You Believe Me Don’t You

“You believe me don’t you, Mitch? Sure, I may have left out a few small details about things that have happened in the past, but I would never intentionally skip anything pertaining to something this important. The police have shown you the video, and you’ve talked to some witnesses, so you must know I’m telling you the truth. I mean, what good is having a lawyer if he doesn’t believe you, right?”

“Jack, I never said I didn’t believe you. However, there are several inconsistencies that need to be cleared up before we go into the courtroom, or the District Attorney will blow your story out of the water. I just want to work on those problem areas, okay?”

“Sure, sure, you’re the expert. What do you want to know?”

“Let’s start with your statement to the police. You told them that you had not seen Mary the entire evening, but the video shows you were both attending the same party in the same room. Would you like to change your statement?”

“No! Did you see the size of that room? It’s a bloody ball room and there were around five-hundred people there. Plus, it was a costume party, and we were all wearing masks. The video shows me arriving alone half an hour before her and she came in with a date. They identified me because I didn’t put my mask on until after I entered the room. He’s the one that should be in this jail cell, not me. Have the police interviewed him?”

“Jack, I’ve already told you, they haven’t been able to locate him. He appears to have vanished without a trace. Do you know who he is?”

“I already told the cops I have no idea who he is. Mary told me she met him on some dating app and was totally infatuated with him. He’s the reason she filed for a divorce. That’s all she would say about him. She wouldn’t even tell me his name. She wanted me gone, but not my money. The video also showed them leaving about ten minutes before I did. I hope the cops noticed that.”

“What they noticed was Mary leaving with someone dressed exactly like you and wearing a V-for Vengeance mask which is what you had on. Her date was wearing a different mask when they arrived. You can see why the police are skeptical about your story. It could have been anyone in a Vengeance mask leaving when you said you did.”

“But it wasn’t anyone, Mitch, it was me! Is that all the evidence they have against me?”

“Well, there is the bloody rag they found in your car and blood spatter on the dashboard. It matches the blood on Mary’s costume they found on the riverbank.”

“I was giving Mary a ride to work last week when she sneezed so hard her nose started bleeding. She sneezed a few more times and sprayed blood and snot all over the dash. I used the rag to wipe it off. There must be tests that can tell how old the blood is. So far, everything they have is circumstantial evidence. There are no eyewitnesses claiming that I’ve harmed Mary. They haven’t found her body. They don’t even know if she is dead. I would think a top lawyer like you would be able to get this mess thrown out.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, Jack. I need you to sign some documents before we can proceed. They’re just routine forms that all my clients sign. This one verifies that you have hired me as your lawyer. It protects attorney client privilege, and this one gives me conservatorship over your finances until you are released. This way I will be able to pay your bills, keep your business running, and eliminate the need for filing bankruptcy as this progresses. It’s all quite routine stuff.”

“I guess I need to trust you, Mitch. Give me your pen. Done! Where are you going?”

“I have another client I need to see. Don’t worry, I’ll be seeing you soon.”

Later that evening at Mitch’s office

“How did it go?”

“Just like you said it would, love. I transferred ownership of his corporation to a shell company owned by you, and his bank account is empty. Those funds are split evenly between us.”

“I’m leaving for Montenegro tonight. Coming along?”

“Mary, I will never let you out of my sight.”