Acts of Malice Read Online Free PDF

when the settlement offer was about to be confirmed in court, Mrs. Geiger’s husband, who previously hadn’t shown any interest in the proceedings, had decided to butt in.
    ‘‘I don’t think it’s enough,’’ Mr. Geiger said. ‘‘I could do better than this with these people.’’ He worked in the Personnel Department at Harvey’s, so he probably did know a lot about human nature, but what he didn’t know was that insurance claims adjustors don’t have human natures. They have Pentium processors.
    ‘‘Then it’s a good thing I’m the lawyer, because if it were up to you, we’d be going to trial tomorrow. And that wouldn’t be smart. No offense,’’ Nina added.
    ‘‘Why not go for another fifty grand? These damn insurance companies are sitting on all the money in America.’’
    ‘‘Mr. Geiger, you’ve seen the film. Now imagine what the insurance company would have to say about that at trial. Mrs. Geiger might lose. Then she would get nothing. I don’t think you should take that chance.’’ To make sure he understood, Nina went over the whole thing again, but he brushed her counsel aside.
    She thought she knew Mr. Geiger’s real problem. The door was closing; an amount certain must sound paltry compared to the rank speculation in his mind. The settlement amount must seem to Mr. Geiger to be plucked from the air, as indeed it was, since damages for pain and suffering in such cases were only loosely related to the actual medical bills. If the company would give this much, why not a fortune?
    And he might also be thinking, as other clients sometimes thought, that his guess was as good as that of this young woman with the long brown hair and expensive navy-blue blazer talking rapidly in front of him.
    What he was brushing aside was the fact that Nina had fought dollar by dollar through this particular battle, and she knew from experience that there was no more money, not a quarter, not a plugged nickel.
    Mr. Geiger began talking over her, his lecture segueing into a rant. He was going to have his say and her job was to listen like a good girl and then carry through with the deal.
    Mrs. Geiger said not a word. She seemed remote from them, small, ineffectual.
    Nina noticed a hot feeling incubating in her chest. He was another obstacle in the way of doing what was best for her client. She ought to soothe him, flatter him, placate him. It was her duty, for Mrs. Geiger’s sake. Poor, meek Mrs. Geiger. What a home life she must have.
    Lawyers, clients, and witnesses were walking back and forth down the hall, looking curiously at the small group of three huddled against the wall. Mr. Geiger continued to bluster. All he wanted was to bust her ass for a while longer, but they were plumb out of time.
    To hell with him.
    ‘‘It’s not enough,’’ he barked again.
    Someone brushed by her and she looked up to see a face she hadn’t seen for a long time.
    ‘‘Collier!’’
    ‘‘Hey, Nina.’’
    He was walking into the courtroom with Barbara Banning, who continued on her way without a glance. He stopped, taking in her situation.
    ‘‘I’ll give you a call,’’ he said, and disappeared inside. Nina watched the door, her mouth slightly open.
    ‘‘Well?’’ Mr. Geiger said. ‘‘Have I made my point?’’
    ‘‘Okay.’’
    ‘‘Okay?’’
    ‘‘You win, Mr. Geiger. We’ll reject the offer in open court. We’ll go to trial tomorrow. Let’s go on in and tell the judge.’’
    A silence.
    Nina turned around and pulled open the door. ‘‘After you,’’ she said.
    ‘‘B-But I thought—my wife had you accept the offer. I was just explaining how I thought—’’
    ‘‘You don’t like my work; you want to overrule your wife’s thinking on this; you think we’ll do better at trial. Let’s go to trial. Coming?’’
    ‘‘Ed?’’ Mrs. Geiger said in her tiny voice.
    ‘‘Wait a minute! I’m not done yet—’’
    Mrs. Geiger reared up like a pony and banged her husband sharply