updated, state-of-the-art building, with each attorney, complete with receptionist and two paralegals, having a floor to himself.
Elaine chose the Diamond law firm because of her love of diamonds and the tarot card reading she’d commissioned.
One of the cards, she couldn’t remember which one, said that precious gems were all around her. Then, when she’d just been in the planning stage of her divorce, she’d cast a spell, which reinforced her decision.
Elaine took a moment to stare at her reflection in the plate-glass door before she opened it. She looked perfect, stunning actually. She settled the Chanel handbag with its gold-braided chain, the bag Gus had surprised her with on New Year’s Eve, on her shoulder. She’d been so surprised, because the holidays had been especially grim. She’d shown her gratitude in the only way she knew how. Sex.
Elaine shrugged away the memory as she made her way to the elevator that would take her to the third floor. Like she would even consider the first two floors and the attorneys they housed, regardless of their being named Diamond, too. Only the founder of the firm was good enough for her, so she had held out for Isaac Diamond. Because, Isaac Diamond was old but still sharp as a razor. Not to mention he was a lascivious old man who couldn’t disguise the lust in his eyes when he looked at her. Then there was the Diamond money. Piles and piles of money and all controlled by Isaac, who was a widower.
Elaine followed Isaac’s secretary to his sumptuous office, which looked to be professionally decorated. It also looked like there wasn’t much foot traffic; nor were there any indentations in the comfortable furniture. It was an office that Isaac still inhabited from long years of habit and routine. A place to come to, to prove he still had control of Diamond, Diamond, and Diamond. Which he did. No decisions were made and no new clients were accepted until Isaac voiced his approval. A tightly run ship with billable hours at an all-time high.
Elaine remembered how she had cringed when she was told the firm charged $550 an hour. Paralegals billed at $300. Isaac had assured her she would get it back in spades from Gus when all was said and done. She hated dipping into her local reserve funds, but she had had little choice, so with a shaking hand, she’d written out a check for $25,000 as a retainer. She told herself she had a money spell that she could cast when she returned home that was all but guaranteed to work in four days. Or was it nine? Right now, she couldn’t remember. Everything in witchcraft was geared to the numbers four and nine. She loved those numbers and considered them her lucky numbers.
Isaac stood up and came around the desk to greet his newest client, his only client. He put his arm around her shoulders and led her to a chair across from his desk.
Isaac Diamond was a handsome, imposing figure topping the height charts at six foot three inches. According to his doctors, he was still in excellent physical shape at the age of seventy-eight. He played golf three days a week and worked out with a personal trainer twice a week. Today, he wore a custom-made Hugo Boss suit and Bally shoes that were so shiny, he could see his reflection in them. He was tanned and wore blue contact lenses. His hair was white, and there was plenty of it, thanks to hair plugs. Isaac Diamond was vain. Very vain.
“You look like a breath of spring, my dear. How did you weather that horrible storm?”
Elaine smiled. “Thank you. I had a few limbs come down, and my yard looks like a lake right now, but that was the worst of it. Thank you for asking, Isaac.”
“The reason I asked you to come in—other than to ask you to lunch—was to tell you that I’ve heard from your husband’s attorney.”
Elaine looked across the desk at her attorney. Her eyes were moist and glistening. “Isaac, please, don’t refer to Gus as my husband. Just call him Gus.”
“Noted, my dear. It won’t happen again. Yesterday, late, I think it was around six, and I had left for the day, but I got her voice mail when I got in this morning. Jill Jackson is Gus’s lawyer. I’m sorry to say I knew nothing of her; nor did either of my sons. So, I googled her, and I must