Medical Center
"No class today? Why not?"
Adam didn't waste a second—his inner drama queen kicked in as he grabbed his phone and started dialing. "Schoolwork's been heavy these past few days, so there's no time? That's ridiculous!
I'm paying $100 an hour to hire a Harvard Law student specifically to tutor Jill for the LSAT. You know the average lawyer doesn't even make $60 an hour! And if this guy's good, I'm willing to bump up the pay. I want results!
Even if she can't pass the December exam, she has to nail the one in February. But at this pace—one session here, a break there—Jill's got no shot at getting into Harvard Law next year. That's not happening!
Hire someone to take the test for her? How dare you! I'm not busting my ass just to help her cheat her way into Harvard Law to go see that sleazy ex-boyfriend of hers!
What I want is for Jill to actually learn something through this—broaden her horizons, shift her mindset. Ideally, she'll realize how laughable it was to obsess over some law-playing jerk she was ready to die for.
It's about the process! Got it?
Find someone else. I refuse to believe that every single Harvard Law grad is snatched up by Pearson Hardman, raking in hundreds or thousands an hour. If current students are too busy with school, then hire a legit lawyer who's already graduated. At this hourly rate, it's more than enough to get them tutoring Jill full-time!"
Hanging up, Adam shook his head and walked off.
Not far away, Mike Ross—arms around his late buddy's girlfriend—had already caught everyone's attention. Even Jenny, still reeling from losing her boyfriend, forgot her tears for a moment. She looked up at Mike, her longtime crush, knowing all he'd ever needed was a real shot.
"Go for it!" Jenny wiped her eyes and gave Mike a nudge.
"But…" Mike hesitated.
His best friend had just died. Skipping out on comforting Jenny or saying a final goodbye to go chase his own thing felt wrong.
"It's a rare chance," Jenny said with a soft smile. "If Trevor were still here, I bet he'd tell you to go for it. Didn't he invite you to work with him just last night?"
"You're right." Mike's eyes lit up. Trevor was gone, and with him went the $25,000 he needed for his grandma's care. This could be his golden ticket. At $100 an hour, eight hours a day, he'd have that covered in a month. And judging by the guy's "money's no object" vibe, maybe he could even get an advance if he proved his worth. This was a once-in-a-lifetime shot.
"Go on, I'll wait for you," Jenny said gently, smiling.
Mike leaned down, kissed her forehead, and bolted after Adam.
"Wait up!" Mike called, catching up.
"What's up?" Adam stopped, flashing a friendly smile.
"Dr. Duncan," Mike said, glancing at Adam's name tag and rubbing his hands nervously. "I know this is forward, but I overheard your call. You're looking for someone to tutor LSAT prep?"
"Yeah," Adam said, surprised. "Don't tell me you just happen to know someone?"
"I can do it," Mike said confidently, meeting Adam's gaze.
"You're from Harvard Law?" Adam asked with a grin.
"Nope," Mike replied, smiling back. "But I've coached tons of people and gotten them into Harvard Law."
"If you're that good, why aren't you at Harvard Law?" Adam teased, playing it cool. "Don't tell me you're a Yale Law guy?"
"No," Mike paused, then said earnestly, "I've got some baggage that kept me out of Harvard Law, but I've got the skills to tutor anyone. Especially for Harvard hopefuls—I've got a ton of experience. And unlike students, I can go all in, full-time, no distractions."
"Stock option backdating!" Adam threw out suddenly, eyeing Mike. "It's legal, sure, but under Section 409A of the tax code, nondisclosure's still a violation. Anything to add?"
"You forgot the Sarbanes-Oxley Act," Mike shot back, stunned that a doctor in a white coat could sling legal jargon like that—and ask a question that'd stump most law students. Still, he nailed it.
"That law expired post-1997," Adam pointed out.
"Unless you dig up a related lawsuit to cover the Sixth Circuit's May 1998 ruling on noncompliance," Mike countered smoothly.
"Nice comeback!" Adam laughed. "Looks like you've got the confidence to back it up."
"Dr. Duncan, how do you know all this?" Mike asked, grinning modestly but clearly curious.
"I love reading. Anything I read, I get—and once I get it, I never forget," Adam said with a smug little smile. "Except math, that is!"
"…" Mike's lip twitched.
That was his go-to flex line! He never expected someone to turn it back on him. Sure, he didn't add the math bit, but he totally agreed—high-level math was a mystery to him too.
"You don't believe me?" Adam chuckled. "Think a doctor can't know law? I've got a high-def photographic memory. For stuff like law that's all about memorizing, I just glance at it and bam, it's mine. If I weren't so busy, I'd tutor Jill myself."
"Agency tied to civil liability—based on what factors?" Mike tossed out a curveball.
"Barbary Legal Handbook: exceeding authority, apparent agency tied to the plaintiff, and the nature of the damages themselves…" Adam rattled it off like it was nothing, then smirked at a stunned Mike. "Know what page and line that's from?"
"Page 103, lines 45-48!" Mike blurted out.
"You've got a photographic memory too?" Adam said, clearly impressed.
"I thought I was the only one. This is my first time meeting someone like me," Mike said, awestruck.
"It's my second—no, third time," Adam grinned. "My buddy Dr. Sheldon Cooper's had it since we were kids. Then there's Dr. Paige Adler—she's pretty much there too. And for them, math's no exception!"
"They're that good?" Mike's jaw dropped.
"Both hit college at 11, had their first PhDs by 15—one in math, the other in physics," Adam said, subtly bonding over their shared genius vibe. "Come on, let's head to my office and chat."
"Sweet," Mike said, instantly liking and curious about this fellow brainiac. No way he'd say no.
They strolled to Adam's office.
"So, with skills like yours, how'd you end up tutoring for cash?" Adam asked after some small talk, cutting to the chase.
Mike glanced at him, hesitated, then spilled his past.
Adam listened, nodding to himself. It lined up with what he'd dug up.
(End of Chapter)