CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

M ary lingered at the open door to Bennie’s office while the boss skimmed the newspaper, standing up behind her desk the way she always did, her hands braced on either side of the front page. Even upside down, Mary recognized her own photo below the newspaper fold, and it reminded her of what she’d been through in the past week. For some reason, she felt suddenly impatient.

“Bennie, you ready to see me?” Mary asked, and her voice sounded authoritative, even to her, who knew better.

“DiNunzio.” Bennie looked up pleasantly and motioned her in. She had on a navy suit and white oxford shirt, with her curly hair pulled back into a simple, albeit tangled, low ponytail. “Take a seat.”

“By the way, congratulations on your trial. I forgot to tell you the other night.”

“Thanks,” Bennie said with a smile. She sat down in her desk chair while Mary took a seat opposite her desk, thinking about what Judy had told her.

She just needs to save face, which is why you have to apologize. It has to be the first thing you say.

“I’m pleased with the newspaper coverage, aren’t you?” Bennie asked. “The media attention bodes very well for Trish’s mother. The pressure will build up, especially if the Mob murders stop. So far, so good.”

Apologize. “I thought the same thing.”

“Against my nature to have her confess, but it really did serve the client and the greater good.”

“It did. Thanks for coming to the rescue.” Mary smiled, softening. As angry as Bennie must have been, she dropped everything, no questions asked. “I was so blindsided by her confession. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“You’re welcome.” Bennie waved it off. “How was Trish later? She was so upset.”

“She’ll be fine, I think. Her friends will help.” Now. Say it. “I’m sorry about the other day, when I left the office.”

Bennie looked at her for a minute, puckering her mouth slightly, and Mary sensed she was waiting for a second helping of crow.

“I would like to have my job back, if that’s possible.”

“First things first.” Bennie rested her elbows on her armrests. “I appreciate your apology. I suppose I owe you an apology, too.”

“You do?” I mean, you do.

“Now that I’m involved with the case, I see what you were dealing with and I can understand why you went to such lengths to find Trish. I’m sorry I gave you an ultimatum.”

Wow! “Thanks,” Mary said, shocked.

“You know, I was remembering when you came in, that morning not long ago, asking me to hire you help.”

“I remember.”

“You said you were bringing in a significant amount of new business, and that would justify hiring an extra person.”

“Yes.”

“You were right, in a way. The fees you brought in for the past year have been very significant to the firm. The past two years, in fact.”

So Judy had been right.

“It’s not that my cases don’t bring in money, but they are a slow pay. They’re bigger, as you know, and so many of my fees are recoverable only by application to the court, under the civil-rights statutes and such. It creates a chronic cash-flow problem.”

It was just what Judy had said.

“Big picture, the firm has enormous resources. We have several million dollars from the class-action representations, and for a long time now, I’ve been planning to move our offices.”

“You mentioned that.”

“Yes, but what I didn’t tell you is that my long-term plan is to buy my own building, not keep leasing.” Bennie’s blue-eyed gaze didn’t waver, and her tone of voice changed, newly serious. “It requires a lot more capital, organization, and coordination than merely reupping.”

“I bet.” Mary had had no idea, and Bennie grinned for the first time, excited.

“It’s a good time, and I feel ready for the move, but that’s why I didn’t want to hire anybody right now. I’m in negotiations to buy a building uptown and I expect the deal will be final by the end of next month.”

“That sounds great.” But will I be working there?

“You should also know that the other relevant part of my business plan was that after the move, I planned to offer you a partnership in the firm. I thought you had matured in the past few years, and your numbers justified it.”

Gulp. Mary couldn’t believe her ears.

“Bottom line, I’d like very much for you to come back to work. I think you deserve your job back, and you’re a terrific lawyer and associate.”

“Thank you,” Mary said, but the sudden darkness in Bennie’s facial expression made her hold her breath.

“That said, it’s only fair to tell you that I don’t see making you a partner anytime soon, not after what you did. I’m no longer sure that you’d make a terrific partner.” Bennie’s blue eyes hardened, like ice. “You walked out on me when I needed you, and I can’t have that in a partner, my sole partner. I hope you understand.”

Surprisingly, Mary did. But it didn’t mean she liked it. She shifted in her chair. A sunbeam from the window caught the prism of a cut-crystal award and sent shards of light shooting around the office.

“I run a very successful law firm, DiNunzio. That takes planning, professionalism, and mental toughness. To a certain extent, you’re still ruled by your emotions. You haven’t fully matured as a lawyer or a businesswoman. You’re too impulsive.”

Mary felt an ember of resentment flare in her chest.

“You identify with your clients, and that’s the reason they love you. South Philadelphia’s throwing itself at your feet because of your loyalty. But that strength can also be a weakness, in a partner. I need your first loyalty to be to our firm as an entity, and to me.” Bennie’s features relaxed a little. “You can’t throw a temper tantrum, even for the sake of a client like Trish. For you to ever make partner, for you to be my partner, you would have to show me you understand that.”

For a second or two, neither woman said anything. Bennie’s mouth remained taut, and Mary sensed she was her mirror image, just in a tinier suit.

It was Bennie who spoke first. “I’m sorry if this hurts your feelings.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Mary said, though it did. She’d always liked being an employee, but she didn’t like being told she couldn’t be a partner. She thought that even though a firm was composed of many clients, it made sense that some matters would be more urgent than others.

“So, DiNunzio.” Bennie clapped her hands together. “You ready to get back to work?”

“No,” Mary heard herself answer. She felt like walking out on her job, right now, but that would be impulsive, proving the wrong point. And she needed the job, to finally get her house.

“Pardon me?” Bennie blinked.

“I don’t want to come back on the terms that I may never make partner.”

Bennie blinked. “Okay,” she said slowly.

“I’d like to come back, do my job, and talk about partnership in six months.”

“Really.”

“I think I deserve it, and the business I bring in justifies it.” Mary was making it up as she went along, but she was convincing herself. “We have our different spheres of influence, but that’s good. The fact that you don’t agree with the way I handled one situation doesn’t mean I’m not mature.”

Bennie said nothing, but eyed her with annoyance, or new respect, Mary couldn’t tell which.

“What do you say?” she asked.

“No,” Bennie answered flatly.

“No?”

“Six months isn’t enough. One year.”

“Let’s split the difference,” Mary said, relieved. She’d thought she was getting fired again. “Nine months, then.”

Bennie nodded, mulling it over. “And what if, after nine months, I say you don’t make the grade? Do you leave or stay?”

“We’ll see, then. I can’t decide now, on impulse.”

“You don’t make impulsive decisions.”

“Never.” Mary smiled, and so did Bennie.

“Fair enough. Done.”