The street lawyer.-

I woke up at seven in the morning and a nurse gave me a note from Claire.It was a really sweet note.It said that she had to go to work and that she had spoken to my doctors and I probably would    not die.Claire and I must look like a happily married couple to the doctors and nurses.






Why were we getting a divorce?





My left arm was blue. My chest hurt when I Breathed. I looked at my face in the bathroom. There were some small cuts, but nothing that would not disappear over the weekend. A nurse told me the Jaguar had been driven by a gang member who sold drugs.





Welcome to the streets-I thought as I tried no do breathe too much.



The doctor came at seven thirty, No bones were broken.






They wanted me to stay in hospital for one more day, just to be safe, but I said no.





I had to find a new apartment. The first real estate office sent me to an apartment at Adams- Morgan north of Dupont Circle.It was three Little romos  at the top of a house. Everything in the bathroom worked, the floor was clean, there was a view over the streets.I took it.






That evening I went back to my old apartment to see Claire. We ate a Chinese carryout. Our first ever meal together as husband and wife. Claire had the divorce papers waiting for me on the table and I signed them. In six months I would be single.






-Do you know someone called Héctor Palma? she asked,   through the Chinese dinner.





My eyes opened wide...yes..





-He called an hour ago. Said he had to talk to you. Who is he?






.A legal assistant with Drake. He wants me to help him. He has a problem.





-Must be a big one. He wants to meet with you at nine tonight, at Nathan...






-why a bar?I said, half to myself, half to Claire.



-He did not say. He sounded strange on the ph  one.







Suddenly, I was not hungry. I finished the meal only because I did not want to look worried in front of Claire. But it was not necessary .She was not even looking at me.






I walked to Mr Street. Parking is imposible on a Saturday night. It was raining and my chest hurt. As I walked, I thought about what to say.




I thought of lies I could tell. After taking the file, it seemed easier to lie. Héctor might be there for Drake.He might be wired to record what I said. I would listen carefully and say Little.






Nathan was only half-full. I was ten minutes early but he was there, waiting for me at a table in the corner. As I came in, he jumped up from his seat and put his hand out.






-you must be Michael. I  am Héctor Palma from real estate, Nice to meet you.Huh?Did not we meet in the library?






-we sat down. He started kicking me under the table. I understood. He was wired and they were watching. A waiter came. I ordered black coffee and Héctor asked for a beer.



-I am a legal assistant in real state, Héctor explained as the drinks arrived.





-You have met Braden ,one of our partners?





.Yes, I said, I would say as Little as possible



I work  for him You and I spoke for a minute one day last week when you visited his office.



-If you say so, I dont remember seeing you.



He smiled and I kicked him back under the table. We both understood the situation now.




Listen, I asked you to meet me because a file is missing from Braden office.




-And you think I took it?




-well, no but it could be you. You asked for that file when you went into his office last week.





-So you do think I took it?I said angrily. well, go on to the pólice.



Héctor Palma drank some of his beer. Drake already gone to the pólice, he said.



The pólice found an empty file in your desk with a note about two keys. One to the door the other to a file drawer.



They also found your fingerprints on the file drawer.




I had not thought about fingerprints. Drake took everybody fingerprints when they joined the Company. But that was five years ago and I had forgotten about it.




-We might want to speak to you about all this again later, said Héctor Palma.



I picked up my coat and left.