Ben blew out his cheeks. “Clarence, take the plea. I’m going to a party.”

Christina McCall scrutinized the business card in her hand. “You actually hand this out?”

The short man in the blue union suit nodded. “Clients, potential clients, everyone. Anyone who’s in trouble with the police or likely to be. You wouldn’t believe how effective it is. I’ve saved lives with that card.”

Christina scrutinized it carefully. It was thicker than most cards because it had a shimmering 3-D surface done up in swirling psychedelic colors. Beneath the colors, set out in boldface capital letters, were four pithy statements stacked one atop the other: don’t say anything. don’t consent to a search. the police are not your friends. you need a good lawyer.

She flipped the card over. In the center, above the address, it read: darryl cooke. a good lawyer.

“And this gets you business?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe. Oh-excuse me, Chris,” Cooke said, already moving away. “I promised Charlton Colby a word.”

Which was his way of saying he’d spotted someone more important to talk to. Christina supposed she shouldn’t fault him; he was just networking, like everyone else here at the Tulsa County Bar reception. In these days of cutthroat law practice, lawyers stealing clients from one another, big firms locking up the top corporate work, lawyers had to scurry for scraps and morsels. Any amount of kowtowing could be justified if it led to work. Preferably with a large profitable law firm.

Christina, on the other hand, had already been with a large profitable law firm. And hated it. She didn’t want to switch; she just wanted to see Ben start making some money for a change. He was a fine, hardworking attorney with a growing reputation. But as a result of a bad incident with a big firm early in his career, his connections to the local power brokers were severely constrained. And his social skills were pitiful. The fact that Ben constantly took time-consuming cases for people who couldn’t or wouldn’t pay didn’t help much, either. Christina had insisted that Ben attend this reception, in a desperate attempt to increase his interactivity in the legal community. This was supposed to be his assignment, not hers. So where was he?

“Christina! Is it really you?”

She heard the voice and winced. Ohmigod. Not Alvin Hager. Anything but Alvin Hager.

“Alvin Hager,” the man said, thrusting his hand into her abdomen. “How the hell have you been?”

She forced a smile. Alvin had been a young associate at Raven, Tucker & Tubb back when she’d been a legal assistant there. He’d had a big crush on her-the drooling puppy-dog kind. He was basically a nerd, but it seemed to her at times that pretty much all lawyers were, so she tried not to hold it against him.

“Christina, I can’t tell you how good it is to see you! I’m just-I’m overwhelmed!” As if he couldn’t restrain himself, he threw his arms around her and enveloped her in a tremendous bear hug. His faux mustache-too few whiskers thickened with some sort of gel-brushed against her cheek. “How did we ever lose track?”

“Well, these things happen. So how are you?”

“Oh… I’m slowly recovering,” he said, making Christina immediately wish she hadn’t asked. “I guess you probably heard-Candy and I gave up the ghost. Called it quits. After a year and a half of marriage, no less.”

Christina shook her head. “That long.”

“Yeah, sad, isn’t it? But I’m getting past the anger and, to tell you the truth, I’m rather relieved. I feel like a free man again. Like I’ve been reprieved from a life sentence. How about you?” he added, jabbing her in the ribs. “Still single? I hope, I hope?”

This would be a good time to fictionalize a lesbian relationship with a first cousin, Christina mused, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. “Yes, still single.”

“And still in the law game?”

“Yes. I work with Ben Kincaid.”

Hager slapped himself on the forehead. “Oh, my God, no! You’re kidding, right?”

“No…”

“Not him! Not that chump we booted out of the firm!”

“The one and only.”

“Oh, you poor dear. I had no idea! I mean, I knew you left the firm at the same time, but I never dreamed you’d still be with him after all these years.”

Christina tried not to bristle. “I like working with Ben. He’s a good attorney.”

“Oh, but Christina-this will never do. I know times are tough for legal assistants, but someone with your skills-”

“Actually, Alvin, I’m a lawyer now.”

For the first time, Hager missed a beat. “You’re-what? A lawyer?”

Did her newfound status threaten him? Christina wondered. Destroy some illusion he had of overwhelming the vulnerable legal assistant with his well-educated awesomeness? “And I like it where I am,” she continued. “Ben and I have handled some major cases. And won. We’ve helped innocent people avoid unjust charges-”

“Criminal law?” He made a gagging face. “Oh, Christina-it’s just too horrible!”

Christina felt her blood pressure rising. “I like what I’m doing.”

“But Christina-a girl with your smarts could work anywhere. I bet I could get you back in with Raven.”

“I’d sooner die.”

“Then one of the other major firms. I’m a partner now, you know. I have a lot of connections. I could put in a good word.”

Christina hesitated. She had come to network, after all. But the thought of leaving Ben and joining some big firm just didn’t appeal. “No thanks.”

Alvin ’s brow wrinkled. “What’s happened to you? The Christina I knew was a serious career woman. She wouldn’t pass on a golden opportunity to move herself up in the world. Is he paying you that much?”

Christina suppressed a laugh. “No, that isn’t it.”

“Have you two got some kind of… thing going?”

“We’re just good friends.”

Hager spread his arms wide. “Then what?”

“I just-I-” What was she trying to say, anyway? Why had she stuck with Ben all this time? Why wasn’t she interested in moving onward and upward? She found herself utterly unable to explain it rationally. Was that because it wasn’t rational? “I like what I’m doing, Alvin. Where I’m doing it. I’m the person I want to be.”

Hager took a step back. “That’s fine. Don’t get defensive on me. Just trying to help.” He winked. “So where is this paragon of lawyering, anyway?”

She scanned the room. “There he is! I wonder how long he’s been here. Sorry, Alvin. Must dash.” She quickly crossed the room and grabbed Ben’s arm. “Thank goodness you’re here. I was trapped with Alvin Hager, of all people. Have you met anyone here?”

“I’ve met lots of people,” Ben replied. “Most of them annoying.”

“Yeah, well, you know what they say. Ninety-nine percent of the lawyers give the rest a bad name. But this soiree isn’t restricted to lawyers, you know. There are some real people here, too. All kinds of big shots. Potential clients.”

“Like who?”

Christina tugged her head to one side. “See the guy in the gray? Walt Helmerich, oil kingpin. The man he’s talking to? Chester Cadieux. Chairman of QuikTrip. I daresay he’s worth a few bucks.” She adjusted her gaze slightly to a strong-looking man with silver hair. “Robert Lorton. TulsaWorld. Gordona Duca. Real estate. Major wheeler-dealer.”

“Who’s the guy they’re talking to? The redhead.”

Christina rolled her eyes. “Ben! Don’t you know anyone? He’s the most prominent one in the bunch.”

“You’re just saying that because he has red hair.”

“I’m saying it because it’s true. He could buy and sell the lot of them.”

“That kid? He’s what? Thirty?”

“He’s Peter Rothko, founder of the Burger Bliss fast-food chain.”

“He looks more like the top fry cook.”

“He owns the whole outfit. He’s a billionaire. Fortune 500. And insanely handsome. He’s got it all.” Her gaze softened. “Generally considered to be Tulsa ’s most eligible bachelor.”