“You know about this case, just by glancing at it?” I had been staring at the file for over an hour and could not make heads or tails of it . . . pun intended.
She shrugged. “I imagine I know about quite a few cases, but I think everyone in town knows aboutthatcase.”
“Does the town talk openly about most legal affairs?” That could complicate some situations.
“Oh, the town talks openly about everything.” She flinched. “Although, don’t believe everything you hear.”
“I’m a lawyer. I rarely believe what I hear.” I grinned.
She chuckled. “That's fair.” She nodded toward the file. “Betsy goes back generations. If you want to make sense of the files, I would start with the yellow folders.” She pointed to the left corner of the room. “They hold less, so they are less complicated. Avoid blue unless you are ready for a mess. Especiallythatone.” She grimaced. “Think Romeo and Juliet family feud, but over a cow.”
“Thanks for the tip.” I felt my lips lift; I was happy to be on friendly terms with Marissa again. This place would be lonely with no one to talk to, but I needed to remember to keep itonlyfriendly. I was already thinking of dates with sprinkles and a magic quarters redo.
“Do I have any appointments set up for today?”
Marissa tipped her head to the side. “What do you mean?”
How could she not know?
“Do I have any scheduled appointments with new or existing clients to go over any legal matters today?”
She sighed. “Harry didn’t tell me if he did, but everyone would show up here or his house, or catch him at the grocery store for most things, and schedule meetings while he was out. He tried keeping a schedule at the office for a while, but it never seemed to work out. He might have written something down in that notebook he always carried. I will see if I can find it.” She turned to leave.
“I have it, but his handwriting is horrid.” I pulled out the blue spiral notebook filled with chicken scratch in different colors and more stickers.
Marissa laughed. “Yeah, it is. I tried to add meetings to his Google calendar attached to his email. He never checked it anyway and would cancel appointments without meaning to. Electronics and Harry were rarely on friendly terms.”
I chuckled. “Can you decipher his hieroglyphics? And what about the stickers?”
“Yep, I’ve got you.” She came back and sat on the desk. There were chairs right across the table. She leaned down over the notebook and her apple-scented hair fell across her shoulder. I wondered how soft it was. I put my hands in my lap. I needed to set some clear boundaries. I stood and offered her the chair.
“I’m not sure that desk is safe to sit on.”
She waved me off. “I’ve always sat on it. I think it might be safer than that chair.” She flipped the page. “Looks like a few coach complaints at the Merc. George stopped him at church, but they didn’t set a time. And Mrs. Bates came by his house too . . .”
“People would show up at his house and talk about legal affairs at church?”Yikes.
Marissa nodded. “Things work a little differently here than what you are used to, I’m sure.” She pointed to the gold stickers. “Harry used these to show if someone needed?—”
“Well, that isnotgoing to happen anymore.” I was still thinking about how this town would catch Harry whenever andwherever. It was the opposite of professional. “Is there an office phone line?”
“Yep, I don’t know if anyone knows it.” Marissa grabbed her cell out of her back pocket and started scrolling. “Actually, I don’t even know it.” She smirked and let out a little chuckle. “Do you want me to start giving out your cell number instead?”
“Are you asking for my number?” I leaned towards her.
Her cheeks flushed pink. “Wait . . . no . . . I mean, maybe?”
That sparkle of mischief lit her eyes, and she looked more like the woman from the corn maze, and I liked it.
I shook my head. What was I thinking?Be professional.
“From now on, I will need to only see clients who have scheduled an appointment with you, and I will need at least twenty four hours notice. Let’s see if we can figure out the office line as well.” I didn’t know where to start with the mess of paperwork, but I could at least begin with establishing procedure order.
She leaned away from me. “Okay boss, if you’re sure . . .” Her nose scrunched. “I'm not convinced that will work well here?—”
“If my current practices add efficiency on a large scale, they should be equally effective here.” I nodded. “I know how to run a firm.”
She flinched and stepped away from me. “Well, you’re the boss. Enjoy the coffee.” She left the room without giving me a second glance. Marissa was angry. I might have come off harsher than I intended. I wouldn’t take it back though. I needed to establish order and expectations for this place to succeed. I had too much riding on its quick success to do it halfway. I was certain the way forward needed to be professional and streamlined. I grabbed the stack of stickers from Harry’s desk and threw them away.
