“Mistress Managed - Book Three”

The Rise and Fall of a Domme

By

B. J. Frazier

Copyright 2020. All rights reserved

Published by B.J. Frazier at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author’s hard work.

This book is a work of fiction

Adult Reading Material

Table of Contents

Author’s Note

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

About B.J. Frazier

Books by B.J. Frazier

Connect with B.J. Frazier

Author’s Note

This book contains erotic fiction with graphic sex and is intended for mature readers only.

“Mistress Managed - Book Three” concludes a trilogy. The three books were written as a consecutive story and should be read in order.

My sincere and devoted thanks go to Thomas Antonson for his editing acumen and his uncanny ability to understand which word I really meant to use.

Please visit my website: bjfrazier.com

I know there are a lot of books for sale, and I thank you for choosing mine.

Happy reading,

~B.J.

Severe Content Warning: B.J. Frazier books contain *plots* and *well-developed characters*

Enjoy!

Introduction to Book Three

After the ball, Keegan and Jeneca had gone to Keegan’s apartment, where they had a sexual encounter on equal footing. They both fell asleep immediately after...

Forty-five minutes later, Jeneca jerked awake. She opened her eyes to find the lighting hadn’t changed.

Keegan was awakened by her movement but froze, willing her to go back to sleep.

Jeneca twisted to see the clock. It read three-oh-two. She breathed a sigh of relief.

“Stay with me,” he whispered.

“No.”

Cinderella had been transformed.

He sighed deeply but allowed her to wriggle from under him, and he watched the dress take his place hugging her body.

She walked away, and he waited to hear the door click when he remembered they weren’t at the hotel.

“Jeneca, it’s three o’clock in the morning. You don’t have a car, and you aren’t in any condition to drive. Stay.”

“Will you please call me a cab?” Jeneca was planning to walk to her car before Keegan reminded her.

Keegan was hurt and angered. He heard himself blurt, “Is it because you have to get home to Jake?”

“No, I have a doggy door,” she automatically answered; her mind still fuzzy.

Jake’s a fucking DOG!

“Of course you do,” he said gleefully.

The news provided a bounce in Keegan’s step as he walked naked to the living room and called a cab. There was one in the area so the wait was short.

He ached for her to stay but major progress had been made.

Jeneca rigidly sat on the edge of the couch with Keegan. “Thank you for accompanying me...” she began formally but stopped as Keegan looked at her.

Her voice softened, “I really did have a wonderful time with you, Keegan. Thank you.”

“The pleasure was mine, Jeneca.” He couldn’t keep from smiling.

The elevator opened, and they rose. “Please stay,” he pushed.

She shook her head.

He grabbed her and kissed her, and she melted against him. Their kiss was tender.

“Cab’s here, Mr. Randolph,” Chris called from the elevator.

Jeneca broke the kiss and placed her hands on his chest, as if to push herself away. “G’night, Keegan,” she said to his chest.

“Good night, Jeneca.”

When he heard the elevator doors close, Keegan sank into the cushions and placed his head in his hands.

Jake was a DOG!

It all made sense now.

Keegan grinned as he floated to the bedroom and relived their entire evening. He spooned her pillow and inhaled her scent.

Chapter 1

Anthony Baldoni’s deposition loomed. Jeneca spent two days prepping him. They met in the conference room to acclimate him to the surroundings. Since Phil had requested to depose her witness, they had “home field advantage”. The first day was devoted to their point of view.

Tony answered appropriately for the most part. At times, Jeneca reminded him not to narrate.

The second day was spent preparing for Phil’s questions. Jeneca took on Phil’s persona and cross-examined Tony harshly. Tony was quick to anger.

He didn’t like her tone.

He didn’t like her implications.

“You’re supposed to be on my side!”

“I am, Tony. I’m pretending to be Phil. It’s his job to try to get you angry. Don’t let him succeed. You can’t get angry during the real deposition.”

“Okay,” he said skeptically. “Ask me again.”

Tony repeatedly got angry and lashed out. Jeneca repeatedly explained the exercise and maintained a calm demeanor; until the middle of the afternoon, when she lost it. She delved into the infidelity issue.

“How many other women have you slept with, besides your wife, since your first admission into Mercy Hospital for pneumonia?”

“Ho! What the fuck kinda question’s that?!”

“Tony, goddamn it! You cannot do this at the deposition! Phil will try to get you to react exactly how you just did. You-Can-Not-React! What about that don’t you fucking understand?! You can’t get upset. You can’t fucking swear!”

Tony watched the sophisticated, tough, sexy woman rage at him.

“Lemme get this straight. I’m not allowed to fuckin’ swear. Is that what you’re tellin’ me?”

They both glared at each other. Tony’s face broke into a huge smile, and Jeneca automatically joined. “Good lord, Tony! I’m sorry. I--”

“No, no. I pushed your buttons ‘cause you was pushin’ mine. I get it. You ain’t never sworn before. It’s cute.”

“Cute wasn’t what I was going for, Tony. Do you see how out of character that was for me?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you see how I lose credibility when I do that?”

“Well, I dunno ‘bout that, but I get the point you’re makin’.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. If I blow up or swear or do anythin’ not proper, Phil wins.”

Jeneca breathed out. “Yes. Exactly.”

“It’s a game.”

“A verbal one, yes. And a mental one, for sure. He’s gonna try to get in your head, Tony. Don’t let him.”

Tony nodded. “Ask me again.”

Jeneca took a deep breath before she re-asked the question.

“I don’t know.”

“Good.”

Tony looked confused.

“That was me, Jeneca, telling you that you answered that well.”

Tony smiled.

From that point, Jeneca was better able to prepare Tony for the battle to come.

She walked Tony out.

On the way back, she told Dana, “Follow me.”

The women went into the conference room. Dana waited for Jeneca to speak. Instead of speaking, she put her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands.

“That bad?”

Jeneca looked up. “We’re gonna need a triage set up.”

Dana cocked her head and knitted her brows.

“A place of refuge for me to haul Tony when he threatens to kill Phil.”

“Ohh. It was that bad?”

“Y’know, we got to a point where I think he understood. But I just think Phil’s gonna needle him and push him past his breaking point. Tony is used to getting his way. And he’s used to resorting to force if he doesn’t.”

“What’re you thinking?”

“The path to my office should remain clear during the deposition. I’ll take him there. Let’s have his favorite pastries in my office, and hot coffee at the ready.”

“You don’t want pastries in here?”

“No, I don’t want Tony eating during the questioning so as not to appear in any way cavalier about the process.”

It was the firm’s customary practice to have a lavish display of snacks and drinks on the table during depositions.

“So nothing in the conference room at all?”

“The usual drinks are fine. No food. Well, the typical lunch, but no snacks.”

“Okay.” Dana was surprised but trusted Jeneca. “I’ll send a memo to everyone to stay clear of the area tomorrow morning.”

“Good. Tony’s gonna be here an hour beforehand. I want him in my office, with food and drinks. I have some last-minute reminders for him, and I want him to make an entrance.”

“Got it.”

“I’ll call for recesses when I deem necessary, but I’m also gonna need you to interrupt, so it doesn’t appear that I’m creating all the breaks.”

“How will I know?”

“I’ll have my laptop with me and will message you when I need you to come in. So, I’m going to need you planted at your desk, sorry.”

“Happy to do it.”

“I’ll provide your rationale so you know what to say.”

“Okay, phew.”

“The timing’s gonna be critical. I can only do so much with Tony. The rest is up to us.”

Dana nodded.

* * * *

The deposition was set for ten. Tony entered her office at ten to nine. He was in a tailored suit, which Jeneca told him to wear. Despite its slimming design, a juror could clearly see Tony’s weight gain since first going into the hospital. Tony walked without assistance, and a casual observer wouldn’t be aware of his injuries.

Seeing the slimming effect, though, Jeneca wondered whether the business attire was the best tack.

It was, she assured herself. It provided a formal air and would hopefully keep Tony on point.

Plus, it was a good thing he was managing better. He still had issues, and those would be brought out. But the fact remained that the man was a double-amputee, and it was the direct result of Mercy Hospital’s negligence.

“You’re looking dapper this morning, Tony.”

“You told me to be.”

She grinned. “I’m glad you’re listening to me, finally.”

He smiled back. “Why I gotta be here so early again?”

“I need to go over a few things with you. I also don’t want Phil to see you until we walk into the conference room. It sets a tone.”

He nodded and glanced at the spread. “Am I allowed to eat?”

“Absolutely. Consider this room your haven for the day. Any time things get heated, we’ll retreat in here.” He looked at her. “Not that I want things to get heated; just in case they do.”

Tony ate while Jeneca went over the topics Phil would most likely cover. Then, she reminded him about how to act.

“When I question you, you’re safe. Answer freely, without being too wordy. But when Phil questions you, be on guard. Keep your answers brief. Yes or no. If you don’t know the answer or you don’t understand the question, then say you don’t know or ask for clarification.

“Remember the game, Tony. Phil’s objective is to make you emotional. Your objective is to remain calm. If you’re in a bad situation, I’ll try to get you out of it. So please, if I object, stop talking immediately. But there’ll be questions where I can’t assist you. You’re gonna be on your own, and you have to maintain your professionalism.

“Sometimes I’ll call for a break--or the other side will. This is imperative, Tony.” She waited for him to look at her. “Whenever we leave the conference room, keep your mouth shut until we get in here. Do you understand?”

“Yeah. You’s like a broken record with that one.”

“That’s because you don’t always listen.”

“Heh. We’ve been through all this. I get it. Okay?”

Jeneca looked at him warily. “One last thing. I know I’ve told you this, but remember that Phil is on our side. No one else knows that. He still has to play the game because the insurance fucks will read the transcript.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Dana opened the door. “The court reporter’s setting up, and Phil is here.”

“Great.”

“He’s not alone.”

Jeneca raised her eyebrows. “Who’s he with?”

“He gave me their cards. They’re vice presidents of the insurance company.”

“Wow. How many are there?”

“Two.”

“Thanks, Dana. Tell them I’ll be right out.”

After Dana left, Tony asked, “Whatsa matter?”

“Nothing, really.”

“You’re surprised. Don’t make me ask again.”

Jeneca considered admonishing Tony for the attitude but thought against it.

“In all the years I’ve taken depositions with Phil, the insurance fucks have never accompanied him.”

“That don’t sound good.”

“Not on its face, no. Perhaps they just want to meet a real-life Mafia man,” Jeneca joked.

“Or perhaps this Phil’s flipped.”

“Good lord, Tony, that’s not it. They probably just told him this morning or he would’ve told me ahead of time. In fact, I’m sure handing the business cards to Dana was his way of warning me.”

“Says you.”

Jeneca ignored his comment. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah.”

“I want you to wait here. I’m gonna greet them and take them to the conference room. Then I’ll come for you.”

* * * *

“Phil, nice to see you again,” Jeneca greeted Phil in the lobby.

As he rose to greet her, his eyes told her, “I’m sorry, I had no idea.” She flashed back, “That’s what I figured.”

“Jeneca, always a pleasure. May I introduce you to two of our vice presidents.”

The VPs looked like identical twins. Each wore a black suit, a white shirt and a red tie. Each had the typical corporate haircut. Each wore loafers. Neither looked like he knew how to laugh, much less the definition of humor.

Jeneca led the men into the conference room. She briefly spoke with the court reporter before telling everyone, “Help yourselves to something to drink. I’ll get Mr. Baldoni, and then we can get started.”

* * * *

“You ready, Tony?”

“Let’s get to it already.”

Jeneca brushed some crumbs off Tony’s tie and then led him to the conference room.

“Gentlemen, may I introduce Anthony Baldoni.”

Handshakes went around the table.

The room was rectangular. A wall of windows overlooked the downtown area. The other walls were mahogany. Even though well-lit, the room was austere. The rectangular table was also mahogany and could accommodate eighteen people.

The court reporter sat with her back to the window. The VPs were to her right, toward the end of the table. Phil was seated in the middle, several chairs apart from them. Jeneca sat opposite Phil. She motioned for Tony to sit to her left, keeping an empty chair between them.

She opened her laptop, where she had a word processing program open along with the intra-office messaging program.

Phil began the deposition. “Good morning, Mr. Baldoni. My name is Phillip Newman, and I’m the attorney for Mercy Hospital. On behalf of everyone at the hospital, I thank you for agreeing to meet with us today.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m going to be asking you a lot of questions today. If at any time you don’t understand a question, please let me know so that I can rephrase it. Okay?”

“Yeah.”

Phil smoothly led Tony through twenty minutes of general background questions and the reason for his original trip to the hospital. Then, he discussed Tony’s occupation.

“And what is it you do for a living, Mr. Baldoni?”

“I’m in the construction business.”

“What’s the name of your employer?”

“Baldoni and Sons.”

“Are you Baldoni or are you a son?” Phil asked with a smile.

“I’m actually a grandson. My grandfather started the business--” Jeneca swiveled her chair in his direction. “Uh, neither.”

“You’re a grandson, you said?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

Phil then asked a series of questions related to construction. Tony grew weary and skeptical.

“Objection. Phil, what do the particulars of Mr. Baldoni’s work have to do with this case?”

“I’m trying to establish what he did on the job before the unfortunate occurrence and after.”

“Then ask that, Phil. Don’t ask him how to build an addition on your house unless you’re seeking a builder. If so, I’m sure Mr. Baldoni’ll be happy to provide you with an estimate after the deposition.”

Tony chuckled.

Phil politely smiled.

The insurance fucks were unimpressed.

“I’ll move on.”

Phil targeted questions about Tony’s day-to-day duties before the unfortunate occurrence.

“Objection. There was no ‘unfortunate occurrence’ in this case, Phil. This is clear-cut medical malpractice. I’ll continue to object to the mischaracterization.”

“You’d prefer I said what, Jeneca?”

“Call it what it is; a double amputation.”

Phil re-asked his questions with Jeneca’s terminology. Phil fired quick questions, requiring short answers, to get Tony in the habit of answering quickly.

He built up to, “Isn’t the construction company merely a front for money-laundering?”

“Ho! You better watch your mouth there--”

“Objection--”

“--or I’m gonna--”

“--foundation!” Jeneca glared at Tony out of the corner of her eye.

Phil tried a different angle. Tony’s breathing increased, and his answers were clipped. He was ready to blow.

As Phil paused, Jeneca interrupted. “We’ve gone well over an hour, gentlemen. Let’s take a five-minute break.”

She motioned for Tony to exit the room ahead of her.

In the hallway, he began, “What the fuck--” but stopped as soon as he felt Jeneca’s fist in his lower back. Once her office door was closed, he resumed. “What the fuck’s he doing in there?!”

“He’s trying to connect you with the Mafia, Tony. I already told you the insurance fucks are going for a sympathy verdict.”

“The Mafia’s one thing; gettin’ me to talk ‘bout illegal things is another, ain’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s a good point, actually.”

Jeneca took the remainder of the break to praise Tony and to remind him to stay cool.

When they returned to the deposition, Jeneca spoke first.

“If you’re trying to get Mr. Baldoni to admit a connection with the Mafia, we’ll so stipulate. However, this case isn’t a criminal proceeding nor do we stipulate to any criminal wrongdoings. Any reference to such will be objected to as prejudicial to the proceedings and a potential jury.”

“Mr. Baldoni is a member of the Mafia; is that what you’re agreeing to?”

“So stipulated.”

The next hour proceeded calmly with Phil directing questions about Tony’s daily activities. He wanted to show that Tony wasn’t adversely affected since the prosthetics had been fit properly.

Tony answered the questions succinctly, not grasping the underlying set-up. On occasion, Jeneca objected to the nature of the question, preserving the argument that his life was vastly different with the prosthetics than before the amputations.

Phil circled back to Tony’s day-to-day activities at the work place. Tony was on edge as soon as the questions shifted, as was Jeneca. Phil asked Tony for a narrative of a typical day at the office.

After the question was asked, Jeneca shot a message to Dana: “Please interrupt and ask if everyone is ready for lunch, as it has arrived--I trust it’s here?”

Tony was in the process of answering the question when the door opened and Dana entered. “I’m terribly sorry to bother you, but if you’re ready for lunch, it’s arrived.”

Phil knew Jeneca didn’t permit interruptions during depositions. It was up to the lawyers to decide when to break for lunch. He understood her tactics.

“Is it that time already? Must be why I’m famished!”

“Thank you, Dana, have them bring it in.”

She turned to the other side. “Gentlemen, while I’m sure your company is most charming, Mr. Baldoni and I will be dining in my office. You’re free to eat here without being bothered. The same for you,” she added to the court reporter, “or you may take your food into our kitchen.”

She turned back to Phil. “Will thirty minutes give you enough time, Phil?”

“That’ll be perfect. Thanks, Jeneca.”

Dana led the delivery person into the conference room. Jeneca and Tony fixed plates and took them to her office.

“Be careful with the narrative--”

“He asked me!”

“I know. But it’s a set-up, so be careful.”

“What kinda set-up?”

“Well, first, he wants you say that you don’t really do much, because I think he’s setting up the money-laundering angle that he plans to back-door. Second, he’s going to argue that your amputations haven’t caused an inability to work.”

Tony opened his mouth, but Jeneca continued. “He’s having you lay the foundation: Since you work in an office and don’t actually do the construction, the loss of legs doesn’t pose as much of a problem.

“Overall, though, he wants to demonstrate that you can still do your job as well as you did before.”

“So you want I should exaggerate?”

“Absolutely not. You have to tell the truth. If there’s no difference at work, so be it.”

The lunch break bought time for Tony to think. Jeneca reiterated her earlier tips and assured him things were going well.

“Yeah, but I don’t like this Phil guy. I know you say we can trust him, but there’s somethin’ off about him.”

“It’s the insurance fucks, Tony. He’s gotta put on a show for them. He can’t let ‘em know he’s on our side. But he is, trust me.”

Jeneca messaged Dana to see if Phil was ready to proceed. Sending a subordinate reminded the insurance fucks that she was in the position of power.

* * * *

“Before lunch, you had started to tell us about your job duties on a typical day, Mr. Baldoni. Can you take us through it, please?”

“Yeah.”

Tony explained his office work. After each activity, he discussed how he performed it differently since the amputation. Each time, Phil would cut him off, reminding him that the question was only about his pre-amputation days. Tony refused to heed Phil’s directive, causing Phil to turn to Jeneca.

“Ms. Avery,” he said for emphasis, “can you please direct your client to answer only the question asked?”

Jeneca slid her chair closer to Tony to whisper, “Keep doing what you’re doing. I’ll handle Phil.” Tony stifled a grin and nodded. Instead, he put on a solemn face, as if he’d been admonished.

The questioning resumed, and Tony continued to editorialize how much of a problem life was with amputated legs. Phil attempted to rehabilitate him to no avail. Knowing Jeneca wouldn’t be helpful, he tried a different approach.

“Mr. Baldoni, you mentioned filing as a daily duty, is that correct?”

“Yeah.”

“And you’ve told us that your filing cabinet is next to your desk, is that correct?”

“Yeah.”

“Can you please explain how you’re unable to perform your filing duties now as opposed to before the unfor… The double-amputation?”

“Before, I could jis slide my chair, open the drawer, and slip the paper in--”

“And what about that sequence are you prevented from doing today?”

“The slide part. I gotta rely on my legs for that. Before, I just dug my heels into the ground and shifted, no problem. Now, I gotta use a different muscle set, and it takes longer.”

“Okay. Another duty you spoke of was keeping track of the maps. You said you often walk from your desk to the board to affix notes.”

“Yeah.”

“How is that more difficult today?”

“The gettin’ up and down. I gotta get my fake legs positioned just so before I can start to move. A lotta times I’m on the phone, so it takes me longer, and the guy has to wait.”

“Okay. Another duty was surveying construction sites. How is that more difficult today?”

“How is it not?”

“Mr. Baldoni, we’ll get through this a lot faster if you’d just answer the questions I ask.”

Tony scoffed before he answered. “For one thing, construction sites aren’t on even ground. I lose my footin’ very easily. So I gotta take crutches or a cane with me. For another, it’s a lotta in and outta cars. The gettin’ up and sittin’ down takes its toll.”

For the next hour and a half, Phil outlined Tony’s daily duties in the same vein.

“It sounds like, overall, your recovery has been very smooth.”

“Is that a question?”

“I’ll restate. Has your recovery been a smooth one?”

“I ain’t recovered completely yet.”

“Has the process been smooth?”

“I don’t call havin’ to get another surgery and new legs smooth, no.”

“Your transition back to work with your daily duties; that’s been smooth, right?”

“I don’t know what smooth really is.”

“You’ve not had difficulty in resuming your duties at work; is that a fair statement?”

“No, it’s been difficult.”

“But you’re accomplishing the duties you need to accomplish, correct?”

“I accomplish ‘em, yeah.”

“Okay. So, fair to say that the double-amputation hasn’t prevented you from working?”

“Well, I was in the hospital for months. I couldn’t work then.”

“I mean, since you’ve been back to work.”

“Well, it hasn’t prevented me, but--”

“Thank you, Mr. Baldoni.”

“But it’s not been an easy road, either.”

“You’ve answered my question, Mr. Baldoni.”

“You want me to tell you that life’s great since my legs were cut off, and I ain’t gonna do that.”

“I only want you to answer my questions, Mr. Baldoni.”

“Your questions twist my answers.”

“I only seek the truth, Mr. Baldoni. But there’s no question before you now.”

“The truth is, work’s a lot tougher now.”

“Mr. Baldoni, there’s no question before you.”

“That’s ‘cause you don’t wanna ask me ‘bout the trouble I have walkin’ and gettin’ up and down, and doin’ all the daily stuff!”

“Jeneca, can you please rein in your client?”

“Mr. Baldoni, please wait for the next question,” she told him.

Tony stared at Phil but kept his mouth shut.

Phil continued. “Mr. Baldoni, would you say that as each day passes, your job duties become easier to tackle?”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“You’ve testified you had more pain associated with your job when you first returned to work than you do now.”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. So isn’t it fair to say that it’s becoming easier?”

“No.”

“If something was more complicated in the past and now it’s less so, isn’t that the same thing as easier?”

“You want easy? How ‘bout I slice off your legs and see how you feel goin’ back to work on stubs shoved into hollow logs?! Then I’ll come to your office and see if you think things are goin’ easier for you! How ‘bout that?!”

Jeneca was up before Tony finished his rant. “Let’s take ten, gentlemen.” She ushered Tony into her office.

Phil, used to breaking witnesses, was unfazed. The insurance fucks, unaccustomed to savage threats, leaned back in their chairs. Still, they bore no expression.

When Tony got to Jeneca’s office, he slumped in the chair, grabbed a Danish and waited for the scolding. Hearing none, he looked up and saw her huge grin. “Why you lookin’ like that?”

“Because you rattled him, Tony! Well done!”

Tony was confused. “I thought you was gonna be mad ‘cause I yelled at him.”

“Yeah, well, you took it a bit too far. But he shouldn’t’ve let you go on like he did.”

“How come you called for a break, then?”

“For show. I can’t let them know I’m proud of you.”

Tony regarded her with a grin. She was a smart cookie.

“Also, to give Phil a reprieve from your threat.”

“Yeah, I still ain’t convinced about him.”

“He’s on our side,” she sighed.

Jeneca thought Phil had provoked Tony in order to show the insurance fucks they needed to settle. If Tony testified in front of a jury the same way, it would be bad for the hospital; Mafia connection or not. Tony hammered his point that life without legs was more difficult than life with them.

“Someone on our side wouldn’t try to make a claim that livin’ without legs is easy!”

“And look where that got him, Tony. What you did just now was a huge win for us. Don’t forget, Phil has to appear to go after you. So he’s going to say some negative things. I told you that.”

Jeneca let Tony finish his pastry and coffee. She told him to go to the conference room in three minutes.

* * * *

“Is your client refusing to continue?” Phil asked when Jeneca re-entered without Tony.

“No, I left him to calm down a bit. You were overly rough with him.”

“I was nothing of the sort. He didn’t listen to my questions.”

“He’s not going to tell you anything is easier.”

“Even though he already did in so many words.”

“Well, you’ve got that, then. Don’t continue to badger him, okay, Phil?”

Phil knew Jeneca was posturing for his superiors.

* * * *

When Tony returned, Phil shifted to a new line of questioning: extra-marital activities.

Again, Phil started on neutral ground. He asked background questions about Tony’s relationship with Arianna; how they met, when they got married, their kids, their home life. Then he talked about life after the amputations and how they weren’t as close. He led Tony into saying they hadn’t had sex since he entered the hospital the first time.

Phil spent forty-five minutes with an easy back-and-forth exchange. The atmosphere changed, however, when Phil skirted away from Arianna.

“You have a loss of consortium claim in this case. Do you know what that means, Mr. Baldoni?”

“Yeah,” Tony was instantly angered.

“Okay. Can you briefly explain it, please?”

“It means somethin’ that prevents you from havin’ intimate relations with your wife.”

“Spouse, but okay. You get the general idea.”

“Yeah, I told you.”

“Okay. Have you had intimate relations with anyone other than your wife, Mr. Baldoni?”

“Ho! Are you accusin’ me of cheatin’ on my wife?!” Tony’s face was red, and he was yelling.

“Have you?” Phil repeated quietly.

“I’m not gonna answer that question! That kinda question brings on duels!”

“Is that a threat, Mr. Baldoni?”

“I’m just statin’ facts.”

“Is it a fact that you’ve cheated on your wife since you’ve had a double-amputation, Mr. Baldoni?”

“Ho! I already told you I ain’t gonna answer that kinda question!”

At the beginning of the heated exchange, Jeneca had typed a message to Dana. She waited to hit send to see how things played out.

She hit send.

Phil turned to Jeneca. “Are you supporting his refusal to answer the question, Jeneca?”

“Mr. Baldoni, you may answer the question.”

“I refuse. It’s inappropriate and rude. It ain’t got nothin’ to do with the case.”

Phil, knowing it was best to keep silent, spoke anyway, “It’s got everything to do with the case! You’re claiming a loss of consortium--”

Dana opened the door and peeked her head in. “I’m terribly sorry to interrupt but, Ms. Avery, you told me to let you know the second a settlement offer came in on the clinic file, and--”

“Thank you, Dana. I’ll be right out.”

She stood. “I apologize, gentlemen. I’ve been expecting a settlement offer on a clear-cut med/mal case. Someone sees the benefit of settling before trial. Can you give me ten, please?”

Without waiting for an answer, she took Tony back to her office.

Once settled, and without an actual phone call, Jeneca asked, “What was that, Tony?”

“I’m not gonna answer it.”

“We talked about this yesterday. You knew he was gonna ask you that. If we were in trial, you’d be directed by the judge to answer the question.”

“I’m not going to.”

“I can only advise you, Tony. What you do with the advice is up to you.”

“I don’t trust this Phil guy.”

Jeneca sighed. “I know you don’t. Whether you do or don’t is irrelevant; you should answer the question.”

“I know who the P.I. is.”

Jeneca stared at Tony and sighed. “He’d better not fall into some ‘unfortunate occurrence’, Tony. We’ve discussed that, too.”

“Yeah, and you said the damage he did is already done. It’s the unknown lawyer who’s the problem. I’m on that, too.”

“Tony--”

“What I do with the advice is up to me.”

“Tony--”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head ‘bout this. Take me back in there and let’s get this over with, but I ain’t answerin’ the question.”

* * * *

When everyone was settled, Phil spoke. “During the break, I consulted with my clients,” he gestured to the insurance fucks, “and we decided it’s best to move on. It’s late, and we’ve gotten what we need.”

“You’re done questioning, Phil?”

Jeneca knew he would take Tony’s refusal as admittance and proceed with a motion to dismiss the loss of consortium claim.

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