Chapters 9 was a little slow. Chapter 10 may be a bit better, you decide. Starting with Chapter 11 the plot begins to thicken. Perhaps I shouldn't apologize for two short chapters in a short story, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry for the short chapter and I'm sorry for everything else I've done wrong. Of course then, there are the things I do right...
Chapter 10
Chapter 10
“The phone is ringing off the hook!” Guy said to Hyatt. “I don’t know if you’re crazy or crazy like a fox. Interview requests and reporters, sure; but there are bound to be some real clients there too.”
“Help me with the clients Guy. I’ll try to take care of everyone else.” Hyatt had taken two painkillers, having restocked his supply the day before with money Brian had given him from the “defense fund”. Brian had insisted, politely but firmly, that Hyatt give him a bill first. Apparently, the video was doing well on the internet.
Hyatt realized his mistake and insisted that the fund go through his trust fund or that he would dismiss the case. Brian had started to put up a fight, but Truly had been there and she had insisted that Hyatt was right and Beth, perhaps worrying about her own exposure also agreed, to his relief.
Beth was no longer essential, but the case couldn’t continue without Truly. Truly was the interpreter and the only connection with the client. She had been suspended from her job, of course, after the video had gone public, but there was a motion pending to enjoin the aquarium from keeping her away from the whale. The public outcry that had been raised to her being taken from the whale had propelled the case to a whole new level and it seemed possible the aquarium would cave on this issue since the possibility of seeing Truly with the whale had caused a huge spike in interest and her absence led to a complete boycott.
Hyatt realized his mistake and insisted that the fund go through his trust fund or that he would dismiss the case. Brian had started to put up a fight, but Truly had been there and she had insisted that Hyatt was right and Beth, perhaps worrying about her own exposure also agreed, to his relief.
Beth was no longer essential, but the case couldn’t continue without Truly. Truly was the interpreter and the only connection with the client. She had been suspended from her job, of course, after the video had gone public, but there was a motion pending to enjoin the aquarium from keeping her away from the whale. The public outcry that had been raised to her being taken from the whale had propelled the case to a whole new level and it seemed possible the aquarium would cave on this issue since the possibility of seeing Truly with the whale had caused a huge spike in interest and her absence led to a complete boycott.
Hyatt had insisted on getting video of the whale saying he spoke through her which had been something of a stroke of genius in retrospect.
Truly had been truly grateful, hugging him when told her about the motion for an injunction and its results. She hugged so tightly he could only hope she had not sensed his own gratitude.
He felt that Brian was probably getting suspicious and perhaps a little jealous. Hyatt would need to make sure that any future meetings with Truly did not include Brian, but he wasn’t sure how to do that or even why he'd do it.
Truly had been truly grateful, hugging him when told her about the motion for an injunction and its results. She hugged so tightly he could only hope she had not sensed his own gratitude.
He felt that Brian was probably getting suspicious and perhaps a little jealous. Hyatt would need to make sure that any future meetings with Truly did not include Brian, but he wasn’t sure how to do that or even why he'd do it.
Brian was the organizer. Without him the public support would quickly wither away and Hyatt would be left looking foolish and criminally liable. At the rate the money was coming in, if he could keep this case in court for 8 months, he would be free and clear. But, as Judge Stern had told him only this morning, he intended to have the case closed quickly. Hyatt had to prevent that. His life depended on it.
“There is one thing I’m most happy about,” Guy said.
“What’s that?”“Plausible deniability. You didn’t tell me you were going to do this in advance.”
No comments:
Post a Comment