Harry by Emma Hamilton

Author:Emma Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Brown Dog Books

Chapter Twelve

Arriving late at the office wearing running gear on the day of a big court hearing is not the best way to impress a client, certainly not a client like Peregrine. And, chance being what it is, Peregrine was having a row with the security guys as I arrived.

‘You’re not searching through my fucking bag.’

‘Well, sir, then I am afraid you can’t go in.’ Harvey was only following protocol and was right to do so.

‘Do you know who I am?’

‘No, sir. But if you tell me I’ll make a note of it and pass it on to the police when I ring them.’ Harvey rarely comes second.

‘Don’t be so fucking stupid.’ A wobbling mass like Peregrine can rarely get the ball back over the net, even in a game of verbal tennis like that.

‘I’d like to speak to the senior partner…now.’ It was the outwitted prima donna’s last stance – do what I want or else I’ll have an even bigger tantrum and drag everyone into it.

Arun was about to weigh in and, if the stories of his weekend work as a bouncer were true, that meant smack the man in the face first and ask questions afterwards. It was tempting to let him, very tempting, but no. I intervened.

‘OK, OK. What’s the problem?’ I asked. Peregrine looked at me with utter disdain.

‘I am not having this black guy searching through my personal possessions. Who does he think I am? One of your criminal clients?’

‘Now, now, Peregrine, you know full well I don’t do crime. Looks like things are getting a bit heated here. OK,’ I turned to Harvey. ‘I think that we had better let this gentleman through. He’s with me.’

Harvey just shrugged his shoulders. ‘I’ll make a note of this and report it to my boss.’ Peregrine turned on him: ‘You fucking do that. You just do that. And I’ll have you out of a job before your filthy fingers can fiddle their way down the situations vacant column.’

Arun by that stage had taken out his phone and was filming Peregrine. ‘Smile please...I think that you just threatened my colleague here.’ Then he took a flash picture straight into Peregrine’s face. ‘Not bad ID, that. Look good in the papers.’

‘No, this won’t do. We are moving on from this, please. Come on, Peregrine.’ I ushered him away. ‘And I’m really sorry, Harvey.’

As we got into the lift, Peregrine looked me up and down as if I were the scum of the earth.

‘I hope you’re going to change before we get to court.’

‘Of course I will, Peregrine. Of course I will.’

‘Well, none of the other partners dress like that.’ I let him have the last word. He needed that.

‘Ma’am, before my learned friend calls his evidence, I wonder whether I might outline our case to help you.’

‘Well, I think that I know what the issues are, thank you. But if you want to set out your position orally at this stage, I won’t stop you as long as it’s brief.

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