"
"Excuse me? Did you just call him, 'Cody'?"
Cody glanced back at loud-mouth Miles Mosher.
"Yeah?" Nick sounded baffled. Cody felt the same way. What was Miles on about now?
"His name is Mister Allen. He's paying the freight today, Bub, so treat him with a little respect."
Having seen Nick's temper in action on several occasions, Cody braced himself for the inevitable explosion and got ready to repair the damage.
Instead, Nick visibly swallowed his anger, the Raybans hiding his eyes even as resentment rippled across his jaw. "You're absolutely right, sir. I forgot my place."
Knowing exactly why Nick was working so hard to keep from lashing out, Cody lost his cool instead. "Shut up, Miles! Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Evidently, I'm the guy who needs to tag along so you maintain the reputation and dignity of Thayer, Sargent, and Winslow. Have a little pride in yourself and your firm, Allen."
"What does pride get me?"
"Maybe a little self-respect."
"I have self-respect because I do good work for this firm and our clients. I don't have to be a snob about it. Nick is my regular pilot and has become my friend which is more than I can say about you jerks. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll pay my friend some respect and see what he needs to tell me." He turned his back on his co-workers.
Nick was fighting a grin. "Uh, this file slid down between the seat and the console. Thought you might need it."
Cody glanced back at the other associates who appeared to be a little ashamed. Maybe. He turned away from them again and smiled briefly at Nick who handed him the file. "Thanks."
Nick nodded slightly, still trying not to grin. He leaned in and whispered, "You're a great lawyer; knock 'em dead, pal."
Cody grimaced, "It's just..."
"Imagine me standing right behind you. I've got your back, man."
Cody began to visualize the scene, him at the table deposing the opposing team, Nick behind him like a hitman, ready to break bones on Cody's say-so. Actually… "Right."
Once they got in the stairwell, Cody heard whispers behind his back. When they got on the elevator, Cody dropped his briefcase and shoved Mosher against the wall, getting in his face. "This is my show, got it? I didn't ask you guys to come, I don't need you here, and I better not hear a word out of you."
"Back off, Allen! This is Townsend's case, and he's my supervising partner. I'm not gonna sit there like a bump on a log if I think you're screwing up!"
"Shut up and listen, Mosher; Townsend didn't send you to get this deposition. If he'd wanted you to be involved, you would've been. So do what I tell you and back off. If this goes south, I'm gonna let Townsend know exactly how you screwed this up."
Mosher's eyes showed a little apprehension. Cody pressed his advantage, and his glance took in all of his coworkers. "I'm gonna say this one more time: I don't want to hear a word from you three. We go in, I'll introduce you, and you'll sit at the table and not make a sound. I mean it. Unless I specifically ask you a question, I don't want to hear a peep out of you. Got it?"
Mosher had regained his composure, but he nodded once.
Cody backed off and shot his cuffs, resettling his jacket. He picked up his briefcase and got ready to get off the elevator. One more look of challenge to the other associates did not bring any response, and Cody felt ready to take on the world.
And for the most part, that's exactly what he did. Cody did all the talking and questioning of the opposing side—just like always. The three associates functioned in the same role Nick had assumed on their first deposition…only with far less flair and attitude. Still, while it took three of them, the effect was the same, and Cody occasionally leaned over to one or another of them and whispered for them to look intimidating with a heavy glower or stare. Meanwhile, Cody was genial and understanding in a conversational approach to the questioning. And, despite everything, it worked. While the witness did not come right out and admit his error, any uninvolved, competent human being would conclude that Townsend's client was the harmed party and find fault accordingly.
As they headed out of the office, Cody could feel the confused vibes rolling off the guppies. He wondered if they'd figured out yet how he'd used them as a prop, a goad to keep the witness off balance. When they got to the elevator lobby, Nick was sitting on a nearby bench, and Cody completely forgot about the other associates. "I thought you were gonna wait on the roof."
Nick stood to greet them, "One, it's about a hundred degrees up there. And two, in the confusion over which chopper we were flying, I forgot my lunch. The lady at the desk helped me out." He wiggled a half empty package of vending machine peanut butter and crackers.
Cody started to grin because Nick had never brought a lunch when he flew Cody as there was no need. The opposing attorney's office usually had a tray of food available during the deposition. Only…there had not been any food today, and Cody suddenly realized he was famished. The sight of those dry peanut butter and crackers made his mouth water.
Nick rolled his eyes and held out the rest of the package which Cody snatched immediately. The first cracker disappeared in two bites and the second and third quickly followed the same path.
As the elevator arrived, Cody suddenly remembered the guppies as he and Nick stepped to the back of the car to give them room to get on. In the ensuing quiet of the ride, Nick glanced over with a questioning brow. Cody couldn't help his triumphant grin. Nick shrugged like he'd never expected anything else.
The flight back to L.A. was quick, and Cody spent the time working on his report for Townsend. Although he was sure Mosher would describe the same, he still needed to state what the deposition would say when the transcript arrived in a day or two, plus any weak points in their own or the opposition's case. Ordinarily, he would have asked Nick's impression of the proceedings, but his friend couldn't help with that today. And though he and Nick could have talked between themselves during the flight back, Cody didn't want to chance it with the guppies in the back seat.
When they got back to Mugu, the other associates all shook Cody's hand and congratulated him before leaving. Even Mosher nodded farewell with a modicum of respect. Cody used Jerry's desk to work on his report as Nick finished his post flight and paperwork.
When Nick walked back in the office, Cody was closing his briefcase. "Dinner?" It wouldn't seem right if they didn't have a drink and some food after their flight.
Nick smiled proudly, "Sure. Where?"
Cody gave it a second's thought, "A client was telling me about a place in King Harbor. Straightaway's?"
Nick nodded once, "I've seen it. 6:30?"
"I'll see ya there." Cody grabbed his belongings and headed outside, relieved. He'd been…a little concerned today. The job was easier with Nick around, but now Cody knew he could still get it done on his own.
That night, Nick lay in his bed, thinking about the day and his friend. Cody was smart, easy to talk to, and up for pretty much anything. He had a warped sense of humor quite similar to Nick's own, and they had a blast together even away from their respective jobs. But it had been clear from the first day that everything in Cody's recent past had been a blow to his confidence, and Nick had occasionally worried about him.
First was the wife who'd insisted that they needed to move for her new job. Which meant Cody had to leave a good firm where he had a future, and family and friends he'd known all his life and move to the other side of the country. Then after all that sacrifice, the bitch decided it still wasn't enough, and she'd left him. All by itself, that was a ball breaker.
Plus, Cody had gotten a job at a firm that had practically no soul. From the little that Nick understood about the place, it was the worst kind of competitive environment with every man out for himself. So even though Cody had become acquainted with his coworkers, he had never relaxed enough to be himself. But since Cody and Nick had…well…started working together, Cody had chilled out and opened up. At least with Nick.
While the law firm sounded like the ninth circle of Hell to Nick, Cody seemed happier these days. He had made comments about the positive outcomes likely to result from the depositions he and Nick had obtained. That had brightened Cody's outlook significantly. And while Cody wasn't one to toot his own horn, Nick got the distinct impression that Cody's stock at the firm had gone way up with those same good results. Seemed like a logical conclusion anyway.
And even though Nick had necessarily been left on the sidelines today, Cody had come clean at dinner and said that he'd used the other associates—he kept referring to them as the guppies—in the same type of role Nick had frequently assumed. And he'd gotten similar results, which surprised Nick not in the least.
Along with his pride in Cody's success today was his own slight disappointment in not getting to be a pretend lawyer. All these years he'd thought that lawyers were slimebags… he suddenly remembered his own nickname for the associates who'd shown up with Cody this morning. So for the most part, his original impression of the legal profession still held true, but Cody wasn't like that. And Nick didn't feel slime-ish when he played the role. When the two of them discussed the situations and participants involved, Nick always felt like he was helping somebody. He hoped so anyway. And that felt pretty damn good. Even if what they were doing was technically illegal.
He also wondered if his part in the proceedings wasn't about to be cut short because Cody had developed such a following at the office that jealous coworkers and wannabes would be trailing along all the time. But if that was how it had to be…then that was just how it had to be. It wouldn't be as much fun, but if that was the case, at least Nick had gotten a best friend and had learned a little about how legal eagles got the job done.