Michael rolled his eyes, "Isn't everyone?"
Jackie ignored him. "Answer the door, Carl."
"You really should let them knock first," said Carl.
"It is not my fault I am cursed with good hearing. I was born that way." When someone knocked on the door, she grinned and slightly curtsied.
"I didn't hear anything," Michael complained, standing up to greet their guest.
"He hit the side of his briefcase against the wall," she whispered.
"Oh, well, maybe I did hear him."
Carrying his briefcase and wearing the same suit he wore in court earlier that morning, Austin Steel walked straight to Jackie and extended his hand. "Am I ever glad to hear from you. It was close, real close. I managed to get a continuance, but only for two weeks counting today." He released her hand and looked into her eyes. "Nick said you were beautiful."
"Forget it," said Michael. "She'll never fall for that line."
Jackie giggled. "Mr. Steel, these are my associates, Michael Sorenson and Carl Kingsley."
"Don't pay any attention to him," said Carl extending his hand, "he's tried every line in the book on her."
Austin shook hands with Carl. "Maybe he needs a new book."
"I like him, Jackie," said Michael. He too shook Austin's hand.
"Gentlemen, help yourself to a sandwich and then we'll get down to business?" Jackie took a seat in an armchair at the end of the coffee table and reached for a plate. "Mr. Steel, anything you would tell me, you can tell them."
"You still have that air crane, Carl?" Austin asked. He took off his jacket, laid it across the back of a chair, and then lifted a lamp off the end table and set it on the floor. "Nick loved the ride you gave him in yours so much, he tried to buy one like it."
Carl chuckled, "No, we traded it in for a newer model a couple of years back."
"Before it fell out of the sky, he means," said Michael. He eagerly helped himself to a ham sandwich and piled it high with tomato, lettuce, and cheese.
"Hey," Carl complained, "she wouldn't have fallen out of the sky. She was loyal, more loyal than any other woman I ever knew…present company excluded, naturally."
"Naturally," said Jackie. "Please sit down, Mr. Steel. I hope you are hungry."
"I am, and please call me Austin." He set his briefcase on the cleared-off end table, opened it, and then sat beside it in the armchair facing Jackie. "I brought you everything I could think of and if more comes in, you'll get it as soon as I do. We're up against a very high wall here."