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Authors: Brenda Adcock

Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Lesbian, #Action & Adventure, #Mystery & Detective

Pipeline (3 page)

BOOK: Pipeline
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She
rubbed her forehead and lowered her voice.

"I
know when the banquet is, Susan," she said with a hint of irritation in
her voice, "and I'll be there if I can. Don't worry about picking me up.
I'll drive myself."

She
looked toward me again and gave a half smile.

"Can
I call you back? I'm starving and was just on my way to get something."

A
couple of uh-huhs later she hung up and rejoined me at the door.

The
restaurant in the hotel was pleasant, and the waitress was extremely friendly.
Cate ordered grilled trout after the waitress assured her it was absolutely
fresh, practically dragged in from the river that very afternoon, while I
ordered enchiladas and a Corona Light. Even though I had had the same meal
about six hours earlier, it's my belief that you can never have enough of a
good thing.

"I
see your taste in food hasn't changed," Cate said as the waitress left to
get our drinks.

"Kinda
hate to give up a good thing once I've found it," I said, realizing how
ironic that must have sounded to Cate.

There
were a few empty tables in the dining room, but they filled quickly with
traveling businessmen who immediately engrossed themselves in copies of the New
York Times and the Wall Street Journal.

"You
going back to the hospital tonight?" I asked.

"No.
Kyle told me to get a good night's sleep on a real bed. After the last two
nights in a recliner, I didn't argue with him too much."

"Who
is Susan, or is that none of my business?" I asked.

Cate
smiled. "It isn't, but she's my law partner."

"You
doing corporate work now?"

"Mostly."

"I
thought you loved that pacing back and forth in front of a jury thing."

"I
did, but it didn't pay as well. Most of our clients are corporations with money
to burn. I handle civil suits brought against them, and Susan does their tax
law. I get into court occasionally, but we manage to settle most cases before
they get in front of a jury."

The
waitress returned and set drinks in front of us.

"You
like it then?" I asked.

"It
gets boring occasionally, but the money is good."

"What
about the money in your trust?"

"It's
still there. I'll turn it over to Kyle next year, I suppose."

"You
were supposed to be living on it, Cate. That's why I set it up to begin
with."

"Actually,
I did use some of the trust money three or four years ago. Kyle and a friend of
his from college wanted to go to Europe and do that same old thing all kids
want to do. Essentially that was his graduation present from you."

"Did
he enjoy himself?"

"Very
much," Cate said as she squeezed lemon into her tea. "You've missed a
lot by not being involved in his life."

"All
I was going to do was drop in and out of his life. It didn't work with you and
me, and it wouldn't have worked with him either. Mom kept me up on what he was
doing."

"We
used to go to the ranch quite a bit, you know. We attended your father's
funeral a couple of years ago. Your mother said they hadn't been able to
contact you."

"Red
Cross didn't deliver the message to me until the day of the funeral. There
wasn't anything I could do at that point," I said.

I
was relieved when the waitress returned with our food. After she was assured
that we didn't need anything else and thought she had done enough to earn an adequate
tip, she moved on to another table. Mixing a forkful of enchilada with Spanish
rice, I chewed the food slowly. I'd had better.

"How
did you know I was back at the ranch?" I asked, washing down a mouthful of
food with the cold beer.

"I
called your mother," Cate said as she speared a bite-size piece of trout
with her fork. "Wherever you were I thought you should know about Kyle. I
was surprised when she told me you were back in Kerrville."

"I
didn't know you were still in touch with my family."

"Just
because things didn't work between you and me didn't mean I wanted to cut Kyle
off from your family. What made you decide to move back?"

"Got
tired of living out of a duffel bag, I guess." I shrugged. "After Dad
died and Mom moved to be closer to my sister, I didn't want to see the ranch
sold off."

"You
bought it?"

"Seemed
like a good idea at the time, and Mom won't have to worry financially."

Cate
smiled at me. "Well, it's always been in your nature to be generous...at
least with your money."

We
ate quietly through most of the meal. Being with Cate had once seemed like the
most comfortable, natural thing in the world, but now we were reduced to inane
chitchat.

I
felt much better by the time I polished off the enchiladas, and Cate was
beginning to look more relaxed, too. She had an interesting face. Never exactly
beautiful, but at moments, she looked exquisite. It was her eyes. They made her
face.

"I
know it's a little late, and none of my business, but how have you been since
we separated, Cate?" I asked.

"I
have a good job, a comfortable home, a nice car, good friends, and a son every
parent dreams of. I couldn't ask for much more."

"But
you're still living alone."

"That
doesn't mean I'm lonely," Cate said with a smile that suggested she hadn't
been.

"Is
that where Susan comes into the picture?"

"That
really isn't any of your business."

"You're
right. I was just wondering why you haven't sought another relationship. If not
for yourself, then for Kyle. Two parents and all that Dr. Spock bullshit."

"Who's
Lena?"

I
laughed out loud. "You can't be serious! Lena is my housekeeper. Hell,
Cate, I didn't have time for you. What makes you think I'd have time for more
than a week or two with another woman. Guess I just figured you'd get
lonely."

"I
didn't feel the need for another permanent relationship, but I haven't been
lonely. And I can't imagine you've been lonely very often either."

"Touché,
counselor."

Cate
laughed and I felt good when I heard her. Laughter lit up her eyes, and
although she was older, her eyes were the same deep blue that drew me into
them.

Chapter
Four

THE
FIRST TIME I had seen Cathryn Hammond, I was sitting in an Austin jail cell and
had to admit that I didn't look my best. If first impressions were important, I
was certain I had failed miserably. All I had wanted was a few laughs and a
couple of beers. My plane had landed at six-thirty, and by ten-thirty, I was in
jail charged with drunk and disorderly, assault and battery, resisting arrest,
and various other minor charges. My ribs hurt, my knuckles hurt, and I hadn't
even had a chance to finish more than one dance. Being an upstanding citizen, I
had demanded an attorney. And what did they send me? This girl who looked like
she couldn't even spell jurisprudence yet. By the time she arrived, I was already
pissed off about my homecoming. Standing over the stainless steel sink in my
cell, I splashed water on my face and tried to catch a glimpse of myself in the
reflection off the metal. I couldn't tell if I needed stitches or not, but the
bitch I fought with had been wearing a big-ass ring that had torn open a place
under my left eye that felt like the Grand Canyon.

"Carlisle!"
the jailer called.

I
turned my head toward her. Her dark hair was pulled back into a severe bun, and
she reminded me of the stereotypical jailhouse matron of Forties B-movie fame.
Her uniform obviously was general issue, and the shirt buttons strained against
her ample breasts.

"You
sick?" she asked with no genuine concern in her voice.

"No,"
I said.

"Well,
your lawyer's here."

"It's
about damn time," I said as I grabbed my jacket and waited for her to open
the cell door. She followed behind me, giving instructions on where to turn and
when to stop. We finally stopped in front of a door marked Interview Room Four,
and she pushed the door open, holding it until I entered the room.

"I'll
be right outside in case you need me, ma'am," the jailer said.

I
looked toward the table, and Cate stood up to greet her new client. Turning
back toward the door, I pushed it open, coming face to face with the jailer.

"This
is a joke, right?" I asked.

"You
said you wanted a lawyer. You got one. Now go in, sit down, and shut up before
you wind up back in the cellblock."

She
shut the door and resumed her position outside.

"Ms.
Carlisle," I heard the young woman say and turned to look at her, shaking
my head as I went to a chair across the table from this novice. "I'm
Cathryn Hammond, and I've been appointed to represent you," she said as I
sat down.

"How
long have you been out of law school?" I asked.

"Long
enough for your purposes," she said matter-of-factly as she opened a
folder in front of her. "You're charged with drunk and disorderly, assault
and battery, destruction of private property, and resisting arrest."

"Yeah,
that about sums it up. Got any suggestions?"

"Why
don't you tell me your version of what happened, and we can go from
there." She flipped open a legal pad and looked at me.

"I've
been out of the country for a few months. I flew in late this afternoon
planning to visit my folks down near Kerrville. But I decided to check out the
club action here before I drove home, so I rented a car and found a cozy little
country-western bar. I was just having a beer and checking out the local ladies
when this big dyke came up to me and accused me of ogling her woman. Next thing
I know the fists are flying."

"And
you couldn't have ignored her, I suppose?" Cate asked with the hint of a
smile that made me feel like she understood.

"Sure
I could've and I planned to, right up to when she dumped a drink over my head.
I figured she wasn't going to leave it alone, so I smacked her."

"You
hit her first then."

"Well,
I wasn't going to sit there with beer dripping off of me and wait for her next
move. She wanted trouble, and I obliged."

"Were
you drunk?"

"I
was in the midst of my first beer when the trouble started. It's probable that
given more time, I would've gotten drunk. But, no, I wasn't."

"But
the other woman was drunk?"

"As
a skunk."

"According
to witness statements, you hit her several times. If she was that drunk,
wouldn't one blow have been sufficient?"

I
leaned forward and rested my arms on the table and smiled at Cate.
"Probably, but I've been suppressing a lot of pent-up hostility lately.
Besides, as you may have noticed, she still managed to get in a hit or two
herself."

"Has
anyone looked at that yet?"

"Do
you think I'll need stitches?" I asked, gingerly fingering my cheek.

"Probably
just a butterfly bandage. I'll make sure someone looks at it before I
leave."

"To
tell you the truth, I don't know why I was even arrested." Holding up one
finger at a time, I recounted the situation as I saw it. "She assaulted
me. I defended myself. I wasn't drunk. I'm willing to pay my share of damages
to the owners. What's the problem?"

"I
think most of this can be handled without going to court, but there is the
resisting arrest."

"I
didn't think I should be arrested, and those nice officers and I had a
little...discussion about it."

Cate
smiled again and asked, "You seem to have a pretty quick temper. What
exactly is it that you do for a living, Ms. Carlisle?"

"Photojournalist."

"Where
were you?"

"Middle
East," I said.

"I
would think you saw enough fighting there without bringing it home with
you."

"I
had to put up with plenty of bullshit while I was there. I sure as hell didn't
need to put up with it at home. How soon can I get out of here?"

"Probably
in the morning. But you'll have to post bail and return for trial."

"I
don't have time for a trial, sweetheart. Just fix it and I'll pay whatever the
fine is. I have another assignment at the beginning of the month."

"I'll
do what I can but I can't make any promises," Cate said as she closed her
pad and placed it in her briefcase. Raising her eyes to mine and holding my
gaze, she said, "If this does go to trial however, I'd advise you to work
on curbing that smart-ass butch mouth of yours, and let me do the
talking."

"I'll
consider it." I smiled.

Chapter
Five

AS I
BACKED the Blazer out of the hotel parking lot early the next morning, I
glanced at a piece of paper in my hand before turning onto the access road.

BOOK: Pipeline
5.13Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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