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“Jeez, Aunt Winona Way to think the worst of me”

“I did trust you, remember? You made me look like an idiot in front of my boyfriend”

“Yeah, well Your boyfriend is a dick”

“And God knows your high opinion of him is so important to me Why do you need a lawyer?”

“If I hire you, everything we say is confidential, right?”

“Have you been studying law in social studies?”

“When I was on restriction, I watched a lot of TV Law and Order is awesome”

“Okay, yes Our communications are confidential”

“And if you take ht?”

“I would hardly do less But you’d have to pay me a retainer, of course Two thousand dollars is standard for me”

He pulled a one-dollar bill out of his pocket and set it on her desk “There’s a family discount, I hope”

She glanced down at the wrinkled, wadded-up dollar, and then up at Noah Whatever this was about, he took it seriously She knew she should send him on his way, but her curiosity was piqued There were few things she hated more than unanswered questions So she took the dollar bill and put it in her desk drawer “Okay, Perry Mason Hit me with your best shot”

He leaned sideways and pulled a azine out of his back-pack He put it on her desk and shoved it toward her

She saw the lead article’s headline Seattle’s Best Lawyers It was Seattle les “Is this your subtle way of telling me that I’m not universally lauded by my peers? Because believe me, Noah, when a lawyer opens up shop in Oyster Shores, she pretty much knows her place on the food chain And PS, it’s near the bottom”

“Turn to page ninety”