Cogent

Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Madison Southworth, the twenty-eight-year-old southern beauty, stood nervously at the counter of the immaculately kept family-owned pharmacy. She proceeded to count out the orange pills to fill the prescription order. She couldn't get her mind off of the recent transgression she had made. She had graduated Magna c*m Laude from Louisiana State University and went on to obtain her degree in pharmacology. She had worked hard and fulfilled her dream of becoming a registered pharmacist. One little slip and her hopes and aspirations would be shot down the tube.

Madison was generally very meticulous in her work, but she had been in a rush that day that the sixty-five-year-old Lydia Secrest came in with her prescription from the physician. Madison had made a terrible mistake and incorrectly filled the order for the blood pressure medication. She had not realized the mistake until another customer came in to complain that he had received the wrong medication a few days later. By then, it was too late. Madison attempted to contact Ms. Secrest to straighten the mess out. She was unable to get a hold of her by telephone. She had left a message on Ms. Secrest's answering machine for her to call the pharmacy as soon as possible. Madison had kept her fingers crossed that her boss would not find out about the mistake. This was her first job as a pharmacist, and she was newly employed. Mr. Ringer, the drugstore owner and manager, was a stickler and would not tolerate unhappy customers, not to mention the potential of a lawsuit. Madison had soon found out that Ms. Secrest was missing when Jack Cogent came into the pharmacy to question her about Lydia Secrest. Madison knew that she had to get the misappropriated script back and fast before anyone found out. She had used her charms on Cogent to find out more about Ms. Secrest. Madison's charms had worked on Cogent. He was flattered that a gal nearly half his age, as well as beautiful, would pay attention to him. They became close, and Cogent let her in on the case. Cogent had no knowledge about the mistake on the prescription, only that Lydia Secrest had reportedly stopped off at the pharmacy a few days prior to her death.

Madison would keep that confidential, and when they found Lydia Secrest, Madison would quickly exchange the script for the correct one. It wouldn't be easy, though, in the limelight of the police investigation, for Madison to go undetected. She kept Cogent on the string, all the while finding out more about the case.

Cogent wined and dined Madison. He took her to all the finest restaurants that New Orleans had to offer. She tried to be discreet about the relationship. Her family would not approve of the older disheveled man. He wasn't her type, and her family had high hopes that Madison would land a high-powered executive type. She really had not had the time for men while pursuing her education. Madison had grown up in the Lakeview area. It wasn't as though men didn't look at her. She was exquisite with her long black hair, dark velvet eyes, and a figure that was to die for. Cogent had taken notice of this and was hooked at first glance. He had made frequent stops at the pharmacy on the pretense of investigating the case.

Madison questioned herself each time she filled a prescription now. The mistake was getting to her. The police had spotted her at the crime scene as she attempted to reach inside the wet jacket pocket that clung to the bludgeoned body of the victim lying on the gurney. Madison had taken the correctly filled bottle of pills with her and had planned to switch them. She recalled that day vividly as the officer yelled at her and came rushing over.

“What on earth are you doing?” the young officer questioned her.

“Oh, I am...” Madison tried to come up with a quick response but was so unnerved she couldn't think straight. She had dropped the bottle of pills that she had brought with her, to the crime scene, in the wet sand, and the officer confiscated them.

“What's this? What do we have here?” the officer asked as he raised his eyebrows as if to say she was caught red-handed.

“Well, you see...” Madison again tried to come up with a logical answer. The officer was not convinced and read her rights to her. He put the tight handcuffs on her tender wrists and ordered her into the back of the patrol car. They arrived at the station, and she called Cogent to bail her out. She couldn't tell her parents. Although her father was an affluent attorney, they would not understand. They expected perfection from Madison. Her parents would tolerate nothing less. Cogent rushed right over and put up bail money. She was freed within an hour.

The Sheriff questioned Cogent about his involvement with her and why she was tampering with evidence from the case. Cogent attempted to explain, and the Sheriff threw his hands in the air.

“Forget it!” the Sheriff stated as he dismissed Cogent in an arrogant manner.

“She's a friend of mine, that's all,” Cogent attempted to reassure the Sheriff that his intentions were good.

“Yeh, I've heard all about it, Cogent! Be in my office first thing in the morning!” the Sheriff directed to Cogent.

“Now, wait a minute,” Cogent attempted his rebuttal.

“I said first thing in the morning! Do you read me?” the Sheriff delighted in finding something on Cogent. He took revelry in his feat.

Madison knew she was responsible for Cogent's demise. She hated it. But she had no one else to turn to. The two had agreed to part ways that evening. She couldn't lead him on anymore. This thing had gone far enough. She did care about him, though.

Madison's thoughts drifted back to the bottle of pills she was currently counting. She must attend to the task at hand and forget what had happened. She was scared, though. Madison's hearing was fast approaching, and she was afraid that her father would get wind of it through his friends at the law firm. The lawyers talked and pretty much knew what was going on in the area with each other's clients. Madison had managed to keep her name out of the newspaper, threatening to sue the editor if he mentioned her name in the story.

Mr. Ringer, the store manager, smiled and nodded as he walked past the counter. He had no inkling that she was up on charges for possibly stealing drugs from a deceased woman's corpse. If he had, he would have instantly fired her, and she would lose her pharmacy license. There was so much riding on her proving her innocence. How would she explain the pills? What was she doing at the crime scene? She had to get a good lawyer and quick. But whom could she get? She would have to hire someone out of town if she wanted to continue to keep this from her father.

“Mr. Ringer, I need to leave early today,” Madison yelled out as Mr. Ringer walked over to the next aisle.

“Why?” Mr. Ringer questioned her. He had a lot of customers to tend to, and they needed their scripts filled. He couldn't afford to have her leaving early today.

“I need to take care of some personal business,” Madison said and flashed her pearly white smile at the pudgy little man.

“Oh, all right,” Mr. Ringer consented, as he couldn't resist the charms of the southern beauty either.

Madison hurriedly finished filling the orders that were lying before her on the counter. She gathered her things to take with her. In her rush, she nearly knocked the filled bottles off the counter. Mr. Ringer took notice of the commotion and gave her a sour look.

“I'm sorry,” Madison apologized. Mr. Ringer watched as she grabbed her sweater off the hook.

Madison made a mad dash out of the little drugstore and quickly climbed into the red compact coupe parked just outside. She pulled out and barely missed hitting another parked car. She knew she had to get ahold of herself. She drove into the town of Metairie. She went into the gift shop and asked the clerk if she had a telephone book that she might borrow. The gift shop was lovely and smelled of cinnamon. Madison loved this kind of thing, but her worry wouldn't allow her to take in the pleasantries.

“Why sure, hon. Here you go!” the clerk said as she handed her the well-worn yellow book. Madison fervently leafed through the book to the yellow pages, where she found the listing of the array of attorneys. She pulled out her cell phone from the small black purse and dialed the number of the first attorney listed.

“Dorn and Kline Associates. How may I direct your call?” the receptionist answered.

“Yes, I need an attorney,” Madison got directly to the point.

“Are you a client of ours?” the receptionist questioned Madison.

“No, I'm not. Is your firm taking on new clients?” Madison nervously asked.

“I will direct you to Mr. Dorn's secretary. Just one moment, please,” the receptionist directed her in a sterile manner. Madison waited impatiently as the classical music softly played from the earpiece of her cell phone.

“This is Ms. Broman. How may I help you?” Mr. Dorn's secretary addressed her.

“Well, this is Madison Southworth, and I need an attorney. Would Mr. Dorn take me on as a client?” Madison asked the secretary in a respectful but frantic tone.

“Let me take your name and number, and I will see if we can schedule an appointment for you, Ms. Southworth. May I tell Mr. Dorn what this is in reference to?” Ms. Broman asked.

“No, I would rather speak to him myself in regards to what I am needing,” Madison was careful not to disclose any additional information to the secretary.

“Very well then. I will contact you when we have the appointment scheduled,” Ms. Broman acknowledged Madison's need for privacy and took down the cell phone number.

Madison looked at the next attorney listed in the yellow book and considered calling another one in hopes of getting an appointment immediately. She changed her mind at the last minute and handed the book back to the gift shop clerk. She exited the shop and headed toward the area where her car was parked. She smelled the faint scent of men's cologne. It reminded her of the kind Cogent wore. She felt a sense that he was near. But Cogent wouldn't be here in Metairie. She shook it off and proceeded quickly down the sidewalk. Her heels clicked on the hot sidewalk. She stopped to take a breath of fresh air. She noted the men across the street were refurbishing a building that had been hit hard by the hurricanes. The town was rebuilding after the disaster. She was in awe of the well-structured town. She wondered for a brief moment that in the event that Mr. Ringer ever fired her, would she be able to get a job in this town. She seated herself in the car and pulled away from the curb. As she drove down the main street, she felt comfortable here and relaxed. She gazed at the storefronts as she slowly drove by. She spotted a man going into one of the local businesses. The man strongly resembled Cogent from the back. “Now I'm seeing things,” Madison said aloud to herself. She cringed as the ring emitted from her cell phone. She quickly pulled the phone out of her purse and answered.

“Hello,” Madison said in a nervous tone.

“Ms. Southworth?” the lady asked in a very polite and professional manner.

“Yes,” Madison answered with apprehension in her voice.

“This is Ms. Broman. Mr. Dorn said to tell you that if you wish, he could see you around 3:30 p.m. this afternoon,” Ms. Broman offered.

“Oh yes. That would be good. I'll be there around 3:00 p.m.,” Madison stated eagerly.

“Very well then,” Ms. Broman confirmed and ended the call. Madison breathed a sigh of relief and turned the car around. There was only an hour to kill before the appointment, and it would be senseless to drive back to Lakeshore. Besides, she would check out some of the local shops and seafood cuisine while she had the chance. It would help in getting her mind off of her troubles. She drove back by the business where she had seen the back of the gentleman that resembled Cogent. She slowed the car down and took a hard look at the business, but the man was gone. Madison questioned herself why Cogent would be in this town. She couldn't imagine him coming up here to shop. She knew he wasn't much of a shopper. He mostly stuck to business. Madison realized that when the couple went to restaurants that Cogent hadn't been much of a socialite. But he was polite and very kind to her, even if he didn't know the mastery of etiquette.