1 Law 4 All. Billy Angel

in a day or two. Are you hungry young lady?" he asked.

      She paused for a moment. She thought to herself, this guy seems harmless. He couldn't be connected to the thugs who were following me the other night. "Yep, starving," she said honestly.

      "I know a place that serves the best lunch-time stew in town,” he said happy to have company for his regular lunch. "Chuck's restaurant is close by.” He started to walk in that direction. She two-stepped and caught up.

      They made a left on Jones Street. Their conversation started with the weather. By the time they got to Chuck's, their discussion progressed to life in the City.

      Ben led Kitiona to a table halfway to the rear of the restaurant. A server stopped by the table with two glasses of water. Ben raised his head from looking at Kitiona and ordered two bowls of stew with extra sourdough bread and butter. He also asked for hot green tea. He nodded at Kitiona.

      She said, "I'll have hot green tea, too."

      They both began adjusting their thinking from an acquaintance to a friend mode about each other. He asked her how long she'd lived in the City.

      "About six months,” she answered.

      "What brought you here?"

      Now Kitiona needed to be careful. She had a good feeling about Ben. But she needed more than feelings. There was something coming through his personality she couldn’t identify. She was halfway there to trusting him with her mission, but reasoned, she needed to know more about him before opening up. "I'm here to visit some people and answer some questions," she said quietly.

      Before Ben could get into his 'cross-examination' style, she continued, "What type of work are you in?" He had nothing to fear by opening up his personal life to her.

      For no particular reason, he began to answer her by describing his daughter. After the divorce, his daughter, Natalie lived with her mother. College graduation had brought them intellectually closer. But they still remained physically apart because of her work. Her career as an international TV producer took her all over the world. Natalie taught Ben how to email, text and even use Skype on his new Smartphone so they could stay better connected.

      He continued after looking to see if the server was coming. "Well young lady, beside a father, I am a retired attorney. My courtroom days were exciting, but because of a bout with cancer, I decided there was more to life than law." He proclaimed this with a touch of regret in his voice. "I retired a dozen or so years ago.”

      He thought about the four young people he overheard talking case law at this very restaurant just a day or two ago. Hearing them talk sparked his law memories. Those days weren't as bad as he sometimes remembers, especially law school with all that youthful, we can conquer the world, excitement and expectation.

      The word attorney caught Kitiona’s attention. Thoughts started peppering her brain. Maybe this is the type of person she needed to confide in? Could Ben help her? What should I say next?

      Kitiona caught her mental breath as the food was served. "This stew smells wonderful," she said stirring it with her spoon.

      Ben picked up a piece of sourdough bread and buttered it. "Try dipping some bread in it. The taste is something I never get tired of.” He dipped his buttered bread in the stew and then took a big bite of crust.

      In between bites and sips, the two continued their conversation. Kitiona talked more about her island home. Ben talked about his daughter's work and how proud he was of her.

      Ben insisted on paying the check. "You were my good Samaritan the other day. I appreciated your help," he said thankfully. "Sometimes when uncontrollable forces hit, you lose the ability to function. That's what happened to me, but you helped stabilize my disoriented mind and I thank you.”

      Kitiona absorbed Ben's kind words like the bread did to the stew juices. She had heard enough. She decided to ask him for advice. "I have to do some errands right now, but I would like you to come by my apartment for dinner tonight, about 7ish? I want to talk to you about something,"

      Ben thought it over for several seconds. Being the private person he had become he weighed whether to be a little less private. Kitiona noticed the delay.

      She said, "Oh it's not a date or anything like that, I just wanted to talk with you about something.”

      "Oh darn." Ben beamed. "Just kidding. My charming self would be flattered to listen. Where do you live?"

      "Walk me back to the corner where we met and I'll show you.”

      As they left the restaurant, Kitiona’s thoughts raced to a logical conclusion of what she did. She asked for help. Ben, for his part, was feeling younger today then yesterday for some strange reason.

      Chapter 22 The Red Eye Back

      Senator Bonni Giardina's plane landed at Dulles International shortly after Sunday morning's sunrise. The five or so hours in the air made a pint of scotch and a pack of cigarettes disappear. Giardina's two hour, post satisfaction catnap refreshed enough for her to seem relatively conscious. She was in her eyes, wide open stare when Eric completed his analysis of the current news cycle and the weekend talking points.

      Bonni grumbled something about joining her guests in the forward cabin. As she passed Erin on the way out of the plane's office area, she placed her hand on Eric's shoulder. She stopped as if remembering their mile-high pleasure. Before she continued she raised her index finger and lightly brushed her manicured fingernail against his neck.

      Eric froze. Not another quickie, he thought to himself. The Senator continued out of the cabin to his relief.

      Eric went back to work on next week's schedule. He made sure the plane's office voice recorder was off. He checked the digital readouts for the main and backup units. Nothing recorded.

      He wasn't worried that the Senator might be embarrassed by having an affair with him. He was embarrassed about doing her. He knew his upwardly mobile career in politics would get stalled should people find out he was poking an over-the-hill, bag-of-bones like Senator Bonni Giardina.

      Two government limos met the plane. One took Bonni's sister-in-law and her family to their hotel. As Giardina and Eric were getting into the other limo Eric said, "We could have dropped them off on our way into town.”

      The Senator responded with slight disgust, "We have to increase our budget. The more tax dollars we spend this year, the higher percentage increase we will have at our disposal next year. Use it or lose it. That’s our policy!”

      Eric tried to remind her that some senators on the hill were getting nervous about spending taxpayer money frivolously. His efforts fell on deaf ears. Senator Giardina habitually spent money like there was no tomorrow, with no accountability to anyone. Her above the law attitude intrigued him.

      "You mean the tea-bagger types?” she questioned. "They don't even know what hit them in the 2008 election. We’ve opened the money floodgates in Washington with the health care, tax-them-to-hell act, and I'm going to get my share.” Bonni finished with an arrogant, nervous grin while looking for her scotch and water.

      The driver must have forgotten to pour her customary glass of scotch. Eric poured her a drink, but handed her a cigarette first. He knew the Senator's habits. He would give her a cigarette before a drink to calm her down. And he'd do just the opposite to pep her up.

      He struck the Senator's lighter logoed with the U.S. Flag. He held it in front of the cigarette. Bonni drew in a long pull and exhaled up towards the open sunroof.

      Eric handed her the drink and stared blankly at her. Giardina sipped and went into a trance-like gaze. She totally ignored Eric's stare. Her thoughts went back to Motorhead and Sal.

      Twenty minutes later, the limo stopped at Bonni's townhouse. "Coming up," she half whispered to Eric.

      Eric remembered the last time he accepted Bonni's invitation to come up. They were sitting on the couch talking about the Euro and its effects on the value of the dollar. Bonni slid over to show Eric a comparison chart. He looked