Page 15 of Feared

“Fine, I get it.” Anne stalked toward the door, her glossy hair flying. “I’m out!”

Mary felt terrible, seeing Anne and John at odds, choosing opposite sides. She used to think that John liked it here, but she had been wrong. They had never turned on each other before, and it had always been Rosato & DiNunzio against the world. The fight forced her to accept the reality that their happy little law firm might be a thing of the past.

Bennie closed the door and returned her attention to John. “Let’s get back to the facts. I’d like to know which statements you made with regard to your feelings that we discriminated against you.”

John winced. “I didn’t saythat, and really, I don’t even think that.”

“But you said something like it?”

“Yes.”

“What did you say exactly?” Bennie shot back, in cross-examination mode.

“I don’t know, just, basically what the reporter said, that ‘I don’t think I’ll make partner at Rosato because I’m not a woman.’” John grimaced. “But really I don’t think that you discriminateper se.”

Bennie’s eyes flared. “That’s the definition of discriminationper se.”

“But I don’t really think it, notreally,I just said it, I should have thought before I spoke, I didn’t know—”

“Enough.” Bennie cut him off with a hand chop. “To whom did you say that?”

“The firms that interviewed me.”

“Who? How many firms?”

John hesitated. “I have to think about that.”

“Were there thatmany?”

“No, I just have to think. I don’t remember them off the top of my head.”

Listening, Mary felt a wave of sadness. She hated seeing John on the spot and she hated what he was saying. She glanced at Judy, who was biting her lip, her head tilted down. Mary knew she would be feeling responsible, since she was closest to him.

“Foxman, how could you not remember? You don’t know where you applied?”

“Okay.” Flustered, John raised a hand. “I know Hunter & Logue and Berger, Ginn. I’d have to think of the others. I sent the resume to a headhunter, and he’s the one who put it out there.”

“Which headhunter?”

“Dean Slovak.”

“You contacted Dean or he contacted you?”

“He contacted me.”

“Did he have a job opening in mind or he was just fishing?”

“He didn’t say, but he called me after Judy made partner. It was my lowest point, and I just sent in the resume.”

“When was this, exactly?”

“A few months ago. I have to check my calendar.”

“Do you remember which firm or firms you made the statement to?’”

“It was Hunter & Logue, I’m pretty sure.”

“Did you say that at more than one firm?”