join patreon for update and advance chapter https://www.patreon.com/c/Vivek_p628
Chicago.
Lockhart & Gardner.
Two boys, about eleven or twelve, sat in a corner, watching the busy crowd of suits.
"Leonard, this is Aunt Diane's law firm. These are the lawyers," the younger one said to his older brother. "I want to be a lawyer, too. As good as Aunt Diane!"
"Me too, Mike."
The boy known as Leonard, even at his young age, wore black-rimmed glasses and a physics-themed T-shirt. He gazed at his aunt's office, watching her command the room with the same confidence as his mother, his eyes sparkling as he nodded approvingly.
"You?"
Mike glanced at Leonard and chuckled. "You should be a scientist, just like Mom."
Little Leonard's expression darkened.
If possible, he would definitely want to be like Mom.
But the one who got the most attention from their mother was his older sister. He'd finally managed to wait until she left for college. Now, a newcomer named Sheldon had arrived—about his own age—and had somehow become the perfect subject for their mother's experiments, charming everyone with his sweet voice and good looks.
He couldn't stand that cocky little brat!
Meanwhile, his younger brother was even more favored by their aunt.
Everyone had someone special, except him.
"Look!"
Mike, ignoring his older brother's brooding, caught sight of a striking figure and his eyes lit up.
"Who is she?"
Little Leonard followed his brother's gaze and saw a capable Indian woman walking into his aunt's office for a meeting.
"Her name is Kalinda. She's an investigator at the law firm. Aunt Diane says she's really good at her job," Mike said familiarly. "She's pretty, too, isn't she?"
"Yeah."
Little Leonard immediately set aside his self-pity. Looking at the beautiful, exotic woman, his lips curved into an involuntary smile, his mood brightening once again.
"Who's that?"
As Kalinda emerged from his aunt's office, her high heels clicking toward the conference room, little Leonard's heart beat in rhythm with her footsteps. When he saw her enter the conference room and greet a man who didn't respond, he couldn't help but shift his attention from Kalinda to the man himself.
He was tall and handsome, but his most captivating quality was his demeanor: refined and calm, with a quiet composure that seemed unmoved by anything, giving him an air of detachment.
"I've never seen him before. He's probably not from the law firm," Mike said, dismissing his brother's fascination. He glanced at the man briefly before continuing to point out others to his brother. "That's Will Gardner, the other partner and Aunt Diane's business partner. That's Alicia Florrick, who's been making quite a name for herself lately..."
Little Leonard, however, wasn't listening, his gaze fixed on the man in the office. With his IQ of 173, he sensed that this might be one of his kind.
Or perhaps an even more evolved version of himself!
Under his scrutiny, the man ignored Kalinda as she entered, cutting off her tentative greeting.
However, Leonard found himself riveted. For some reason, his blood was boiling, and he couldn't help but adjust his glasses, which bore such a striking resemblance to the man's.
Just then, another woman in a sharp suit entered the conference room. The lawyer his younger brother Mike had called Alicia Florrick arrived carrying a stack of documents.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Dr. Chuck Wolfe," the lawyer said as she sat down. "The night before a trial is always hectic. You should have met Kalinda, right?"
"I'm Kalinda," the Indian woman said, forcing a smile as Chuck glanced her way.
Chuck nodded, his eyes catching sight of the youngster staring at him intently. His mind raced.
He recognized the boy as Leonard from the American TV series The Big Bang Theory. Despite his youth, his appearance was almost identical to the character he remembered. As expected, some people's fundamental traits remain constant throughout their lives.
It seemed that this hybrid American TV series universe he'd traveled to also included The Big Bang Theory.
Hmm. Given the timeline, it should now be called Young Sheldon.
"Detective Peterman speaks highly of you, saying you helped him tremendously with the Michigan River homicide case," the female lawyer continued, "so our client suggested we meet."
"Two options: $60,000 per week or $250,000 for full case coverage."
Chuck collected his thoughts and stated calmly.
"What?"
Kalinda was stunned.
"Sorry, we haven't decided to hire you yet," the female lawyer said diplomatically, also taken aback. "We already have a jury consultant, and the jury selection has been finalized."
"I'm not a jury consultant."
Chuck shook his head. "The hiring decision isn't yours to make. If this were just an exploratory meeting, I wouldn't have come here to waste my time. Your firm only needs to decide on the employment terms. There are two options."
"What exactly do you do that justifies such a high fee?" Kalinda couldn't contain herself any longer.
"My business cards."
Chuck took out two business cards and handed them over: "This time, I'm responsible for reading the micro-expressions of jury members to help you understand in advance whether they believe what you're saying, allowing you to craft the most favorable litigation strategy for Mr. Ball."
"Micro-expressions? That's it?"
Kalinda smiled skeptically: "Can we try it? What does this expression of mine mean?"
"You think you're an excellent investigator, and that my work falls within your scope of responsibility, yet I charge an exorbitant fee. One week's payment exceeds what you earn working hard for half a year. This is absurd."
Chuck looked into her eyes and said calmly: "You think that if the firm agrees to this arrangement, you'll immediately ask for a raise, and you find me very attractive—the kind that draws you in."
Kalinda's smile immediately froze.
The female lawyer pursed her lips and looked down, taking the business card to examine it. "AC Consulting?"
"Yes,"
Chuck nodded, continuing to observe Kalinda. "You're beginning to trust my abilities. And while you find me attractive, you're more drawn to Mrs. Florrick here. That's fine. I don't have to turn you down. Shall we continue?"
"I am not!"
Kalinda abruptly stood up and glanced at the female lawyer, not daring to meet her eyes.
"Alright, Dr. Wolfe,"
the female lawyer interrupted, seeing her colleague's discomfort. "We understand your capabilities. May I ask you a question?"
Chuck released Kalinda from his scrutiny and looked at the female lawyer.
"Why AC?"
The female lawyer examined the business scope printed on the business card, noting the specific categories of 'Accounting, Detective Services.' Curiously, she asked, "And micro-expression reading falls under the private detective category, correct?"
Small firms like these usually use their founders' names. If they form partnerships, they combine the partners' surnames.
For example, Lockhart & Gardner represents the partnership of attorneys Diane Lockhart and Will Gardner.
Of course, it's also possible to use an acronym. The C in AC should stand for Chuck, so who is A?
"That's correct. Reading jury micro-expressions and helping determine jury inclinations is within the scope of a law firm investigator's duties, and investigation is within the scope of detective work."
Chuck nodded, glanced at Kalinda who had composed herself, and said seriously: "As for naming the company AC, it's because I heard an American saying about 'knowing your place' and 'having some self-awareness.' I found it very insightful, so I used those initials."
"..."
Kalinda's expression darkened.
While she hadn't heard this particular phrasing before, as an excellent investigator, she sensed that this explanation was somehow directed at her.
join patreon for update and advance chapter https://www.patreon.com/c/Vivek_p628