Chapter 18
Vee
“Oh, Vee,” Jen said, her eyes growing wide. “What happened to you? Are you all right?”
I gingerly touched my cheek. “Would you believe I ran into a wall?”
“No.” She stood and walked toward me.
A feigned smile spread across my lips. “I was in a car accident last night.”
She gasped. “First Mr. Hubbard and then you.”
I hadn’t thought of it that way. “It was nothing. I drove my car off the road near my dad’s house.
Those country roads have deep ravines. I was going slow.
There were reporters.” I shook my head. “The airbags deployed. I think it was the one from the steering wheel that gave me the shiner. Now that I’m thinking about it, they took my car to the Mercedes dealership off Highway 25 downtown.
Could you call them to find out how long it will take for them to fix it?
And if it’s not today, I’d like to get a rental. ”
Fin’s advice about security wasn’t bad advice. However, I was too independent to have a bodyguard around all the time. That seemed suffocating.
“Sure. Also, Mrs. Marsh would like to talk to you when you have a moment.”
My aunt.
“I have an important call to make. After that, I’ll contact Aunt Rachel.”
“Coffee?” she asked.
“Please.”
Esquire Tricia Loften had an excellent résumé.
She graduated top of her law class from the University of Chicago and clerked for Justice Meredith Stinwell, a respected federal judge in the Eastern District of Kentucky, for two years post-graduation.
Tricia then declined an offer to enter one of the top law firms in Lexington to work for the federal public defender’s office.
After three years in that role, Tricia accepted a position at the prestigious Davis and Barnes Law Firm in Frankfort, Kentucky.
That acceptance was twenty years ago. Today, she was a partner at Davis and Barnes.
Using Cammy’s name, I was connected to Esquire Loften without much delay. “Thank you for taking my call, Esquire Loften.”
“Ms. Hubbard, Cammy Wilcox let me know a little about your situation. She said she believes you should have legal representation that is focused on you, not the Coopers or your late father.”
I sighed, put the phone on speaker, and laid it on my desk. “I appreciate Cammy’s help. That’s exactly why I’m calling.”
“First, please call me Trish. May I call you Maeve?”
“Vee is good. Thank you, Trish.” I flexed my fingers, feeling the ache that Fin said would be worse today.
“Very well. I’d like to hear more from you about what you’re seeking and together we can decide if we’re a good fit.”
I leaned back against my leather chair. “As you’re aware, my father, Reid Hubbard, died recently in an automobile accident.”
“I am and I’m sorry. How are you doing?”
“Thank you.” Her question threw me off, filling my eyes with moisture.
The only other person to ask how I was doing was Fin.
“I’m not sure how I’m doing. There hasn’t been time to fully process what happened.
It feels like I’m a snowball rolling downhill, faster and faster, collecting more snow as I go. ”
“Everyone processes their grief in their own way.”
“I’ll deal with that when I have time. Right now, I have concerns about various issues surrounding my father’s death.
First, his estate. My father had talked about changing his will.
He had a new will drafted but never signed it.
His last will and testament was signed over twenty years ago and leaves everything to me. ”
“You are his only child.”
She hadn’t asked a question, but I answered, “I am. He also left behind a wife.”
“Not your mother?”
“No. His widow’s name is Daphne Hubbard. They’ve been married for over twenty-two years.”
“And she’s not mentioned in your father’s will.”
“She’s not. There’s something else. Last night, a Kentucky state trooper and a detective came to my house.
They said they were investigating my father’s accident.
The company who owns the truck that caused the accident is contesting the original findings.
They’re claiming it wasn’t the truck driver’s fault but my father’s. ”
“Vee, I’m happy to represent you. I haven’t seen any numbers, but I would assume your father’s estate is valuable?”
“I haven’t seen the numbers either,” I confessed, “but from what I understand it is.”
“It isn’t uncommon that wealthy individuals and businesses are sued, if they think there could be a payday. Let me look into this.”
“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “I’m overwhelmed.”
“While I’d like to meet in person, we don’t have to wait for that. Once I receive a retainer, I will officially be your personal attorney.”
“Let’s get that done.”
My mind was scrambled with too many fires.
Sipping coffee and weeding through my emails, I remembered the picture the detective showed me the night before. The small intricate pillbox was exactly like one I’d had for years. I couldn’t understand how or why my pillbox would be in Dad’s car.
The pillbox wasn’t unique. Maybe we both had the same one.
I looked in my leather bag again, as if I could have missed the pillbox last night. It hadn’t miraculously appeared. Getting up, I went to my attached bathroom and checked the vanity drawers as well as the medicine cabinet.
The more I thought about it, the less I could recall having the pillbox. Usually, every spring I would swap out the old Benadryl for new. It was now the middle of October, and my memory was blank.
A knock at my office door garnered my attention seconds before Jen popped her head inside. “Coach Pratt is here.”
“Send him in.” I walked back to my desk.
Drew Pratt came through the doorway wearing a Coopers workout suit. The jacket was unzipped, showing a black Dri-FIT shirt beneath.
“Hey, Vee.” He furrowed his brow. “What happened to you?”
“Car accident. I ran off the road and the airbags won.” I grimaced as I took a seat. “Drew, what can I do for you?”
“Practice started, and you’re not out there. I wondered if you would be at any of the practices today or in the future.” He grinned. “We’re used to you being there.”
Suddenly, the subject of Fin and I having a relationship came to me. “Um, how are things with the players?”
“The players are good.” He tilted his head. “Are you asking about a particular player?”
“Drew, if you don’t know, Fin—”
He lifted his hand. “Vee, it’s none of my concern. I’m not judging. I’m in no position nor is anyone on the team in a position to tell you what to do with your private life.”
“You know about us.”
He nodded. “Tilson called Graham in this morning, and he talked to all the coaches. He said there’s a history between you and him. He took full responsibility for pursuing you upon his arrival to Lexington.”
Accountability.
My grin curled. “It’s mutual, Drew. Fin and I do have a history.
I don’t want this to affect his play for the Coopers.
It shouldn’t. I didn’t negotiate his contract; Dad and Royce did that.
I don’t coach him. You, Tilson, and Garcia do that.
I don’t care for the timing of people finding out, but it is what it is.
During this time of loss, I’m happy to have Fin to help me. ”
He nodded. “Calmer heads prevailed. Tilson checked Graham’s contract. This situation isn’t specifically addressed in the contract. No breach.”
“That’s good to hear. I’m glad it’s out in the open.”
“Practice?” When I didn’t reply, he said, “The players respect you, Vee. That’s not going to change because of who you’re seeing in your personal time.”
“It’s…I can’t do what I did and also do Dad’s job.” I didn’t even really know what Dad’s job entailed.
Drew nodded. “Just so you know, you’re welcome. The afternoon practice session will begin at 1:30 p.m.”
“Thank you for checking on me.”
He turned to leave and then turned back. “I saw the notice for Reid’s service.”
“We want to keep it small, but Daphne and I agreed that the people here at Maker’s Mark are family: coaches, players, and everyone who keeps the organization going. The service won’t be open to the public.”
Jen knocked on the doorframe. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Mrs. Marsh is here.”