Free The Case of the Killer Divorce by Barbara Venkataraman

was she?"
    "I hate to tell you this, Jamie, I really do, but it was Becca."
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
     

 
                 
                 
     
     
    Chapter 26
    I gasped in disbelief--Becca and Joe were sleeping together! I couldn't get over it.
    "Talk about your love/hate relationship," I said.
    "There's no figurin' out people," Duke said, "I stopped trying a long time ago. But one thing 's true, when there's sex or money on the line, all bets are off."
    I parked at my office , but stayed in the car. My mind was racing.
    " Do we know why Charlie went over there, because he told me he hadn't seen Joe," I asked.
    "Yeah, the guard said he brought a bunch of kid stuff over and gave it to Joe in the lobby. He didn't go up to Joe's apartment."
    " That must've been stuff for the Friday visit with the kids, but he still lied about it. And, from what you're saying, it seems like Becca had lots of opportunities to stash an aspirin bottle full of Ambien at Joe's place."
    "Yup."
    "But then why was she so upset when Nick asked about the aspirin bottle?"
    "Gu ilty conscience? I'm just guessing."
    I confessed to Duke that I didn't know what to do next. Becca was my client and I had an ethical obligation not to act against her best interests. But, with the way I felt about her now, my only choice was to withdraw from the case and cut all ties. I'd say we had some irreconcilable differences, for sure
    "Well," Duke said, "I hope you don't mind if I stay on the case. I was hired to find evidence that might clear Becca, and I'm not through looking. I haven't earned my money yet, is what I'm saying."
    "Of course you should stay on. And I'm sure Susan Doyle will still agree to represent Becca, if and when charges are filed. Jeez, if she only represented innocent people, she'd have to close her doors. You know, Duke, Susan could be a great source of business for you. She specifically asked for you on this case."
    "She did? Well, hallelujah for that!"
    "A word of advice?"
    "Yeah, what?"
    "Don't hit on her , and don't let her know you conduct all your business from a bar," I joked.
    "Gotcha!" He laughed. "And thanks for the business. I knew one day you'd introduce me to al l the hot lady lawyers in town."
    "Bye, Duke. And good luck with Becca."
    "I think I 'm going to need it," he said.
    I felt awful about Becca, and not because she may have killed her husband, but because I'd been duped. I'd worked so hard for her, and the whole time she'd been lying to me. I really hated to think that Nick was right, that I take things too personally, and that my sense of compassion is a hindrance. To be honest, I didn't know what to think anymore.
    I spent the rest of the afternoon in a fog, at my desk, drafting pleadings, writing letters and returning phone calls. I even ate at my desk, ordering food in rather than going out again. I was relieved to see that I had a mediation scheduled for the next day. Playing mediator was actually enjoyable since it amounted to creative problem solving with no preparation required. It was very satisfying to help couples resolve their differences in a civilized way. And not by murdering each other. 
                 
                 

 
     
    Chapter 27
    Friday morning flew by; I was so engrossed in the mediation process. These sessions are confidential, so I can't tell you the specifics, but I can tell you that all major issues were resolved in the first half hour. And then it took another five hours to resolve the nitty-gritty stuff. As they say, the devil is in the details.
    There's always one thing that jams the process up right at the very end, and it's something that seems stupid to the rest of us. One time it was a DVD collection, another time it was a microwave, this time it was a harp. I've come to realize that it's not the object that matters, it's what it