Gifted tween brings a case to the all-female firm

Second of three excerpts from Lisa Scottoline's new book, "Accused," which comes out Tuesday.

Allegra Gardner was a slight young girl, only five feet tall, with bright blue eyes behind round plastic glasses. She had a small, straight nose, fair skin, and thin lips pressed over major orthodonture. Her hair was a nondescript brown, gathered in a loose double ponytail under a white cap that read APIARIST. Mary didn't know the word, but she gathered it had something to do with bees, since Allegra also had on a white hoodie with a smiling bumblebee that said BEE HAPPY, which she wore with baggy jeans and low-profile Converse sneakers. Allegra had arrived alone, carrying a blue backpack on her narrow shoulders, apparently unfazed by the fact that she was outnumbered by legal firepower as well as estrogen levels.

Everybody took her seat after Bennie made the introductions, and Mary grabbed a legal pad to write notes to Judy. She was pretty sure that even partners wrote notes to each other, especially when they took meetings with children. It was confusing, and Mary couldn't fight the feeling that Allegra needed a babysitter, not a lawyer.

Bennie smiled at Allegra, in an official way. "Before we start, are your parents coming?"

"No, but they know I'm here." Allegra's voice was as firm as a tweener's could be, which was not at all. "I'm on my own."

Mary wrote to Judy, ISN'T ALLEGRA SO CUTE? I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO REPRESENT HER OR BREASTFEED HER.

Judy wrote back, TOTALLY, BUT WHAT'S WITH THE BEES?

Bennie frowned, slightly. "How did you get here, Allegra?"

"I took the train."

"By yourself?"

"Sure. I do it all the time."

Mary's heart went out to Allegra, but then again, her heart went out to everybody. She was more surprised when it stayed in her chest.

She wrote, TIME FOR THE BIG GIRL PANTIES!

Judy wrote back, DON'T BEE SILLY!

Bennie paused. "Allegra, how old are you?"

"Thirteen, yesterday, June 10th."

"Happy Belated Birthday!" Mary smiled at Allegra, seeing in her face the baby that Allegra used to be, as well as the woman she would become. She was a pretty young girl under her goofy hat, but gave the impression that she didn't care about how she looked, which would make her the only teen on the planet who felt that way, or maybe an alien.

"Yes, Happy Belated Birthday," Judy and Anne said in cheery unison.

"Thank you." Allegra smiled, showing braces with pink rubber bands.

Bennie cleared her throat. "Yes, well, to stay on track, tell me, Allegra, who are your parents?"

"Does that really matter?" Allegra's eyes flickered, a suddenly sharp blue. "I'm here, they're not."

"Understood, but you're a minor. If you're looking for legal representation, you're not of the age of contract."

"Then we won't make a contract. Would that work?"

Mary admired Allegra for not being intimidated by Bennie. She wrote, WHEN I GROW UP, I WANT TO BE ALLEGRA.

Judy wrote back, NO, BEE YOURSELF.

Bennie blinked. "Let's set it aside for now."

"Ms. Rosato, if you're worried about whether I can pay you, I can and I will. I have my own money now. I've been planning this since I found out I get a distribution from my grandfather's trust at 13."

"It's not about money. It's common courtesy. We don't get a lot of walk-ins, and we like to know with whom we're meeting."

"OK, my parents are John and Jane Gardner." Allegra reached for her backpack and slid out a silvery MacBook Pro, which sported a yellow bumper sticker that read MIND YOUR OWN BEESWAX. "They live in West Whiteland, and my dad is the oldest of the three brothers who run the family businesses. My parents won't stop me from hiring a lawyer. They know what I'm doing. I told them. If they try to stop me, I told them I'll file to be declared legally emancipated."

Bennie frowned. "Do you get along with your parents?"

"Yes," Allegra answered matter-of-factly, opening the laptop.

"Then legal emancipation would be odd. It's like divorcing your parents."

Mary wrote, I WOULD NEVER DIVORCE MY PARENTS. IN FACT, I WISH I COULD MARRY THEM. THEY DON'T LEAVE LITTLE HAIRS IN THE SINK.

Judy wrote, DON'T BEE GROSS.

Allegra hit a key on her laptop. "I don't think emancipation will be necessary. My parents said they won't help me, but they won't oppose me."

"Where do you go to school?"

"I board at Milton Academy in Massachusetts, but I'm going to register in the public school for ninth grade. I want to be here during this case, not out of state."

"Where will you live?"

"At home. I interviewed several of the big law firms, but I didn't like them, so I thought I'd come see you. I researched you and the firm."

Mary couldn't believe how serious-minded Allegra was. She thought back to what she'd been doing at 13, which was lightening her hair with bottled lemon juice and picking a confirmation name, even though Theresa was a shoe-in. She loved St. Theresa, one of the few saints who had the mojo to go up against Mary, the biggest brand name in the religion.

Bennie nodded. "So tell us, Allegra, what's the case? Why do you need a lawyer?"

Lisa Scottoline's appearances:

Tuesday

Noon: Center City. Barnes & Noble, 1805 Walnut St.

7 p.m.: Devon. Barnes & Noble, 150 W. Swedesford Rd

Saturday

Noon: King of Prussia. Costco, 201 Allendale Rd

4 p.m.: Wilmington. Barnes & Noble, 4801 Concord Pike

Sunday

Noon: Mount Laurel. Costco, 100 Centerton Rd