Alice twisted her hair into a topknot, then clicked the barrette into place while Grady slept like the dead. She slipped into a khaki suit, white cotton shirt, and brown shoes with low heels, then checked her reflection in the bedroom mirror. She looked like Bennie, no makeup, no frills. It was almost criminal for a lawyer to go to court this way.
She got the messenger bag from the chair, then went under the bed and pulled out the cloth bag. She unzipped it and transferred as much money to the bag as she could carry without it looking suspicious. She shoved the gym bag back under the bed, went to Bennie’s jewelry box, took her passport, and stowed that in the messenger bag, too.
Grady was finally waking up, even though he’d conked out in his clothes. She couldn’t leave him here, now that Bennie was alive, so she squeezed his shoulder. “Grady? Grady? Time to get up.”
“What?” His eyelids fluttered, and Alice turned on the bedside lamp.
“Wake up. We have to get ready. I need your help, with Alice.”
“What’s going on?” Grady opened his eyes and shifted upward onto his elbows. “Is she here?”
“No. I’ll fill you in on the way to the courthouse.”
“Man, did I conk or what?” Grady sat up, shaking his head. “I fell asleep in my clothes?”
“Sorry to rush you around, but I figured you’d want to come to court.”
“Sure, yes, I’m up.” Grady slipped on his glasses and got out of bed as the BlackBerry rang.
“Excuse me a sec.” Alice went to the messenger bag and found the phone. It was DiNunzio. “What’s happening?” she asked.
“I’m on my way back from the Roundhouse.” Mary sounded excited. “I filed the complaint for criminal impersonation, and they didn’t need your statement. We have an emergency hearing on the restraining order set for eight o’clock.”
“Good girl.” Alice watched Grady stumble around the bed, stepping over the discarded Birks.
“Should I meet you there or pick you up in a cab?”
“Pick us up, but not in a cab.” Alice would have to leave the money bag in the car. She couldn’t take it into the courthouse, through security. “Call a hired car, and it can wait for us after court.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. But who’s ‘us’? You said ‘us.’ ”
“We’ll have co-counsel today.”
“What? Who?”
“My other partner,” she said, smiling at Grady.