The next morning after returning from Norway, Will arrived at the office, which he had already managed to miss. Before leaving for Massachusetts, he needed to sort out some business.
He immediately went to Diane and settled into a chair.
Diane sat at the table, smiling warmly.
"You smell so nice, Will. Unusual. As if you brought the sea and freshness with you. And your face... it became very bright. The trip to the client did you good."
"Thank you," Will smiled. "I feel like I was born again."
"What is the case? Interesting? Maybe I can help."
"Unfortunately, I can't tell you anything yet. But everything in these cases is incredible and exciting." Will crossed his legs. "Tell me, what news do we have at the firm?"
"Finn has started work. He is preparing documents for the transfer of your client to Chicago. He's very nice. It's also a little unusual that there're no more crowds of partners here. Everything is clear, to the point, and only serious people. "You know, it's really nice to be able to decide things without having to discuss them with a bunch of strange people," Diane smiled her signature smile.
"I underestimated how great it would be to get rid of the trash, Diane."
"I forgot to tell you the most important thing, Will. You know who asked to come back? David Lee. I promised him that I would consult with you."
"If you want, you can take him back, but explain that he will no longer be a partner. A salary and a percentage. That's all we can offer him."
"David agrees. Our firm has suddenly become very prestigious. Many people are now trying to get here as regular lawyers." Diane looked very pleased.
"Frankly, I'm at a loss. You can bring David back. The rest are at your discretion. Except for those I fired. Your department, your rules. Only lawyers I personally selected will work in my area."
After leaving Diane, Will retired to his office to work on Professor Bruckman's defense. At first glance, everything seemed very simple. Go to the school, talk to the missing person's colleagues, interview the students, take a closer look at everything that was going on there. His lawyer's intuition told him that everything was much simpler than it seemed.
As soon as Will got down to work, Finn arrived.
"Hello, Will! Glad to see you back. How are your impressions of Norway?"
"And I'm glad to see you, Finn." Will shook his colleague's hand. "Norway... you know, it's weird. It was scary at first, then very interesting."
"What happened? Why scary?" Finn was surprised.
"Eric and I were attacked in Oslo. Dementors. I thought they'd finish us off, but we got away with it." Will smiled.
"Many had to fight them off. Didn't think they'd show up again. Bad sign"
"Finn, let's solve problems as they come. They're not that bad. They can be beaten. And very successfully. Better go get lunch."
The city lived its usual weekday life. The streets of the center were filled with hurrying passersby, the roads were jammed with traffic. After the almost deserted Spitsbergen, Will happily joined the flow of people.
As they walked, Finn told Will a funny story about a judge they knew. Will in response recalled a funny incident with another judge.
In the restaurant, the colleagues settled down at a table located further away from the others. Looking around cautiously, Finn took out his iPad, opened Google Maps and quietly said
"Soon your suspect will be brought to Chicago. I need to explain some of the rules in force in the city for the magical community."
"Let's eat first, Finn, please"
"One thing doesn't interfere with the other, Will. Listen carefully. Your life may depend on it. The games are over. Now I'll explain to you how the city is divided." Finn showed the city center on the map. "This is a neutral zone. Just like the sports fields, baseball and football stadiums, courts, the prosecutor's office, prisons in any part of the city. The dark can come here, but we don't attack each other in these places."
"And ours?" Will leaned over the city map as if he was seeing it for the first time.
"Ours too. Neutral means neutral." Finn then opened the northern part of Chicago. "The north and northeast are our territory. If they appear here, we have the right to destroy them. The south, southeast are the territory of the dark. Never, do you hear me Will, remember, never go there alone. It ends badly. Last year, they killed three of our patrol police officers. According to the city reports, it was officially reported as an attack on the police, but everyone knows what happened." Finn paused for a moment while the waiter placed the food on the table.
"Anyway, remember, Will, you're with us now, you have power, and enemies are all around you."
"That sounds impressive. It's very similar to the gangs system. It sounds crazy, but interesting. What else should I know?" Will leaned over the map curiously.
"Our trials are held in the Criminal Court building. The only difference is how we get in. You have to go through the gate into the old building, not the new one. The middle door. You'll figure it out yourself."
"Where are the appeals hearings held?"
"The same place as the regular ones. In the Court of Appeals. Only the entrance is on the side." Finn closed the lid of his iPad, pleased. "Now we can have a normal lunch. How's your basketball?"
"After the story with the bribery of judges, I gave up on the game. Only sometimes I throw the ball alone."
"Do you want to play with some cool guys?" Finn smiled mysteriously.
"I really want to. I feel lost without basketball. What kind of guys are they? Lawyers."
"No. Just people. Wait a second."
Finn dialed someone's number.
"Hi Tom, it's Finn. Everything is fine. Injury? Almost healed. Listen, I need your help. There's a good guy who has no one to play with on Wednesdays. Can he play with your boys? Can he come? Thank you very much. You helped a good man. What's his name? Will Gardner. Thanks again. Have a nice day, Tom." Finn ended the call, pleased. "You're going to Chicago Bulls training on Wednesday."
"Wait... Tom is..." Will asked, confused.
"Yeah, that one. The head coach," Finn answered calmly.
"And they're just going to let me play with them?"
"Why not? Will, everything in the world is much simpler than it seems. It's people who are used to complicating things where it's absolutely not necessary."
"Can we do the same with baseball?"
"Gardner, don't be impudent," Finn laughed, clapping Will on the shoulder. "Let's go back to work. We'll win Professor Bruckman's case, and I'll think about baseball."
"Blackmailer," Will whined resentfully.
Upon returning to the office, Will was unable to finish developing a defense strategy for his client. David Lee walked into his office, or rather, burst in.
"Will, you are making a big mistake!" the family lawyer exclaimed theatrically.
"David, we are not in a theater or a circus." Will looked up from his papers. "Tell me why you came or leave. I am too busy for performances."
"I want to work with you and Diane. I don't understand why everything has suddenly changed, Will?"
" We felt cramped in one office with your inflated ego."
"What are your conditions? We are business people."
"A percentage of the winning lawsuit plus a salary. We don't give partnerships to anyone anymore. The capitalization of Lockhart/Gardner now allows us to do only what interests us."
"Let's say I agree. With the salaries that the firm has started paying, a partnership is not needed at all."
"Then I have no objections to your return, David. Diane wouldn't mind either. Come to the office next Monday. Until then, I'll need your help."
"I'll help you any way I can, Will."
"A professor named Christopher Rizzo teaches at a boarding school in Massachusetts. A resident of New York State. Married, but his family life is falling apart. He seemed to want to divorce his wife, but was afraid that she would leave him without money. Maybe he was even in the process of divorce and simply staged his disappearance. The story is very strange. Ask your friends who practice family law if they have a client named Christopher Rizzo. I don't need the details. Just the fact that he contacted divorce lawyers. That will be enough for me."
"Nothing could be easier, Will. I have many friends in New York."
"Then great, David. Rest, gain strength and we will wait for you on Monday."
"Thank you, Will. And you know, I am very glad that you are alive. I thought you were killed and I felt really bad"
"Thank you" Will shook David Lee's hand firmly "I thought I was killed myself"
Being a cunning, smart man, David Lee pretended not to be surprised by the second part of Will's cryptic phrase. But in fact, the family lawyer wondered what it could mean.
In the evening, Will finished a defense strategy. The plan was as it should have been. Tired from a long day at work, the lawyer looked out the window. And suddenly it dawned on him... the court is neutral territory, but someone there tried to kill him. So that someone spat on all the agreements. Will really wanted to know who it was. He dialed Finn's number.
"Hello, are you asleep?"
"Just went to bed. You know how to call on time, Will"
"Sorry, urgent question. Remember our conversation today about neutral zones?"
"Yeah," Finn yawned.
"But we were shot in court. The court is neutral territory. So not everyone follows the agreement?"
"It happens, Will"
"Wait, you're not at all interested in who could have done this?"
"We'll catch him and ask"
Hanging up, Will Gardner suddenly realized how bored he was in Chicago. How could he have lived a gray life for so many years?
There was still a whole week left before leaving for Massachusetts, Eric had not shown up and it was completely unclear what to do.