“You can’t deny you were there. I heard about it from two people.”

“You boys ever do any work in between bouts of gossip? I would like to remind you that my lawyer was a member of your firm until Friday. And if, not knowing either of his resignation or his dramatic expulsion from Paradise, one of his clients happened onto the premises, a judge would probably consider that an honest mistake. Especially since Leigh Wilton thought it was such a big joke.”

“But if that judge learned you’d been told about it and then gone snooping through our private premises against our express orders he might think it was something else, even with Leigh on the stand for you.”

Dick’s voice had tightened to a hiss. I added a snake to the other side of my sketch and drew a couple of arms ending in boxing mitts. “What kind of creepy stuff are you doing that you’re scared I’ll come across?”

“We don’t have anything to hide.” Dick recovered his voice and reverted to petulance. “But knowing that you’ve got a vendetta against one of our associates, I would just as soon you didn’t have a chance to damage any of his files.”

“I know the boy’s scared I’ll break his kneecap, but his wife looks pretty fit and she’s ten years younger than me—tell him I’d be afraid of the revenge she’d take.”

“Vic, I know you like to turn everything I say into a joke just to make me mad. And it works. Every time, or damned near. But I’m calling to warn you to mind your own business. Regard it as a favor, okay?”

I stared at the phone in amazement. “Dick, what on earth are you talking about? I wanted some help from Freeman. I’m entitled to get it without your permission.”

“Not when he’s no longer a member of the firm, you’re not. We tracked you down, unfortunately after you’d gone. Catherine Gentry was keeping her lip buttoned—I won’t miss her smart mouth one minute—but the girl she gave your search request to wasn’t afraid to do her duty.”

“Meaning she was afraid of being fired. And unless you’re breaking the child labor laws I expect it was a woman, not a girl.”

Dick laughed tolerantly. “Woman, if it’ll make you feel better. Be that as it may, you may not use Crawford, Mead’s resources. Period.”

“Aye, aye, captain. Just out of curiosity, why did Freeman have to leave so suddenly?”

“An internal matter of the firm, Vic. None of your damned business. Just keep to the affairs that are your concern. You do a good job with them. Why do you have to mess with mine?”

“Oh, you know those vows we swore—till death parted us—those old feelings die hard.”