Mark studied his beer and thought about an answer. After a few seconds, he said, “He was bipolar, off his meds, really messed up. He got a DUI; we bailed him out, took him to his apartment, and stayed with him. We didn’t know what to do. We wanted to call his family, maybe his fiancée, but that freaked him out even more. He threatened me when I mentioned calling home. Somehow he got away that night and drove to the bridge. We were driving around in a panic, trying to find him, but we were too late.”
Wilson absorbed this and took another drink. He said, “Wow, that’s pretty awful. There’s some gossip that you guys were with him at the end. Didn’t know it was that bad.”
“We kept an eye on him. He was locked in his bedroom. Zola was sleeping on the sofa, Todd across the hall. I had his keys in my pocket. We were trying to get him to a doctor. I don’t know what else we could’ve done. So, yeah, Wilson, it’s safe to say that we’re not doing too well these days.”
“Bummer, man. I didn’t see you at the funeral.”
“We were there, hiding in the balcony. Todd and I met with the family after he jumped, and there was a lot of finger-pointing. At us, of course. Gotta blame somebody, right? So we wanted to avoid them at the funeral.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“Well, they sure think so, and, I gotta tell you, Wilson, there’s a lot of guilt right now. We should’ve called Brenda or his parents.”
This sank in and Wilson ordered another beer. “I don’t see it. You can’t take the fall for his suicide.”
“Thanks, but I can’t let it go.”
“So, what are you doing, dropping out of law school with one semester to go? That’s pretty stupid, Mark. Hell, you got a job lined up for the fall, right?”
“Wrong. I got fired before I even started. The firm merged with another one, things got realigned, I got squeezed. Happens all the time in this wonderful profession.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
“It’s okay. The firm was a dead end anyway. And you, any luck on the job front?”
“Sort of. I found a place with a nonprofit, so I’ll do the public service gig and duck out on most of the loans.”
“For ten years?”
“That’s what they think. My plan is to grind it out for three or four years, keep the sharks at bay, and hustle on the side for a real job. Sooner or later, the market has got to get better.”
“You really believe that?”
“I don’t know what to believe, but I gotta go somewhere.”
“After you pass the bar exam, of course.”
“Here’s the way I look at the bar exam, Mark. Last year, half the Foggy Bottom students passed it, half failed. I figure I’m in the top half, and if I bust my ass I can pass it. I look around the school and there are a lot of morons, but I’m not one of them. Neither are you, Mark. You’re bright as hell and you don’t mind the work.”
“As I said, there are motivational problems.”
“Then what’s your plan?”
“I don’t have one. I’m drifting. I suppose I’ll show up at school eventually, though the idea of walking into that place makes me ill. Maybe I’ll take off a semester, catch up later. I don’t know.”
“You can’t do that, Mark. If you drop out the sharks will put you in default.”
“I think I’m already in default. I look at my loan statement and see that I owe a quarter of a million dollars with no viable means of employment. To me, that sure feels like a default. And what the hell? They can sue me but they can’t kill me. Last year a million students went into default, and as far as I know, they’re still walking around, living and breathing.”
“I know, I know. I read the blogs.” Both took a drink and looked at themselves in the mirror above the rows of liquor bottles.
Wilson said, “Where are you living now?”
“You stalking me?”
“No, but I stopped by your apartment. A neighbor said you were gone. So is Todd. Have you seen him? He’s not at the bar anymore.”
“Not lately. I think he’s back in Baltimore.”
“He quit?”
“I don’t know, Wilson. He mentioned taking some time off. I think he’s messed up more than me. He and Gordy were especially close.”
“He won’t answer the phone.”
“Well, you guys are not exactly best of friends.”
“We got over it. Hell, Mark, I’m concerned, okay? You guys are my friends and you’ve just disappeared.”
“Thanks, Wilson, it means a lot. But I’ll be okay, eventually. Not sure about Todd.”
“What about Zola?”
“What about her?”
“Well, she’s missing in action too. No one has seen her. She moved out.”
“I’m talking to Zola and she’s a mess. She was the last one to see Gordy alive and she’s taking it very hard. On top of that, her parents are about to be deported back to Senegal. She’s in bad shape.”
“Poor girl. Gordy was stupid to get tangled up with her.”
“Maybe, I don’t know. Nothing makes sense right now.”
They drank for a long time without speaking. In the mirror, Mark saw a familiar face at a table across the room. A pretty face, one he’d seen in a courtroom. Hadley Caviness, an assistant prosecutor, the one handling Benson Taper’s speeding case. Their eyes met briefly and she looked away.
Wilson glanced at his watch and said, “Look, this is too depressing. I gotta run. Please keep in touch, Mark, and if I can help, let me know. Okay?” He drained his beer and laid a $10 bill on the bar.
“You got it, Wilson. Thanks.”
Wilson stood, patted him on the shoulder, and left. Mark looked in the mirror and noticed that Hadley was sitting with three other young ladies, all enjoying drinks and chatting away. Their eyes met again and she held his gaze for a few seconds.
—
HALF AN HOUR later, the girls were finished and paying their bill. As they left, Hadley circled back and walked to the bar. “Waiting for someone?” she asked.
“Yes, you. Have a seat.”
She offered a hand and said, “Hadley Caviness, Division 10.”
He shook it and said, “I know. Mark Upshaw. Can I buy you a drink?”
She assumed her stool and said, “Of course.” Mark waved the bartender over and said, “What will it be?”
“Chardonnay.”
“And I’ll have another beer.” The bartender left and they turned to face each other. “Haven’t seen you around lately,” she said.
“Well, I’m there every day, hustling the system.”
“You’re new in town.”
“Couple of years. I was with a firm and got tired of the grind. Now I’m on my own and having some fun. You?”
“First year in the prosecutor’s office so I’m stuck in traffic court. Bored. Not exactly having a ball but paying the bills. Where was law school?”
“Delaware. Came to the big city to change the world. You?” He was hoping she would not say she went to law school at Foggy Bottom.
“Kentucky, undergrad and law. I came here for a job on Capitol Hill but it didn’t work out. I got lucky and found a place with the prosecutor’s office. I hope it’s only temporary.” The drinks arrived. They touched glasses, said, “Cheers,” and took a drink.
“So what’s next?” Mark asked.
“Who knows in this town? I’m watching the market, looking for openings, same as thousands of others. The job situation is not that strong right now.”
No kidding, Mark thought. You should hang around Foggy Bottom. “So I hear.”
“What about you? Don’t tell me you plan to make a career out of defending drunk drivers.”
Mark laughed as if this was humorous. “Not really. I have a partner and we would like to get into personal injury.”