still have one in next Monday for trial, just a quickie but I need to prepare the Hobbs case now too.”
She drains the last of her drink with her straw and places her glass down onto the table.
“You’re so lucky Lauren. Everything always just seems to fall in your lap. First pupillage, now this.”
I try to laugh and finish my juice too.
“You’re conveniently forgetting everything in the middle! Normally the only thing that falls into my lap is a piece of jam covered toast when I’m running late in the morning!” I stand up and on cue topple the empty glass in front of me. “See! I’m a magnet for disaster, not success!”
As I scoop under the chair and fish underneath for my bag, she speaks.
“Did you send that cheque?”
“No! But as luck would have it it’s in here somewhere.”
Serena watches in disbelief as I upend the contents of the bag on to the table in front of us. Soon, the whole surface is liberally coated with goods including what appears to be half of the MAC counter, old diaries, loose change, various receipts, photographs of me and Sebastian and enough biros to supply an entire office block for a month. I rummage through the detritus and eventually retrieve my cheque book from near to the bottom of the pile.
“Got it! Who do I make it out to?” I ask, handing her the accompanying letter and looking for a pen that works.
I find one and she reels off the details of the recipient. As I stuff the documents into a dog-eared envelope it dawns on me that I haven’t got any stamps. I look up and see Serena holding one out on her index finger.
“Cheers!” I laugh, “I’ll pop it in Chambers’ outgoing mail in a minute.”
“Make sure you do! I’m not joking, if I have to sit next to someone boring then I’ll hold you personally responsible”
We make our way back into the building and Serena wanders off to talk to this week’s work experience students. By the time I get back to my desk the promised papers have arrived. I look with a rising feeling of panic at the numerous green lever-arch files stacked neatly on my desk. I haven’t got the foggiest where to start.
I decide to delay the inevitable and a quick check of my mobile reveals a missed call from a number I don’t recognise. Happy to have a legitimate excuse not to start work, I press redial and wait.
“Corr” comes the brisk voice. Shit. I should have thought this through. I’m tempted to hang up, but I didn’t withhold my number.
“Hi George,” I start, “It’s Lauren. Lauren Chase. How are you?” There’s a long pause and I check the display to make sure we’re still connected. His deep voice is sharp and devoid of any conversational pleasantries.
“As I’m sure you now know, I could be a great deal better, but what’s done is done. I expect you to be fully conversant with all aspects of the evidence by Friday at the latest and ready to draft any amendments to the case summary by Monday as I want it faxed to me before midday.”
I gulp. He continues.
“Further, when you get to the agreed facts can you cross-reference them with all of their corresponding exhibits? I need to be confident they’re word and number perfect for the jury. I’ll see you in Chambers next Thursday so if you have any questions I trust they can wait until then.”
I’m speechless. He seems to be waiting for some sort of response.
“Of course!” I say, my voice sounding impressively calm “Not a problem.”
“I should hope not” he replies before hanging up.
Right, well today is Wednesday, so I have two days to read twelve folders full of papers and digest them enough to understand everything about this brief. I’m sure it’s not impossible. That’s it, positive mental attitude. That’s all this’ll take.
I send Sebastian a text letting him know what’s going on and tell him that I won’t be home for dinner. I know that I’ll need shed loads of caffeine to get through this so I go to the kitchen and put the kettle on, happily remembering my secret stash of pro-plus somewhere in my bag.
Chapter Eight
It’s Tuesday evening and I know that I look like something the cat’s dragged in. I’m convinced that people in Chambers are actually walking past my room on purpose so they can get a glimpse of me in my bedraggled state. I can