Chapter 83: The Hessington Introduction
Robert Zane appeared in my doorway at ten AM Tuesday, carrying a file thick enough to be a weapon.
"Got a minute?"
"For you? Always."
He closed the door behind him, sat down across from my desk, dropped the file between us with a heavy thud.
"Ava Hessington. CEO of Hessington Oil. You've been following the news?"
"Accusations of ordering murders of foreign officials to secure pipeline deals. Federal investigation. Big case."
"That's the criminal side. U.S. Attorney Cameron Dennis is handling that prosecution—ambitious, aggressive, going after high-profile targets. Our side is different." He opened the file. "Six workers died in explosion at Hessington Oil's Ecuador facility. Preventable accident caused by equipment failure and inadequate safety protocols. We're representing the families in wrongful death civil suit."
I pulled the file closer, started reading. Equipment inspection reports showing violations dating back months. Internal memos prioritizing cost reduction over safety repairs. Worker complaints filed and ignored. Then the explosion—gas leak, spark from faulty equipment, six dead instantly.
"This is solid negligence."
"It is. But it's complicated by the criminal case. Ava Hessington's hired Pearson Hardman for her defense—both criminal and civil. Harvey Specter is lead counsel on the murder charges. Jessica Pearson is coordinating civil defense strategy."
I looked up from the file. "So I'm prosecuting civil negligence while Harvey defends her criminally?"
"Exactly. Different cases, different burdens of proof, different evidence. But they'll intersect. Media coverage will focus on murder charges. We need to make sure the workers' deaths don't get lost in that spectacle."
My System activated immediately, running analysis on the dual-track litigation.
[ **Win Rate Calculator: Complex Case Analysis** ]
Criminal Case: Ava Hessington - Murder/Conspiracy Charges Defense: Harvey Specter (Pearson Hardman) Prosecutor: Cameron Dennis (U.S. Attorney) Not Scott's case, but will affect public perception
Civil Case: Wrongful Death - Six Workers Plaintiff Counsel: Scott Roden (Zane & Associates) Defense: Jessica Pearson (Pearson Hardman) Success Probability: 68% (strong negligence evidence, sympathetic plaintiffs) Key Variables: Evidence admissibility, jury sympathy, corporate defense strategy
Sixty-eight percent. Better odds than the Thompson police brutality case. The negligence was documented, the causation clear, the damages quantifiable. This was winnable.
"When do I meet the families?"
"This afternoon. Video conference—they're in Ecuador. Maria Mendez is the spokesperson. Lost her husband in the explosion."
The conference room at three PM held just me, Zane, and a large screen showing six faces from Ecuador. Widows, siblings, children of the workers who'd died. Maria Mendez sat in the center—forty-something, exhausted eyes, the particular weariness of someone who'd cried until no tears remained.
"Thank you for taking our case," she said in accented English. "Many lawyers said it was too complicated. That we couldn't win against oil company with resources."
"We can win," I said. "The evidence shows your family members died because Hessington Oil ignored safety violations and prioritized profits over worker protection. That's negligence. That's what we prove."
"The news talks about murders in Africa," another woman said. "About Ms. Hessington ordering killings. They don't talk about our families."
"The criminal case will get media attention," Zane explained. "But our case is separate. Even if she's acquitted of murder charges—and she might be—our wrongful death suit continues. Different burden of proof, different evidence, different jury."
"What do you need from us?" Maria asked.
"Tell us about your husband," I said to Maria. "About who he was, what he did at the facility, what he complained about before the explosion."
She took a breath, steadied herself. "Miguel was safety inspector. He filed reports—many reports—about equipment needing repair. Gas detection systems failing, ventilation inadequate, emergency protocols not followed. Management told him repairs were scheduled. But they weren't. Budget cuts, they said. Efficiency improvements." Her voice hardened. "Then the explosion. Six men dead because repairs never happened."
I made notes, cataloging every detail. The other families shared similar stories—fathers, brothers, husbands who'd voiced concerns that were dismissed, who'd trusted their employer to keep them safe, who'd died because profit mattered more than protection.
"We don't care about the criminal case," Maria said finally. "We want acknowledgment that our loved ones mattered. That their deaths weren't just business costs to be absorbed. That someone is held responsible."
"You'll get that acknowledgment," I promised. "That's what our case delivers. Recognition that these men deserved better. That their deaths were preventable. That Hessington Oil is liable for failing to protect them."
After the call ended, I sat in the empty conference room processing. This wasn't about beating Harvey or impressing Zane or building reputation. This was about six dead workers whose families deserved justice.
Zane appeared in the doorway. "You okay?"
"Yeah. Just... this matters. More than most cases I've worked."
"That's why we do it. Corporate litigation pays the bills. But cases like this remind us why we became lawyers." He paused. "Harvey Specter is defending Ava Hessington on criminal charges. You'll be fighting Pearson Hardman's civil team in our wrongful death suit. Ready for that?"
"I've beaten Harvey before. I can do it again."
"This is different. Higher stakes. Life and death instead of just money. The families are counting on us."
"I know. That's why we'll win."
Back in my office, I reviewed the case files into the evening. Evidence was solid—safety violations documented, causation clear, damages provable. The criminal case was separate issue. Whether Ava Hessington ordered murders in Africa didn't change the fact that her company's negligence killed six workers in Ecuador.
My phone buzzed. Text from Louis: Heard you're on Hessington civil side. Harvey's already building criminal defense. Be ready.
Always am. How's he looking?
Confident. Which means he has strong defense or he's bluffing. With Harvey, could be either.
Thanks for the intel.
Good luck. You'll need it.
I set down the phone and kept reading. Harvey would defend Ava Hessington against murder charges. I'd prosecute her company for negligence that killed workers. Different cases, different standards, different outcomes possible.
But both of us fighting for what we believed our clients deserved.
That was lawyering at its purest—adversarial system functioning as designed.
I just needed to make sure the workers' families won their justice.
Everything else was secondary.
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