“Mam?”
“Yes?”
“Mam?”
“Yes?”
“Hey Blake, did you see where that woman went?”
“Which one?” I heard Blake respond.
“The one with the pink jacket.”
“I’m right here,” I said.
“No,” Blake said to the boy at the counter I had just given my money to. “Maybe she’s in the restroom.”
“I’m right here,” I insisted.
“Well, if she comes back, give here her change. I’m going on break.”
The boy at the counter turned and walked away.
“I’M RIGHT HERE!” I screamed. But it was no use. He was gone.
I turned and walked over to a man at a nearby table.
“Can you believe that guy?” I asked.
He didn’t seem to hear me. “Excuse me, sir?”
Nothing.
I moved closer. “Sir?”
Still, nothing.
I put my mouth right up to his ear. “Hello?”
Again, nothing.
I’m invisible…
My first instinct was to panic. But then I realized the gift God—or whomever—just handed me.
I could see and hear everyone around me, but they couldn’t see or hear me. Imagine what I could do, what I could witness.
I didn’t know why or how this was happening, but I wasn’t about to waste the opportunity.
I hurried back to my office building, but instead of getting off on my floor I continued going up. I got off on six and walked down the hall to Merv’s office. Merv was the head of this law firm where I’d been working as a prosecutor for seven years. He would be meeting with Jack Cooper (another defense lawyer I was partnered with for a high profile case) soon, so I waited outside until Jack arrived and I could slip in with him.
Five minutes later, the elevator door opened and Jack breezed down the hall right toward me.
“Hi Jack,” I said.
Nothing, just as I had hoped.
Jack checked in with Merv’s secretary.
“Mr. Cooper is here for your appointment, sir,” the big haired woman said.
I liked Jack enough. He was a smooth talker with sharp features, and he wasn’t too cocky even though he knew he had a handful of judges in his back pocket. The case would have been given to him no questions asked, but he was on vacation when it came our way. Merv reluctantly put it on my desk, but as soon as Jack got back into town he suggested that I let him partner on with me because I “could always stand to learn something.”
“Send him in,” Merv’s voice crackled over the speaker.
Jack entered Merv’s office, his shadow and I in tow.
“Merv.”
“Jack.”
“How’s Ethel?”
“Cut the small talk, Jack. Is it done?”
“Yes, I got the call this morning. She took the deal.”
I knew it.
It was a sexual harassment case. Joan Trife, a female officer for the San Diego County Police Department, accused Police Chief William Morales of wrongful termination, believing she was fired because she turned down advances made by Morales during the department’s Christmas party.
Both parties had a history (all incidents amounting to hearsay and rumors yet to be proven, of course)—Trife of performing sexual acts on partners, both male and female, during stakeouts, and Morales of making advances on female employees during department social gatherings.
But Trife wasn't Merv’s cousin by marriage—Morales was… a fact not known to the public. As far as I knew, only Jack and I were aware of this information and weren’t told until Trife came to us for representation.
“Represent her, but push for a deal,” Merv had advised.
Despite Trife’s shady past and Merv’s what I took to be a warning, I had been pushing for this to go to trial. As a prosecutor, I had formed relationships with several people, male and female, within the department. Two female officers had at different times during my career confided in me about Morales’ questionable and inappropriate behavior, but were scared to come forward because they didn’t want to be placed in the public eye.
But Trife was willing, and if this went to trial and we won, Morales would be out of a job. If it settled, he was free to keep victimizing women.
Then Jack got back and Merv filled him in, making the outcome I was hoping for less of a reality. I spent long evenings with Jack going over our case and letting him on a few occasions go over my body—a sacrifice that turned out to be a lot more enjoyable than expected. I thought I had convinced him not to settle, that as prosecutors it was our duty and obligation to protect the victims and put away the bad guys. But as we moved closer to trial, Jack became more and more reserved about the details of this case. He seemed reluctant to strategize.
“You want this,” he told me. “I’m leaving it in your hands.”
And then I got wind that he had an appointment with Merv this morning and knew something wasn’t right. I suspected Merv must have made him an offer he couldn’t refuse—partner—and that he went behind my back and convinced Trife to settle.
“Excellent,” Merv said. “You’ve done good work, Cooper. You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
One day, I thought.
I waited until the meeting ended and followed Jack out.
“You son-of-a-bitch,” I said as I followed him to the elevator.
Jack spun around, wide-eyed. I was visible again.
“How—“
I didn’t give him an explanation. Instead, I strode by him, took the stairs, and headed back to Café Rio for my change.
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