The first hour of legal fencing after the recess was, honestly, just relaxing. I had the case in the bag since the plaintiff's attempts to whammy me while I was in the restroom. Mort's searches of public records went quick, and we got the prints done just ahead of the call to return.

I was almost giddy.

We got to the meat of the case after the last attempt to dismiss outright failed, and the deposition of Marvin ran long. He wasn't exactly the best at speech, due to the missing top of his head, but we all got through to the best of our ability and I sat palming the smoking gun as I watched my case fall to pieces.

A case I didn't even care to defend, to Judge Halloran's chagrin.

"It is quite an unusual stroke of genius or madness to not refute the mountain of claims made by plaintiff's case. Surely you should mount a reasonable defense of your.." the Judge paused, trying to cover his disgust. "Client. I will not have this Court be claimed prejudicial due to your failure to provide a robust defense, Counsel."

"Your Honor, I believe that my case will be best served in examining the statements of the plaintiff on the matter."

Halloran paused, looking at me, then back at the slowly deflating head of my client.

"Well then. It's your ball game counsel."

The former Mrs. Entwistle-Savoy's questioning was even longer. I feared Halloran would move towards continuing until tomorrow. I don't know whether it was the insanity of my first play or the desire to get this over and done, but the Judge decided to push forward and see where we were headed.

I palmed my case-winning charm and started into mh questioning of the aggrieved.

"Miss Savoy, our records show you were 37 at the time of your passing. Is that correct?" I looked down at my notes, miming checking for my next move.

"That is correct. "

"And you are, as your birth certifacte shows, the daughter of Leonard and Sheila Savoy?"

"That is correct."

"Your State Department shows regular visits abroad, notably throughout your youth as well as yearly travels after."

"Yes. I was at boarding school from a very young age, but still go back every year to see old friends and visit my family's estates."

"Interesting. Now, on these trips, what exactly do you do?"

"Oh, I visit, shop, go out to dinner. As you do when you catch up with friends and family."

"Yes, yes. Do you have records of these travels?"

"Objection. Relevance." one of the Vulture twins hopped on that.

"I'll take that back. You are known to travel abroad on a yearly basis. Clubs, outings. You live a full life, a socialite in the circles you would travel as a alumna of the prestigious boarding schools you attended."

"Yes, I would say there are many who know me from my time there."

"Ahh. Yes. And plenty of photographic evidence of your travels, surely."

Lauren's calm broke. Her lawyer, seeing her discomfort, called for a further objection, and I switched tactics.

"You are aware of the longstanding history of your family both here in the United States and abroad."

"Yes. We have been in the funerary arts for centuries."

"And it was during the time when the dead began to rise that your family became the purveyors of these arts to an elite clientele."

"I would assume so."

"And during those centuries you have done well."

"My family has, yes."

"I know that this is unorthodox due to the nature of these proceedings, but the defense would like to present further evidence which has come to its attention over the period of our first recess."

There was a bit of a legal row, but I knew what I was doing. Even though Halloran was a hardcase and a bigot, I knew if I played up the idea of this new evidence he would have go along. The Hail Mary worked, and I brought out our evidence.

"The exhibits I have to present to the Court are labeled G-K. Starting with G, Miss Savoy, can you identify the woman depicted in this image?"

The woman was a deadringer for the plaintiff, decked out in full Elizabethan garb.

"I believe that would be my ancestor, the Duchess of Malfi."

"Yes. And exhibit H?" an image of a woman looking quite like Lauren Savoy, this time in the French style of Chardin.

"This is Lauren Savoy, my many great grandmother."

"I see. And exhibit I?" A watercolor, a noblewoman in repose in clothes from the 19th century.

"This would be my... great aunt? Lilian Savoy-Harper."

"Yes. And Exhibit J?" a 20th century print, depicting a nude in charcoal, looking much like Lauren.

"My grandmother, Eloise Savoy."

"There is a striking family resemblance, wouldn't you say Miss Savoy?" I asked, and saw the realization come over the 30something before me.

"And for exhibit K..." I smiled, producing my smoking gun. A clamshell powder makeup case, the mirror buffed to a high polish. "Could you please wipe that expensive foundation off your face and let the Judge see your reflection?"