Thanks for being here subscribe to cheating stories best so you don't miss new stories going to a party with his wife the husband overhears his wife talking to a friend about having an affair with another man in today's first installment of a story with a similar plot enjoy the story Patrick the jury returned half of them looked at the defendant and the other half turned away it was a difficult matter I should know I'm Patrick Sullivan assistant district attorney for van in Patton County I accused Leroy Johnson of assault he was a hardworking man a
good father and until recently a loving husband which didn't help my case one bit if it weren't for the accident Leroy and I might never have met I sometimes wonder how my life would have turned out if this hadn't happened Leroy worked for best marks and O'Reilly a fairly large Contracting Company he was a union Carpenter known for the quality of his work and for always giving 10% he worked 60 hours a week to provide for his family his wife and two children he was a darkskinned black man short about 5' 6 in but strong
from his work on the Friday before Labor Day the union decided it was time to go on strike because the painting contractor was not a union member it was one of those things the general contractor had no choice but to work with a non-union firm And the union could not ignore this therefore by Mutual agreement they left early that day everyone knew about this in advance except Mrs Johnson arriving home for hours early Leroy found his wife in bed with another man Leroy could have avoided a high-profile lawsuit if his lover had simply done The
Honorable thing and walked away calmly when Leroy told him to get lost but this 6' 4 in 260lb white man decided to challenge Leroy's right to be in his own house and Have a night with his wife unfortunately for him two visits to the gym a week were no match for six days of physical labor and an angry husband Leroy's first powerful right hand floored the larger man Leroy having lost all control over himself began to beat his opponent fearing that her husband would hurt or kill her lover and end up in prison Mrs Johnson
tried to intervene when she tried to pull her husband away Leroy pushed her hard sending her Somersaulting onto the massive headboard of their desecrated marital bed she hit her head hard and suffered a slight concussion the case against Leroy involved only his wife's injury an attack on a larger man was a lost cause no jury would convict Leroy for self-defense in his own home against an attack by a much larger man however it is unlikely that many juries would convict under these circumstances this is where I came in my Boss Stan condos wanted to run
for the Supreme Court he needed to appear tough on crime and tough on domestic violence the problem was that he was useless as a lawyer in court I only held my position in his office because Stan needed all the legal help he could get Stan assigned me the Leroy Johnson case with a simple mandate get at least some kind of conviction he didn't care what it was at the Leroy Johnson trial I gave it my all and played my cards perfectly it Would be easy to make Leroy the bad guy but it wouldn't work all
three of his bosses came to court to say what a good person he was when Leroy testified he told how it all happened without trying to make himself look better than he really was I had to work around the obvious fact that his actions were the result of extreme provocation it was a difficult trial when the foreman Rose to announce the verdict one could only guess what it Would be I'm the first count of the indictment assault in the first degree what will be your verdict not guilty on the second count of the indictment second
deegree assault what will be your verdict not guilty on the third count of the indictment third degree assault what will be your verdict guilty third deegree assault is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of one year in prison I couldn't imagine judge Anthony dgo handing down anything other than Probation especially since Leroy had a family to support but sentencing was scheduled for another day right now Stan condos the Van Patton County district attorney had gotten a conviction and that was enough for me I was glad that the verdict didn't involve more serious charges otherwise I
would have felt guilty when I left the courthouse it was already past 7 I had to go to a Christmas party hosted by my wife's company it officially started at 6:00 in the evening if I hurried I could reach the west side of Albany where the party was taking place in less than half an hour I'd be late but I hoped not too late certainly not late enough for Laura to be upset Laura and I had been married for almost 5 years she was almost 6 years older than me and much more successful as a
financial Bond lawyer at the second largest law firm in New York she made three times what I made Laura was at the top of the legal pyramid she Graduated with honors from Yale and had been with Brentwood and Stringer for seven years that's how we met I was in my second year of law school in Brooklyn when I interviewed for a summer job at her firm she came to the school to conduct interviews with Brentwood and Stringer it was her last interview for the day the employment office had special interview rooms small rooms measuring 8X
10 ft with a small table and 6 to eight utilitarian chairs when I Entered the interview room I was confronted by an extremely attractive young woman dressed in a dark striped suit her brown hair fell to her shoulders framing the white collar of her blouse which accentuated her beautiful neck she had dark eyes and a smile that would melt even an iceberg she stood up and extended her hand Mr Sullivan I'm Laura Parker thank you for coming today I don't remember what I answered I only recall that I took a Deep breath and seemed unable
to Exhale I didn't believe in love at first sight but I can't deny that I was in awe when I first laid eyes on Laura the interview was doomed to fail even before I fell in love with this beauty at First Sight she asked all the standard questions I had my answers prepared even though I mumbled my lines it was just supposed to be practice I had interviewed for a summer internship at a firm on Wall Street these firms hired strictly from Ivy League schools not from places like Brooklyn Law School interviews with the firm
were a formality it was a kind of practice for both parties so the interviewers and interviewees could gain experience the school could say that large firms were coming and large firms could say they were looking at local schools it was a game play by both sides Laura was gaining experience asking questions and I was honing my answering skills Unfortunately just being in her presence made my heart race at some point Laura began asking about Edward cancade the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development son of the late Nebraska Senator Arnold cancade and Deborah Cassidy whose
father had been an ambassador to England and a very wealthy man I see her in the same class as Edward con Kade she asked no he's my moot Court coach I don't attend his classes step Fitzgerald and I Were two-thirds of an undefeated moo Court team the third team member was whoever cancade decided to put on the team that week K Kade loved to win and we were his winning team it wasn't that Steve and I were great students but we were quick thinkers in the courtroom and the best Gade had he loved trials he
could criticize any trial that had ever taken place in soft flaws in any prosecution and defense he was a great Observer and a great coach but I always Saw him as someone who could teach but couldn't do it himself I remember how my father taught me to swim I wasn't even four when my dad took me into the water and taught me to fully immerse myself he then took me to the edge of the pool and made me practice kicking once I mastered this he moved on to the hand movements then he made me put
it all together by the age of five I could swim long distances using the breast stroke my father was the best swimming teacher For beginners he could teach anyone except himself some childhood incidents that my father never told me about left him with a phobia mentally he knew how to swim but he couldn't lift his feet off the bottom for more than a few seconds Edward cancade knew every trick in litigation and taught me some that hadn't yet been used but he had never tried a case himself they say he's going to run for governor
she asked I don't Know about that that all I know is that we're up against Harvard next week and concade says we're going to crush them I replied she continued talking about concade questioning me for another hour I didn't mind I was in love somehow I'm not entirely sure how it happened but we ended up in a bar after the job interview this was the last interview of the day and it lasted more than twice as long as I expected she seemed to just want to continue the Conversation I don't remember inviting her but apparently
I did somehow that's how we met we got married while I was still in law school she simply refused to wait until I graduated pointing out that she was working earning good money and that waiting would get us nothing by then we were already sleeping together and I felt obligated I had the distinct feeling that she would take my desire to wait as evidence that I was simply using her Which was not the case I was deeply in love but a little AF afraid of the forever commitment that I envisioned marriage to be I was
raised Catholic after all after graduation I followed her at Albany when she took a position in municipal bonds Laura believed that this was the best path to partnership the company had seven offices and the offices in Manhattan and Washington were staffed by the cream of the ivy leak like Laura but in smaller offices the Competition wasn't so intense Laura gradually mastered Municipal Finance where the margins were small but the numbers were very large a third of a multi-million dollar personal injury claim sounds like a lot of money but the costs are enormous and you have
to fight a lot of losing cases for one win bonds however always pay off and while half a percent doesn't seem like much you have to realize that we're talking about billions of dollars millions can be made On each transaction and the costs are paper ink inexpensive dinners in restaurants there are other hid unofficial expenses but they are never talked about at least not publicly moving to Albany presented a challenge for me there simply was no work for a lawyer whose only skills were forensic techniques people usually misunderstand the legal profession they see famous lawyers
and don't realize that there are fewer of them than movie stars only a Few succeed and they need more luck than skill most lawyers make a living by avoiding courtrooms finally I found a job as a part-time assistant district attorney for Van Patton County they needed a warm body for Night Court three nights a week Laura always worked late so my work in the evenings wasn't such a big inconvenience when Van Patton County's Chief trial lawyer died suddenly I was offered a full-time job because it was Clear by then that there were few people who
could beat me in the courtroom for a while things seemed to be going well between Laura and me but in the last year she has been making a special effort to secure a partnership in her firm I know she feels this is a pivotal year for the partnership another motive for her is that she wants to have a child if she got pregnant before becoming a partner she might not get the partnership so she put it off until she Became a partner at 32 her biological clock is starting to tick and not in a good
way my job is to play the role of an exemplary husband and attend all social and professional events supporting her and freeing her from any household responsibilities once the baby rides Liv I've tried to keep up and fulfill my social responsibilities as a good husband and future partner but sometimes being a DA gets in the way I don't always work as long as she does But when there's a lawsuit going on I have to put everything else on hold Laura tried to understand we see very little of each other now as I have long days
and still run Night Court once or twice a week and she is determined to get a partnership she always says a little more dear and we will have everything I hurried to the restaurant where the party was taking place it was a big old place off Wolf Road called Brier patch Which had first opened about 30 years ago it was originally built by connecting several Old Railway cars but over time it had been rebuilt and expanded so that it was now a kind of labyrinth in the center was a large room with a Long Bar
off to the side and a series of rooms radiating out like the spokes of a wheel I arrived a little before 8 when I entered I saw that the party was in full swing there seemed to be about 100 people there made up of the Firm's employees their families and friends all celebrating Laura was nowhere to be seen I scanned the crowd in the main hall and then began searching the other rooms I was just about to give up and call her on my cell phone when I walked down a narrow passage of booths at
the end of one of the rooms it seemed empty but I could see that it connected to the main hall at the opposite end I was about to pass by when I heard her voice stop it Someone will see it was Laura and her plea was followed by a cheerful laugh I froze unable to move my wife's voice did not sound alarmed rather the opposite come on Laura there's no one here please I'm married Frank my husband could come at any moment what will he say if he sees he's not here and he wouldn't do
anything even if he Frank replied I started to move forward but her next words stopped me I know he's not as successful in respected as you but I Don't want to hurt him they were in the booth right in front of me but I stopped what did that mean did she really want this man more than me I slid into the booth before reaching them and pressed myself against the back you want to be a partner and that means making decisions that sometimes hurt others but that's part of the game in addition he gets all
the benefits of being married to a successful woman and you have the right to the fruits of your success Frank said I know but I'm not sure Patrick will accept such a device Laura answered what can he do about it he won't leave his feeder Frank said Laura laughed you don't know Patrick he never lets money get in his way he just doesn't think in terms of dollars and cents listen you have me on the hook but if not today then when and where Frank asked there was a long pause then Laura said almost too
quietly for me to hear on Wednesday at your house probably I'll tell him I Have to work late but I'll still have to be home by 11: fine Frank said then I heard what could only be a long lingering kiss letun go Laura said Wednesday he asked his voice demanding they stood up and headed toward the main hall I sat there numb not knowing what to do did I hear how my wife was intimate with another man had she really made an appointment with him Laura and I had never had a truly equal Relationship Laura
was several years older than me six to be exact she had a better paying job she made more than three times what I did and had significant opportunities for advancement the best I could hope for was a chief Deputy job which would pay me 3/4 of what she was already making it was never said out loud but she was the head of our family she chose the house and drove a new BMW only in the bedroom were we a couple I thought the inum was good for both of us I couldn't imagine it could be
better but she was the only one I'd ever been with and I knew the opposite wasn't true I never asked how many there were before me and she never told me I always thought we were loyal to each other now I knew that this assumption was either simply wrong or was about to be tested I left the booth and walked back through the restaurant the way I came when I reached the main hall I had no trouble Finding Laura she was standing next to a tall handsome man I'd say he was about 6' 3 in
a good 2 in taller than me he was older probably in his 40s a good 15 years older than me he was a little out of shape slightly rounded in the middle but not thick regardless the expensive suit h most of his floss and there was no denying that he was the kind of man that women were drawn to Laura introduced me to Frank Patterson the new head of the firm's Municipal Finance Group the section where Laura did most of her work she was simply beaming as she stood with her boss Frank gave me a
smug smile that left me no doubt what he thought of me we talked about the trial that had just ended in my victory Laura sang My Praises as a trial lawyer but I could see Frank wasn't impressed I wanted to wipe the smug smile off his face I knew I could handle this guy put him down properly he was soft I remembered Leroy Johnson what's the Difference between us of course the answer was simple he was an honest Carpenter and I was a heartless assisted district attorney I will find a better way to deal with
my problem Laura soon pulled me aside and began leading me around the room for the requisite handshakes with her colleagues and superiors at the firm these parties were more about office politics than having a good time Laura was looking for a junior level partnership and that is why I was There it occurred to me that part of Frank's appeal was his position in the firm and what he could do for an aspiring partner eventually we came to saw Solomon and his wife Martha by then I was not the least bit interested in any semblance of
socializing Laura didn't notice this Martha Solomon noticing my distraction asked if everything was was okay I reassured her that everything was fine and smiled my best smile I didn't need Her to say anything to her husband The Firm was usually called simply Brentwood and Stringer but there were actually seven names in the firm's title one of which was Saul Solomon's Saul known to his friends as s was a lawyer but I doubted he had practiced in recent years he was probably the most famous lobbyist in the state capital he was a rather short friendly man
who's apparently Jewish name and Origins were bellied by his Dark skin and Spanish features Martha was taller than her husband a big woman in every way she was just as outgoing as her husband and just as genuinely friendly I liked both of them from the first meeting Martha must have said something to Laura and she decided we should sit and relax for a while she led me to a table and sat us down June her secretary was there with her husband Willie there was another secretary and her boyfriend with us we chatted for a While
the men naturally immersed in conversation about sports Laura soon excused herself to go chat with a few colleagues we had missed I took the opportunity to press June for information about Laura's office in general and Frank Patterson in particular he had arrived last August from the firm's Buffalo office where he had worked in commercial Finance he was the senior partner I try not to ask too many specific question questions because I didn't want to seem jealous or suspicious but I realized June was also careful in her answers we both skirted around the elephant in the
room both knowing that there was something going on between my wife and Frank Patterson luckily the evening ended early and we drove home in my car as Laura had taken a taxi to the party you're very quiet My Love She said when I didn't answer she continued the process shocked you didn't it I guess so I replied the more I think About it the more I see a man push to his limits trying to protect his home Leroy Johnson was a good father and husband he was the victim of an attack on his home and
on himself he was an innocent man facing a nightmare and I was chasing him the most innocent man in the room wow your little boy scout conscience took over she said she stopped to Pat my hand and kissed my cheek in the legal world everything is never black and White sometimes you have to do things that make you feel uncomfortable don't worry it's all for the common good she said and then added but I love you boy scout promise me never to lose that innocence of yours I'll get you out of this van Pat and
dump as soon as I'm a partner and with a bun in the oven then you can devote all your time to fighting legal Mills trust me darling I'll take care of you she rested her head on my shoulder I didn't Answer we arrived home and I didn't tell her what else was bothering me the only difference between Leroy and me was that he had more courage than I did we were both tired so we went to bed I had a hard time falling asleep but eventually after the trial fatigue set in I fell asleep Saturday
morning I woke up with warm excitement through sleepy eyes I saw my wife in bed intimacy sprawled out next to me good morning sleepy head she said with a Sly smile on her beautiful Face why the sudden change I asked she had done this before but not since the first year of our marriage there was never a bad time to have in him well I have a wonderful husband who although tired and exhausted from The Trial walked me through a boring office party he smiled and played the role of a good husband he even participated
a little in the office politics which he does worst since he's shy and Introverted so he deserves the attention of his most loved wife this morning with these words she took off her cotton night gown she melted in my arms and we collapsed together we lay there in the contended Afterglow until she fell asleep again my body was still shaking from the intensity of her love I lay pressed against her body I could have easily moved her off me but I didn't want to the sunlight filtering through the bedroom curtains grew brighter as The morning
sun rose higher in the sky I turned to check the time it was about 9:00 the black cat midnight that Laura had fallen in love with as a kitten last year came into the bedroom and me out for breakfast we'll have to wait for breakfast midnight I said not the original name I know but it stuck Laura stirred then looked at me in the cat good morning kitten sorry Mom wanted love she said midnight Meow in response You made a mess of me Patrick Laura said while I was feeding the cat I tried to remember
the conversation from last night and I misunderstood it is it possible that she is leading Miss Patterson by the nose until she gets the partnership without giving into him I wanted to ask but at the same time I was afraid to raise the question we had never been the kind of couple who got jealous I never worried about Laura's loyalty so how could I raise these Questions that night in the following Sunday she attacked me again and again with affection and I was still trying to find a way to ask what was going on then
on Monday she returned home around 8:00 p.m. tired we spent a quiet evening together on Tuesday I had an overnight session at the Tom Krill City Court a small fairly rural town in the northeast corner of the county basically traffic violations were dealt with there led by a City lawyer once a month they have a Calendar for minor offenses the usual domestic dis Utes that got out of control Petty thefts cases of bad checks and all sorts of disputes that would simply disappear if the state police weren't involved where they weren't expected it could be
a busy night or it could be over in an hour depending on the situation yesterday was a quiet night Laura had prepared dinner when I got home around 10:00 she made American style meat patties from a mixture steak and potatoes baked from a frozen bag and a mixed salad also from a bag nothing was made made from scratch but it had become a common occurrence in our lives Laura had never been a good cook and her joint work commitments dictated our lifestyle after dinner she pulled me into the bedroom we made love slowly and with
quiet passion when we finished she hugged me Laura are we okay I asked not Knowing how to formulate the question of course she replied I just need you today we're very close to a partnership as soon as I get it we'll be all set I could be very pregnant this time next year she said snuggling even closer to me and wrapping her arms around me do you really need to be a partner I asked certainly money will make our life much easier I deserve it she said turning her head toward me Patrick aren't you jealous
because it's me and not you no I Replied I'm worried that I'll lose over something that's just about money oh honey I won't change I will always love you it will always be us only hopefully there will be more of us she said putting my hand on her stomach and kissing me hard and deep and that's where we left the conversation there are times when on a particularly dark and lonely night I wish we had been honest with each other but then morning comes and reality sets In and I realize that what happened was inevitable
I was sitting in the back parking lot of 39 Corporate Woods at 5:00 p.m. on a Wednesday night it was a stylus rectangular building in which Brentwood and Stringer occupied the entire second and most of the third floors I was in one of the unmarked Ford vehicles used by members of The Da investigative unit taking it for the evening was simple I just had to come up with an excuse like visiting the witness I talked to on the phone that morning at breakfast Laura had told me that she would have to work late and that
I should wait for her as she would be back very late she kissed me goodbye I took an unmarked car because I didn't want Laura to recognize my own vehicle I was waiting for her outside the office I didn't have to wait long Laura and Frank left the building just after 5:00 and got into a brand new two-seater silver Mercedes I followed them as best as I Could Frank was a driver with his foot on the gas pedal they went to vpon a fairly good and expensive restaurant just north of the Lamb roundabout they got
there around 540 and I couldn't risk going inside so I waited in the car around 7:30 they left there was a short kiss as he helped Laura into the Mercedes and then they drove off slowly and carefully the change in his driving seemed strange to me but I had little time to think about it he soon turned Onto the road leading to a colonial house with a side entrance in loudenville albany's most exclusive suburb the house house had a detached garage but he pulled right up to the front door and they went inside the light
came on in the corridor and then in one of the rooms on the second floor I waited outside for about 45 minutes I saw that the lights on the second floor had dimmed but I still waited another hour to make sure finally I gave up and Went home arriving home I took a shower and got ready for bed I had no illusions that I would be able to sleep images of Laura with another man kept popping up in my mind I didn't cry not because I believe men don't cry but because I simply don't cry
this doesn't mean the pain wasn't as bad I felt all the feelings of sadness and loss that I believe every person experiences in such circumstances before the night of the Leroy Johnson verdict I would have bet My life that Laura loved me and would never be unfaithful I don't gamble because I'm not good at it and Laura certainly confirmed that it's a wise habit I pondered the question of whether actions were the result of a lack of Love or a lack of respect and decided that it was both at this point I felt too much
self-pity to consider what to do so I put off that decision until tomorrow Laura returned around midnight I Pretended to be asleep the marriage was over and I didn't see the need for confrontation at that point lying there Laura leaned over and kissed me tenderly on the forehead then she undressed and headed to the bathroom when she returned to our bed she was clean and wearing a simple cotton night gown she climbed into bed and snuggled up to me everything inside me turned upside down but I didn't show in any way that I wasn't dreaming
Thursday was a bright Cold winter day I hardly slept and got up earlier than usual I didn't want to see Laura so I left before she woke up at work I was called to see Stan condos the district attorney Stan had only one ambition in life to sit on the judge bench to do this he clearly intended to run for one of the judicial vacancies in New York Lower Court judges are elected but oddly this court is called the state supreme court while the highest court is the court of Appeals so in New York cases
start in the Supreme Court Stan wanted to run for the Supreme Court unfortunately he didn't have enough money to by the support of the required District party chairman although judges are elected they rarely have to stay in actual elections a Judicial convention is held in which delegates elected by the various party chairs select candidates to stand in the election without opposition this is a source of income For the party chairman as the seats are sold discreetly of course but sold nonetheless the only condition is that a suitable Committee of lawyers must review and approve the
candidates this is necessary to ensure that judges remain at least somewhat judicial and that the system remains Fair my old coach rued his plans as Laura predicted he ran for governor and easily won the election Governor King Kate pushed through a Judicial Reform Bill he couldn't get judges to be appointed rather than elected but he fairly redistributed the various judicial districts and initiated special elections for more judges before a Judicial convention could convene the president of the State Bar immediately nominated a special selection committee as a district attorney with a reputation for being tough but
fair Stan condos stood good chance if he could raise the standard campaign money of about $100,000 with that kind of money he could expect law firms to invest an amount equal to or even twice that amount on a promising candidate Stan should have been pleased with my victory on Friday as it played into the hands of women's organizations and supporters of Law and Order Stan secretary ushered me in and pointed me to a chair Stan wasn't there but a minute later he came in patting me on the back good job Patrick I always knew I
could count on you he Said he needed it in an office that probably handled a significant number of court cases in which the voting citizens judged solely on its most recent trial I was the only one with any real talent in the courtroom the chief assistant and the only one of us who made a decent lawyer's salary Dexter a was hopeless in the courtroom but a good administrator Dexter ran the office efficiently I had no complaints about Dexter he was a good and fair Administrator but that was the limit of his talent and he knew
it unfortunately Dexter hated me there could be many reasons for this including the fact that some people just don't like others for no reason but I was sure that Dexter was jealous of My Success in the courtroom or more likely embarrassed by his own lack of success the rest of the permanent legal staff consisted of Sheila neeler from the old Van Patton family line who did whatever Stan needed At the moment she was more like his personal assistant than his lawyer there were rumors about their relationship but there are always Rumors in my opinion her
awkward physical form and general plane appearance precluded any intimate element in their relationship she might have been ready but I doubt Stan wanted it the remaining employees worked part-time and were happy with this state of affairs we had three part-time attorneys who spent most Of their time working in their private Law Offices they worked in various courts allowing me and in theory Stand to handle large cases Stan only showed up four win-win cases or when he needed to take a Victory lap Patrick I decided to go for the judicial position well done your honor congratulations
Stan laughed out loud a little premature he added then paused as if deciding how to proceed which brings me to why I wanted to talk to you I'm Going to retire early to run for office I know I'm not legally required to do this but to raise money I'd have to kiss someone's fifth place and with the current state of Ethics I don't want to get caught in a way it made sense if Stan had asked for help from the many people he had helped at work while still in office he might have been accused
of selling his position if he left the election money would simply be given in anticipation of reciprocal favors of Course he needed a way to still use the DA's office his next words made it clear what was going on I'm going to rec commend Dexter for a temporary position he said he knows the office and can always get help from me if needed it made sense Dexter Elling would be his man if anyone ever forgot what services were provided Stan would make sure Dexter was always there Stan fell silent as if not daring to continue
at that moment I realized that Something unpleasant was going to happen we'll promote Sheila neeler to Chief assistant he said if Dexter was almost useless in the courtroom then Sheila was simply useless she was the kind of lawyer who gets through law school by memorizing materials and regurgitating answers on command they keep taking the bar exam over and over until finally luck strikes and they pass Sheila's appointment had only won Advantage her grandfather was a state legislator and Her father was a county executive Stan looked at me expecting an explosion there was no explosion after
all what did I care about I didn't expect to be be appointed even though I would have been a selection based on Merit alone Stan's next words ultimately determine our Destinies there's a full-time vacancy remaining and I'm going to hire Mary Ellen Seaman he said I sat up straighter in my chair she had just graduated from law school I interviewed Her for the part-time position she currently held and recommended against her when it became clear that she did not have the temperament needed to work in a courtroom she was a very young woman about 5T
7 in tall with short brown hair come on Stan that leaves us with only one person who can prosecute a case me I said not really there's also Mark and Tony Mark steel half of the steel and steel firm runs his own practice and is a reliable lawyer but he Makes his money from his firm and holds a part-time position solely for the state health insurance Tony Lorenzo is a very cunning but somewhat idiosyncratic man who could litigate but chooses not to neither of them wants to do any more of the District Attorney's work than
is absolutely necessary what you're proposing essentially doubles my workload the question is what do I get Stan paused for a long time before answering I don't have anything for you At the moment there may be opportunities in a year or two if Dexter can win the election in November I know Dex and I will be grateful he said I saw his concern at that moment I could quit with which would put the office in a difficult position a few days ago I would have done this but that was before my beloved wife betrayed me I
was going to need this job so all I could do was accept it for now but something clicked inside me I had always played fair and Here I am cheated on by my wife and cheated on at work let's face it I'm looking at a dead end career it was time to reconsider My Views I felt strangely relieved I smiled and said anything else boss Stan looked at me suspiciously strangely no that's all sorry Patrick I had to make a choice and all of them were for their own personal gain I thought well that's the
way the world is returning to my office I closed The door and sat down in my only Advantage a large old leather chair left over from some past administration I inherited this chair from the and I replaced Tommy maitlin who died of a cerebral hemorrhage right in the courtroom without warning in 10 minutes he was gone he was a good guy divorced when his wife decided she no longer wanted to be married to him he had three children about a year after his death his wife Remarried it was obvious that she was simply looking for
greener pastures well she found them and Tommy died at 46 someone knocked on the door and without waiting entered Katrina Gomez she was a pretty girl short with long black hair and dark almost black eyes she had beautiful pearly white skin showing the influence of her Irish mother and the rest I assumed was from her Puerto Rican father she was a recent addition to the clerical staff she was Always smiling and in a happy mood one of those people who always walks around happy and wants everyone else to be the same sorry to bother you
Mr Sullivan I'm raising money for beatric Truman's retirement gift she said beatric Truman was about to retire at the end of the year and Katrina as the most Junior employee was collecting money for the gift how much do you need I asked slightly embarrassed she replied we're asking the Lawyers for $10 each and the rest of the staff for $5 but honestly $5 will be enough if you can I knew she must have gotten a lot of money from the stingy legal staff most not the future interim district attorney Dexter Elling I took out my
wallet and handed her a $20 bill I'll give you change do you want $10 or $15 leave it let it be for those who didn't give I said oh thank you she said smiling then she seemed to notice the darkness of the office and probably my Gloomy mood is something wrong Mr Sullivan no what could be wrong I have a great job and a great life I said with a Ry smile laughing at my own words okay well if there's anything I can do to help let me know and thanks for your generous contribution I
know beatric will appreciate it she left closing the door behind her but it didn't latch I had to get up to close it as the door started to open that's when I heard them Katrina Must have run into our office manager Marge suckerman right in the hallway outside my office why is Patrick so sad Katrina asked oh nothing special just that he was passed over and now he's expected to carry the entire load alone I think his boss has really let him down this time Marge replied I didn't hear anything else as they walked away
down the corridor but what I heard was enough the entire office already knew or would soon find out now I was doubly angry Because I knew I looked weak because in fact I was weak I was unable to stand up for myself at work or at home another man had a night with my wife and I did nothing I closed the door tightly and might have just sat there thinking if fate hadn't intervened my phone rang on the internal line Sergeant Brant from the Sheriff's Office wants to see you said Sally the secretary I shared
with Mark Tony and Mary Ellen Sergeant Brandt was not who I Wanted to see at that moment Jack Brandt was the father mother of Mary Lou Brandt who had been arrested for possession of a controlled substance a felony in truth she was in a car with four other young men one of them Larry Washington had two minor arrests related to Illegal pills Sergeant Brandt was a man with an impeccable reputation who earned the respect of his colleagues he wasn't the type to come begging for favors but he was a father who loved this little girl
And would humiliate himself if he could save her unfortunately I could not offer him anything in this situation since Stan condos was planning to run for judge he was unlikely to allow leniency to be shown to the daughter of a police officer when Ed Brandt walked in I was struck by his imposing physical presence about 6' 4 in and 240 lb he had the physical presence of John Wayne and the boxy elongated features of Jimmy Stewart Mr Sullivan he said extending his hand And shaking it firmly but carefully it's nice to meet you you although
I would like to meet under different circumstances you have a reputation as an excellent prosecutor I would also like to meet under different circumstances I said What followed was a good hour of fruitless conversation during which he told me what a good girl his daughter was who had made one mistake she was an excellent student at a State University And planned to become a teacher she was good at math but not so good at choosing friends a modest somewhat reserved girl she EAS IL got into trouble I will do whatever it takes to help my
daughter tell me what to do Mr Sullivan he said this nearly 50-year-old hero with almost 30 years of Sheriff's service called me Mis and gravel to help his daughter whom I could tell he loved more than anything in the world to be honest I wanted to help him and to top it off frame Stan Condos but at that moment I didn't see how to do it all I can advise is to send Mary L to a treatment program I said she may not need it but it won't hurt and it will look good then I
added without knowing why but feeling some Instinct take over a small thought I couldn't quite put together I'll call you if anything can be done I promise I'll look for a way out for her thank you he replied standing up and shaking my hand with both of his I think I saw the Beginning of Tears in his big eyes I walked him all the way to the office door turning to the front office I looked around for the first time I thought that I was no longer going to just take hits now was the time
to strike while I seemed helpless I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what the back of my brain knew that the front of my brain didn't I kept coming back to Frank Patterson Rich Rog and ultimately weak in character I knew it Just by looking at him all I had to do was find the right leverage and he would give up like the worthless piece of crap that he was the waitress approached our table a short attract RVE brunette in a short black skirt and a white blouse that resembled a man's
shirt with a frill her green badge said Trina in white letters and she looked familiar to me it took a while to remember who she was she was one of the Witnesses in the murder trial of Roger Hamilton it was a Once in a decade case with all the publicity and media hype it deserved the problem was that the prosecution's case seemed unshakable the Albany County District Attorney's office was already accepting congratulations before before the trial began Hamilton had to look for a lawyer willing to take his case and he found one in Steven Fitzpatrick
my best friend Steven and I were inseparable as children growing up in a section of Brooklyn called Cobble Hill there was no Hill there it was where George Washington had placed an artillery battery during the American Revolution and when the British drove the rebels out they literally destroyed the hill now it's just a flat piece of land south of Brooklyn Heights we attend parochial school together and graduated from Brooklyn law school which was within walking distance of our neighborhood we took part in moot courts and were an Invincible team I couldn't resist watching Steve work
on the Hamilton case in neighboring Albany County if I had been the prosecutor Steven would never have been able to pull off all his tricks and Hamilton who was as they say guilty as Sin would not have been acquitted Lori lefave was one of those tricks she was a minor prosecution Witness whom Steven managed to win over to his side the Albany County Prosecutors only found out when she Began throwing blow after blow at their case from the witness stand this was the first of a series of strikes that inevitably led to the release of
the culprit hi Lori I said the waitress's fake smile twitched slightly as she looked at me carefully there was no recognition I was a spectator at the Hamilton trial she frowned but I smiled and added Steven Fitzpatrick is an old friend of mine that brought the smile back to her face he's a wonderful person She said yes I replied what will you order brown ale she nodded and left to get the drink I watched her and felt my spirits lift she was the mother of three children from two different men she only received child support
from one person and worked three jobs to support her family it was obvious how Steve had gotten to her when she brought me a pint of beer for $5 I gave her a $20 and told her to keep the change I was sitting at Browns a brew pub in Troy that had Expanded to include a separate bar selling high-end liquor I had been following Frank Patterson for the past two weeks watching him eat dinner and get into bed with my wife but I was also just watching him to understand him as a person today was
Thursday and he came to Browns again this time I followed him he sat down at a table with seven other men all of whom were dressed professionally it was clearly some kind of club or networking group they were just talking And laughing the guys were having fun at about 8:30 Lori came back to see if I wanted a refill on my drink Frank and his friends were still chatting and drinking between the second and third rounds I was still drinking my first glass of beer are they interesting to you she asked noticing where I was
looking no only one of them Mr free hands and tight fists I said nodding toward Frank she said he always tries to pinch if a girl is careless but he's the Stingiest guy in this group of greedy people well let me make it up to you I said handing her a $50 and ordering another beer over the next 6 weeks with the exception of the Christmas week I started going to Browns every Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday on Thursdays I just drank beer and left a fabulous tip Lori and I became quite friendly she was always
ready when needed Frank never missed an evening with the guys who as I suspected turned out to be a group of Bankers Insurance Agents and lawyers a kind of club or network for professional men just a bunch of guys helping each other and as Lori noted sometimes grabbing the waitress's asses I watched Frank drive home to loudenville after spending time with the boys always within the speed limits extreme ex careful not to be stopped those unfamiliar with alcohol think that one or two drinks is over the legal limit for driving but a big guy like
Frank Needs more in a short time his caution and driving after drinking became more than just an innocent precaution very early on I decided to find out what was wrong December 30th was be's last day of work she had worked for the county for 30 years the last 16 in the DA's office the party was supposed to start at 2:00 p.m. Chuck Spencer a Junior Investigator drew the Short Straw and had to hold the line while the rest of the staff went to a Party at Daisy Baker's a longtime Troy Watering Hole in the former
Christian Science reading room at the corner of state and second streets I was supposed to be there but at the last minute I was delayed due to a call from the state police something I had previously agreed to use as an excuse an hour after the prosecutors left I let Chuck go telling him to keep his mouth shut and I would cover since I was stuck here anyway When I was sure he was gone I locked the door but left the light on be's desktop had been cleared away but her terminal was still active I
was supposed to remove her codes from the system the next day I searched her desk in sure enough found the password on a sticky note under the middle drawer I logged in under her name and gained access to the state criminal database if anyone had checked they would have seen be's name on her last Day of work and they would have to track her down in Florida to find out it wasn't her if she even remembered a search for the name Frank Patterson returned about 20 results about half an hour later I found Frank Patterson's
file I smiled as I read it for years ago he had been arrested for drunk driving reduced to careless driving with a fine about 18 months later another DUI offense had been reduced to driving under the influence of alcohol a Misdemeanor but again with a suspended sentence he lost his driver's license for 6 months but he was very lucky this meant that he already had two warnings because the first offense was counted as an alcohol-related offense although it had been reduced now I had a comp on him I just had to find a way to
catch him a third strike would be a mandatory felony Sergeant Brandt please come in I said I called him to discuss his daughter's case I saw that he was gloomy But full of Hope did you follow my advice and send your daughter for treatment I asked asked he nodded in response okay then I have a few questions for you whatever you want he replied you said you would do anything to help your daughter did you really mean it I asked he straightened up becoming clearly weary but after a short pause he said firmly yes fine
I said tell me do you still Patrol the road sometimes yes sometimes I replace Someone need to take a day off you know that part of Van Patton County that lies between rur and Albany at the green Al Bridge a little piece of land yes about 2/10 of a mile along the highway I confirmed so let's say a late model silver Mercedes is driving with say a broken tail light and you're working that night say a week later on Thursday you stop this car and smell alcohol on the driver in that case I assume there
would have been an arrest well at least A sobriety test would be necessary he said looking both puzzled and intrigued yes the test is mandatory since the passenger may turn out to be a highly qualified lawyer everything must be according to the rules I don't quite understand what you're getting at he replied I took over your daughter's case I said your daughter's case seems quite clear and there's no reason to Cutter any slack but in an office like this things happen cases get lost and when Some prosecutor is too stupid to separate documents into different
folders and the case is combined into one and it disappears the case is simply lost closed subject to cancellation I can well imagine that this case will be lost say Friday in a week Brant looked at me carefully I saw hope in his eyes and a grim understanding that he was being asked to do something immoral but technically legal all the abuse will be On my side even if I get caught I will remain above suspicion I'll just be doing my job he said the driver will either pass the field sobriety test or fail it
I asked a test that will obviously be failed and then arrested but don't worry when the case comes to City Court the best defense lawyer will be waiting for the worst assistant prosecutor these as they say are the deals Sergeant brand nodded his head I know that that I'll be patrolling the Road that Thursday probably with a very reliable partner but what time if you know hypothetically of course oh I'd say from 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. would be enough I said then we shook hands and he left the last part was the hardest for
me I hated asking but I didn't see any other way out as I said Steven Fitzpatrick was my best friend for our meeting Steven chose to let legislator's dining room in the Empire State Plaza complex in Albany right behind the Courthouse it's a strange place until you realize that no one cares about us and it's as if the place was specially created for private lunches stepen not knowing what I wanted instinctively knew that what I wanted had to be confidential how are you Pat okay Steve what about you well as you might expect he replied
the situation was strange Steven and I were closer than Brothers but very different his wife Susan was Much like Laura Susan was 32 and Steven was 27 she was very successful and was in my opinion the most beautiful woman I had ever met in person she had movie star looks and an aura of intimacy that you could literally feel she was also very promiscuous over the years she had affairs with many men all taller and more powerfully built than her husband Steven was short about 5' 5 in and thin to the point of being almost
frail this Was a misconception because I knew that he was incredibly strong and had the stamina and speed of a racehorse he was also the smartest and nicest person you could meet plus he had something of a six sense Susan could never hide her affairs from him so she simply confessed to them and it seemed they came to some kind of arrangement that allowed her to have one lover at a time now I was going to ask for his help in causing trouble for my Unfaithful Wife I had no doubt that he would help me
he was not just my friend but the perfect defense lawyer he didn't have a single condemning trait in his character after I explained what I wanted and why Steven looked at me with sadness in his light blue eyes are you sure about this Pat this is not your style at all I understand your anger but maybe in a month or two this will all just die down why throw yourself around your wife like that Laura Is Not Susan she will return To you no doubt with remorse and determination to make things right then you tell
her that you know and are ready to forgive if it doesn't happen again sorry but no too much has happened I can't live with this you and I are very different even though we have a lot in common and that's why we were such a good team I know what I'm asking is immoral and illegal as hell but I don't see how it can fake I said that's the point I know I can live with this the Good Jesuits who taught us in school and college knocked all my conscience out of me but you were
always a good guy wearing a white hat how can you live with this he asked just I don't care anymore something in me died when Laura slept with that stupid I want myself respect back and I intend to do so Steven simply nodded the stage was set now all that remained was to play my part do you mind if I sit I asked Frank he didn't recognize the man he had Cheated with but I knew him I waited in the municipal parking lot not far from where Frank parked his silver Mercedes as he did every
Thursday around 7 in the evening I parked in the farthest part of the lot away from the light I gave him a 20-minute Head Start then slowly walked out of the parking lot passing his car with a nail punch in my left hand one quick movement and there was a small crack on the right rear light unnoticeable until the headlights were On but it would be noticeable as soon as the headlights were on and by then he would be driving and wouldn't be able to notice it pat Sullivan you know Laura Parker's husband we met
at a Christmas party at Brentwood and Stringer oh yes of course he said looking a little nervous well he spent most of Monday with my wife it was President's Day Laura said she had to work but I followed her to his house it was just Over a week after the big announcement that Laura received a partnership I think he and Frank just celebrated this event a little anyway she came home and tried to sleep with me but like the last few weeks I was uninterested if she suspected something she didn't speak about it she was
full of promises that everything would be fine but she just didn't know how right she was how can I help you p he asked with a smug smile on his face perhaps Remembering Monday I waited until all but two of his drinking buddies had left Lori was especially attentive that evening and quite nonchalant showing off her fifth place right in front of Frank's face whenever the opportunity presented itself he ended up with three decent drinks all doubles except the last one which was a triple as soon as I sat down she brought out two more
one single for me and a triple for Frank I need need to talk to you alone I said Loud enough for his comrades to hear the good-natured guys said goodbye and left me alone with Frank how can I help he asked you see the point is that since you've been sleeping with my wife I'd like to avoid a scandal this shocked him a little but the scumbag tried to deny everything I assure you that you're wrong he said causing me to take out my iPhone and read the Times and places they were together and show
photos of them kissing with his hand on her fifth Place this really caught him off guard what do you want he finally asked nothing special just a divorce just a way out of the marriage but knowing Laura she won't give up without a fight unless she's convinced can you do it Frank can you make this girl just leave Frank took a long sip of his drink and gave me a smug smile well I think we can all win if we keep everything quiet but we have a no fault divorce you don't need a reason for
divorce Yes but your company is big and you might make my life difficult Laura is quite stubborn and she will need convincing so we sat there for a good half hour drinking with Lori making sure the glasses weren't empty while we discussed how to deal with my wife and Frank's mistress at about 10:00 in the evening we finished the discussion the smug confident Frank left and I followed him as he approached his car in the municipal parking lot he hesitated and Held the keys hesitantly for a moment I thought he might call a taxi but
he got into his Mercedes and drove slowly and carefully but with a broken tail light he headed right into a trap I gave him a good Head Start of half an hour before following him when I crossed the bridge I saw flashing lights he was taken out of the car and handcuffed I drove past and stopped at the lamb diner near the transport Junction it was 10:40 my phone rang and I saw that it was Laura worried about where I was I didn't answer I ate a burger and fries and drank a lot of coffee
what do you think of our first part of the story I thought the main character's whole world turned upside down when he found out at a party that his wife was cheating on him what was your impression write in the comments see you in the comments
