New York.
The heavy mahogany door to the inner office opened and Jackie Crawford appeared. Now thirty-eight, she showed few signs of approaching middle age. Only the hint of crow's feet under her dark brown eyes gave her age away. Her jet black hair was cut short and bounced above her shoulders as she moved. Dressed in a sophisticated gray pinstriped suit and white silk blouse, she exuded professionalism, yet her sassy demeanor belied the image.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Jackie said, continuing to write feverishly on a pad of yellow foolscap. She lifted her head to glance at her new client. "Hi. Come in and have a seat." She led Kerri to a tan leather upholstered chair in front of her polished teak desk. "Can I get you something? Coffee, tea, cyanide?"
"No thank you," Kerri replied, smiling at Jackie's final offer.
"Then let's get started...Is this your first?"
"You mean my first divorce?"
"Yes."
Kerri nodded.
Jackie smirked. "Before you get your shit in a knot, let me tell you something very important. They're not worth it. No man is. I'm not saying I hate men. Quite the contrary. I'm saying that when it's over, it's over. You want them out of your life, and the process isn't worth getting bent out of shape. I've been through it twice, so you know I'm speaking from experience...How long have you been married?"
Jackie's self-confidence and flamboyant approach made Kerri feel more relaxed. "Almost two years."
"Where were you married?"
"Vancouver."
"Are you a Canadian citizen?"
"Yes. Is that a problem?"
"No...In a few sentences, tell me why you want a divorce."
"I could do it in one."
"How?"
"It's no longer a marriage."
Jackie chuckled. "That's good enough for me, my dear, but I think the judge is going to want you to be bit more specific...Louis told me you also want a restraining order. Is that correct?"
Kerri nodded. "My husband's an obsessive drinker. Probably an alcoholic. In either case, I think he needs help. Meanwhile, I'm afraid of him. He's physically abusive."
"Has he ever sought help?"
"No."
"That's good. Please continue. Tell me why it's no longer a marriage."
"He had a sexual affair with another woman and he abused me, both mentally and physically. The physical abuse was the reason I moved out of our apartment."
"I'll want to chronicle those abuses later. Would you be able to give dates and times?"
"Yes."
"Good. Any children?"
"No."
"You're lucky. Next subject...I'll need to know your husband's annual income. Do you know what that is?"
"Yes, but it's irrelevant."
"Why?"
"I thought Louis told you I don't want any money from my husband."
Jackie grinned. "You're right. He did. Forgive me. I was so astounded when he told me, I just had to hear it from you. Besides, I'm incredibly nosy...Are there any assets in the marriage? You know you're entitled to half of those."
"I don't want any assets. All I want is a divorce and for Brian to leave me alone."
"Okay, that's what you shall have. Because of the relative urgency of the restraining order, we should be able to get a hearing fairly soon. The divorce, however...Well, we'll try to move it along as fast as we can."
"How fast?"
"I'll call you and let you know. Where can I reach you?"
"At Iacardi & Sons, in the World Trade Center."
"And at night?"
Kerri gave Jackie the address and telephone number of Visconti's apartment.
Jackie recognized the address and smirked. "So you're living in the palace. I'm insanely jealous."
"Is Louis more than a friend to you?" Kerri asked, disturbed by Jackie's comment.
"Past tense, my dear. It's over between us. Can I offer you a piece of unofficial advice? It's not legal. It's personal."
"Sure."
"Louis is an extremely attractive men, but he's dangerous. Be careful. He could rip your heart out."
"Why do you think he's dangerous?"
"I really wonder if he could ever love a woman, I mean with the kind of love familiar to you and me. I think his only true love is money. If he had a choice of making ten dollars and making mad passionate love to the woman of his dreams, he'd have to think about it."
Jackie's assessment of Louis worried Kerri. "Did he hurt you?" she asked.
Jackie blushed and looked away. "I don't think he knows it."