Southern Justice, Part 31

I’m Fixin’ To present part 31 of Southern Justice.

Once Chris Adams recovered from his shock and surprise he slid off the stool and insisted that Patty take it since there were no others available. Then after he ordered drinks he asked, “So, do you make this change in your appearance every night, or is it just a Saturday night thing?”

He watched the smile of satisfaction spread across her face as she enjoyed his reaction to the way she looked.

“No, and no,” she answered, “I really haven’t done it since a very long time ago.”

As the drinks arrived Chris asked, “So what’s the big occasion tonight?”

“Two reasons,” Patty said after a tiny sip from her cocktail. “The first one is that I’m celebrating a milestone in my career, and I’m not going to tell you the other one yet.”

“Then please tell me what’s happening in your career to cause such a transformation.”

“I just recently passed the bar exam and received my license to practice law in Georgia,” she proudly announced.

Chris faked a stunned look and said, “What! A lawyer? I thought you were Hormel’s secretary, or assistant, or something like that.”

“Yes, I have been something like that.”

“I suppose he’s going to make you a partner now.”

Patty brushed some of her new hair back from her left eye and said, “No. He doesn’t even know I passed the bar. Besides, he would never share his practice with another attorney, and I wouldn’t accept if he offered. And, as you have surely figured out by now, the man is a pig.”

Chris was liking what he was hearing. “Yeah, it didn’t take me long to figure that out. What I can’t figure out is why do you work for him?”

“He offered the best pay I could get as a clerk and he let me set my own hours so that I could go to law school.”

Chris took a look sip of the cold liquid, sat the glass on the counter and said, “Since you don’t seem to have any loyalties to Hormel and don’t intend to stay there, what will you do now?”

“I intend to start my own practice very soon. I already have several clients.”

There was a lull in the conversation as Chris remembered his original plan for the evening, which was to somehow get into the law office without being detected. The extreme change in Patty’s appearance had momentarily caused him to forget about it, but now he realized it was time to proceed with the plan, however, he wasn’t so sure of himself anymore.

Seduction had been at the core of his plan, but the quarry had suddenly transformed from a kitten into a tigress. She seemed not to be a fan of her boss, but there was always the chance that he was the target instead of her. Heck, maybe she was out to seduce him in order to get him to transfer over to their team, acquire some type of information, or who knew what?

In the midst of these thoughts he felt her soft hand slide into his, and there was a gentle squeeze.

Okay, proceed with caution, he thought to himself.

Chris drained his glass, turned toward Patty, only to find her face was very close and he was looking directly into those lovely, hypnotic, enticing brown eyes. The little flecks of gold in the pupils made him want to disappear directly into them.

Shaking his head to clear it he said, “Listen, Patty, I want to take you to dinner, but I need to stop by my office. Do you mind if we make a quick stop to pick up a project I’m working on? I need to finish it before Monday morning, and dang it, I left it on my desk. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Patty replied. “Are you ready to go now?”

“Yes, but I have another problem. I don’t have any transportation. Do you have a car here?”

“Well, yes, but it’s not much of a car. Where’s yours?”

“In the garage.” Chris figured it wasn’t much of a lie. His car was in the garage–the hotel valet garage. He assisted Patty off the bar stool and felt her soft warmness as she took his arm.

(tmdunagan@aol.com)