Free Bearing Witness by Michael A. Kahn

list of one hundred forty-eight bids fresh off the printer. “That’s it,” she said as she handed it to me. She checked her watch. “I’m outta here.”
    â€œThanks, Jacki,” I said, standing up. “Have a good time.”
    She inhaled deeply and nodded. “Thanks.”
    â€œHey, Jacki,” Benny said, “where you off to?”
    She blushed. “Oh, just…out. Probably dinner.”
    Benny grinned. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
    Jacki shrugged awkwardly. “Just someone from my civil procedure class.”
    Benny winked. “Sic him, tiger.”
    She turned to me, trying to regain her poise. “You need me to come in tomorrow?”
    â€œSunday?” I shook my head. “No, I won’t be in, either. I’m going with Jonathan tomorrow morning to hear that Nazi creep give a sermon, and then we’re driving up to Springfield to talk to the skinheads they arrested for Gloria’s murder.”
    She shook her head in disgust. “Those animals.”
    I followed her to the outer door. “Wait,” I whispered, glancing back to see if Benny was listening. He wasn’t. I turned to her. “Let me see.”
    Uncertainly, she moved toward me. “Do I look okay?”
    I smiled. “Extraordinary.” Then again, at six foot three and two hundred thirty-five pounds, it’d be hard for her to look anything else.
    â€œReally?” she asked.
    â€œDefinitely.” We both kept our voices low. “I love the hair. Is it new?”
    She nodded. “I bought it last weekend.” She touched the side curls doubtfully. “You’re sure the permed look isn’t too much?”
    â€œOh, no,” I told her. It was a big improvement over her last night-on-the-town wig, a platinum beehive that looked stiff enough to drive railroad spikes.
    I turned back again. Benny was engrossed in an issue of Commerce Business Daily , oblivious to us. “Let’s see,” I whispered as I reached over and unbuttoned the top button of her blouse. I stood back, studied her a moment, and nodded in approval. “Perfect.”
    She took a deep breath. “Thanks.”
    â€œSee you on Monday. Have fun.”
    When I came back into my office, Benny looked up from the CBD and asked, “How tall is her date?”
    I shrugged. “She said he works days at an insurance company.”
    â€œDoes he—you know?”
    I looked at him wearily. “Does he what?”
    â€œDoes he know about the magic surprise she’s hiding under that skirt? Does he know that Jacki is everything you always wanted in a girl—and more?”
    I tried to keep a straight face as I took a seat behind my desk. “That’s none of our business.” I picked up the list of bids that Jacki had prepared and tried to focus. After a moment, I glanced over at Benny, who was grinning at me. I raised my eyebrows. “Oy, I sure hope he does.”
    Benny chuckled. “Oh, man,” he said, shaking his head in amusement. “What an image, eh?”
    I settled back in my chair with the list of bids. Reaching behind me to the credenza, I flipped on the radio. I was just in time to hear the opening chords of the Eagles’ “Hotel California.”
    â€œMmmm,” I sighed, transported back to the summer before my sophomore year of high school and a cute junior on the varsity football team named Chuck Nathan—back to a time when “cute” and “varsity letter” equaled Mr. Right. Chuck was the love of my life for six whole weeks, and I wore his letter sweater with pride on even the hottest nights that August.
    â€œSo what’s next?” Benny asked.
    I reached for the list of bids. “Depends on what the students find on the Internet.” I frowned at the entries. “In fact, the rest of this case depends on that.”
    â€œHow so?”
    I leaned across the desk and turned the list