Sycamore Row - John Grisham

case so screwed up it’ll never get settled. Why, because your client is yourself and they
taught us in law school that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client,
right?”
“Something like that.”
“So, I’ll take the case at no charge and get it settled. Who’s the insurance company?”
“Land Fire and Casualty.”
“Crooked sonofabitches! Why’d you buy a policy from them?”
“Is that really helpful at this point?”
“No. What was their last offer?”
“It’s a replacement value policy, for one fifty. Since we paid only forty thousand for
the house, Land is claiming it was worth a hundred grand when it burned. I kept the
receipts, invoices, contractors’ bills, everything, and I can prove we put another fifty
into the house. This was over a three-year period. That, plus market appreciation, and
I’m claiming the house was worth a hundred and fifty when it burned. They won’t
budge. And they totally discount the sweat Carla and I poured into the house.”
“And that pisses you off?”
“Damned right it does.”
“See! You’re too emotionally attached to the case to do any good. You have a fool for
a client.”
“Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it. How much is the mortgage?”
“Mortgages, plural. I refinanced it when the renovation was complete. The first
mortgage is eighty thousand, the second is just under fifteen.”
“So Land is offering you just enough to pay off both mortgages.”
“Basically, yes, and we’d walk away with nothing.”
“Okay, I’ll make some phone calls.”
“What kinda phone calls?”
“Settlement calls, Jake. It’s the art of negotiation, and you got a lot to learn. I’ll have
them crooks on the run by five o’clock this afternoon. We’ll settle the case, walk away
with some cash, for you, nothing for me, then we’ll put together a deal with Willie for
the Hocutt House, and in the meantime you’ll tell the Honorable Reuben Atlee to kiss
your ass.”
“I will?”
“Damned right you will.”