Conflict of Interest, Part 6

This fictional account contains explicit sexual materials, adult language and
sexual themes.  If these offend you, please do not read further.  The persons
and events described in this work are fictional.  Any similarity to actual
persons or events is strictly coincidental.  Copyright 2002 by SSTORYMAN.  All
rights reserved.  Permission is granted to reproduce this story in any form
and for any purpose as long as this notice is reproduced and no financial

This is a sequel to the author's "Revenge" posted March 2000 and "The Affair"
posted January, 1997.  It may be helpful to read (or re-read) them before
reading this story.  There are also some references to characters who first
appeared in the author's "Lisa's Quest" and "The Vacation."  But familiarity
with these stories isn't necessary to enjoy this one.

Finally, thanks to AZ-MAN for his editorial suggestions, support and
encouragement.


CONFLICT OF INTEREST

6.	Negotiations Begin.

   "So exactly what are you saying, Rene?"

   Rene looked straight into her friend and lover's eyes.  "I'm saying,
Charity, I represent Larilyn Dahlberg.  You represent Sandy Rogers.  For the
first time, we're on opposite sides of a case."

   "Shit!  But isn't that a conflict of interest, since we live together?"

   Rene shook her head.  "No, I talked to one of the senior partners at
Johnson & Myers.  Technically it's not a conflict of interest, as long as we
don't discuss the case except in our official capacities as lawyers for our
clients.  So, as far as I'm concerned, this discussion is now an official
negotiation between opposing counsel."

   Charity sighed.  "God, this really sucks!"

   "Why?"

   "Randy Myers called.  He formally offered me a position as a litigation
associate at Johnson & Myers.  I accepted on the spot.  I'd planned to give
two weeks notice to Ed Smith tomorrow morning.  Shit," she moaned.

   "God, that's fuckin' great, Charity!"  Rene impulsively gave her girlfriend
an affectionate embrace.  "I'm so happy for you.  And for me, too.  We'll work
together every day now.  And that means you can come out as a smoker!"

   "Yeah, I know.  But your news means I can't leave Williams & Connors till
this case is resolved.  I'm counsel for Sandy 'the bitch' Rogers.  I can't
join you at J&M while you represent her opponent Larilyn Dahlberg."

   "Oh God," Rene gasped.  "That's right.  Fuck!"

   "Fuck is right, honey.  Damn!  It pisses me off!  I wanted to get the hell
out of Williams & Connors as fast as possible.  Now, I can't.  Shit, I wish Ed
Smith never gave me this stupid assignment to take care of Sandy Rogers.  God,
I hate her!"

   Rene sighed.  "Okay.  Let's get back to that.  Let's return to our official
negotiations as opposing counsel.  Perhaps we can work something out.  Maybe
it won't be complicated.  Now, as I read your letter, Charity, I think ?."

   "Hold it a second, Rene.  If we're going to start negotiating, I need a
cigarette."

   Rene smiled.  She got a huge kick out of hearing her roommate acknowledge
her ever increasing nicotine addiction.  It reminded her of her undue
influence over the lovely Charity!

   Charity picked up her pack of Marlboro Lights 100's.  She took one for
herself and handed another to Rene.  Taking her lighter, Charity performed a
quick no hands light up.  With cigarette dangling from her lips, she held the
lighter for Rene who immediately learned in with hers in her mouth to catch
the flame, also using no hands.  Rene's cheeks, too, caved in.  Both girls
waited a moment to suck smoke into their lungs before continuing the
discussion.

   "Okay," Charity finally sighed, pushing her initial exhale toward Rene.
"Lay it on me."

   The smoke from Charity's mouth lost all momentum by the time it traveled
the distance between them.  It floated lazily by Rene's face.  She smiled.
She always worked better when she smoked!  With Charity's letter in one hand
and her cigarette in the other, she grinned.

   "Here's how I see it, Charity.  Your threats of a preliminary injunction,
or a protective order from the court, are pure bullshit.  Your client doesn't
have the money to afford that kind of all-out legal assault.  You know it, and
I know it, too.  Get real."

   Charity smiled mischievously and took a long, pregnant drag.  She easily
fell into the role of Rene's opponent.  "Bullshit, my ass!  We're talking
about protecting my client's entire career."  Smoke began to dribble from her
lips, but she never slowed down.  "Sandy will spend the money, and I'll get a
judge to issue a preliminary injunction and protective order, no problem.
What your client proposes to do to Sandy is blatantly illegal.  I wish it
wasn't, but it is.  You can't force someone to do something they don't want to
do with that kind of threat!"

   "Nothing Larilyn is asking Sandy to do is illegal, or immoral.  The offer
of gratuitous sex is thrown in as an enticement.  It's not illegal to ask
someone to smoke a pack of cigarettes."

   "Like hell," Charity replied.  She watched Rene take a long hit and suck
the smoke inside her pretty frame, followed by a tilt of her head and an
unending exhale.  "Don't try to distract me with your seductive smoking style,
either," she warned.  "I'll kill you in court if your client doesn't abandon
her wicked little plan."

   "Fine.  Let's just see.  Larilyn will simply send copies of the pictures,
then.  There's nothing illegal about distributing them.  They're her property,
and she can do whatever the hell she wants with 'em.  So, then, your client,
the anti-smoking bitch, will be screwed."  Rene paused.  "Let's just pretend
there _is_ no blackmail offer.  My client simply intends to send out her
pictures to some people she thinks might be interested in them.  Is your
client willing to make her some kind of offer to keep them under wraps?
What's she willing to concede?"

   Charity hesitated.  "I don't know," she admitted.  She paused to hit on her
Marlboro Light.  "We haven't talked about what she might be willing to do.  As
far as I see, your client only wants one thing, that is, she wants Sandy to
smoke.  I don't think Sandy's willing to even discuss that.  If it were money,
on the other hand ?."

   "Fuck the money," Rene interrupted.  "That would be blackmail, and _that_
clearly would be illegal.  But Larilyn's not asking for money.  She just wants
a small favor," she added with a syrupy smile.  "She just wants Sandy to
sample a little habit that Larilyn has come to enjoy, and she's willing to
suck some pussy to sweeten the offer."

   "Like I said, I don't think that's an option.  The smoking, I mean."

   "No problem," Rene smiled.  "Then I tell my client to send the pictures to
the lung association board.  No blackmail attempt or offer was ever made.
Larilyn only offered to hold up sending the pictures if Sandy did her a favor.
But she's not willing, so I'll tell Larilyn to send them.  Discussion over.
Right?"

   "Now wait a minute."  Charity scrambled for a back-up position.  "What if I
can convince my client to participate in this little smoking-love-fest, but
only in exchange for a strong confidentiality, non-disclosure agreement?  We'd
want an air-tight agreement where Larilyn agrees, and her lawyers agree, never
to disclose the pictures or any other information insinuating anything about
Sandy's sexual preferences.  What would you and your client think of that?"

   Rene nodded as she dragged one more time.  "That might work," she said with
a calm smile.  "My client might agree to non-disclosure of the information
about Sandy's sexual interests if Sandy agrees to smoke with her."  She
stopped talking long enough to release a thick stream.  "If you can sell that
to your client, I'll recommend it to mine."

   "But nothing in the agreement about the smoking," Charity went on.  "If
Sandy's ever forced to go to court to seek damages for Larilyn's breach, and
the damages would be astronomical, by the way, we don't want to win the battle
and lose the war.  Sandy's agreement to smoke has to be handled completely
sidebar."

   "Sure," Rene agreed.  "But that means we don't sign the confidentiality and
non-disclosure agreement till Sandy smokes her pack of cigarettes.  It's our
only leverage.  Once Larilyn signs, she gets nothing."  She grinned.  "And
believe me, Charity, my client wants something from yours.  And it's something
you're enjoying right this minute.  She wants to see Sandy smoke, and smoke,
and smoke some more.  And I know you know why."

   "Yeah, I know.  Believe me, I'd like to see it, too, personally.  But what
you like, or what I like, doesn't matter.  The only thing that matters is
keeping Sandy's lesbianism out of the papers."

   Rene smiled.  "Tell me, counselor, off the record.  Is Sandy Rogers really
hot?"

   Charity had to grin.  "Yeah, believe it or not, she most definitely is.
When I told her I was bi, I thought she'd jump me right there in my office."
She giggled.  "If Sandy Rogers turns on the charm, she can be quite seductive.
It's really almost scary."

   "Charity!  You're blushing!"

   "I'm just saying, she's damn hot for a mature woman.  You know what?  She
looks exactly like ?."

   "I know, I know," Rene interrupted.  "She looks just like Hillary Clinton.
I know."

   "But she really does," Charity went on.  "It's almost like talking to the
Senator herself!  That's part of why I'd love to see Sandy smoke.  God!  Just
the idea of it turns me on."  She put her free hand over her crotch and began
to softly rub herself through her slacks.

   Rene grinned.  "God, I love seeing you get turned on, honey!"  She frowned.
"But Larilyn said for me to warn you.  Sandy Rogers has a way of getting what
she wants, and she loves beautiful younger women.  Watch it.  I don't want you
falling into bed with your client!"

   "Come on.  Don't be silly.  That'd be totally unprofessional.  It'd never
happen.  Besides, Sandy wouldn't want me if she knew I smoked."

   Rene had a gleam in her eye.  "All I'm saying is, be careful.  Once you
stop being my opposing counsel and start being my lover and roommate, I have
to make sure nothing weird happens."

   "Don't worry, baby," Charity laughed, shaking her head.  She took a final
drag on her cigarette.  "I doubt Sandy Rogers would even think seriously about
me that way.  I'm definitely not her type."  She pushed a plume of smoke into
the air.  "So, have we got a deal?  I'll recommend to Sandy that she agree to
smoke with Larilyn.  We'll prepare a tough, iron-clad non-disclosure agreement
for your client to sign, one that restricts both firms' ability to disclose
the information about Sandy's sexual lifestyle.  Let's see if we can put this
stupid case behind us, so I can turn in my notice and come join you at J&M."

   "Mm, that'll be _so_ nice," Rene sighed.  She batted her eyes.  "Are we
done with our meeting?"  Charity nodded, and Rene crossed over and sat beside
her.  "Then let's step back into our non-professional roles," she cooed,
gently stroking Charity's long blond hair.  "I want to eat pussy tonight,
baby.  You made me so hot, talking so authoritatively to me just now.  I loved
it."

   Charity shivered with delight.  "Me, too, honey," she said softly.  She
began nibbling Rene's ear.  "God, I love it when you turn on that
hard-as-nails persona!  It makes me wet.  You're so sexy when you negotiate
like a total bitch!"

   "You're not bad at it yourself," Rene whispered.  She put her hand on
Charity's breasts and squeezed.  "What do you say we go to the bedroom to
continue this discussion?"

   Charity picked up her cigarettes and lighter.  "I'd love that.  But tonight
I want to smoke while you make love to me.  You don't mind, do you?"

   "Hell no!  I _want_ you to smoke, baby-doll.  I love it when you tell me
you want a cigarette, that you really need one.  It turns me on," Rene sighed
seductively.  "Believe me, I want you to smoke and smoke and never stop!"

   "Great," Charity giggled.  "That sounds good."  She looked directly into
her lover's eyes.  "And I need a cigarette right now," she purred seductively.
"Oh God, I am _so_ hungry for more nicotine!  I want it so bad!  Please, Rene,
pretty please can I have another cigarette?  Pretty please with sugar on it?"
She laughed irreverently as she lit up another one and walked arm-in-arm with
Rene into the bedroom.

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   Priscilla and Penny sat across a table in the campus coffee shop.  Each
girl got a cup of coffee at the counter.  Penny was visibly nervous.  Her
older sister laughed.  "Don't be scared, Squirt!  Not a soul here knows who we
are.  It's fine."

   "I know," Penny anxiously replied.  "But I've never done anything like
this.  Heck, I've only had a few cigarettes in my entire life.  I never smoked
at all till today."

   "So, do you want to back out?"  Priscilla's question was unusually
antagonistic.

   "Nope," came her sister's resolute reply.  "No!  I want to do this.  I want
to smoke!"

   "Good," Priscilla answered.  "Me, too."  She opened her purse and put her
green and white pack of Marlboro Menthol Lights 100's on the table.  "I'll
supply the cigarettes tonight," she said with a wry smile.  "But after this I
expect you to pay me back."

   "Yeah, sure," Penny nodded.  She carefully took one of the Marlboro
Menthols from her sister's pack.  "Thanks, Pris.  You're all heart."

   Priscilla removed one for herself.  "You're welcome," she said with a touch
of sarcasm.  "Like I said, Squirt, I'm delighted you want to smoke.  Because
if I get you as committed as I am to this wonderful habit, then I know I'll be
able to count on your support."

   Penny nodded.  "You definitely have my full support, Prissy."  She was
nervous about smoking again.  She didn't really feel like having a cigarette
at that moment.  But it didn't matter.  Learning that her older sister was a
smoker galvanized her determination to smoke.  No way she'd let Prissy do this
without her.  Plus, she wanted to smoke with Grace while they worked together
in the coming days.  She figured practicing some more would be a big help.

   Priscilla Preston lit up her Marlboro Menthol Light 100 with a quick, deft
maneuver.  There was no hesitation, no vacillation, in her movement.  As Penny
watched, the older girl's cheeks hollowed as she took a lengthy first drag.
With no comment she gave Penny the lighter.

   The younger girl felt pressure to put on a show.  With no delay she rested
her unlit cigarette between her lips and clicked the lighter.  The flame
sprang up, and she moved it toward the tip of her dangling cigarette.  It let
out a crackling sound as it ignited, and she sucked hard to ensure she got a
good, even light.  Her fingers never touched the cigarette.  It was totally no
hands.  She, too, took a powerful first drag as she gave the lighter back to
Priscilla.  The flavor and feel of the mentholated smoke were similar to the
Salems she smoked with Grace.  With a muted 'whoosh' she sucked the smoke into
her lungs and smiled confidently at her sister.

   "Not bad for your first day," Priscilla admitted, watching Penny tip her
head and release a thin stream of smoke through pursed lips.  In fact,
Priscilla was impressed.  "Not bad at all."

   Reassured by her older sister's approval, Penny smiled.  "God, thanks,
Pris.  You know, you look pretty good smoking yourself."

   "Yeah, I do, don't I?" the older teen agreed with a smug, satisfied smile.
She followed her first hit with a second one that was even longer.  "God, this
feels _so_ good," she sighed contentedly, holding smoke inside.  After pushing
out another exhale, she looked at Penny.  "If you do keep smoking, kid, we
might wind up spending a lot more time together."

   The words were music to Penny's ears.  She longed for her sister's
approval, and smiled in response.  "Don't worry, Pris.  I fully intend to keep
smoking."  With an intentional flourish she returned her cigarette to her lips
for another purposely protracted drag.  She intentionally held the smoke in
her lungs for several seconds.  She felt satiated, but wasn't about to show
any sign of discomfort or lack of self-confidence.  "I love smoking," she said
simply, with a big smile.

   "I can tell," Priscilla acknowledged, manicuring her cigarette in the
ashtray.  "Honestly, I'm a little surprised.  If it's your first day smoking,
you're doing great.  You're a natural, Penny!"

   Buoyed by the praise, Penny grinned.  "That's what Grace said.  I really
like to smoke," she added confidently.  "I think I'd like to do it as much as
possible from now on."

   An older woman in her sixties approached their table.  She was wrinkled,
and her hair was gray.  She clucked her tongue.  "You girls should be ashamed
of yourselves," she chided.  "Look at you, smoking, and at your age!"  She
glared at Penny.  "You, little girl, you can't be more than fifteen, and your
sister isn't much older!  I bet your parents don't know you smoke, and they'd
be horrified if someone told them!"

   Priscilla looked askance at the older woman with an unworried, blasé
attitude.  "Yeah, like it's any of your business."  Unconcerned, she tapped
some ashes into the table ashtray.

   "Don't talk back to me, young lady!  I have half a mind to report you to
the authorities!"

   Penny was shaken, but Priscilla stayed confidently nonchalant.  "Yeah,
well, half a mind is all you've got left," she cackled.  "Look, grandma.  For
your information, I'm nineteen, and my sister here is eighteen.  We'll smoke
if we damn well feel like it.  And tonight we feel like it.  So, fuck off!"
She put her cigarette in her mouth and took a long, leisurely drag.

   The gray-haired woman was stunned.  She sputtered, unable to speak.
Finally she recovered.  "You insolent brats!  I'm going to report you to the
manager."  And she stormed off.

   "Oh my God," Penny whispered, still shaking.  "I can't believe you did
that!"

   "Relax, Squirt," Priscilla smiled.  "Nothing's going to happen.  Go ahead.
Take another drag off your cigarette.  It'll calm your nerves.  And make it a
confident, extra-long one, too, just in case anyone's watching!"

   Penny's fingers trembled, but she raised the cigarette and, as instructed,
pulled on it long and hard.  She drew the smoke deep into her lungs and held
it.  A strange, peaceful feeling spread through her tense frame.  She tipped
her head, exhaled, and smiled.  "Hey, you're right.  That really helps!"

   "Of course it does, dummy," Priscilla concurred.  "That's one of the great
things about smoking cigarettes.  It's great when you need to relax."

   Penny hit again on her cigarette, and again sucked the smoke deep inside.
Once more she felt the calming influence of the nicotine.  "Wow," she gasped.
"It really makes me feel better!"

   Before her sister responded, a nervous man in his twenties came up to their
table.  "Excuse me, ladies.  I'm the manager on duty tonight.  I hate to
trouble you, but that woman over there is complaining about the two of you
smoking."

   "Yeah?  What's her problem?" Priscilla asked insolently.  "We're in a
smoking area."

   "That's not the issue," the young man timidly explained.  "She thinks
you're both underage.  She wants me to check your I. D. to make sure I can let
you two smoke in here."

   Holding her cigarette with her wrist cocked, Priscilla seductively batted
her eyes.  "Now look here, Jim.  Is that your name?  Jim?"  She was eyeing the
badge on his uniform.

   "Uh, yeah, I'm Jim.  Jim Gallagher.  I'm the manager on duty tonight."

   She smiled sweetly.  "Okay, Jim.  Let's see if we can solve this little
problem."  She put her cigarette in her mouth and took a long, lazy drag.  "My
friends and I come here after school and in the evenings because we can smoke
here.  This place has the reputation of being smoker-friendly.  It'd be a
shame to lose that reputation, don't you think?  You know, you might lose a
shit load of business."  Bursts of smoke escaped from her mouth as Priscilla
spoke.

   "Yeah, I suppose we might.  But that's not my problem.  I'm only the
manager on duty," he repeated.  "It doesn't matter to me if we lose customers.
I can't have people like that lady complaining to the corporate office about
how I run the store when I'm in charge."

   "Well, then, Jim, let's attack this problem a different way," Priscilla
suggested helpfully.  "Let me ask you a question.  Do _you_ smoke, Jim?"

   The manager hesitated.  "Uh, well, yeah, actually I do.  Not while I'm on
duty, of course."

   "Of course," Prissy sighed in agreement.  "And did you start smoking
before, or after, you turned eighteen?"

   "I'm not sure what this ?."

   "Just answer the question," Priscilla admonished.  "Before or after you
turned eighteen?"

   "Before," he admitted reluctantly.

   "Now we're getting somewhere," she chuckled.  "So, Jim, you understand,
from your personal experience that my sister and I need someplace to smoke.
After all, we simply can't live without our cigarettes.  And _you_ understand
that, don't you, Jim?"

   "Yeah, but ?."

   "Okay then.  Here's what we'll do.  I'll get my wallet, and my sister will
get hers.  You'll look closely at the I. D. cards we're going to show you.
You'll nod your head authoritatively, and then go back over there to the old
bitch, and tell her you checked our identifications and that we're both over
eighteen.  Got it?"

   "Boy, I don't know ?."

   "Listen, Jim!" Priscilla interrupted.  "That _is_ what you're going to do.
That biddy will be totally pissed off, of course.  But then she'll leave.  And
you can say you did your job.  It's not your fault if we faked you out.
That'll be the story, and we'll all stick to it.  Okay?  Then everyone here
except her can be happy."

   The manager thought.  "Okay," he smiled, warming to the idea.  "So girls,
let me see some I.D.  Right now!"  He purposely tried to sound threatening.

   Priscilla put her cigarette in the ashtray to open her wallet.  She showed
Jim her driver's license.  Of course, it clearly showed she was seventeen.
Penny panicked.  She didn't even have her wallet with her.  But in the spirit
of the deception, she suddenly removed an old movie ticket stub from the
pocket of her jacket and showed it to Jim.  He nodded his head sagely.

   "Okay, thank you, ladies.  It looks to me like you're both definitely over
eighteen.  I'll just tell that other customer that she's out of line
complaining."  He winked at Priscilla.

   She picked up her cigarette and cocked her wrist.  "Thank you, sir," she
loudly proclaimed.  "Think nothing of it.  No problem.  You were only doing
your duty!"

   The young manager walked back to the counter and began discussing the
matter with the old woman.  "Oh, my God," Penny whispered.  "Prissy, I can't
believe you did that!"

   Priscilla took another drag on her cigarette and gave Penny a
self-satisfied smile.  "I've learned a few things since I started smoking,
Squirt.  One is, you must be aggressive.  People give you tons of shit because
you smoke.  That old bitch isn't unusual.  It's just part of the territory.
So, you need to be ready to react in kind.  You have to be assertive,
hard-hitting, and uncompromising.  If people complain about me smoking, I
threaten them.  Nine times out of ten, they back down."  She paused.  "That
lady didn't.  But look!  She's leaving, just like I predicted."

   Sure enough, the old woman left the store in a huff.  Priscilla smirked,
pleased with yourself.  "The last few months I've had enough experience to
know what I'm talking about.  I knew our friend Jim could stiff the old biddy.
If she bitches to corporate, he can honestly say he checked out her complaint.
There's no way for his superiors to know that we, and he, were lying.  But in
the end, we get to keep smoking here.  And that's the important thing."

   By now Penny finished her cigarette.  She took a sip of coffee and sat back
in her chair.  "Wow, Pris.  You are really impressive!"

   "Get used to it, kid," Priscilla smiled.  "There's plenty more shit like
this, and it's scattered all over the road ahead of you as a teenage smoker.
Are you sure you want to stick with it?"

   Penny eagerly nodded.  "Yes, I do."  She giggled.  "I can't believe you
actually told that old woman to 'fuck off!'"

   "Like I said, you must be aggressive.  Most people back down rather than
fight."  She glanced across the room.  Her eyes met Jim's, the manager.  She
grinned at him.  "You want to have one more cigarette before we go?"
Priscilla was already putting a second one in her mouth.

   "Sure," Penny sighed.  She would've been quite happy not to smoke again,
but she couldn't admit that to her sister.  "I'll have another one if you do."

   "Well, I definitely will have one more," Priscilla said definitively.  "May
as well make the trip worthwhile."  She lit her second cigarette.  "If we're
lucky, maybe Jim over there will come join us on his break."  She once more
smiled across the room at the blushing manager.  "Actually, he's cute.  Beth
Crawford taught me that.  You absolutely need to cultivate friends who support
you as a smoker."

   Penny lit up another Marlboro Menthol Light 100.  "But how did you know he
smoked?"

   "I didn't," Priscilla admitted.  "It was a guess.  But most people in food
service smoke or are used to hanging around those who do.  I figured if I got
him to admit he smokes and that he started under-age, it'd be hard for him to
let that old woman run us out.  It worked, didn't it?"  She looked at her
sister.  "Hey, what's wrong?  You're not smoking as hard as you were before.
You smoked out?"

   "Oh, no," Penny lied, trying to be self-confident.  "I was just distracted
hearing you explain how you handled the manager.  That's all."  To prove her
continuing interest, she took another extended drag and sucked the smoke deep
inside.  "I want to keep smoking."

   "Great," Priscilla nodded, showing her approval.  "You keep smoking like
that, Squirt, and you definitely _will_ be smoking for a long, long time."

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