Chapter Twelve

“I can’t stop shaking. Please give me a hug and make that terrible image of Lexus go away.” Richard reached for me and held me for the longest time.

“I know. But at least the doctors said she will be fine, no permanent damage. Thank God that Peter was there or else who knows what might have happened.”

“Lexus was lucky that she had a license for that gun. She told Peter where it was and to use it only in emergencies. He perhaps is not as dumb as they think he is.”

“What do you think will happen now? Obviously, once Gritty is released from the hospital with a clean bill of health, they will press charges. You do think that Lexus will press charges, don’t you?”

“With her, I am not sure of anything. I only wish that the bullet was aimed at his heart. The kid was smart but a lousy shooter. Probably the first time he ever used a gun.”

“Adam you have to be non-judgemental in our line of business, neutral to the end. How will you ever defend him if you have already tried and prosecuted him?”

“Are you crazy? Defend him is the last thing I will do. I am officially off this case. I’m done. That piece of shit can rot in hell for all I care!”

“No you’re not giving up this case; we are in too deep.”

“What case anyway? Gritty versus Invor or Lexus versus Gritty and so on and so on. What started out to be pretty straight forward is ass-backward now. We both know that this was only a figment of Gritty’s imagination. He never had a cure for any disease. He was not qualified and never worked in that area. Pointe finale! We are chasing a pipe drea… no fame or fortune with this case my friend. Richard, don’t you get it. There is no case, period!”

“Then why did they let him go after all those years? That alone is discrimination. Invor is hiding something. I’ll bet my life on it. We just have to find out what!”

“Well even if they are, the plaintiff is in lockup.”

“Not if we convince Lexus not to press charges.”

“Fuck Richard, he almost killer her. He is being charged for attempted murder.”

“Only if proven!”

I’m happy that the phone rang. I was dumbfounded with Richard’s take on this situation. He skipped over the obvious matters at hand and went right for the reward. His only concern was fame and he did not care about what had just happened to Lexus. Crimes against women have always been my utmost concern and I could not deal with his insensitive attitude. I would let him think it over and hopefully he would regain his senses.

* * * *

“Lexus how are you? I know, it looked awful. When I see blood, I automatically assume the worse. So you are better? That’s good. Wow, I’m happy that he is okay. It took a lot for him to get the gun. It might cause flashbacks and in his condition, he might have bad dreams or become very quiet. I know you will. Do you want us to come over, chicken soup or something like that? Well, I am happy to hear you laughing again. I am really sick over it all.

“What? Are you kidding me? That can’t be possible. It looked so real. Okay get some rest and I will come by tomorrow. Bye-bye.”

“What was that all about?” asked Richard.

“You’re not going believe it. You might have your hope validated by the release of Gritty. I don’t think Lex is going to press charges. Apparently it was not a real knife; it was one of those make believe ones that are used in stage props. Now, Lex feels that he was not trying to harm her and he must be set free.”

“You’re kidding of course! Slamming her head against a table, in my estimation, is cause for feeling that someone just might be wanting to harm you. What’s with that woman?”

“Yeah, I know, but she loves her man. Women like that are selfless; they feel deserving of the punishment and only want to make everyone around them happy. And that is the case with Lexus. No one, man nor woman has the right to even lay a finger on someone else, whether it be warranted or not! I see many of my cases where the woman gets the rough end of the deal. Try to tell them; no, they wait until it is too late or death comes first. Their fate is inevitable.”

“You think that she will let him be released?”

Before I could answer, the phone rang again. It was Marc from the precinct.

“Slow down Marc. Wow, she what? And what about Peter and the gun?” I listened as he told me the story and when I hung up the receiver I felt exhausted. I felt defeated.

I repeated the story to Richard. “Lexus called Marc and said she would go by the precinct today and sign a paper not to press charges. Gritty is still at the General being treated for a non-life threatening foot wound. He is under arrest with a guard stationed outside his door.”

“I don’t think that he will be going anywhere in his condition.”

“And Peter will not be charged with anything because of his mental state and he was only acting in self defense. There will be some kind of conditions set forth as to the gun being locked up and no access given to Peter. In his mental state it could be dangerous.”

Richard did not say much but comforted and listened intently to me as I rambled on with dismay. I had no other option than to drop the case. I did not want to talk to Lexus; I felt that she betrayed me. The minute that I got off the phone with her, she called Marc. She knew at that time that her decision was made but she did not share it with me. I could not understand her thought process or her lack of gratitude for all the effort I put into this case. I had put aside some very good prospects of paying customers, all for her and my belief in Gritty.

It was over and I would move on. I could not imagine a life without Lexus in it. I had to remember that my perception of what she was and what I needed from her in the realization of what I wanted her to be, was completely based on untruths. I did not want the memories to become only bitter disappointments. I had to freeze them in time and not dwell too much on what transpired these last few months. She never told me about her relationship with Gritty or that he fathered her son or for that matter, that she even had a child. I had to come to terms with whether leaving things out was in fact a form of lying. Silence can be hidden lies yet to be revealed.

I also had to come to terms with the fact that I did not own Lex; I was not family. Tomorrow I would go into the office and try to clean up the mess that I left behind. I would concentrate on building my business.

I hated Lexus.