《Billions Of Reasons》


 Chapter 1

    There was a long, uncomfortable silence in the conference room as everyone watched him read the papers. The massive table in the room was big enough to seat twenty people, but there were only about a dozen people in the room and most of them were lawyers. Sitting at the head of the table was the person everyone was watching, Alexander Hopkins Junior, but he preferred to be called Xander. The young man was reading the papers that had been just given to him by his attorneys. The papers were an offer that was given to the lawyers by other lawyers who represented a young lady that was accusing him of doing something terrible to her. Xander was accused of doing something despicable, horrific, and outright revolting to the young lady and her lawyers had approached his attorneys in an effort to avoid long drawn out trials. The papers made claim that they wanted to settle to save the alleged victim the pain of having to testify and relive her trauma, but what the lawyer was really trying to say was obvious; that it was in his and his company''s best business interests to pay them whatever they wanted and just sweep this entire ordeal under the carpet and pretend it never happened. There was just one problem with that idea; the incident in question never did happen. Xander never did the things that he was being accused of. Now he was being blackmailed by a bunch of spineless lawyers who assume Xander cared more about money and wealth than he did about his reputation as a man. They had assumed wrong.


    The lawyers could tell that something was wrong, as the more Xander read through the papers, the more uncomfortable he was becoming. He started to feel hot under his collar, so much that he took off his tie and unbuttoned the top two buttons from his dress shirt. He got about halfway through the offer, and then proceeded to close it as he was frustrated with what he had read already and it was all that he could handle at that given time. Xander then got up from his chair, took his suit jacket off, and tossed it onto one of the empty chairs. He was in the process of rolling up his sleeves and walking around the big table when he finally spoke.


    "Mr. Jones," he called out.


    Jefferson Jones, one of the senior partners of the firm that represented the young billionaire and his company stood up upon hearing his name.


    "Yes, Mr. Hopkins." he replied.


    "How long have we known each other?" Xander asked him.


    "Well," Jefferson said, trying to quickly do the math in his head. "We''ve been representing you and your company for almost five years now, and..."


    "That wasn''t the question," Xander interrupted, as his tone and posture suggested to the rest of the lawyers in the room that the young man was being hostile to the partner. "I asked you how long have we''ve known each other... personally."


    "Oh," Jefferson said, pausing for a moment. "I''ve known you your entire life. I''ve been your father''s lawyer for over fifty years, and I was in the E.R. with him the day you were born. I was there when he held you in his arms for the first time."


    "That''s what my father told me," Xander said, "And that''s why I hired you and you firm to represent myself, and this company."


    "What exactly are you saying, Xander?" Jefferson asked, as he wasn''t liking the direction the meeting had taken.


    "You''ve known me over twenty five years, Jefferson." Xander answered, "Based on what you know about me, do you honestly think that I''m capable of doing what this woman has accused me of?"


    The room suddenly went quiet, and Jefferson''s silence wasn''t coming off as sympathetic. The old lawyer was trying to think of the best answer but was taking too long to come up with one.


    "Dammit, Jefferson!" Xander said, as he ran out of patience. "It''s not rocket science. Unlike the rest of these cretons, you know me. You''ve known me my entire life and you still need time to consider whether or not I actually did any of this shit?"


    "I''m sorry," Jefferson apologize, "What do you want me to say?"


    "How about the truth?" Xander asked, rather sarcastically. "Is that too much to ask for these days?"


    "Many men are capable of anything," Jefferson said, being rather blunt. "Prisons are full of people who many other people thought were never capable of doing what they had done. It happens all the time. People can claim they knew people and never know what the person is truly capable of."


    Xander deeply sighed as he was so disappointed. "Do you really believe that?"


    "What I believe doesn''t matter," Jefferson finally said, "It only matters what we can prove, and right now it''s not looking good for us."


    "Oh my gaud," Xander said, as something just dawned on him. "You''re going to recommend that I accept this offer."


    "Yes," Jefferson confirmed, "That is our recommendation."


    "Wow," Xander said, taking a step back from Jefferson as if he were infected with something he didn''t want to catch. "Never in a million years did I expect to hear something like that from you. Never, never, never... never!"


    On the last never, Xander slapped the table with an open hand and startled nearly every lawyer in the room. Jefferson just stood there like a statue, never showing a single ounce of emotion as this wasn''t his first rodeo. He had spent decades watching many big clients, even Xander''s own father, have temper tantrums when things weren''t going their way. There was no reason for Xander Hopkins to be any different.


    "Well, I thought I knew you," Xander said, never taking his eyes of Jefferson. "And that''s why the next thing I say to you is going to be very difficult."


    "And what would that be?" Jefferson asked.


    Xander took a long, deep breath. "You''re fired."


    Jefferson''s eyes widened just a bit, as he could hardly believe what he had just heard. Other lawyers from the firm were also aghast and hushes could be heard in the room as well.


    "You''re firing me?" Jefferson said, coming to terms with this development.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Yes, I am." Xander confirmed, "And I''m firing him, and her, and him, and him... everybody''s fired! As of this moment, your firm no longer represents me, or any company that I own. You''re all fucking fired!"


    At this point, Xander was screaming so loud, that everyone outside the conference room could hear what was going on, had stopped what they were doing, and were watching the carnage with genuine concern. Their boss was having what looked like a complete meltdown.


    "Get your shit together," Xander said as he picked up the small pile of papers he was just reading, "Especially this piece of garbage, and get the fuck out of my building!"


    "Now wait a second Xander," Jefferson said, trying to deescalate the situation, "We need to talk this through..."


    "No, we don''t." Xander said, interrupting him again. "You''ve got five minutes to clear out, or I''ll have security remove you from the building by force. So pretty please with sugar on top, get the fuck out."


    Xander didn''t even wait for Jefferson to answer and stormed out of the conference room. He had left the room so quickly that Xander never bothered to pick up his jacket, or his tie. The first thing he did, however, was walk over to the nearest security guard.


    "Hey, you!" Xander called out, waving to the guard. "Come here."


    "What can I do for you Mr. Hopkins?" The guard asked, eager to not get on his bad side after what he just witnessed.


    "What''s your name?" Xander asked.


    "Gregory Smith, Sir." The guard answered.


    "Well Gregory," Xander said, motioning to the lawyers in the conference room that were packing their stuff. "Those pieces of shit were just asked to vacate my building. If they''re not out of here in five minutes, could you please toss their sorry asses out for me?"


    "Of course, Mr. Hopkins." The guard said, checking his watch. "Five minutes."


    "Good man," Xander said, giving the guard a playful tap on the shoulder before walking away. He strolled down the hallway and stopped at reception desk where his personal secretary was sitting.


    "Janice," Xander said, "I''m going to be leaving for the day. Cancel and reschedule any appointments or meetings I had booked for the rest of the day as I won''t be coming back."


    "Are you alright, Sir?" Janice asked.


    "No, I''m not." Xander said.


    "What do I say if they refuse to reschedule?" Janice asked.


    "Well," Xander said, as he thought about it for a moment. "You can tell them that I said they can fuck off."


    "Even if it''s your father?" Janice asked.


    "Especially if it''s my father." Xander confirmed, and then he walked away.


    He never retrieved his coat and just took the elevator down to the lobby on the main floor, and just walked out of the building. It was a warm, sunny day and suddenly the young man was no longer in the mood to spend it indoors as what he was hearing that day was depressing the shit out of him and angering him to no end. Xander took a stroll through a near by park, and after he cut through the entire area, he started to stroll down a busy street, totally blending into the crowd as people came and went along to do their own thing. It was at this point where Xander stopped when he spotted what looked like a small Ma and Pa pizza shop. He walked in and had a small smile on his face as he could smell the fresh pizzas that were in the oven.


    "Hey there kid," the old man said, "What can I get for you?"


    "Well," Xander said, as he scanned the trays of the slabs that were already finished and on display. "I''ll have two slices of that all meat pizza."


    "Good choice, kid." The old man said, as he grabbed the slices for him, "Do you want them reheated?"


    "Sure, but not too much." Xander replied, "Thank you."


    "You want something to drink with that?" the old man asked.


    "I''ll have a few cans of Dr. Pepper," Xander said, noticing the can in the fridge behind the old man. It had been ages since he had that soda and even pizza for that matter. He was splurging, that was for sure and he didn''t give a rat''s ass. The old man passed the kid his slices and cans.


    "That will be five dollars and sixty cents, please." The old man requested.


    Xander tossed a twenty onto the table. "Keep the change."


    "Thank you," the old man said, surprised.


    "It is alright if I eat it here?" Xander asked.


    "Sure," the old man said, "There''s a few stools over there."


    Xander walked over one of the stools and sat there quietly as he at the two slices and down one can of Dr. Pepper. When he was finished, he thanked the man again for the great pizza and took the other can out with him. Xander continued to walk around town, hoping the answer might come to him. Before he knew it, Xander was standing in front of the city courthouse. He stood there looking at the building, a symbol of what was to come if he didn''t take his current problems seriously. The problem was that his lawyers were not take it seriously enough, not from the perspective that he wanted them to at least. He spotted a well dressed man with an attach¨¦ case and walked up to him.


    "Excuse me," Xander asked him, "Can I speak to you for a moment?"


    "Hurry up, kid." The man replied, "I''m don''t have much time to spare."


    "I assume you''re a lawyer, correct?" Xander asked.


    "Yes, I am." The man answered, "Keep going. Time is money."


    "Alright," Xander said, as he got right to it. "If you were accused of something terrible, but you didn''t do it... can you tell me what lawyer you''d hire to defend your good name in court?"


    "Oh, that''s easy," the lawyer replied, "I''d hire Russell Benson. That man is relentless, and is the only person I would trust with that kind of case."


    "Wow, you didn''t even hesitate." Xander said, as he even smiled a little. "Thank you for your time."


    "No problem, kid." The lawyer said, "And good luck with whatever shit you''re in."


    "Thanks," Xander said again, even chuckling a bit as he watched the lawyer walk away. He then dug into his pocket and took out his smart phone, and started to google Russell Benson. He walked over to a bench that was in front of the court house and sat there for a little while, reading articles about cases that Benson had fought for in court. The lawyer wasn''t kidding even a little bit, as this Russell was every bit as relentless as advertised. This was exactly the man that Xander needed at this time in his life. He used the phone to look up the address where the man worked and the law firm that he worked at was just down the street, only a few blocks away.


    "I''ve come this far," Xander said, standing up. "Why stop now?"


    It took Xander about fifteen minutes to find the building he was looking for, and he took the elevator to the fifth floor. Once he was in the lobby of the law firm, he strolled over to the main desk and patiently waited to be seen.


    "Hey there, hun." The lady said, not even looking up. "Can I help you?"


    "I hope so," Xander replied, "I''m looking for Russell Benson."


    The woman looked up at Xander, with a suspicious look on her face.


    "Are you here to serve a summons?" she asked him.


    Xander raised both hands up to indicate they were empty.


    "No, Ma''am." He replied with a grin, "I seek his council regarding a very urgent legal matter."


    "Do you have an appointment?" She asked him.


    "I do not," Xander admitted, "But as I said before, this is an urgent matter and Mr. Benson actually came highly recommended."


    "He did?" The woman said, almost as if she could hardly believe it. "What''s your name?"


    Xander paused for a moment. "Xander Hopkins."


    The woman stopped whatever she was typing and quickly looked back up at him.


    "Excuse me?" she asked, wanting to make sure she didn''t mishear him.


    "My legal name is Alexander Mason Hopkins Junior," Xander said, as he realized just mentioning his name might get her attention, "But I prefer Xander."


    "Are you shitting me?" the woman asked.


    "No, I''m not shitting you." Xander replied, as he took a business card out of his wallet and handed it to her. "I''m the founder and CEO of Xander Communications, and am worth well north of a hundred billion dollars. I am knee deep in a very unfortunate legal matter, and I would really like to speak with Russell Benson. So while I don''t have an appointment, I hoping Mr. Benson might be willing to make an exception."


    "Okay," the lady said, looking at the very fancy business card. She looked up at him for a moment and then back at the card. "Excuse me, Mr. Hopkins."


    Xander watched with amusement as the woman suddenly got up from her desk, and ran off. Xander didn''t move as he decided to remain at the front desk, and wait for her to return.

 Chapter 2

    Russell Benson wasn¡¯t the most physical person, but he was no slouch either. He was a nice medium sized man, as he wasn¡¯t too thin but not too big either. He was considered a man¡¯s man, but never really cared what anyone thought of him in the first place. Russell was the kind of man who believed that the only respect that truly mattered was self-respect, and everything else was just bullshit. He was sitting on the corner of his desk, going over paper work with one of his interns that morning like he did most days whenever he wasn¡¯t in court. Matthew Shaw was a good kid, but he still had a lot to learn. He was, however, still doing much better since taking residence underneath Russell¡¯s rather impressive wings. What Russell liked the most about Shaw was his hunger; his eagerness to pick up the sword and march out to battle, and fight the good fight on behalf of a worthy client. Shaw was almost ready, Russell thought to himself. Sooner than later he was going to have to push him out of the nest.


    ¡°What do you think about Simmons¡¯ chances for bail?¡± Shaw asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not looking good,¡± Russell admitted, ¡°Almost not even worth the paperwork or our time, especially considering the judge we¡¯ve been assigned.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we try anyway?¡± Shaw suggested.


    ¡°And why would we do that?¡± Russell asked, putting down what he was reading.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Shaw said, doubling down. ¡°Nothing ventured, nothing gained. We lose nothing to ask and might even get a positive outcome.¡±


    ¡°We might,¡± Russell conceded, ¡°But knowing this judge, she¡¯ll probably ask for a number so high that our client will have no chance in hell of paying it.¡±


    ¡°Let her,¡± Shaw countered, ¡°That way our client be mad at her for setting a high number, rather than at us for not even bothering to ask.¡±


    Russell didn¡¯t reply and simply smiled at his intern, and it didn¡¯t take Shaw long to realize why.


    ¡°You¡¯re playing devil¡¯s advocate again,¡± Shaw said, sighing. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the paperwork.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Russell said, but stopped talking as he noticed someone approaching his open door out of the corner of his eye. The secretary from the front desk walked over very quickly, and knocked softly on Russell¡¯s door.


    ¡°Margaret,¡± Russell said, greeting her.


    ¡°Mr. Benson,¡± Margaret started, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the interruption.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Russell quickly asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone here to see you,¡± She replied, unsure how he might respond.


    ¡°Does he have an appointment?¡± Russell asked, ¡°Because I thought I didn¡¯t have anything on the schedule until after lunch.¡±


    ¡°No appointment,¡± Margaret confirmed, ¡°But he was hoping you¡¯d make an exception and see him anyway.¡±


    ¡°No offense, Margaret,¡± Russell said, slightly amused. ¡°But I haven¡¯t taken a walk in client in a very, very long time.¡±


    ¡°I think you should this time,¡± Margaret said, as she reached out and passed him a business card.


    Russell took the card and looked at it, and then immediately looked back at Margaret. ¡°Are you serious? Is this a prank?¡±


    ¡°No, Sir.¡± Margaret said, ¡°He¡¯s still in the main lobby, waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°Who is?¡± Shaw asked, curious to know.


    It was at this moment that one of the other lawyers in this firm, a sleazy little worm that Russell didn¡¯t like named Allister Jamison stuck his head in behind Margaret.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± Allister started, ¡°Do any of you have any idea why Xander Hopkins is standing in our lobby?¡±


    ¡°Xander Hopkins?¡± Shaw repeated, stunned to hear that name. ¡°As in the billionaire¡­ that Xander Hopkins?¡±


    ¡°The very same,¡± Allister confirmed.


    ¡°The guy is worth at least fifty billion,¡± Shaw said, almost drooling at the thought.


    ¡°Actually he told me well north of a hundred billion,¡± Margaret corrected him.


    ¡°What the hell is he doing here?¡± Allister asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s here to see me,¡± Russell said, waving the business card around. Without saying anything else, Russell got up and walked out of his office and into the hallway. As he strolled towards the main lobby, Russell straightened his tie and tried to look as professional as possible before emerging into the lobby. As he did so, he spotted the young man who was wearing a suit but his jacket and tie was missing. The sleeves were rolled up and there was a bit of sweat in the armpits, which told Russell that the young man had been walking around outside for a while. The two men locked eyes as he walked closer, and Russell offered the young man his hand.


    ¡°Xander Hopkins,¡± Russell called out, ¡°I¡¯m Russell Benson.¡±


    Xander met the man half way and shook his hand.


    ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± Xander said, ¡°I apologize for showing up unannounced, but I need to speak to you about a very urgent legal matter.¡±


    ¡°Do you now?¡± Russell said, as he was a little confused. ¡°I was under the impression that you were represented by Starsky, Stanley and Jones. I know this because those bastards never hesitate to brag at the bar about how amazingly rich their clients are.¡±


    ¡°That was true,¡± Xander confirmed, ¡°But only until a few hours ago.¡±


    ¡°Is that so,¡± Russell said, as curiosity was getting the best of him. ¡°What the hell happened?¡±


    ¡°I fired them,¡± Xander answered, ¡°I¡¯m seeking new representation, and you were actually recommended.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Russell said, ¡°If this is an urgent matter, can I assume this is also a matter that requires the upmost secrecy?¡±


    ¡°You would be correct,¡± Xander confirmed.


    ¡°Then we should continue this discussion in my office,¡± Russell said, as he turned to walk back to his office. ¡°Follow me.¡±


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    As Russell led Xander to his office, he couldn¡¯t help but notice every intern and lawyer had stopped doing their work, and watched in awe as the two men walked past them. Margaret, Allister and Shaw were still standing at the door to Russell¡¯s office and watching at the two men approached. Russell made a gesture to them all.


    ¡°Shuffle off,¡± Russell said to confirm his gesture, ¡°I¡¯ll let you in on what¡¯s going on after I find out myself.¡±


    The three said nothing, and got out of their way as Xander walked into the office. Russell didn¡¯t hesitate to shut the door behind him, and close the blinds to the large windows to make sure they had the upmost privacy. Xander took a look around found the things around the room to be rather fascinating. There was a handmade marble chess set in the middle of the coffee table, and his desk had rare baseballs encased in glass. Both were games that required strategic thinking and high intelligence, which Xander took as a good sign. There was also a rather impressive book shelf that took up the entire back wall but only half of it was filled with books, as the other half was a enormous LP collection. Russell went back to his desk and leaned on it while waiting for his client to stop looking around.


    ¡°As much as I¡¯d love to brag about how cool my office is,¡± the lawyer started, ¡°You did mention that situation was very urgent. It this a criminal or civil matter?¡±


    ¡°At the moment, it¡¯s both.¡± Xander answered as he stopped looking around.


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting answer,¡± Russell said, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about this so you guys have been keeping this really hush hush. What the hell is going on, Xander?¡±


    Xander suddenly became quiet, afraid to even mention it out loud.


    Russell sighed, ¡°That bad, eh? Did you kill someone?¡±


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± Xander answered, ¡°But I think it¡¯s just as despicable.¡±


    Russell stood up from his desk as he figured it out rather quickly, ¡°Son-of-a-bitch, you¡¯re being accused of rape?¡±


    ¡°Bingo,¡± Xander said, ¡°I¡¯m being told that a grand jury might be convened as early as next week, and then it will all be public.¡±


    ¡°Do you know which D.A. is handling the case?¡± Russell asked, he knew most of them on a first name basis and was curious to know who had been assigned.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Xander confessed, ¡°Until now we¡¯ve only been speaking to the people who are representing the victim.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where the civil matter comes in,¡± Russell said, as his mind was moving a mile a minute. ¡°Did your lawyers get any offers from the opposition?¡±


    ¡°They got one yesterday,¡± Xander answered, ¡°And they presented it to me earlier this morning. They even recommended that I accept it.¡±


    ¡°And then you fired them,¡± Russell said.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Xander confirmed.


    ¡°Okay, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re here.¡± Russell said as he started to pace the room. ¡°Doesn¡¯t take a genius to figure out that you didn¡¯t like their recommendation.¡±


    ¡°I did not,¡± Xander said, ¡°But it was also very personal.¡±


    Russell stopped pacing. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Jefferson Jones is my father¡¯s attorney,¡± Xander explained, ¡°He¡¯s known me my entire life. I asked outright what he thought about the case, and he refused to answer, and when he did it felt like someone had stabbed me in the back.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s also a conflict of interest,¡± Russell added.


    ¡°It is?¡± Xander said, surprised to hear it. ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Think about it this way,¡± Russell said, ¡°Whose best interests are being served by you coming to a deal before this goes to a grand jury, you or your father?¡±


    ¡°I had never thought of it that way,¡± Xander confessed, as he took a seat on the couch. ¡°Now I don¡¯t feel bad at all for firing that gutless bastard.¡±


    ¡°What exactly is being said about you?¡± Russell asked. ¡°What details do you have about the accusation?¡±


    ¡°I read the entire allegation this morning when going over the settlement offer.¡± Xander answered, ¡°And it was disgusting what she claims I did.¡±


    ¡°Treat it like a band-aid,¡± Russell said, ¡°Just rip the damn thing off.¡±


    ¡°We were both at the same party a few months ago,¡± Xander explained, ¡°I usually don¡¯t attend but it was my friend¡¯s birthday and I agreed to make an appearance, and so I did. According to this woman, I trapped her in the master bathroom and repeatedly violated her.¡±


    ¡°Repeatedly?¡± Russell said, ¡°How long does she claim this assault lasted?¡±


    Xander took a deep breath. ¡°She claims I kept her locked in that bathroom for well over two hours. She¡¯s also claiming that I forced her to take a shower before I let her go.¡±


    ¡°Oh good gaud,¡± Russell said, as he was putting this all together in his head. ¡°That is one hell of an accusation.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s just one problem,¡± Xander added.


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°It never happened,¡± Xander declared, ¡°I never talked to that woman, never shared a drink, and never spent a single minute with her in any bathroom. Everything she¡¯s claiming it complete bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Not one finger?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°Not one,¡± Xander answered without hesitation.


    ¡°No chance you just hooked up and it was just consensual and she¡¯s just changing her story now?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°No!¡± Xander roared back at the attorney. His tone and posture informed Russell that the mere suggestion was extremely insulting.


    ¡°Any chance you just got wasted, and can¡¯t remember what happened?¡± Russell said as he was again playing devil¡¯s advocate.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything to drink,¡± Xander informed him, ¡°And I didn¡¯t even stay there that long to have been in the bathroom for two hours.¡±


    ¡°This is ugly,¡± Russell said, as he was still pacing the room.


    ¡°How ugly?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°Bowling shoe ugly,¡± Russell answered, ¡°I can think of at least five charges any decent D.A. could pursue.¡±


    ¡°Five?¡± Xander repeated, ¡°What other charges?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Russell said, ¡°She claims you kept her in the bathroom against her will, that¡¯s unlawful confinement. Depending on where she claims you violated her, we could add sodimy to the charges. The forced shower could also be considered destroying evidence and obstruction of justice.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Xander said, ¡°This is worse than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Are you reconsidering that deal?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°No, Never.¡± Xander said, ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck what she asks for, I am not going to make a deal because I didn¡¯t do it!¡±


    ¡°All of this is going on while the grand jury is hanging over your head,¡± Russell said, thinking it over. ¡°Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. Why do you think she¡¯s lying?¡±


    ¡°I could give you billions of reasons,¡± Xander replied.


    ¡°Over a hundred billion from what I¡¯ve heard,¡± Russell said, repeating something Margaret said earlier. ¡°This is a shake down. They¡¯re hoping you¡¯ll take the deal and run. Most people wouldn¡¯t hesitate to just buy their way out of criminal court.¡±


    ¡°So, you believe me?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°I believe you,¡± Russell said without hesitation. The vibe he was getting from the young man, and the fact that he fired some very good lawyers earlier that day for even suggesting that he might be guilty were also good points to consider. ¡°People have done worse things for less money, and this wouldn¡¯t be the first time someone tried to use bogus allegations to cash in behind closed doors. But what is it that has you willing to risk it all to fight this? Are you worried about what your Dad might think when this goes public?¡±


    ¡°Fuck that asshole,¡± Xander said, with his arms crossed in defiance. ¡°The person I really don¡¯t want to disappoint would be my mother, and my sisters. The thought of any of them thinking that I could do this just infuriates me.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good reason to take the deal?¡± Russell suggested, ¡°So they¡¯d never find out about it?¡±


    ¡°Until someone leaks to the media,¡± Xander added, ¡°And then they¡¯d really think that I was guilty because I paid her off. I would never be able to look any of them in the eyes ever again. I wasn¡¯t raised this way; I would never harm a woman! Never!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not just looking for a lawyer,¡± Russell said, ¡°This is like game of thrones. You want a trial by combat, and someone to stand up for you. You want a champion.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have put it that way,¡± Xander confessed, ¡°But yes, that¡¯s about right. Let¡¯s not forget that I am filthy rich, and am willing to spare no expense to clear my name of these malicious charges.¡±


    ¡°Spare no expense,¡± Russell repeated, as those were his favorite three words in the English language especially when used in that order.


    Xander stood up and was face to face when he delivered his next condition.


    ¡°I want to make myself perfectly clear,¡± Xander started, ¡°I have no intention of making any deals with anyone. I would rather run my company into the ground or spend decades in jail than willingly give that lying bitch a single penny. I don¡¯t just want to fight, Mr. Benson, I want to go to war. Do you want to lead the charge?¡±


    Russell could see the intensity in Xander¡¯s eyes and could tell that he wasn¡¯t kidding about sacrificing everything. He wasn¡¯t willing to bend or give up a single inch of ground to his enemy. He respected that, and would expect nothing less from a man who was claiming his innocence. For Russell, this was an easy question to answer.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking right, I do.¡± Russell replied, ¡°Let¡¯s go to war.¡±

 Chapter 3

    Lauren Carter had her hands full, not only taking care of two children every day but also putting up with her friend Sandra, who she met through her job. When she started working as a nanny for her client, she had no idea that the nannies throughout the building not only talked amongst one another, but also planned many trips together to get bulk discounts so they could pocket the rest of the money meant to be used on the kids they were watching. Lauren didn¡¯t mind as working and interacting with the other nannies helped give her advice on how to do her work better, but also some would make amazing references in the future if she ever needed one. She only had two kids to watch over, which she didn¡¯t find that difficult. Some nannies in the building had as many as five to watch over, so Lauren never complained about her workload. Watching two kids, ages ten and six wasn¡¯t so bad and it was days like this one that made her rather exited about her work. The nannies were taking their kids to the art gallery in the middle of downtown, which wasn¡¯t a far walk from their building. It would take them twenty minutes to walk each way and the exercise would make nap time for most of the kids a tad easier to achieve. Lauren loved taking the kids to articulate places, not only because it was good to take them somewhere educational, but she liked to dress up and make a day of it. Lauren was wearing a nice sundress, and was looking rather spiffy. She got the young girl, six year old Alexia, to wearing something similar so she¡¯d he easier to find. Nathan on the other hand she was able to talk into wearing jeans and a shirt after strict negotiations. Lauren took Alexia¡¯s stroller with her, just in case the young girl became tired and didn¡¯t want to walk any further, but also as a sly carrier of their supplies. If the day was nice enough, Lauren was considering taking them to the park for a picnic. She walked near the back of the pack of nannies as they all herded their kids towards the gallery. One of the other nannies that she loved hanging out with because she was closer to her age was a young Italian woman named Sophia. She loved to hang out with her whenever possible, and just chat about things. They also looked out for each other¡¯s kids and worked rather well as a unit.


    ¡°You look nice today,¡± Sophia said, as she rolled up her stroller next to Lauren¡¯s. ¡°Is that a new dress?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve had this a while,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°But it¡¯s a favorite.¡±


    ¡°And why are you dressed up?¡± Sophia asked, mildly curious.


    ¡°We¡¯re going out, to a gallery of all places.¡± Lauren reminded her, ¡°I just want to look nice in case we bump into someone tall, dark and handsome. You remember what those old commercials said; you never get a second chance to make a first impression. I want to look my best just in case I meet the man of my dreams.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Sophia said, as she knew better than the argue. She preferred to let Lauren dream of what might be and keep an eye on the kids.


    ¡°Any plans after the gallery?¡± Sophia asked, ¡°besides marrying the an of your dreams, of course.¡±


    ¡°I brought a blanket,¡± Lauren informed her, ¡°We could break from the group after the gallery and maybe do a picnic?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to,¡± Sophia replied, ¡°But I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t join you. Daniel has an appointment in the afternoon so he¡¯s going to the dentist after lunch.¡±


    ¡°Ew, poor Daniel.¡± Lauren said.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a check up,¡± Sophia added, ¡°He¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    As they walked into the gallery, Lauren grabbed the young man she was watching and pulled him closer to her, to give him some last minute instructions.


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    ¡°Nathan,¡± She started, ¡°A lot of pieces in this gallery are quite expensive. If you happen to touch them, it would get you in a lot of trouble.¡±


    ¡°What kind of trouble?¡± Nathan asked, mildly curious.


    ¡°Let¡¯s put it this way,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°Remember how angry your Dad got when you accidentally burned down his shed at the cottage?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Nathan replied, as it wasn¡¯t a pleasant moment.


    ¡°Well, some of the art here is worth ten times more than your dad¡¯s entire cottage,¡± Lauren continued, ¡°And if you break anything, you Dad could lose millions.¡±


    ¡°Millions?¡± Nathan repeated, ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Tens of millions for some of them,¡± Lauren added, ¡°So touch nothing, okay?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Nathan said, as he understood that his father¡¯s wrath might be like.


    ¡°Try to enjoy yourself,¡± Lauren said, fixing Nathan¡¯s collar. ¡°Maybe after we¡¯ll grab something nice for lunch and have a picnic at the park. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Nathan said, smiling back at her. ¡°That sounds fun.¡±


    Lauren stuck with Sophia as they walked their kids around the gallery and at all the different paintings from different eras of history. Even Nathan seemed to enjoy himself and that made Lauren feel really good about bringing them on the trip. They came upon a certain panting that was a classic from one of her favorite artists. She stood there and looked at it for a while, amazed to just see it in person.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be real,¡± Sophia said, looking over her friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I thought this piece was in France.¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± one of the gallery workers said, ¡°The owner died without a formal will, and the squabbling led to a liquidation of all assets, including his entire art collection. After the piece was sold, the new owner for whatever reason was unable come to terms with the gallery in Paris. I assumed they would eventually come to an agreement, but the new owner walked away and offered to let us display it. We were just as surprised as anyone else, but the move angered those in Paris who felt shunned.¡±


    ¡°Who owns this now?¡± Sophia asked.


    ¡°The details are on the card beside the work,¡± The gallery worker replied.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lauren said, as the gallery worker walked away, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Sophia asked.


    ¡°Some local from the city,¡± Lauren said, reading the plaque beside the priceless work of art. ¡°He must be loaded if he could afford to buy this and then just loan it to the gallery.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Sophia asked.


    ¡°It says Alexander Hopkins Junior,¡± Lauren said, reading the plaque. ¡°He probably got most of his wealth from Alexander Senior.¡±


    ¡°Most of them do,¡± Sophia said, ¡°Let¡¯s keep going, my favorite is right around the corner.¡±


    They spent a little over an hour looking at many more works of art, but eventually Lauren decided to break away from the crowd cause she could tell the kids were getting restless. It was almost lunch time so she felt it was very good timing to run off and get some food for the little ones to consume. The park wasn¡¯t too far from the gallery, so she decided to take the kids for a stroll and get some air before getting something to eat.


    ¡°Did you pack our lunch?¡± Nathan asked.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Lauran replied, grinning back at him. ¡°I figured if you guys were good at the gallery, I¡¯d let you pick a place and we¡¯d take that food to the park.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cool!¡± Nathan said, ¡°Was I good enough?¡±


    ¡°You were,¡± Lauren confirmed, ¡°What would you like for lunch?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Nathan admitted, ¡°Can I think about it?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Just watch your step.¡±


    The streets were crowded with people going to and from their place of work. It was just past noon and the lunch rush was on so they were also more packed than usual. It was when they were crossing the road, when something happened. The little girl in the stroller, Alexia, who had been rather well behaved all day dropped her dolly into the middle of the road while they were crossing the street. Just as they were reaching the other side of the street, Nathan was the first to notice it was missing. He turned around to see it lying in the middle of the road and went back to get it. He was so fixated on retrieving the doll, that he never noticed the lights had changed and it was no longer safe to cross. By the time Lauren had noticed Nathan¡¯s new direction, she was too far away to catch him and called out to get him to stop as he walked into oncoming traffic.


    ¡°Nathan!¡± she cried out, ¡°Stop!¡±

 Chapter 4

    About forty minutes after Russell and Xander entered the office the door opened, both men quickly emerged from the room, and started to walk back towards the lobby. Russell could feel all the eyes that were watching him and Xander as they walked by but he let it go and tried at least look calm, cool and collected. He walked his new client back the elevator, and waited for it with him.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re serious?¡± Xander asked him, ¡°You want me to go back to work?¡±


    ¡°As serious as Rush Limbaugh at a buffet,¡± Russell answered, ¡°If anyone asks, tell them you just needed a little air to clear your head, but you¡¯re feeling better and ready to get back to work. The last thing you need is your stocks to take a dip because of what happened this morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander said, ¡°But I already had my secretary cancel my appointments for the day.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Russell said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you do; play solitaire or read a good book for all I care. Just do it calmly, and let people see you back at your post and cool as cucumber. We clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡± Xander said as he shook Russell¡¯s hand again. ¡°Thank you for your time and your help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I learn anything,¡± Russell said, as the elevator door finally opened. ¡°But chances are you probably won¡¯t hear from me until tomorrow at the earliest. It¡¯s going to take some time to get in touch with our sources and get a pulse of what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xander said, entering the elevator. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to stay out of trouble.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask,¡± Russell said, ¡°Just make an effort and watch your step!¡±


    Russell watched the doors closed, and then turns to see a lot of people were standing in the lobby watching the tail end of their conversation. Margaret was back behind her desk but Shaw and Allister were standing in the middle a small crowd that had gathered as word of Xander¡¯s visit had spread. Russell knew he needed to nip this in the bud.


    ¡°I get it,¡± He called out to the people watching, ¡°He¡¯s a popular guy, but we need to keep it very quiet that he was here. As of right now we all work for him, he¡¯s our client. That means leaking anything about this visit is a breach of client-attorney privilege. A breach that could result in a firing. We clear on that people?¡±


    Most of the crowd that had gathered nodded and seemed to give Russell the impression that they understood.


    ¡°Good,¡± Russell said, ¡°No get back to work!¡±


    As the crowd started to disburst and go back from whence they came, another man slowly strolled into the lobby. It was Willie Garrison, one of the senior partners.


    ¡°Willie,¡± Russell called out, ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the man said, as he walked over. ¡°I was told that a young man named Xander Hopkins was here.¡±


    ¡°You just missed him,¡± Russell said, gesturing to the elevator. ¡°He¡¯s on his way back to work to restore confidence in his workers.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Wille said, ¡°And what was Junior Hopkins doing here?¡±


    ¡°This is not the right place for this,¡± Russell said, pointing to one of the conference rooms. ¡°Let¡¯s continue this powwow over there.¡±


    As Russell and Willie started to walk away, Russell stopped and looked back at Shaw and Allister.


    ¡°What are you two standing there for?¡± Russell called out to them, motioning to the door. ¡°I want you both in here too. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Once the other three me were in the conference room, Russell locked the door and closed the blinds.


    ¡°What the hell is going on, Benson?¡± Allister asked.


    ¡°As of early this morning,¡± Russell started, ¡°Jefferson Jones and his firm were dismissed by Xander Hopkins. He was in need a new lawyer, and now he has one.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Shaw said, as he was still surprised. ¡°I heard you in the hallway but I still can¡¯t believe that he hired you!¡±


    ¡°He hired us,¡± Russell corrected him. ¡°Xander doesn¡¯t want just one lawyer, he wants an army to do battle to clear his good name.¡±


    ¡°Oh crap,¡± Allister said as the word army caught his attention, ¡°What kind of trouble is he in, criminal or civil?¡±


    ¡°Both,¡± Russell answered, ¡°We could have a grand jury working on it as early as next week.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Allister said, as his head was quickly working things out. ¡°He¡¯s being shaken down, isn¡¯t he? Is the alleged victim trying to settle before she¡¯s called before the grand jury, right?¡±


    ¡°Why would they do something like that?¡± Willie asked.


    ¡°I could give you billions of reasons,¡± Russell answered, quoting what his client said earlier in his office. ¡°Our client insists that the allegations are false, and that he is completely innocent. That also means he¡¯s not interested in making any kind of deal. Their previous lawyers recommended he take the offer, and that¡¯s the reason why they were dismissed.¡±


    ¡°How soon does he want us to start?¡± Shaw asked.


    ¡°Immediately,¡± Russell answered, ¡°That kid just gave me the biggest damn retainer I¡¯ve ever seen. We need to start earning it right now. As of this moment, this case is our firm¡¯s number one priority.¡±


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    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s wise?¡± Willie asked.


    Russell took a small piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it over to senior partner. ¡°That¡¯s our retainer.¡±


    Willie¡¯s face went a little pale. ¡°Oh my.¡±


    Allister walked over and looked over the man¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Son-of-a-bitch! He gave you ten million dollars?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just a retainer,¡± Russell added, ¡°It¡¯s a war chest. He¡¯s ready to pay a lot more if we need it, but I think we can make do with this for a while.¡±


    ¡°What do you need?¡± Allister asked without hesitation.


    Russell smiled at him as that was exactly what he wanted to hear. Allister usually got on his nerves, but when one of his people was about to get into a scuffle he was usually the first to step up. Russell knew this was exactly the kind of attitude Xander wanted on his legal team; people who were ready to roll up their sleeves and duke it out at the drop of a hat.


    ¡°I need you to contact your source at the courthouse,¡± Russell started, ¡°We need to find out who is handling Xander¡¯s case and maybe get an estimate to how soon this might be in front of the grand jury.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a big ask,¡± Allister confessed, ¡°I will have to seriously wine and dine him if we want to get that kind of Intel.¡±


    ¡°All our client cares about is progress,¡± Russell said, ¡°As long as you get the information I need, you guys can have surf and turf and the best bubbly money can buy. As long as you have something to show for it, Xander¡¯s buying.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Allister said, already backing to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll call him right now and set something up.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± Shaw asked, eager to jump in. ¡°What can I do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing right now,¡± Russell said, ¡°Because you¡¯ve got your own case to take care of. As of right now, you¡¯re lead chair for the Simmons case.¡±


    Shaw¡¯s eye went a little wide, as he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°I won¡¯t let you down!¡±


    ¡°Jesus, kid.¡± Willie called out, ¡°Never say that!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright, he meant well.¡± Russell said in Shaw¡¯s defense, ¡°But I¡¯ll still look over your shoulder every now and then, just to make sure everything¡¯s kosher. I¡¯ll be delegating more than a few of my cases to lower staff, the ones that are lower priority to clear more time for our new, and now biggest client.¡±


    ¡°What else do you need?¡± Willie asked, as he handed the cheque back to him.


    ¡°I need our top libel and slander litigator.¡± Russell replied.


    ¡°Counter suit?¡± Shaw asked.


    ¡°Possibly,¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°But I¡¯d like this person to be the defender of Xander¡¯s name. I want this person to threaten legal action if any networks go a little too far with their speculation. We have to be ruthless when protecting Xander¡¯s reputation so there¡¯s some of it left over after this shit storm passes.¡±


    ¡°Tonya Adams is the one you want,¡± Rogers informed him, ¡°I¡¯ll have her assigned to your office by mid-afternoon. Anything else?¡±


    ¡°One more thing,¡± Russell said, pausing. ¡°It¡¯s not a small ask.¡±


    ¡°As of this moment, he¡¯s our richest client.¡± Willie reminded him, ¡°Anything he asks for will never be considered a small ask.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Russell said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I need Mac. I know what you¡¯re going to say, but I don¡¯t care what case she¡¯s working on. Replace her with someone else and give her to me. We need our top private investigator all over this as soon as humanly possible.¡±


    ¡°You know how much Mac hates being taken off a case before its done,¡± Willie said, with a tone that suggest he was uneasy about it himself. ¡°Are you sure you want to reassign her and risk being the recipient of her wrath?¡±


    ¡°I can handle it,¡± Russell said, as he didn¡¯t seem concerned, ¡°She also works better when she¡¯s angry, and we could use that kind of commitment right now.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done,¡± Willie said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Margaret call her back in right now. I¡¯ll inform the other partners about this development.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me, thank you.¡± Russell said, as he took out his cell phone, ¡°I have a rather interesting call to make.¡±


    Russell was all smiles as he strolled out of the board room. He scrolled over to a specific number in his contact list and dialed the number. The line rang a few times before someone finally picked up the other line.


    ¡°Jefferson Jones¡¯ office, how may I help you?¡± the lady asked.


    ¡°This is Russell Benson,¡± Russell said, as he was walking back to his office, ¡°I need to speak with Mr. Jones.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s in a meeting,¡± the lady replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty confident Mr. Jones wants to take this call,¡± Russell insisted, ¡°Tell him it¡¯s about former client, Xander Hopkins.¡±


    ¡°One moment,¡± the lady said as she put him on hold. About twenty second later, someone else picked up the phone.


    ¡°Russell?¡± the man on the other side started.


    ¡°Jefferson,¡± Russell said, as he strolled back into his office and closed the door behind him. ¡°Thanks for taking my call.¡±


    ¡°You said this was about Xander?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°This is a courtesy call, as I wanted to inform you that Xander has retained new council.¡± Russell said, enjoying every second of it as he just informed a rival that he just poached one of his biggest clients.


    ¡°He hired you?¡± Jefferson said, ¡°How did you even know he was looking for new council?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Russell honestly answered, ¡°The young man just strolled into our lobby and asked to speak with me. Junior sought me out, not the other way around.¡±


    ¡°So what do you want?¡± Jefferson asked, ¡°Or are you just calling to gloat?¡±


    ¡°Considering what Xander¡¯s being accused of, this isn¡¯t the time for gloating.¡± Russell said, ¡°I want all the relevant paper work on this case, and a copy of that offer he rejected sent over to my office as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have it sent over in a few hours.¡± Jefferson conceded, ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Russell said, ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°We are talking,¡± Jefferson replied, rather confused.


    ¡°I mean in person,¡± Russell said, ¡°Have you eaten lunch yet?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°Where and when?¡±


    ¡°Our usual place,¡± Russell said, ¡°In an hour.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there,¡± Jefferson responded, ¡°And I¡¯ll bring the offer sheet with me. We can chew over it and do a post mortem over cocktails.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you in thirty.¡±


    He disconnected before Jefferson had a chance to reply.


    Russell walked back to his office, and Shaw was already in there pacing the room and looking rather excited.


    ¡°This is unbelievable,¡± Shaw said, ¡°He gave you ten million dollars!¡±


    ¡°He gave the firm ten million,¡± Russell corrected him, ¡°And we need to earn it. That means you¡¯ll take care of the Simmons case and maybe whatever case I deem necessary to trim from my now hectic schedule.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for that, by the way.¡± Shaw added.


    ¡°Try to relax,¡± Russell said, ¡°We¡¯ve got a lot of work to do. You¡¯ll be involved, but you need to make sure our other clients are well taken care of as well. Everyone around here is going to be involved in this case one way or another, so trust me when I say you¡¯ll get a chance too.¡±


    ¡°Alright, sounds good.¡± Shaw said, ¡°What the hell is he being shaken down for?¡±


    ¡°Something terrible,¡± Russell answered, ¡°If this gets out, it¡¯s going to be like trying to put out a towering inferno with a super soaker. Right now we need to get ahead of this. Allister is getting in touch with his people, but I¡¯m going to call mine too. Close the door and get to work on the Simmons request for bond.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Shaw said still excited as he left and closed the door as ordered.


    Russell took a deep breath as he sat down on the couch, and tried to relax. The morning had spun out of control and he needed to take a moment to calm his mind. He had a few moments before lunch with Jefferson to relax as he sat there and stared at the million dollar cheque that was recently given to him. It represented more than just how wealthy his new client was, but how chaotic things were about to get.

 Chapter 5

    Xander exited Russell¡¯s office less than an hour after he arrived. They had a very interesting meeting that made Xander feel so much better moving forward. He really seemed to click with this lawyer, which is why he didn¡¯t hesitate to write the man a mammoth cheque to retain him and his firm for their services. Xander didn¡¯t know if he was really going to need to spend that much on this case, but anything that was left over could be used for future representation should he ever need their help again. He also wanted to make a statement with that cheque, let Russell know how serious he was about defending his good name. He¡¯d rather pay a fortune to his lawyers than give a single cent to the liar that was making these outrageous accusations. There would be no doubt in Russell¡¯s mind, Xander was ready to fight. He remained quiet while Russell kept talking as they walked back to the lobby, and he could also see people looking at them as they passed by. It was something that Xander had gotten used to over the years, but today it got to him probably for different reasons. They knew he was there for legal reasons, not to get sushi. He felt a little embarrassed, but that was nothing compared to how he¡¯d feel if this all went south. That would be infinitely worse. Russell hit the button on the elevator for him.


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Xander asked, as he calmly waited. ¡°You want me to go back to work?¡±


    ¡°As serious as Rush Limbaugh at a buffet,¡± Russell answered, ¡°If anyone asks, tell them you just needed a little air to clear your head, but you¡¯re feeling better and ready to get back to work. The last thing you need is your stocks to take a dip because of what happened this morning.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander said, ¡°But I already had my secretary cancel my appointments for the day.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Russell replied, ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do; play solitaire or read a good book for all I care. Just do it calmly, and let people see you back at your post and cool as cucumber. We clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are.¡± Xander said as he shook Russell¡¯s hand again. ¡°Thank you for your time and your help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact you when I learn anything,¡± Russell said, as the elevator door finally opened. ¡°But chances are you probably won¡¯t hear from me until tomorrow at the earliest. It¡¯s going to take some time to get in touch with our sources and get a pulse of what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xander said, entering the elevator. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to stay out of trouble.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I ask,¡± Russell said, ¡°Just make an effort and watch your step!¡±


    After the doors closed, there was an awkward silence in the elevator as it took Xander right back to the main floor. He knew in order for things to get better, he would have to trust the man he just hired to save him. Give the man time to do his work and then decide if this was the right course of action. Xander quickly left the building after he returned to the main floor and while he was tempted to hail a cab, there was really no emergency. All his appointments were cancelled, so there was plenty of time to walk back and maybe get another snack as he doubled back. As he was walking back, even he was surprised to see how heavy traffic was despite it being midday. It wasn¡¯t even rush hour and they were bumper to bumper at some parts. Xander was standing at the light, waiting to cross when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Behind him there was a young boy that was about run right past him and into the street. Xander was standing there because the light was red, and the boy was about the run into oncoming traffic.


    ¡°Nathan!¡± a woman cried out as loudly as she could, ¡°Stop!¡±


    Just as the kid was about to pass by him, Xander could there was a bus heading for the same spot but the kid was to short to spot because of the heavy traffic. Rather than stand around, Xander sprang into action and reached out. He was able to wrap his right arm around the young man¡¯s torso and pull him back just as the massive bus passed by, missing them both by inches. Xander dragged the kid back to the sidewalk just in time as the woman that cried out arrived with a stroller that had another child in it. She look terribly upset and flushed red.


    ¡°Oh my gaud!¡± She cried out, ¡°Nathan Janssen! You almost got hit by a bus!¡±


    ¡°Sorry Lauren,¡± the young man replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see the red light either!¡± The lady scolded him. ¡°How many times did I tell you to always look before crossing any road?¡±


    ¡°Hey, take it easy.¡± Xander said, as he got back up to his feet. ¡°No one was hurt, so no harm no foul. After that scare, I doubt he¡¯s ever going to forget how dangerous a busy road can get.¡±


    ¡°No, Sir.¡± The young man confirmed. Watching the bus whiz by had indeed scared him a great deal. ¡°I was just trying to get Alexia¡¯s dolly.¡±


    ¡°Dolly¡¯s can be replaced,¡± Xander said, taking the lady¡¯s side. ¡°You cannot.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Nathan said, looking rather rattled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Stand right here with your sister,¡± Lauren ordered, ¡°I¡¯ll get the dolly.¡±


    ¡°I got it,¡± Xander offered, ¡°I can see it.¡±


    Xander waited for the light to change, and when the lights said he could walk, Xander strolled over to the middle of the road, picked up the dolly that had been run over a few times, and walked back to where everyone was.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little damaged,¡± Xander said as he handed it to the lady, and looked down at the young girl. ¡°Accidents happen, and we can always buy another.¡±


    ¡°No we can¡¯t,¡± the lady watching the kids corrected him, ¡°Do you have any idea how much this thing costs?¡±


    Xander honestly didn¡¯t care if the thing cost a million, he was too busy looking at the stunning woman lecture him about the market value of a doll. All he could think about was how beautiful the young woman looked, even when she was angry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have kids, so probably not.¡± Xander confessed.


    ¡°More than what I make in a week.¡± Lauren answered.


    Xander looked at the doll, ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yes, seriously!¡± Lauren confirmed, ¡°Sorry Alexia.¡±


    Xander watched as the young girl in the stroller took her Dolly back and didn¡¯t seem bothered by its condition and was just happy to see it again.


    ¡°All is well again,¡± Xander said.


    ¡°Thankfully,¡± Lauren said, trying to calm herself. ¡°That was a near miss I don¡¯t want to relive anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Xander asked her.


    ¡°I will be,¡± Lauren said, sighing deeply. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be pushy,¡± Xander said, trying to be friendly. ¡°Would you like some company while walking to your next destination?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have someplace to be?¡± Lauren counter with her own question.


    Xander did have somewhere to be, but at that moment he couldn¡¯t remember where. All of a sudden everything he was freaking out about that morning really didn¡¯t seem to matter to him anymore. His brush with near death made what he was so upset about at the office early that pale in comparison. Xander suddenly felt rather embarrassed to even consider giving an honest answer.


    ¡°It can wait,¡± Xander said, ¡°Where are you guys heading?¡±


    ¡°Out for lunch,¡± Nathan answered, ¡°We were at the gallery and now we¡¯re going to get something a the deli for a picnic at the park.¡±


    ¡°At the gallery?¡± Xander repeated, ¡°You mean the big one around the corner from here?¡±


    ¡°The very same,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Thank you for saving Nathan¡¯s life and probably my job too.¡±


    ¡°Your job?¡± Xander repeated, ¡°These aren¡¯t your kids?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s our nanny genius,¡± Nathan answered, ¡°She¡¯s too young to be our mom.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, she is too young.¡± Xander said, amused by the conversation.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lauren,¡± she said, shaking Xander¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Xander. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Xander said, ¡°Can I walk you guys to the deli just to make sure everyone makes it in one piece?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lauren said, as she didn¡¯t want to appear ungrateful. He looked rather cute as well. Considering the disaster they just avoided, she was considering buying the brave man something for his heroic efforts. ¡°Follow us, Xander.¡±


    Xander didn¡¯t get to close and followed as Lauren walked them towards where they wanted to pick up their lunch, but there was a massive lineup that went right out the door. Lauren and the kids looked a little disappointed. Xander could see how they were feeling and decided to do something about it.


    ¡°Tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Xander offered.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to skip the line?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°Maybe,¡± Xander said, smiling slyly. ¡°Would you prefer to wait?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Lauren confessed, it was going to take at least forty minutes to wait. ¡°Maybe we should go somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Give me a chance first,¡± Xander pleaded, ¡°Tell me what you want and I¡¯ll get it.¡±


    Lauren wrote down her order on a piece of paper from her day book and ripped the page out before handing it to Xander.


    ¡°Good luck,¡± Lauren said, confident that Xander might get his ass kicked for budding. She was afraid that some people in their city wouldn¡¯t let that slide.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Xander said as he started to walk past that line and enter the small deli shop that everyone was waiting to get into.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Xander said as he walked up to the counter, ¡°Can I speak with the manager?¡±


    As he stood there waiting, he could tell that everyone was looking at him and knew exactly why they were. He wouldn¡¯t like it if some young dude was trying to bud and delay them from getting their order. Xander thought about it, and an idea came to him as he was waiting.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it,¡± one of the men in line said, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting to order for over thirty minutes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate,¡± Xander said, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± The man said, confused.


    Before they could say more the manager showed up.


    ¡°Listen,¡± The manager started, as if he could read Xander¡¯s mind. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on but I make no exceptions for people trying to skip the line.¡±


    ¡°Not even for bribery?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m too honorable for that.¡± The manager replied.


    ¡°You hear that,¡± the man who talker earlier said, ¡°He¡¯s too honorable. Get to the back of the line, kid.¡±


    ¡°Settle down, Gary.¡± The manger said, ¡°I got this.¡±


    ¡°Tell you what, Gary.¡± Xander started, ¡°Let me skip the line, and lunch is on me.¡±


    Gary looked back at Xander. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Xander said, ¡°Order whatever you want. I¡¯m buying.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± the man behind Gary said.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Xander said, smiling at him. ¡°Same goes for anyone else in line. Let me order before you, and everyone gets a free lunch.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t say that.¡± The manager said, afraid it might be a scam to bud.


    ¡°How much does your place make in an average lunch rush?¡± Xander asked, turning back to look at the manager.


    ¡°Thousands,¡± The manager replied, ¡°The best day we had this month was four and a half.¡±


    ¡°Alright, forty-five hundred it is.¡± Xander said as he took out his wallet and pulled out a rather fancy looking card. ¡°Do you take Visa?¡±


    The manger took a deep gulp as he could tell Xander was serious. ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Process it first,¡± Xander told him, ¡°And then you can take my order. Everyone else in line is on me, and you can keep the change.¡±


    ¡°What if it¡¯s not enough?¡± The manager asked, and it was a fair question.


    ¡°Then you can bill me,¡± Xander said, handing him a business card. The manager took one look at the card and then back up at the kid. ¡°Are we good?¡±


    ¡°The initial amount should be enough,¡± The manager said, handing the business card back. ¡°It¡¯s been a rather slow day today.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xander said, looking back at Gary, ¡°Anything you guys want, Gary. As they would say at the bar, first round is on me!¡±


    Everyone in the room erupted into cheer upon hearing the news that lunch was going to be free.


    ¡°Alright, it cleared.¡± The manager asked. ¡°What¡¯s your order?¡±


    Xander passed him the piece of paper Lauren had given him, and pointed to one of the items on the list. ¡°I¡¯d also like two of these, please.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Hopkins.¡± The manager said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with your order.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xander said.


    About ten minutes later Xander emerged from the deli with a bag containing the order that Lauren had asked him to procure. Xander was rather amused by the look on her face as he walked up.


    ¡°We¡¯re all set,¡± Xander said with a grin, ¡°So which park are we taking this to?¡±

 Chapter 6

    The dining room at one of the classiest restaurants in the city was packed as you would usually find it during the lunch rush. This was an ideal place for people of power to meet, break bread, and then cut deals that would make them both even more insanely rich than they already were. The owner should get a cut for all the money made, but would have to settle for charging very high prices for the food that is seldom finished and the drinks that are most of the time watered down or given too much ice. The patrons honestly didn¡¯t give a flying fuck about the corner¡¯s cut, because the atmosphere of the place is what told the person you were meeting there that they matter and so do you. You show power by being able to book a table with little or no notice, and that exhibited what big shot you were. As Russell Benson arrived, he didn¡¯t even need to make a reservation as there was always a table waiting for him. The same could be said for Jefferson Jones who arrived shortly before Russell did. As Russell walked up to the entrance to the dining area, the ma?tre de met him there with a pleasant smile as he enjoyed serving the fat cats who loved to spend.


    ¡°Mr. Benson,¡± the ma?tre d¡¯ started, ¡°Would you like a table?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually here to meet with Jefferson Jones,¡± Russell replied, ¡°I assume he¡¯s already here?¡±


    ¡°Right this way, Mr. Benson.¡± The man said, grabbing a menu.


    The ma?tre d¡¯ led him to a small table by one of the big windows, and Jefferson Jones was already there, enjoying what was so far a liquid lunch. Jefferson quickly drained what left in his glass and then gestured to the man with the menu.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have another,¡± he called out, ¡°And I¡¯ll take that too.¡±


    After taking the menu, the ma?tre d¡¯ walked way with a huff, because he didn¡¯t like be treated as a waiter, he was in charge.


    ¡°You know,¡± Russell said as he sat down, ¡°Gerard doesn¡¯t like to be treated like that. Not one bit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s his name?¡± Jefferson replied, deep with sarcasm. ¡°I really don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass at the moment.¡±


    ¡°I can tell,¡± Russell said, ¡°You¡¯re hitting the bottle rather hard today.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s five o¡¯clock somewhere,¡± Jefferson retorted.


    ¡°Seriously, man.¡± Russell said, ¡°This isn¡¯t healthy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Jefferson said, smiling back. ¡°My work for today is already done, so this really is my five o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to brag,¡± Russell said, aware of what he meant by that statement. The only client he was going to work on that day had fired him so Jones suddenly had nothing to do. ¡°I need to hit the ground running, and could use your help. I¡¯m more than willing to profit share if that¡¯s what it will take.¡±


    ¡°Hit the ground for what?¡± Jefferson asked. ¡°He needs to take the deal.¡±


    ¡°Xander¡¯s not taking the deal.¡± Russell corrected him, ¡°And he never will.¡±


    ¡°He said that?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°I think his exact words were I don¡¯t care if I run my company into the ground or spend the next few decades in jail.¡± Russell recalled, ¡°There will be no deals, period. We are taking that lying bitch to court, and I am personally going to take her and her greedy shakedown lawyers to the fucking shed and tear them apart.¡±


    Upon hearing that declaration, Jefferson sat up in his chair. Russell suddenly had the man¡¯s full attention. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m serious.¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°And that¡¯s why I¡¯m his lawyer now, and you¡¯re not.¡±


    ¡°I gave him my honest opinion,¡± Jefferson started, tapping the settlement offer with his index finger. ¡°This deal is what¡¯s best for him and his company: he needs to pay to make this mess go away.¡±


    ¡°That may have been the best advice,¡± Russell said, ¡°But it wasn¡¯t the best position for you to take. You were more than just a lawyer to Xander and you let him down bigtime. He needed you to have his back and you told him to surrender. There¡¯s just one problem with that strategy.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± Jefferson inquired.


    ¡°The kid is innocent,¡± Russell answered, ¡°And I believe him. The question I have for you Jefferson is why don¡¯t you believe him?¡±


    ¡°I never said I didn¡¯t!¡± Jefferson cried out.


    ¡°But you also never said you did,¡± Russell added, ¡°Xander told me he asked you straight out during the settlement meeting, and you didn¡¯t say anything. You¡¯ve known the kid since he was born, and you were unable to give him a straight answer whether you thought he was guilty or innocent. And you wonder why the kid fired you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Jefferson tried to explain.


    ¡°No, it is that simple.¡± Russell said, ¡°If you think he¡¯s innocent, you tell him.¡±


    ¡°What if he¡¯s not?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Then you fucking lie,¡± Russell answer without hesitation. ¡°Do you honestly think Johnnie Cochrane thought O.J. was innocent? It didn¡¯t matter, because Johnnie defended his client to the bitter end, regardless of what he thought. That¡¯s what Xander needed, and that¡¯s what he¡¯s got with me. We¡¯re going to fight these preposterous charges and take the fight to them.¡±


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    ¡°I¡¯m confused,¡± Jefferson admitted, ¡°If you have no intention of taking the deal, then why did you want to see it?¡±


    ¡°I want to see what I¡¯m dealing with,¡± Russell said as he grabbed the copy of the settlement and picked it up. ¡°Inside here is Intel about who we¡¯re dealing with and what their strategy is going forward. To use a football metaphor this is the opposing team¡¯s playbook, and I intend to study up before we meet on the field.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I get it.¡± Jefferson said, ¡°Anything else you need from me?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but if there is can I depend on you?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in the kid¡¯s corner forever,¡± Jefferson declared, ¡°And I still represent his father, so I¡¯d help him out of loyalty to the old man too.¡±


    ¡°Good to hear,¡± Russell said, ¡°Is it fair to assume the old man doesn¡¯t want any of this to go public?¡±


    ¡°You would assume correctly,¡± Jefferson answered.


    ¡°You know what¡¯s going on here Jefferson,¡± Russell reminded him, ¡°If either man pays this woman to make it all go away, the flood gates will open and both Junior and Senior will be paying for false allegations for the rest of their lives. Once someone pays to make something going away, you might as well paint a bullseye on their backs. They¡¯ll be targeted by every shill and grifter cause they¡¯ll be pegged as suckers who will pay with little or no fight.¡±


    ¡°I know how it works,¡± Jefferson replied, ¡°They could lost far more if the stock drops, so this might be the path of least resistance.¡±


    ¡°Sometimes that path is fucking stupid,¡± Russell retorted, ¡°And you know it.¡±


    ¡°Now it¡¯s clear why he hired you,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°The man who values truth over everything else. You¡¯re determined to take this to a courtroom and fight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°And so is Xander.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s up for this kind of fight?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Xander gave me an eight digit retainer,¡± Russell said, aware of the reaction he¡¯d get from that. ¡°So I¡¯m pretty confident that¡¯s exactly what he wants.¡±


    Jefferson sat up in his chair upon hearing that. ¡°Are you serious? Eight digits?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how much he wants to fight,¡± Russell said, ¡°He¡¯d rather pay me a small fortune to take this to court rather than give that woman a single dime.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Jefferson said as he drained the rest of his glass.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Russell said, as he was enjoying this a bit too much.


    It was at this point where their food arrived, and the two men sat there quietly eating their lunch as an awkward silence hung above their table. Russell wasn¡¯t the kind of guy to rub things in, but he needed to know how committed Jefferson was to remaining loyal to Xander and his father so he wouldn¡¯t be concerned about leaks from their side. Russell has also put the offer that Jefferson brought with him into his briefcase as it seemed unprofessional to have something with sensitive details about his client laying on the table in a public place. Without notice, Jefferson tapped Russell on the shoulder.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°We have incoming,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°The man who gave me that offer you stashed away. He¡¯s no doubt coming over here to pressure me.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s in for a surprise then.¡± Russell said, wiping his mouth and hands with his napkin. ¡°Be a chap and introduce us when he gets here.¡±


    ¡°Why not,¡± Jefferson said, rather irritated. ¡°Let¡¯s extend my humiliation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Russell said, aware of the sarcasm being used.


    ¡°Jefferson Jones,¡± A man said as he walked up to their table. ¡°Fancy bumping into you here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I bet.¡± Russell said, as he didn¡¯t believe it for a second.


    ¡°Nice to see you again, Virgil.¡± Jefferson said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve had the pleasure of meeting my colleague. This is Russell Benson.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you Mr. Benson!¡± Virgil said, offering a hand for him to shake. ¡°Your reputation as a gladiator in the courtroom is the stuff of legends in this town. I¡¯m Virgil Spencer and it is a true pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, I can assure you.¡± Russell said as he shook it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be rude,¡± Virgil started, ¡°But I need to speak with Jefferson about a very important matter, so could we have a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Russell answered.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Virgil said, not expecting that answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t do that.¡± Russell replied, ¡°Whatever you came to tell him, you can say to me instead.¡±


    ¡°What is this man saying?¡± Virgil asked Jefferson, as he was still confused.


    At this point, Russell stood up so that he could look his enemy directly.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is I represent Xander Hopkins,¡± Russell said, ¡°So whatever you have to say to Jefferson, you can direct to me. As of a few hours ago, Jefferson was released by Mr. Hopkins and new council was procured in the form of me.¡±


    ¡°Is this true?¡± Virgil said, as he was shocked to hear the news.


    ¡°It is,¡± Jefferson confirmed, ¡°I¡¯m no longer representing Mr. Hopkins.¡±


    ¡°So, Virgil¡­¡± Russell started, ¡°Does the fact that I¡¯m in this game now instead of Jefferson tell you what you need to know? In case you still need help, let me spell it out for you: your offer is rejected.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Virgil said, as he seemed a little surprised. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Perhaps we can set up a meeting and negotiate something that is more to your and your client¡¯s liking?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you get it,¡± Russell countered, ¡°We¡¯re not interested in many any deals. Zero. Ziltch. Nadda. Squat. Jack and shit, and Jack left town. The only thing I¡¯ve been authorized to do is tell you and your dishonest client that hell will get a hockey franchise before she sees a single dime from us.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll see you in court,¡± Virgil said, clearly not pleased with the answer.


    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Russell said, ¡°Seeing that I¡¯m a gladiator in the courtroom and all. That¡¯s something you and the D.A. can look forward to experiencing first hand if you try to go after my client with these ludicrous allegations.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± Virgil said, looking back at Jefferson. ¡°Sorry to hear about your dismissal.¡±


    ¡°Take care, Virgil.¡± Jefferson said, raising a glass to salute him.


    ¡°Russell,¡± Virgil said to his new opponent, ¡°This hasn¡¯t been a pleasure after all.¡±


    ¡°I did tell you it would be all mine,¡± Russell reminded him.


    Virgil didn¡¯t say anything else and simply walked away, aware that there was nothing more to say without making things worse. Russell turned back to look at Jefferson who seemed mildly amused rather than embarrassed.


    ¡°Having fun?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°Actually, I am.¡± Jefferson confessed. ¡°In all the time I¡¯ve known him, I¡¯ve never seen Virgil as intimidated as he was just now. You really rattled his cage.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Russell said, as he buttoned his jacket and grabbed his briefcase. ¡°That¡¯s just a small taste of what to expect when I kick his ass in court.¡±


    ¡°I might want to see that,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°I should bring popcorn.¡±


    Russell was about to say something, be he managed to spot someone in the corner of his line of sight. Someone who he knew was coming but didn¡¯t expect to deal with so soon.


    ¡°Oh crap,¡± Russell said.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find this part amusing,¡± Russell said with a smile, ¡°We have incoming; angry woman at eleven o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, she is quite angry.¡± Jefferson said, as he could see the anger in her eyes. ¡°Ex-wife?¡±


    ¡°Oh gaud no,¡± Russell said, ¡°Not this time.¡±


    Before either man could say anything else, the woman strolled right over to where Russell was standing and slapped him right across the face with an open hand.

 Chapter 7

    As Xander sat there and lightly nibbled on his sandwich, he tired very hard to remember the last time he actually had a picnic. He couldn¡¯t think of one, and that only made the moment he was experiencing with the two kids and the lovely lady watching them that much more special. Everyone was sitting on the big quilted blanket, underneath a big tree for some shade from the blazing summer sun. He just sat there and watched as Lauren and the kids interacting amongst one another and appeared to be enjoying themselves. As he watched, Xander couldn¡¯t help but think this is what it might be like; to have a wife and kids, and just spend a day at the park having an enjoyable picnic. His childhood would remind him that not all families are like that, only confirmed by the fact that he never did anything like this with his own parents who were far to snobby to want to do something like that, even with their own kids. Xander also knows what it¡¯s like to be raised by a nanny, to have parents that were so busy that they just hired someone to watch over you because they couldn¡¯t be bothered to pry themselves away from work or even worse, from a bottle. So he knew what the two kids at the picnic were going through, but at the same time he envied them, because he didn¡¯t remember having a nanny that was fun or as beautiful as Lauren. His parents were likely the reason why, as their hiring of nannies was likely predetermined by many factors, but having fun clearly wasn¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lauren asked him, as she could tell his mind was elsewhere.


    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Xander said, smiling back at her. ¡°I just didn¡¯t realize what kind of fun I was missing out on here. How often do you guys come here for picnics?¡±


    ¡°Not that often,¡± Lauren confessed, ¡°Sometimes I just do it spur of the moment if the weather is nice and I don¡¯t feel like cooking lunch.¡±


    ¡°How long have you been their nanny?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°Not that long,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°I just got out of college, and while this isn¡¯t the ideal job I was looking for, it pays well and allows me to do post-grad stuff at night and work towards something better.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s very cool.¡± Xander said, as he was genuinely intrigued. Everything about Lauren seemed so fascinating and he was eager to know more about her.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Lauren suddenly countered, ¡°Do you work somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xander said, thinking hard about what to say next. ¡°I work at a small communications company just over there.¡±


    ¡°And right now you¡¯re skipping work?¡± Lauren inquired.


    ¡°And right now I¡¯m skipping work,¡± Xander confirmed, ¡°But I¡¯m not exactly missing it.¡±


    Lauren laughed, ¡°Office space¡­ good choice.¡±


    Xander smiled back at her, as he loved the fact that she recognized the film that hew as quoting with that last statement. Office Space was one of his favorite movies not only for its comedic brilliance, but he used it as a model for how not to act as other people¡¯s boss. He didn¡¯t want to be like the mean guys in that movie, incentive employers who say workers as numbers rather than people. The fact that she knew what movie he was referring to was amazing, but it wasn¡¯t like he needed any other reasons to like her more than he already did. Lauren¡¯s fab taste in movies just happened to be a pleasant bonus.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be getting back there?¡± She asked, ¡°Before you get fired?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright,¡± Xander said, amused by the thought. ¡°I¡¯m very close with the boss, and he knows what¡¯s going on. I was having a rough day, so I left early to clear my head and what not.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Want to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± Xander said, ¡°I¡¯m having so much fun here, that I pretty much forgot about it and that felt really good. So, thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Nathan responded first, ¡°Maybe you can buy a new doll for my sister since we made you feel better.¡±


    ¡°Nathan!¡± Lauren called out to the young man, ¡°That¡¯s not how we do things. We don¡¯t make people feel better for a reward, we do it because it makes us feel better too. If anything, you should owe him for saving your life!¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Nathan said, looking back at Xander. ¡°Never mind about that, it sounds like we¡¯re even now.¡±


    ¡°Nathan!¡± Lauren called out again, as she clearly disagreed.


    ¡°That sounds about right, actually.¡± Xander said, giving the young boy a fist bumps. ¡°We¡¯re square.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Lauren asked, ¡°You deserve at least a little credit for what you did back there. That was just so scary, it could have been a disaster.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just glad I was there to help,¡± Xander confessed, ¡°And this picnic has been a lovely distraction away from what was up until that point a very crappy day. So I thank you and these two little ones for saving my day, metaphorically at least.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lauren said, as she looked over at Nathan. ¡°Yes, you can play on the jungle gym but stay in my sight. You¡¯re already met your quota for scaring the crap out of me today.¡±


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    ¡°Alright, sorry about that.¡± Nathan said as he got up and ran off to play.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good kid,¡± Xander said, ¡°Don¡¯t be too hard on him. He meant well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he did,¡± Lauren said, watching him play. ¡°But that¡¯s no excuse to be so reckless. He could have been seriously hurt.¡±


    ¡°What about this one,¡± Xander asked, looking down at the little girl that was lying on the blanket. ¡°Is she going to play too?¡±


    ¡°Probably not,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°This is usually her nap time, so when she falls asleep, I¡¯ll tuck her into the stroller and watch her brother till it¡¯s time to go.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xander said, ¡°Need any help with clean up?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Lauren said, and after the little girl was put back into her stroller, they cleaned up the picnic and stashed most of it in the stroller¡¯s undercarriage.


    Xander repacked what was left of his lunch, and decided to save it for later when he was back tat the office. He had a feeling he should stay a little late once he got back, just to ensure Russell that he did at least minimal work and followed his instructions. As they were walking towards the jungle gym to keep a closer eye on Nathan as he played, there was a comfortable silence that just seemed just right. Xander didn¡¯t feel the need to break the silence with mindless chit chat and say anything to fill the time. The just strolled together near the playground to as if they had been doing it together for years. Xander appreciated the moment, as he started to get a feeling he hadn¡¯t felt at all during his busy life. He felt so content and comfortable with the young woman who was pushing the stroller, to the point where anyone could have mistaken them for a married couple that were at the park with their kids. He dared to wonder if this is what it felt like, to like someone so much that just being around them was enough. You didn¡¯t need to say anything to enjoy their company, just be there in the moment and all would be well. The young man was swept by the moment, as he felt a real connection with Lauren to the point where he suddenly didn¡¯t want this feeling to end. The exact opposite of what he was feeling earlier in the day.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m great,¡± Xander replied, ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You seemed a little zoned out there,¡± She asked him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just feeling good,¡± Xander said, smiling. ¡°It must be the company.¡±


    ¡°Must be,¡± Lauren said, as she kind of felt the same way. Despite their horrifying first impression where Nathan almost got hit by a bus, hanging around with Xander at the park was the first genuine moment she had with anyone her age in a very long time. She was tempted to ask him if he wanted to do something together again, maybe after hours for coffee, when something interrupted their way and her steam of thought. Xander¡¯s smart phone started to make a weird sound.


    Xander took out the phone and looked at it rather quickly. Part of him didn¡¯t want to even look at it, but this sound was something he couldn¡¯t ignore. It was an alarm that only sounded when someone was talking about him, well more like when a lot of people were talking about him. For some reason, his name was going viral and Xander got a bad feeling about it. Considering what was going on that morning, he was suddenly afraid that his firing of Jones and his firm, and the way he did it, may be the reason why people were talking about him. Even worse, he was suddenly afraid that the accusations against him were leaked and now going public. He held his breath and opened his app to find out what was being said about him. When the words started to come forward, along with pictures and even a video¡­ he suddenly felt relieved. It wasn¡¯t anything from that morning, but that look of dread on his face worried Lauren a great deal.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Xander said, reading and looking at what was there. ¡°But this is kind of work related, so I might have to go back to work before this stuff goes huge. But thanks again for letting me hang out, I really enjoyed it!¡±


    ¡°As did I,¡± Lauren said, smiling back. ¡°Not get back to work.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Xander said, before taking off.


    As tempted he was to foot it back to the office like he had originally planned, he hailed a taxi once he was out of the park and took it back to the office as soon as he could. As he sat in the back of the taxi Xander looked at all the tweets on twitter, and postings on facebook that had made his name go viral just moments ago. As much as he wanted to spend the rest of the day with her, a part of him was worried about how she might feel if she saw him in a different light than just the guy that helped her out today. He was upset that the moment was over, but still happy that it had happened in the first place.


    Xander strolled into the building after giving his driver a decent tip and back up the lift to the company he walked out of months ago. As he strolled off the lift, there were even a few reporters asking him questions as he walked by.


    ¡°I have no comment,¡± Xander said, strolling past a few of them.


    As he was strolling back to his office, his secretary met him halfway down the hallway and even blocked his path.


    ¡°Thank goodness you¡¯re here!¡± Janice called out to her boss. ¡°There¡¯s someone in your office.¡±


    ¡°You let someone in my office?¡± Xander repeated.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Janice apologized, ¡°But I didn¡¯t know what else to do with him. I said you wouldn¡¯t be back today, but he insisted on waiting.¡±


    Xander took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Thank you, Janice.¡±


    Xander handed her what was left of his lunch from his picnic with Lauren and the kids and handed it to the secretary.


    ¡°Can you stash this somewhere for me?¡± He asked her, ¡°I might want to finish it off later today, maybe tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Janice said, taking it from him. ¡°I¡¯ll put it in one of the staff fridges.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Xander said, as he resumed walking towards his office.


    Xander slowed down as he reached the door to his office and took one last breath before opening the door up and strolling in like he owned the place, because he actually did. He had a cocky smile on his face, as he guessed right about who was dwelling in his office.


    ¡°Hello, father,¡± Xander said, ¡°What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°You damn well know what,¡± his father said back, nearly growling. ¡°I¡¯m hearing that you fired Jefferson Jones and his firm earlier today. Quite a spectacle as well from what I heard.¡±


    ¡°Nice to see you too,¡± Xander said as he sat down.


    ¡°So is it true?¡± his father demanded.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true.¡± Xander replied, ¡°I fired Jones and had him and his people tossed out of the building by security.¡±


    ¡°That is unacceptable,¡± his father said, clearly frustrated. ¡°You¡¯re going to call him and hire his firm back.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± Xander quickly replied, ¡°Not gonna happen.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± his father said, stunned by the negative response. ¡°Yes, you are!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± Xander repeated, being just as defiant as his old man.


    ¡°And why not?¡± Xander¡¯s old man asked.


    ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t want to.¡± A voice called out from the doorway. ¡°And as far as I¡¯m concerned, that¡¯s the only reason he needs to give you.¡±


    Both men looked back to the office doorway to see Russell Benson leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed, and with a cocky grin on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Russell called out, ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡±

 Chapter 8

    She had been sitting in the car, watching a building through binoculars when the call came in. When she felt the vibration in her pocket, and heard the distinct ring tone, it was a call she thought could wait and let it go to voice mail. Mackenzie Bond, or Mac for short, was a high priced private investigator. One of the best in her field, but she didn¡¯t feel the need to broadcast that. Mac enjoyed working for a law firm because it gave her cover that made her job that much easier to do. Without having to advertise her services, she was able to sneak and poke a lot easier without people recognizing her and it was a cover that saved her hide more often than she¡¯d like to admit. Mac had just finished a light lunch she had delivered and was sipping on an ice coffee while watching her subject¡¯s place of work. She didn¡¯t mind the stakeouts, because it gave her time to think, do paperwork and keep close watch all at the same time. Mac didn¡¯t mind the grunt work as it kept her fit and sharp, which was just the way she preferred to be in her line of work. She was sipping on her ice coffee again when the phone started to buzz/ring again. Same ringtone, the firm was tying to reach her again.


    Twice in as many minutes, she thought to herself, what the hell is going on?


    Mac deeply sighed as she reluctantly took the expensive smart phone out of her pocket and finally answered it.


    ¡°What the hell do you want?¡± Mac demanded.


    ¡°Mac, it¡¯s Willie Rogers.¡± The voice on the other end replied.


    Mac was so surprised that she paused for a moment. One of the senior partners was calling her personally and she just snapped at who was her boss. The man who signed all the paycheques, and authorized her crazy overtime hours.


    ¡°Sir,¡± She finally responded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I just don¡¯t like to be interrupted when I¡¯m working.¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± Willie replied, ¡°I don¡¯t like to be interrupted either. Your work ethic is one of the reasons why I like you, so it¡¯s all good.¡±


    ¡°Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Rogers?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°As a matter of fact, there is.¡± Rogers answered, ¡°Another investigator is enroute to relieve you of your stakeout and will be handling your case from here on. You are being reassigned.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mac asked, stunned to hear her current work was done.


    She never liked to be taken off a case, as unfinished work tended to make her angry. She had an obsession to make sure cases were done and put to bed, to the point where she didn¡¯t¡¯ trust anyone else to do that for her.


    ¡°What the hell is going on over there?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°A matter of grave prominence has bestowed upon our firm,¡± Willie said, ¡°This morning, we landed a big fish who might be in big trouble. This new case is our firm¡¯s highest priority, so because of that the attorney handling this matter requested for you personally. I am inclined to agree with him, and believe we need our best investigator handling this. That, my dear, is you.¡±


    Mac took a moment to pause and collect herself. While it¡¯s true that she was the best they had, she didn¡¯t like be reassigned in the middle of a case. Loose ends upset her, and she was obsessed with seeing things through. Especially if it was a case she believed in. Yet this was a partner asking, not some hack lawyer.


    ¡°How big is this fish?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Think of our richest client,¡± Willed replied, ¡°And then quadruple his net worth.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Mac said, ¡°That¡¯s not a fish, that¡¯s a fucking whale.¡±


    ¡°Precisely,¡± Willie concurred, ¡°And that whale is your new client, and he badly needs our help, Mac. I wouldn¡¯t pull you off a case if I didn¡¯t think it wasn¡¯t absolutely necessary. Time is a factor in this matter, so I need you to get to work on this as soon as possible. I would give you more time for your current case if I could, so I do apologize.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir.¡± Mac said, as she appreciated Willie¡¯s respect for her methods. ¡°I do trust you, so if you say it¡¯s urgent¡­ then I¡¯m in.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mac.¡± Rogers said, pleased to hear her say that. ¡°You might also find this to your liking: unlimited overtime is ??approved for this case.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Mac said, as those were the words she loved to hear. ¡°And who is the lawyer running this case?¡±


    ¡°That would be Russell Benson,¡± Willie replied, ¡°Play nice, my dear. There is a lot of money on the line, and a man¡¯s freedom as well.¡±


    ¡°Dammit,¡± Mac said after hearing that. ¡°This is a criminal case?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Rogers said, ¡°Get back to the office, and get to work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that once I¡¯m relieved,¡± Mac replied, ¡°Thank you for your confidence, sir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s well earned, my dear.¡± Willie said, ¡°See you soon.¡±


    When the line went dead, all Mac could do was scream. As much as she hated stepping out of a case in the middle of it, she did like the idea of being paid for every minute of her work. She opened up her phone and started to look through certain an app that allowed her to track people. It took only minutes to find out where Russell was, and the result angered her even more. He was dining at a high class restaurant for lunch, probably celebrating his new client. Typical lawyer, she thought to herself, and that seemed to upset her just a bit. Not only did she need to work for a new client, but now she had to work with Russell again, and he even asked for her! The nerve on that guy after all the history they had.


    When the new investigator arrived and was briefed, Mac drove away from her spot and started to b-line for the classy restaurant where Russell was dining. She stormed right into the building and into the dining hall despite the protest of the staff guarding the door. It took mac only a few moments to spot the man she was looking for. Russell happened to be standing up from his table while another man was walking away from him. Mac started to walk towards the cocky lawyer and that when she was spotted by him.


    ¡°Oh crap,¡± Russell called out.


    ¡°What is it?¡± the man sitting at his table asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find this amusing,¡± Russell said to his friend, ¡°We have incoming; angry woman at eleven o¡¯clock.¡±


    ¡°Oh my,¡± The man sitting said, ¡°Ex-wife?¡±


    ¡°Oh gaud no,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Not this time.¡±


    Before either man could say anything else, Mac walked right up to Russell and slapped him right across the face with a thin open hand. The slap was so loud that everyone in the dining hall could hear it as it echoed throughout the room.


    Russell was a tough guy, so he was able to take the slap with ease. He knew Mac would be pissed and was actually expecting something like that to happen. It was made Mac so great and in high demand; that determination to do the best job possible.


    ¡°Nice to see you, Mac.¡± Russell said, ¡°I assume you¡¯ve talked to Willie and have been given your new assignment?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Mac said, taking a seat at the table and stealing food from both Russell and Jefferson¡¯s plates. Both men appeared to be finished do it didn¡¯t matter to her if they were or not.


    ¡°She seems nice,¡± Jefferson said, still amused by it all.


    ¡°Who the hell is he?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°Jefferson Jones,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mac. You must be that investigator that Russell was telling me about, all that fire and passion was a dead giveaway.¡±


    ¡°Jones,¡± Mac said, as it dawned her. ¡°You¡¯re the senior partner of¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Jones answered, ¡°Still a pleasure to meet you. I rather enjoyed your slapping of our friend here. Do it again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough foreplay for one day,¡± Russell interrupted, ¡°I¡¯m sure Willie told you that we wouldn¡¯t pull you for just any case. This matter is time sensitive and we couldn¡¯t afford to wait for your current case to finish up.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting that impression,¡± Mac said, ¡°So what is he doing here then?¡±


    ¡°Sharing,¡± Jones answered, ¡°I used to be the attorney for this case.¡±


    ¡°That explains he liquid lunch,¡± Mac replied, ¡°Nice.¡±


    ¡°Nothing else to do right about now.¡± Jefferson confessed.


    It was at this point where Rusell¡¯s phone went off, and he quickly answered it.


    ¡°Shaw,¡± Russell answered, ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°I called to give you a heads up,¡± Shaw informed him, ¡°Our new client is going viral on social media.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Russell said as he turned away from Jefferson and Mac. ¡°Is this case already leaking to the media or is it about Jefferson¡¯s firing?¡±


    ¡°Neither,¡± Shaw answered, ¡°Something happened to Xander after he left our office. I¡¯m getting reports that he was almost hit by a bus.¡±


    ¡°What??¡± Russell said, ¡°Are you sure about that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m reading a lot of tweets about it, and there¡¯s photos.¡± Shaw said, ¡°I¡¯ll forward what I have but you need to get on top of this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way back,¡± Russell said, as he disconnected the line. ¡°Mac, we¡¯re leaving.¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong,¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Possibly,¡± Russell said, as he tossed a few Benjamins on the table. ¡°Lunch is on me; thanks for your help and understanding.¡±


    ¡°Take care,¡± Jefferson called out as they walked away.


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°Our new client is going viral,¡± Russell said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound good.¡±


    ¡°Give me his name and I¡¯ll search this out,¡± Mac said, ¡°Who is he?¡±


    ¡°Xander Hopkins,¡± Russell replied.


    Mac stopped walking and looked back at Russell with a shocked look on her face.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°I am,¡± Russell said, ¡°He walked into our offices asking for me personally. A billionaire just fell out of the damn sky and landed on my lap.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Mac said, as she was fishing around social media, ¡°According to reports, he was almost hit by a bus walking downtown earlier this morning.¡±


    ¡°That was right after he met with me for the first time,¡± Russell said, ¡°I haven¡¯t even had a change to cash his fat retainer yet.¡±


    ¡°How fat are we talking here?¡± Mac said, as she loved to talk money.


    ¡°See for yourself,¡± Russell said, as he took out the cheque and handed it to her.


    She took the small piece of paper and looked at the massive number with another stunned look on her face. This also told her that whatever matter he was being represented for had to be huge because no one tossed around money like that unless it was about to seriously hit the fan. She quietly handed the cheque back to Russell and went onto her smart phone and started to check Xander¡¯s virtual print.


    ¡°Something did happen earlier,¡± she confirmed, and she found something else. ¡°And there appears to be a video.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see it,¡± Russell said, eager to know what happened.


    They opened the video, and it showed Xander stepping out in front of a bus and then jumping back out of the way with just inches to spare. The could only see Xander¡¯s head and shoulders above the cars, so it was hard to see what was going on.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Russell said, ¡°He looked ready to fight the charges, and not suicidal one damn bit.¡±


    ¡°Wait, there¡¯s another angle!¡± Mac said as she opened a new video that had a much clearer view of the situation.


    Both Russell and Mac watched as the new angle provided all the answers they were looking for. They watched as a young boy had attempted to walk into oncoming traffic and Xander only stepped in front of the bus to grab the boy. They both watched with awe as Xander was able to move both himself and the boy out of harms way just in time, and when the video was over they both let out a huge sigh.


    ¡°Oh my gaud,¡± Mac said, looking back at Russell, ¡°He saved that boy¡¯s life!¡±


    ¡°Damn, that was close too.¡± Russell said, loosening his tie.


    ¡°I assume this has nothing to do with his case?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°It does not, but this new video will certainly help.¡± Russell said, ¡°Did you drive here?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Mac confirmed.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Russell said, as he resumed walking out of the place.


    ¡°Where to?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to visit our new client as hit office,¡± Russell said, ¡°Make sure he really is alright so our firm can cash this cheque.¡±


    ¡°Alright, but I¡¯m driving.¡± Mac insisted.


    ¡°You sure are,¡± Russell said, ¡°I don¡¯t have a license.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Mac asked, rather surprised.


    ¡°Never have, and likely never will.¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit of a hot head, and while that works in my profession society is safer without me on the road.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Mac said, ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    It took them only a few minutes for them to drive over to the building where Xander¡¯s company resided. Mac let Russell out first so that he could get in as soon as possible while she looked for a parking spot, and would catch up with him later. Russell Took the lift to the appropriate floor and walked up to the front desk, but there was no one there. While he was waiting, a security guard walked over.


    ¡°Can I help you, Sir?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯m looking for Xander Hopkins. And you are?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Gregory,¡± The guard answered, ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡±


    ¡°I do not, but I¡¯m his new lawyer.¡± Russell said, handing the guard a business card. ¡°I¡¯m just checking in on him to make sure he¡¯s alright.¡±


    Gregory looked at the card and then back at Russell.


    ¡°He¡¯s in his office, so I¡¯d check with his secretary,¡± Gregory informed him, as he pointed him in the right direction. He also held up the card. ¡°Do you want this back?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Russell said as he started to walk away, ¡°You keep, Gregory. And give me a call if you think Xander ever needs my help. Keep an eye out and an ear open around here too, and I¡¯ll owe you a favor you can cash in anytime.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Gregory said, smiling as he put the card away. ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Russell was walking down the hall in the direction Gregory pointed out for him, and there was no secretary in sight, but he could hear people talking rather loudly.


    ¡°That¡¯s unacceptable!¡± a voice came booking out from behind the large door that had Xander¡¯s name on it. ¡°You¡¯re going to call him and hire his firm back.¡±


    ¡°Uh oh,¡± Russell whispered to himself as he walked closer to the door, ¡°Someone is not a happy camper.¡±


    ¡°No I¡¯m not!¡± Xander¡¯s voice called out, ¡°Not gonna happen.¡±


    ¡°That a¡¯boy!¡± Russell said, happy to hear the response.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± the other voice shouted, ¡°Yes, you are!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± Xander yelled back, very defiantly. As he was saying that, Russell slowly opened the door, to sneak into the conversation and back his man up.


    ¡°And why not?¡± An older man in the middle of the room asked.


    ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t want to,¡± Russell answered for his client, revealing his presence to both men. ¡°And as far as I¡¯m concerned, that¡¯s the only reason he needs to give you.¡±


    Russell watched with amusement as both men turned to look back at him, both genuinely surprised to see him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Russell called out, ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are!¡± the older man replied, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Russell Benson,¡± Russell said, as he defiantly entered into the room and closed the door behind him. ¡°I¡¯m Xander¡¯s new lawyer.¡±


    The older man turned back to face Xander. ¡°Is this true?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xander confirmed for his father, ¡°I hired him a short time ago. Mr. Benson will be representing myself and this company moving forward.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing from your authoritative stance and the harsh tone that you¡¯re daddy warbucks,¡± Russell continued, ¡°And while Jefferson Jones is a talented lawyer that still has Xander¡¯s back, it¡¯s in your son¡¯s best interests that he retain me as his lawyer so that I can look out for his best interests without having to worry about those interests conflicting with your own.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Xander¡¯s father asked.


    ¡°That is so,¡± Russell said, ¡°I met with the attorney who submitted that settlement a short time ago, and told him to stick that deal where the sun doesn¡¯t shine.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± the old man said, shocked.


    ¡°He is,¡± Xander answered for him. ¡°There will be no deals. I¡¯m not paying that liar a single dime. We¡¯re going to fight these allegations.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± his father cried out, ¡°I¡¯ll pay to make it go away!¡±


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡± Russell said, ¡°Any payment made to this woman by you or anyone is a declaration that the charges she¡¯s making are legit, and that is a false statement against my client. You so much as give that bitch a dime, and I¡¯ll sue your ass for slander and defamation of character.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± his father said, rather surprised. ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡±


    ¡°Watch me,¡± Russell said, ¡°Do your son a favor, Mr. Hopkins. Stay on the sidelines and be a witness rather than a participant. If this goes to court, I am going to mop the floors with anyone that stands in my way. In the end neither of you will be paying anything to that woman, or anyone else that might try to take advantage of your good nature moving forward. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to speak to Jefferson about this,¡± The old man replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s the smartest thing you¡¯ve said so far,¡± Russell agreed, ¡°He¡¯s got more free time on his hands so put him to work. We need all hands on deck here if we¡¯re going to make it out of this shit storm.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± The old man said, ¡°You seem to know what you¡¯re doing here, so I¡¯ll leave you to it.¡±


    Xander watched with awe as his old man tucked tail and walked out of the office without so much as a whimper.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Xander said, looking back at his attorney. ¡°That alone was worth the entire retainer I gave you.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here.¡± Russell said, looking back at him. ¡°Word going around the internet is that you almost got hit by a bus after you left my office.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Xander said, ¡°Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°I saw the video,¡± Russell said, smiling back at his client. ¡°You saved that boy¡¯s life. That was amazing.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Xander said as he was unaware of a video. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡±


    ¡°While I¡¯d prefer you be out of the headlines,¡± Russell continued, ¡°This is the kind of press that can help us. It might even work like a Kevlar vest for when those charges eventually come forward. This could help us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not why I did it,¡± Xander said, ¡°It was just instinct.¡±


    ¡°That makes it even better,¡± Russell said, as there was a knock at the door.


    ¡°Come in!¡± Xander called out.


    The door opened and Mac slipped in and closed it behind her.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Mac said, ¡°The guard said you came this way.¡±


    ¡°Who is this?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°This is Mackenzie Bond,¡± Russell said, ¡°And she is your guardian angel. She happens to be our best private investigator and is going to be looking into this matter for us.¡±


    ¡°I like the sound of that,¡± Xander said, pleased to hear that they were putting their best people onto his case.


    ¡°I used to be a police detective,¡± Mac said to him, ¡°So if this is a criminal matter, I will dig deep into it and use all police contacts to get to the bottom of it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Xander said, ¡°So why are you guys here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mac asked, ¡°That¡¯s a good question.¡±


    ¡°I was here to check up on that bus thing,¡± Russell said, ¡°But since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s get Mac caught up on everything so she¡¯s knows what we¡¯re dealing with here. I want you to sit down and tell us both everything you can remember about that night your alleged incident occurred. Don¡¯t leave out a single detail, no matter how small.¡±


    ¡°Why not,¡± Xander said, eager to get going. ¡°I¡¯ve already cancelled today¡¯s appointments. ¡°Where do I start?¡±


    Mac flipped open her notebook. ¡°What day did the alleged incident occur?¡±

 Chapter 9

    Virgil Spencer didn¡¯t make any stops on his way back to his building, and was still fuming from his encounter with Russell Benson when he returned to his own firm. He didn¡¯t speak to anyone and just went back to his own office and poured himself a stiff glass of scotch to lick his wounds with. He had lost control of the situation, and that was going to make his job infinitely more difficult. Jefferson was a man that Virgil thought he could control and push around till he got his way. With the man representing both father and son, he was sure that one of them was going to pay a hefty fee to make everything go away. Russel Benson coming onto the scene and flatly rejecting his settlement offer was just the opening salvo of a battle that was sure to come. The man seemed determined and eager to fight it out right there in the restaurant. He was a defiant as advertised and right in his face the entire time. Virgil sipped a drink and stared out the window until he heard someone knocking at the door.


    ¡°Enter,¡± Virgil called out.


    A woman a little younger than him opened the door, walked into the room and closed it behind her. She was Maggie Ferguson, one of Virgil¡¯s top litigators. He was happy to remember that she was on his side because her services might be in higher demand after the meeting he just had.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you come in,¡± Maggie started, ¡°Did you managed to catch Jefferson at the restaurant?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Virgil said, ¡°It was a disaster.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Maggie said as she then realized he was drinking, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°That rumor going around is true,¡± Virgil answered, ¡°Jefferson was fired by Xander and his corporation as of this morning. New council has already been retained.¡±


    ¡°He fired his lawyers?¡± She repeated, ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Less than twenty-four hours after we submitted our offer sheet,¡± Virgil said, looking back at her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to figure out why.¡±


    ¡°Oh, damn,¡± Maggie said, suddenly wanting a drink herself. ¡°Who is new council?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the dig,¡± Virgil said, ¡°New council was at the table with Jefferson when I arrived, and it was none other than Mr. Russell Benson.¡±


    Maggie¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers upon hearing that name. ¡°Shit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, seems to capture the spirit of the situation.¡± Virgil said, ¡°And right after introducing myself, Mr. Benson promptly told me to take that offer sheet and shove it up my own posterior.¡±


    ¡°So we make a new offer,¡± Maggie said.


    ¡°That¡¯s not happening either,¡± Virgil corrected her, ¡°Russell¡¯s exact words were that hell would get a hockey franchise before our lying client saw a single dime. He wants to take this court, and he had a look in his eyes that basically told me that he was ready to fight. There will be no settlements.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Maggie said, as she now understood the situation.


    ¡°Yes, he is.¡± Virgil agreed, ¡°Does Benson¡¯s reputation stand up to the hype?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s as aggressive as advertised,¡± Maggie said, ¡°The man can be as relentless as a savage dog with a bone. He won¡¯t let go until he gets his way. If Xander wants to fight the charges, he couldn¡¯t have picked a better lawyer to do just that.¡±


    ¡°We might not have a choice,¡± Virgil said, aware of the new dynamics. ¡°We might have to bring in our client and update her about what¡¯s changed. She needs to realize that we might not be able to avoid her testifying in court like we promised.¡±


    ¡°Dani¡¯s not going to like that,¡± Maggie confessed.


    ¡°Things have changed,¡± Virgil said, ¡°I can try to see if his father wants to payout to avoid court, but I can¡¯t promise anything now. We might have to go the criminal route first, and then sue after a conviction if the D.A. can land one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not guaranteed,¡± Maggie added, ¡°Especially with Benson involved. He¡¯s going to tear her to shreds on the stand, and that¡¯s putting it mildly.¡±


    ¡°The thought had crossed my mind,¡± Virgil concurred, ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be the cakewalk we first th\ought it was going to be. Young Hopkins appears to be far from the pushover that his father is.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°I¡¯ll contact the district attorney¡¯s office,¡± Maggie said, ¡°You need to call our client and get her in here as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Virgil said, ¡°Get to it.¡±


    Virgil watched as his junior associate walked out of the room and closed the door behind her. He finished what was left of his scotch and put the glass down on his desk before picking up the phone and dialing number. He wait a few times before someone picked the line up.


    ¡°Hello?¡± a woman answered.


    ¡°Gina,¡± Virgil said, as he recognized the voice. It was his client¡¯s mother. ¡°It¡¯s Virgil. I need to speak with Dani.¡±


    ¡°Virgil?¡± The lady repeated, ¡°Is everything alright?


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that,¡± Virgil said to her, ¡°Please get Dani on the line.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Gina said, and was then followed by silence.


    Virgil patiently waited and listened for anything before the line was picked up by someone else.


    ¡°This is Dani,¡± The voice called back.


    ¡°Dani,¡± Virgil greeted her, ¡°This is Virgil Spencer.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Spencer.¡± Dani replied, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s been a development in your case,¡± Virgil explained to her, ¡°I¡¯m going to need you and your mother to come in here so I can discuss it with you.¡±


    ¡°Did that bastard accept our offer?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I cannot say over the phone,¡± Virgil replied, ¡°How soon can you get in here?¡±


    ¡°We can be in there within an hour,¡± Dani answered.


    ¡°Thank you, get here as soon as you can.¡± Virgil said, and the called ended.


    Virgil spent the majority of that time writing down some notes, and preparing for the meeting that was to come. He knew Dani wasn¡¯t going to take the news well, but that wasn¡¯t going to change the situation they found themselves in. She was going to have to testify, probably at both the criminal and civil hearings. She¡¯s also have to be deposed for the civil case, and that would be hell in itself. He didn¡¯t have anything else to drink as he put on his best game face and waited for his client to arrive. Very soon Dani Edwards and her mother Gina arrived, and were escorted to the office by Maggie. Virgil wanted her there for the meeting and asked her to close the door.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re here!¡± Dani said, taking a seat. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to sugar coat it,¡± Virgil said, as he stood up. ¡°Xander Hopkins didn¡¯t respond very well to our initial offer sheet.¡±


    ¡°How did he respond to it?¡± Dani asked.


    ¡°Badly,¡± Maggie answered for her boss. ¡°He fired his attorneys.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Gina asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already spoken to his new lawyer,¡± Virgil continued, ¡°And he made it abundantly clear that our offer is rejected.¡±


    ¡°So what does that mean?¡± Dani asked, ¡°Will we get a counter?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Virgil replied. ¡°We will not.¡±


    ¡°His new lawyer is a fierce litigator,¡± Maggie said, ¡°It looks like we¡¯re going to have to take this matter to court.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Dani said, clearly angered by that revelation. ¡°I thought you said that we wouldn¡¯t have to go to court!¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Virgil said, ¡°And that was my plan when I submitted the offer. New council isn¡¯t interested in making any deals. Not one penny was his exact words.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t good.¡± Gina said, sounding worried.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to testify!¡± Dani reminded her lawyers.


    ¡°You still might not have to,¡± Maggie said, ¡°I got in contact with the DA¡¯s office. We believe if they can make some waves with the grand jury, that might push Xander and his new lawyers back to the table.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Virgil said, ¡°We need to call their bluff and show them we mean business. That means you might at minimum have to testify before the grand jury.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that hard,¡± Maggie informed her, ¡°It¡¯s behind closed doors, and the DA is the only lawyer allowed in there. You will not have to be crossed at all.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Dani said, taking a deep breath. ¡°And you guys think that might scare him back into line?¡±


    ¡°It might, but I can¡¯t make any promises.¡± Virgil answered, trying to be honest. ¡°His new lawyer has a reputation for fighting things in court. We might have to accept that his hiring means Xander intends to fight the charges.¡±


    ¡°Try not to panic, Dani.¡± Maggie reassured her, ¡°I¡¯m just a fierce in the courtroom, so I¡¯ll be there every step of the way to make sure your interests are protected. We will not let anything happen to you. You¡¯re the victim!¡±


    ¡°Alright, thank you.¡± Dani said, as she collected herself.


    ¡°We will try our best, Dani.¡± Virgil repeated, ¡°But we can¡¯t make any promises considering this development. The road might be a bit tougher now, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t get to where we want to go. Have faith in the system, and we¡¯ll do our best to get you guys through it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Spencer.¡± Dani said, standing up and shaking his hand.


    ¡°Ms. Ferguson will be leading your case from here out,¡± Virgil reminded her. ¡°I will still be helping in the background, but I¡¯m more of a deal maker. Ms. Ferguson here is a better litigator and will be leading this case from here out.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Dani said, as she understood the reasons. ¡°Thank you again.¡±


    Both women left with Maggie to talk more about their case and the direction it was taking now. They used the time to prep for what might be coming. Virgil wanted to be alone as his services were no longer necessary. Benson looked fierce in that restaurant, and looked to have no intention of giving in. Maggie was going to have one hell of a fight on her hands, but thankfully the DA was going to help out. Virgil then realized that the DA would need help and would assign more council and investigators to dig deeper than he felt was necessary. As much as he wanted to settle this case, the old man couldn¡¯t help but realize the storm was coming whether he wanted it or not. Like a hurricane bearing down on his home, that storm had a name and it was Russell fucking Benson.

 Chapter 10

    Lauren let the kids play at the park a little longer after the handsome stranger took off before calling it a day to return the little ones home. It was a nice day, so they took their time walking back, and was a little more careful considering what happened earlier in the day. Lauren was just happy to return the kids home safe as they made it back to the their building and to the top floor to their parent¡¯s penthouse. When the entered the large condominium, the little girl in the stroller was already asleep. Nathan took off for his room to play video games while Lauren took Alexia too her room and softly placed her into her crib, snuggling her with a favorite blanket. She returned to the kitchen and started to clean up a bit to pass the time, but was interrupted when she heard the door. It was only mid-afternoon, so Lauren was startled as no one usually came home until around supper time. She was even more shocked when her boss, Nathan and Alexia¡¯s father, came storming into the kitchen. He looked a little shaken himself, and was frantically looking around as he entered the room.


    ¡°Where are the children?¡± he demanded with a very harsh tone.


    ¡°Alexia is sleeping in her crib,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°And Nathan is playing his video games in his room. We just returned from park about a half hour ago after going to the gallery with the other nannies. Are you alright, Mr. Janssen?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not!¡± Mr. Janssen said, as he did look rather annoyed at something.


    ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he rudely answered. ¡°There is video online, showing my son nearing getting hit by bus! Where and when did this happen?¡±


    Lauren looked back at her boss with a look a deer might have when it sees the headlights of an oncoming car. She remained silent as she was unaware of the video that he was talking about. Lauren just stood there and didn¡¯t reply as she was unable to find the words to respond to what she was being asked.


    ¡°You know what, I don¡¯t care.¡± Mr. Janssen said, ¡°You¡¯re fired.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Lauren said, as she was surprised.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Mr. Janssen said, ¡°Pack up your shit and get out. Your last cheque and severance will be forwarded to your address before the end of the week.¡±


    Lauren had every intention of letting her boss know what had happened earlier in the day, but she could tell by the look on his face that nothing she said was going to make a difference. His mind was already made up, and it wasn¡¯t going to be swayed no matter what was said or shown.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you feel that way, Mr. Janssen,¡± She replied after taking a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll gather my things and be leaving as soon as I can.¡±


    Mr. Janssen paused for a moment and sighed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Rather than protest what was clearly an overexaggerating move, Lauren chose to take the high road as she gathered her belongings and left the building as requested. She did her best to hide the tears as her dismissal was a complete surprise, but considering what happened it was not hard to understand why her boss was so upset. Had it not been for Xander and his last minute save, Nathan very well might have been killed and it would have been her fault. If there was a video, it might make the incident look uglier than it really was. She was going to have to check it out before passing judgment on Mr. Janssen and how he was responding to it. Lauren stopped by a local caf¨¦ and picked up something to drink, a warm cup of chai to calm her nerves. She used the caf¨¦¡¯s wi-fi to check out the video and it didn¡¯t take long for her to find it.


    The traffic cam made the incident look far worse than she remembered it, and even closer to disaster than it appeared. She couldn¡¯t get angry at her employer for feeling like he did since that was his kid that was almost run over by a bus. Had it not been for the actions of that young man who was so nice to her that day, Nathan might be around and that would anger any parent. If that were her son, she would honestly consider firing herself as well. Especially after watching that video. After finishing her tea, Lauren still didn¡¯t feel like going home so she went shopping instead. She had already planned to pick of groceries after work but chose to be a little more frugal with her spending because of her sudden onset of unemployment. She took her time looking around the store and picked up everything she needed and then took a nice quiet walk home. Her roommate was already home, but was surprised to see Lauren walk through the door considering that she should have still been at work.


    ¡°Lauren?¡± she called out.


    ¡°Hey Ash,¡± Lauren called back.


    Ash, formally known as Ashley, was a long time friend from school, and they roomed up when they realized the lived in the same city to save money. They split a one bedroom place, but they made the living room Ash¡¯s bedroom and the dining room was the living room instead. They ate most of their meals in front of the television so it was still the dining room anyway. She knew Lauren long enough to know by her demeanor that something was up.


    ¡°Lauren,¡± she called out, ¡°What are you doing back this early?¡±


    ¡°I lost my job,¡± Lauren said. She took out her phone and handed it to her. ¡°This is the incident that resulted in my dismissal.¡±


    ¡°Oh shit, that was close!¡± Ash said, watching the video. ¡°But no one was hurt! What kind of asshole fires someone for something not happening?¡±


    ¡°That asshole would be my boss,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°And I¡¯m not sure if I blame him at all after watching that about a dozen times.¡±


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    ¡°That¡¯s still bullshit,¡± Ash protested, ¡°Nathan is fine!¡±


    ¡°Apparently it was too close for comfort,¡± Lauren explained, ¡°So I suppose Mr. Janssen would rather hire someone new than take their chances with me than have to take the wrath of his wife and fight about it. I can only imagine what she¡¯ll think of me. They¡¯ll just hire someone new. We¡¯re expendable.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be so hard on yourself.¡± Ash said, giving her friend a hug. ¡°Just take it easy and try not to panic.¡±


    ¡°Hard not to panic when rent is due in a few weeks,¡± Lauren reminded her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Ash replied, ¡°We have money put away, so we can stay afloat long enough for you to find new work and get back on track. We might have to postpone the Vegas trip.¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But who¡¯s going to hire me to watch their kids after seeing that video?¡±


    ¡°You might have to expand your options,¡± Ash suggested. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. We¡¯ll get through this, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lauren said, appreciating the pep talk. ¡°Thanks, Ash.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s what friends are for!¡± Ash reminded her. ¡°Let¡¯s make something to eat and watch some new shows.¡±


    Ash took her groceries into the kitchen and used them to cook an early supper. They sat with their dinner on their big couch and watched cheesy reality tv while eating, which made Lauren feel a little better but she couldn¡¯t help but review everything that had happened that day. She was also thinking about Xander and what happened after the near miss, and the fun they had at the park. She was so taken by his charm and manners that the incident was a distant memory by the time she had gotten the kids home from the park. It had felt like a lifetime ago, despite it only being earlier that day.


    ¡°Hey you,¡± Ash said, noticing her distraction. ¡°Don¡¯t let today get to you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Despite what happened, up until I was fired the day was a pretty rather well. I even met someone.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you?¡± Ash said, surprised. ¡°You met someone? Who?¡±


    ¡°The man who saved Nathan,¡± she answered, ¡°He hung out with us for a few hours and walked us to the park. I really liked him. He was¡­ nice.¡±


    ¡°Wow,¡± Ash said, floored by the revelation. ¡°I did not see that coming.¡±


    ¡°Neither did I,¡± Lauren said, wiping a tear from her cheek, ¡°But now that I¡¯m this evil nanny whose neglect almost killed a child I¡¯m ruined. Not only will no one want to hire me to watch their kids, I¡¯m never going to hear the end of this in class.¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not true!¡± Ash protested, ¡°No one was hurt, and they¡¯ll be another story to take over the next news cycle. You¡¯ll be old news by week¡¯s end.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Lauren confessed, ¡°Cause it will be hard to find work if this lingers and sticks with people for a while.¡±


    The conversation seemed to end there, as they watched the cheesy show on tv and allowed it to distract them from the life they were trying to escape. Lauren had a hard time sleeping that night, thinking about the incident, the man who saved the day and then being fired. It was a whirlwind of a day, and she laid there in bed looking at the ceiling and wondering what was going to happen next. She had no work the next day, so it felt weird waking up the next morning with no urgency to run off to get to the condo to make breakfast for the kids. Ash was already gone when she strolled out of her room, as she took all her classes in the morning. She liked to get them over with and have the whole day ahead of her. Lauren stood there in the apartment with literally nothing to do, so she decided to leave and get some air. She picked up a latte from a shop and just went for a stroll to clear her mind. Before she knew it, Lauren had walked downtown and found herself standing in front of the same place she was just twenty-four hours earlier with the other nannies: the art gallery. With nothing but time on her hands, literally oodles of it, Lauren strolled into the gallery and paid for herself this time and entered the gallery. Without kids nagging her to keep moving, she was able to stroll with ease and enjoy each piece at her own leisurely pace. It was this moment when she came up to the piece that had grabbed her attention the most the day before. The piece from Paris that now resided in their fair gallery. Rather than just pass by it, Lauren took a seat on a bench that was in the middle of the room and took a moment to just really look at the amazing work before her. She tried her best to forget what had happened, and just focus on the piece and how magnificent it was.


    ¡°Pretty cool, isn¡¯t it?¡± a voice then called out.


    Lauren turned to look at who had said that, and there he was. The young man that had saved Nathan and spend the day at the park with them. Xander was standing there with a grin one his face, but this time was in a full suit that looked custom made, which made him look even more handsome than before, which she honestly didn¡¯t think was possible. The addition of the jacket and tie made him look like he owned the place, which distracted her for a moment before Lauren came back to the real world.


    ¡°Xander?¡± She called out, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Well, I needed to clear my head.¡± Xander said to her, ¡°And I remember you said you went the gallery with the kids yesterday, so I got the urge to pay a visit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you again,¡± Lauren confessed, ¡°Are you going right to work after this? You look ready to take on Wall Street yourself.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Xander said, realized how sharper he looked that day. ¡°I plan to get some work done today. You know, bills to pay and what not.¡±


    ¡°It is nice to see you again,¡± Lauren repeated.


    ¡°It is,¡± Xander agreed, ¡°Especially since I never got your number last time.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think you¡¯ll get it this time?¡± she asked, but was only being playful. She wanted to give it to him but forgot as well.


    ¡°Touch¨¦,¡± Xander said, smiling as he enjoyed the banter. ¡°So, what do you think of this piece?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing,¡± Lauren confessed, ¡°I thought it was still in Paris. I was told yesterday that it was donated a short while ago.¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± Xander confirmed, ¡°This one happens to be my favorite.¡±


    ¡°Mine too,¡± Lauren agreed, ¡°It¡¯s priceless.¡±


    ¡°Only metaphorically,¡± Xander corrected her, ¡°The previous owner¡¯s estate actually sold it at auction for seventy-five million euros.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± she asked him.


    Xander paused for a moment, and felt this might as well be the moment as the cat was eventually going to come out of the bag whether he wanted it to or not.


    ¡°I happen to know this because I bought it,¡± He answered, ¡°I paid seventy-five million euros for it.¡±


    Lauren took a moment to process the statement.


    ¡°You paid for this?¡± She repeated.


    ¡°Sure did,¡± Xander said, grinning back at her.


    ¡°You?¡± Lauren repeated, her mind a tad blown away.


    ¡°Well, I was surprised it was put up for auction at all.¡± Xander said, ¡°It seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity. One of those moments that you have to just seize whenever it happens to come along.¡±


    Lauren looked at the small details and then back at up at Xander.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Lauren said, still stunned by the revelation. ¡°You¡¯re Alexander Hopkin¡¯s Jr.?¡±


    ¡°Only my dad calls me Alexander,¡± Xander says, pointing to the details beside the painting. ¡°I prefer Xander. The fact that using the shorter name pisses off the old man is just an added bonus.¡±


    Xander paused for a moment, as something seemed amiss.


    ¡°Lauren,¡± he asked her, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    It was at that moment when Lauren fainted and fell off her bench.

 Chapter 11

    After going through every detail of that day with Xander, Russell and Mac left his office and started to drive back to their own headquarters. Things were rather silent in the car as Mac had a lot going through her mind as she processed the case that was now her number one priority. She didn¡¯t like dealing with sexual assaults, to the point where she turned down a promotion when she was on the force to avoid working with the sexual crimes unit. It wasn¡¯t the kind of work she wanted to do, and now she was in the middle of an alleged assault, and the accused is denying every part of it. Someone was lying and Mac was going to have to dig deep to find out who it was.


    ¡°Are you alright, Mac?¡± Russell asked, sensing her unease.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like this case,¡± Mac honestly replied.


    ¡°None of us do,¡± Russell confessed, ¡°But someone has to step up and dig through all the shit to find the truth. It¡¯s going to have to be us. Take the rest of the day off after you drop me off at the office and start fresh tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance,¡± Mac said, ¡°I¡¯m working through the night.¡±


    ¡°On whose authority?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°Willie already approved overtime,¡± Mac replied, ¡°I¡¯m going to hit the ground running and get ahead of this.¡±


    At that moment, Russell¡¯s phone started to buzz. He opened the line.


    ¡°Talk to me, Allister.¡± Russell started, ¡°What does your source know?¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Allister replied, ¡°How did you know it was me?¡±


    ¡°All my contacts have their own ringtones,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Spill it.¡±


    ¡°Richard Burgess,¡± Allister said, ¡°That is our man at DA who is looking into Xander¡¯s case. He hasn¡¯t called a grand jury yet, and appears to be giving the police more time to collect evidence.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Russell cussed, ¡°That was the last name I wanted to hear.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Allister said, ¡°The big Dick himself. We couldn¡¯t have asked for a worse attorney to have prosecuting this case. It¡¯s rumored that he wants to run for office in the coming election year.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I head that too.¡± Russell concurred, ¡°And he could use Xander as a damn good campaign tool, to prove he tough on all criminals, rich or poor.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to break the bad news,¡± Allister replied, ¡°See you back at the office.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°The DA running our case,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Dick Burgess.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Mac said, ¡°And the hits just keep on coming.¡±


    ¡°I hate that piece of shit,¡± Russell said between gritted teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the feeling is quite mutual,¡± Mac recalled, ¡°The last time you two were in a courtroom, I actually thought you were going to drop the gloves and just start duking it out in front of the jury.¡±


    Mac pulled her car up to the curb in front of the building where they both worked.


    ¡°Get out,¡± She ordered, ¡°I¡¯ve got some sleuthing to do.¡±


    ¡°Enjoy your overtime,¡± Russell said as he stepped out.


    Mac didn¡¯t respond and just peeled off, driving away at a rather illegal speed. Russell didn¡¯t give a shit as it was time for him to get back to work. He didn¡¯t give a shit that the sun was going down as he walked back into his building and back to his office. As he strolled into the lobby, Shaw was there waiting for him.


    ¡°Have you see this video?¡± Shaw said, holding up a tablet.


    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± Russell said, walking right past him. ¡°We need to cash that retainer asap before he does something like that again.¡±


    ¡°This is good!¡± Shaw said, following Russell as he walked back to his office. ¡°This is good press, everyone will predetermine that he¡¯s a hero.¡±


    ¡°Only until he¡¯s charged,¡± Russell corrected him, ¡°Not even that will stop his fall if the DA indicts him. That seems even more likely to happen now.¡±


    ¡°What do you know?¡± Shaw asked.


    ¡°Allister called me,¡± Russell replied, ¡°Dick Burgess is in the game.¡±


    Shaw¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers after hearing that name, as the hate for that particular member of the D.A.¡¯s office was hated but everyone in this firm.


    ¡°God dammit,¡± Shaw replied.


    ¡°Well that does capture the spirit of the moment.¡± Russell said, as he understood how Shaw was feeling. ¡°We need to focus on what we can do, not fret about stuff that is beyond our control. Dick Burgess may be a world class turd, but he¡¯s still an advocate for the people. If we present him with evidence that torpedoes his case, he¡¯s drop it faster than a life grenade. He won¡¯t risk his record if the case is weak.¡±


    ¡°So if we weaken the case, he backs off.¡± Shaw said, thinking about it. ¡°How do we weaken the case?¡±


    ¡°Depositions,¡± Russell said with a smile, ¡°We get that lying bitch under oath and make her tell her lies all over again, and then we contradict them. Once her credibility leaves the room, so does Dick.¡±


    ¡°That means we have to sue her,¡± Shaw said, ¡°Defamation?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to go,¡± Russell pondered, ¡°But it¡¯s not public.¡±


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Shaw corrected.


    ¡°True,¡± Russell said, pacing the room. ¡°How would we prove it?¡±


    ¡°We just need to find someone she told,¡± Shaw said.


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    ¡°We need to find out how many people she told this story to,¡± Russell said, ¡°If her intent is to harm our client, we can sue her ass off.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s kept it hush hush,¡± Shaw added, ¡°Probably cause her lawyer said that gave her leverage I bet. Isn¡¯t that extortion?¡±


    ¡°Hard to prove,¡± Russell said, but he liked where Shaw¡¯s head was at.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to prove it,¡± Shaw countered, ¡°We just need to get this as far as depositions, and torpedo the criminal case. If we end up dropping the case, we might have to cover her legal fees. Small price I bet Xander would be willing to cover it.¡±


    ¡°He might be,¡± Russell agreed, ¡°It¡¯s not a bad option.¡±


    ¡°We need to hit the books,¡± Shaw said, ¡°But that would take time.¡±


    ¡°Then get started,¡± Russell said, walking behind his desk.


    ¡°Right now?¡± Shaw asked.


    ¡°Is there somewhere else you gotta be?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°I¡­ well¡­ no,¡± Shaw admitted, ¡°But the extra hours alone would be¡­¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Russell interrupted, ¡°Overtime has been approved. You can stay all night for all I care and rack up as many hours as you want. Let¡¯s get to it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Shaw said with a smile as he backed out the door and was gone.


    ¡°I thought that would do it,¡± Russell said, smiling as he watched Shaw bolt off to get to work.


    Russell walked back to his desk and sat himself down. He took a deep breath and started to look through some paperwork that he was working on earlier that day. It was at this point where he had another visitor.


    ¡°Willie,¡± Russell said calling out to the partner at his door. ¡°You¡¯re burning the midnight oil too?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Willie said, ¡°I do like to watch our people clocking the extra time. Their gusto is contagious.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Russell agreed, ¡°Is there anything I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°I want a drink,¡± Willie replied, ¡°And someone to drink it with.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to hear,¡± Russell said, hopping out of his chair and walking towards a small bar that he has located in the corner of the office. He always kept a bottle of the boss¡¯ favorite drink, just in case Willie ever dropped by. Russell poured two glasses and handed one to his boss who was now sitting on the couch. Willie smelt the drink for a few moments, and took his first small sip.


    ¡°That is quite lovely,¡± Willie said, looking over at Russell. ¡°You keep that there just for me, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± Russell said, raising his glass to do a half assed toast. ¡°You¡¯d do the same if our roles were reversed.¡±


    ¡°Probably,¡± Willie said, conceding. ¡°You were always a good kiss ass.¡±


    ¡°I learned from the best,¡± Russell said, refusing to give up.


    ¡°Calm down there, sport.¡± Willie said, ¡°You¡¯ve done enough.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Russell said, sipping his glass. ¡°Cheers.¡±


    ¡°I need to know something,¡± Willie started, ¡°And I need you to be honest.¡±


    ¡°Fire away, boss.¡± Russell replied.


    ¡°This new case, how bad is it?¡± Willie asked, ¡°How ugly could this get?¡±


    ¡°It could get pretty bad really fast,¡± Russell said, ¡°Even if I kick ass in court and sue the shit out of anyone who defames Xander, his rep still takes a huge hit as does the stock in his company.¡±


    ¡°What do you think of our client?¡± Willie asked him.


    ¡°I like him,¡± Russell admitted, ¡°He¡¯s got gusto, and refuses to be a pushover to anyone, even his own father. I¡¯ve learned a lot about our new client since he left earlier today. Did you know that Xander and his siblings all got ten million dollars from their father as a present for graduating from college?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Willie said, rather surprised. ¡°I was unaware of that little tidbit, but that¡¯s one hell of a gift.¡±


    ¡°I know, right?¡± Russell said, ¡°What do you think Xander did with it?¡±


    ¡°A kid that young?¡± Willie asked, thinking about it. ¡°He probably did what most kids his age would do, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°I thought that too, but he didn¡¯t.¡± Russell said, ¡°All his other siblings bought houses, cars, and partied like most kids would that age. Xander however used his money to finance his post grad work, and start his own company. Several years later, and our client has a masters in economics and Xander Communications is going public. On his twenty-ninth birthday, Xander gave all ten million back to his father.¡±


    Willie took a moment to laugh out loud.


    ¡°He gave it back?¡± Willie repeated, ¡°All of it?¡±


    ¡°Every penny,¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°And he also gave it back with interest. From what I heard, when Xander gave the cashier¡¯s cheque to the old man, he went out of his way to thank his father for the loan. Xander never looked at the money his dad gave him as a handout but rather an investment in his future. Now the little bugger¡¯s worth over a hundred billion.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Willie said, rather impressed. ¡°That is impressive.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what gets my goat,¡± Russell continued, ¡°That money was never a loan. It was a gift from a father who wanted to make sure his kids had a better life than he did. Now don¡¯t get me wrong, ten million might sound a little excessive for kids that young but his heart was in the right place. Yet what I know about Xander¡¯s old man, this was also about control. I¡¯m pretty sure the old man uses that money to hold it over their kid¡¯s head and make them in debited to them for it. Xander saw the trap for what it was and refused to play that game. I bet Xander paid that money back as soon as he could to remove that debt from hanging over his head. The point is he didn¡¯t have to give it back, but he did. That¡¯s called integrity and our client is oozing with it. Did you know that he saved a child¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Willie replied, ¡°When did that happen?¡±


    ¡°Today,¡± Russell said, ¡°Less than an hour after he left our building. I checked up on him about that and he was completely humble about it. He didn¡¯t want any reward or praise for it, as the act itself was the reward.¡±


    ¡°And your point?¡± Willie asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what¡¯s being said,¡± Russell replied, ¡°Men like Xander Hopkins do not commit the kind of crimes he¡¯s being accused of. He denies committing the act, and because of what I know about him, I am inclined to believe him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to believe you,¡± Willie added, ¡°And if you can do that, I like your chances with a jury.¡±


    ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t have to go that far,¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯m more than willing to burn that bridge when we get to it, but we¡¯re still a few bridges away from that.¡±


    ¡°Xander doesn¡¯t want to settle,¡± Willie reminded him.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware,¡± Russell concurred, ¡°But I think we should sue and then get the DA to sit in on the depositions, get a preview of what to expect if we go to trial, and scare them away.¡±


    ¡°Not a bad plan,¡± Willie said, ¡°But you have to find a reason to sue.¡±


    ¡°We have one,¡± Russell said, ¡°Shaw¡¯s going to help me look into it.¡±


    As if he heard someone say his name, Shaw showed up at the door and stopped when he realized who was in there with Russell.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Shaw said, looking over at Willie, ¡°Am I interrupting something?¡±


    ¡°Of course you are,¡± Willie said, ¡°But you¡¯re probably here to update us on something we¡¯re already talking about, so get on with it.¡±


    ¡°I found grounds to sue the victim,¡± Shaw replied.


    ¡°On what grounds?¡± Willie asked, beating Russell to the punch.


    ¡°Defamation and slander,¡± Shaw answered.


    ¡°How do you figure?¡± Russell asked, ¡°The accusation hasn¡¯t gone public.¡±


    ¡°It kind of has,¡± Shaw said, ¡°The police interviewed the man who hosted the party, the guy who invited Xander to it. He claims that the victim told him about it first. So if the story is false, telling anyone makes it slander. That should be enough to go on right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s thin, to be honest.¡± Willie said.


    ¡°Thin is enough,¡± Russell countered, ¡°We just need to last long enough to get depositions of everyone who was there that night. We can rip that case a art so bad that Dick will never want to go near it with a grand jury.¡±


    ¡°That door swings both ways, Russell.¡± Willie reminded him, ¡°Xander will need to give a deposition himself.¡±


    ¡°Our man is innocent,¡± Russell reminded him, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about how he¡¯ll do during his depo. He¡¯ll stand up for himself to anyone. And if he doesn¡¯t, we will stand for him and have his back.¡±


    ¡°A good plan, gentlemen.¡± Willie said, taking another sip.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get our libel lawyers to draw up the suit,¡± Russell said, standing up as he was excited about it. He then stopped pacing and looked back at Shaw.


    ¡°What?¡± Shaw asked, as he could sense something was amiss.


    ¡°The guy who ran the party,¡± Russell said, ¡°She told him about what happened, so why didn¡¯t he tell anyone else about it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Shaw replied, ¡°Maybe we¡¯re lucky he¡¯s kept his mouth shut. Maybe he did it to save himself from being sued?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible,¡± Willie agreed.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± Russell said, ¡°Something feels out of place here, and I can¡¯t put my finger on it. We need Mac to look into this.¡±

 Chapter 12

    When Lauren finally opened her eyes, there were a few people gathered around her. Many of them were concerned about her, but were trying to not get in the way. She suddenly spotted Xander leaning over her and he appeared to be concerned as well as he spoke to her.


    ¡°Lauren,¡± he started, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little dizzy,¡± She said, rubbing her head with her hand. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I think you fainted,¡± Xander said, as he helped her sit up. ¡°Don¡¯t try to stand just yet. Give yourself time to focus and get your bearings.¡±


    It was at this moment a woman who worked for the museum walked over. She was carrying a bottle of water and quickly handed it over to Xander.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xander said, as he took it from her. He opened it up and handed it over to Lauren, ¡°Just take small sips at first.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lauren said, as she took the bottle and sipped it.


    ¡°Is there anything else we can do, Mr. Hopkins?¡± the worker asked.


    ¡°That will be fine, thank you.¡± Xander said, ¡°She probably hasn¡¯t had anything for breakfast and it just caught up with her. She¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    The people started to clear away, and Xander finally helped her to her feet. She sipped the water and looked back at him again.


    ¡°She called you Mr. Hopkins.¡± Lauren recalled.


    ¡°She did,¡± Xander confirmed, ¡°Because that¡¯s my name.¡±


    ¡°I need to sit down,¡± Lauren said, and Xander walked her back to the bench and she sat back down.


    ¡°I hate to bruise your ego,¡± Xander started, ¡°But you¡¯re not the first person to faint on me. I¡¯ve got more experience with this than I¡¯d like to admit.¡±


    ¡°Do a lot of women swoon over your painting?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not just the painting.¡± Xander replied, ¡°Most women have a hard time dealing with the fact that they¡¯re dating a billionaire. I¡¯m just sorry that I didn¡¯t catch you before you hit the floor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lauren interrupted, ¡°Did you say billionaire?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a word,¡± Xander said, with a playful tone, ¡°It won¡¯t hurt you, I promise.¡±


    Lauren felt a little faint again and she reached out and grabbed Xander¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright,¡± Lauren said, looking back at him. ¡°You were right a few minutes ago, I skipped breakfast.¡±


    ¡°So did I,¡± Xander said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go out and continue this conversation while getting some much needed sustenance?¡±


    ¡°That sounds nice,¡± Lauren said, smiling back. ¡°Your treat I assume?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Xander said, ¡°I invited you to join me. Proper etiquette dictates that I cover it since it was my idea in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Cause I can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Xander said, as he looked around. ¡°Where are the kids?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not here,¡± Lauren said as she got to her feet. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t afford breakfast. I was fired yesterday.¡±


    ¡°You were fired?¡± Xander repeated, as he was clearly shocked to hear the news. ¡°What the hell for?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain that over breakfast,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, cause I¡¯m famished.¡±


    Xander walked Lauren out of the art gallery, and hailed a cab. Once inside, he gave them an address that she wasn¡¯t familiar with. Once the cab came to a stop, Xander got out first and opened the door for her, and she looked around. There were a few places that could have been their destination, but Xander led her in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°Somewhere where we can have a little privacy,¡± Xander said, leading her into the lobby of a building. He walked her to the elevator and there was a man in there waiting for someone to enter.


    ¡°What floor, Sir?¡± The man asked as they entered the lift.


    ¡°Top floor please,¡± Xander answered.


    Once they reached the top floor, there was a massive dining area and a table with people waiting to be seated.


    ¡°I thought you said we¡¯ve have privacy here,¡± Lauren said, looking around. ¡°This place looks packed!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t use this place often,¡± Xander admitted, ¡°But the few times I¡¯ve been here it¡¯s been rather good.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, Sir.¡± the ma?tre d¡¯ said as Xander and Lauren approached. ¡°Do you have a reservation?¡±


    ¡°I do not, but I don¡¯t need one.¡± Xander answered.


    ¡°And why not, Sir?¡± the ma?tre d¡¯ inquired.


    ¡°My father is Alexander Hopkins,¡± Xander replied, handing the ma?tre d¡¯ his business card, ¡°And I have a standing invitation to eat at his table, which is kept reserved for him twenty-four seven.¡±


    ¡°Monsieur Hopkins,¡± the man said, making a slight bow. ¡°Right this way.¡±


    Lauren and Xander followed the ma?tre d¡¯ to a table that was off in the corner of the hall, and was nicely located right beside the window which had an amazing view of the city. Once they were seated, he handed each of them a menu and informed them a waitress would be there shortly to help them.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xander said, taking the menus.


    ¡°This place is really nice,¡± Lauren said, as she took a menu and started to look at the items and their rather inflated prices. She was suddenly very happy that Xander was buying because she was pretty sure she couldn¡¯t even afford the bread sticks. ¡°There are some many amazing options. Do you recommend anything?¡±


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    ¡°I don¡¯t mind the eggs benny myself,¡± Xander admitted, ¡°But you can order anything you like. I¡¯m kind of curious to see what you do order, because you can tell a lot about a person by what they like to start the day with.¡±


    ¡°Is that so,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll try not to disappoint you.¡±


    ¡°There are no wrong answers,¡± Xander added, ¡°Unless you put ketchup on your eggs. That would be rather embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°If the kids were here, I wouldn¡¯t be able to make an promises.¡± Lauren said, thinking about the two kids she looked after so long. ¡°Nathan put ketchup on everything as if his life depended on a daily supply of it.¡±


    ¡°I know someone who owns a part of Heinz,¡± Xander added, ¡°She loves kids like Nathan because they¡¯re the kind of people that keep the lights on.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d IV it into his arm if he could, I swear.¡± Lauren said, laughing.


    ¡°What happened yesterday?¡± Xander finally asked. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you watching them right now?¡±


    ¡°My boss say the video,¡± Lauren said, ¡°The one of you grabbing Nathan and saving him from the bus. He likes you a lot probably, but as far as I¡¯m concerned¡­ the words child endangerment was grounds to send me packing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Xander said, taking a deep breath. ¡°You seemed to be really good around them. I think that¡¯s your client¡¯s loss in my books.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But I¡¯m afraid work will be hard to find since I¡¯m the woman that nearly turned a kid into a pancake.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself,¡± Xander countered, ¡°There are plenty of good people out there who will not think of it that way.¡±


    ¡°I hope so,¡± Lauren said, hoping he was right. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it, I prefer to keep the talk happy while we eat.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xander agreed, ¡°Do you know what you want to order?¡±


    ¡°I think so,¡± Lauren said, ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°I believe so,¡± Xander said, as he waved for someone to come over.


    To her surprise, a waitress was waiting for Xander to make the gesture and rushed over to offer them specials and take their order. It took a few moments for both of them to make an order and she whisked off to get their drinks and place the orders with he kitchen. Xander tossed the menu he kept onto the chair beside him and relaxed into his chair.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Lauren suddenly asked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a job to get to?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Xander playfully answered, ¡°But it will still be there when I get back.¡±


    ¡°What would your boss say if he knew you were here?¡± she asked him, ¡°Or at the art gallery instead of being at work?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t say anything,¡± Xander said, smiling back at her.


    Lauren saw that smile and knew something was up. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Remember I said I was in good graces with my boss?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°Yes, I do remember.¡± Lauren said, recalling he said that at the picnic.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because I am the boss.¡± Xander added, ¡°I can¡¯t be fired because I¡¯m the guy who would be in charge of doing that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the boss?¡± Lauren repeated, ¡°What¡¯s your title?¡±


    ¡°Promise not to faint again?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lauren asked again.


    ¡°It¡¯s a standard boss position,¡± Xander cryptically answered before deciding to just rip off the band aid again. ¡°Chief Executive Officer.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the C.E.O.?¡± Lauren asked, ¡°Of course you are. What exactly are you the C.E.O. of?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called Xander Communications,¡± Xander answered, ¡°It¡¯s a fair sized conglomerate that deals with many medias of communication like radio, television, and other various outlets.¡±


    ¡°The company¡¯s named after you?¡± Lauren added, noticing that detail.


    ¡°Well I am the founder that built it all from the ground up,¡± Xander said, gloating just a tiny bit.


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lauren said, very impressed. ¡°So while you do have work to do, you have no one to answer to.¡±


    ¡°I guess one could say the shareholders,¡± Xander confirmed, ¡°But I¡¯m not that important. The company won¡¯t sink without me, but it doesn¡¯t hurt to show up and help out every now and then.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lauren said as she waitress showed up to deliver their food. ¡°Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Xander concurred. ¡°This is a very pleasant way to start the day. Great food, good company and enjoyable conversation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that,¡± Lauren said, holding up her drink. ¡°Cheers.¡±


    ¡°I just feel terrible about your job,¡± Xander confessed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem fair that you¡¯re the only one being punished for what happened.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel terrible,¡± Lauren said, reaching across the table and taking his hand in hers. ¡°I was happy you were there to help Nathan. We were very fortunate, and not having you there would have been a real catastrophe.¡±


    ¡°Duly noted,¡± Xander said, as he wanted to modestly change the subject while at the same time avoiding his own reason for being out there that day. It was not something he wanted to speak to Lauren about just yet, so he was more than willing to help Lauren change topics as they continued to talk and mingle. It was nice to be around Lauren again, especially since Xander thought he¡¯d never see her again. Fate had brought them together again, and he was hoping it would last a little longer this time. All he wanted to do was spend more time with her and get to know her more, but he felt so nervous and felt like a bumbling fool around her sometimes.


    ¡°Are you alright, Xander?¡± Lauren asked, sensing his unease.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thank you.¡± Xander said, ¡°But I need to hit the little boys room, so if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±


    Lauren watched as Xander excused himself and left the floor towards the bathrooms. She couldn¡¯t help but chuckle a bit at his reference to the lude, which was a word she didn¡¯t hear that often anymore but let it pass. She sat there at the table alone and ate a few bites while watching the others in the hall, some who were staring at her for no particular reason. She knew it was likely because of Xander, and Lauren couldn¡¯t help but wonder what kind of staring that Xander had to endure all the time, and pretty much everywhere he went. It would also explain why he enjoyed hanging out with her and the kids the day before. No one looked at him that way and he was just there like everyone else. She didn¡¯t want things to be different now, but it was kind of hard to forget what Xander did and the company that he ran. She was deep in thought about what she learned until a man walked up to her table. Lauren thought it might have been the staff, but it was an older man who was just looking at her.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± She said to him, giving him a pleasant smile.


    ¡°Hello,¡± The man replied, not taking his eyes off of her.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± She then asked him.


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± The man answered.


    ¡°Is there something in my teeth?¡± Lauren then asked.


    This time rather than reply, the man laughed.


    ¡°No,¡± the man answered, ¡°You¡¯re sitting in my seat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that,¡± Lauren said, ¡°I had no idea.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice spot,¡± the old man added, ¡°It¡¯s a very strategic spot.¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, I noticed that too.¡± Lauren informed him, ¡°I picked this chair because the sun would be at my back and not in my eyes, and it also give me a better position to do a little people watching if things started to get boring.¡±


    ¡°Well said,¡± The old man said as he walked closer to her on her left. ¡°Since you clearly appreciate its value, I¡¯m going to let it slide this time. That is if you¡¯ll allow me to join your people watching.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lauren said, trying to be friendly. ¡°I¡¯m Lauren Carter.¡±


    ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Ms. Carter,¡± The old man said, as he huffed himself down in the chair on her left. ¡°I¡¯m Alexander Hopkins.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re Xander¡¯s Dad!¡± Lauren said.


    ¡°You know my son?¡± Mr. Hopkins asked.


    ¡°I do,¡± Lauren confirmed, ¡°I¡¯m here with him. That¡¯s his spot right here. He just needed to use the little boys room for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Mr. Hopkins said, as he seemed pleasantly surprised. ¡°Then it is an even greater pleasure to meet you, little lady.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is mine as well,¡± Lauren said, ¡°So how does someone get their own chair at a fancy place like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy,¡± Mr. Hopkin¡¯s answered, ¡°I own the place.¡±


    ¡°That would do it,¡± Lauren said, as they both shared a good laugh.


    It was at this point where Xander returned to the table to see Lauren sitting there and laughing it up with his father.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Xander said, as he walked back.


    ¡°Alexander,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°I apologize for the interrupting your breakfast with Ms. Carter, it was unintentional. I merely came here to eat myself, as I make it a habit to be here as often as I can.¡±


    ¡°You seem in good spirits,¡± Xander said as he took a seat back to where he was before he left for the bathroom.


    ¡°I am, and I want to apologize for something else.¡± Mr. Hopkins continued. ¡°I was rude to you yesterday and I wanted to say that it was my emotions getting the best of me. I will support your decisions, and give my full support.¡±


    ¡°I assume this is a matter I know nothing of,¡± Lauren assumed.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xander said, ¡°And I prefer to keep it that way as the subject is a tad inappropriate for the table.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right, not pleasant for breaky.¡± Mr. Hopkins said, looking back at Lauren. ¡°So how did you two kids meet?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s such a great story!¡± Lauren answered.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear it,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, as he was thoroughly enjoying his breakfast thus far.


    All Xander could do was sit there and not say a thing, for those two were already getting along too well for his liking.

 Chapter 13

    Russell Benson was the kind of guy who was late getting to bed, but always the first one up the next morning. There was no one else in his massive condo, and that was exactly the way he preferred it as he hopped out of bed and went to shower. Once he was cleaned up and shaved, Russell dressed up and left the apartment to get his day started. He got a bagel and a coffee from his favorite caf¨¦ on his way to the office, and kept to himself as he walked in and rode the lift up to his floor. Once in the lobby, he greeted Margaret on his way over to his office where he was having drinks with Willie less than twelve hours earlier. When he arrived to the office, Shaw was in there but was asleep on his couch. He probably dozed off while reading materials for their cases and clocking some serious OT. Russell walked over and gingerly kicked Shaw¡¯s calf and startled him awake.


    ¡°Whoa!¡± Shaw said as he opened his eyes and sat up. ¡°I¡¯m awake!¡±


    ¡°You are now,¡± Russell said as he put his attach¨¦ and breakfast on his desk. ¡°I don¡¯t care how long you were asleep, but shower and change before Willie gets here. How you look and smell does reflect on me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Shaw said, ¡°I can hit the gym next door and shower up and change. I leave a spare suit in my locker there just in case. Wanna play racket ball?¡±


    ¡°As much as I would enjoy kicking your ass, I¡¯m going to have to pass,¡± Russell answered as he huffed down into his office chair, ¡°What were you working on just before you nodded off to never-never-land?¡±


    ¡°Mac asked me to look into something,¡± Shaw said, rubbing his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s suspicious about the person who held the party. She¡¯s got a good gut for this kind of stuff so when she gets that feeling, I listen to it as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the right answer,¡± Russell said, smiling at the thought. ¡°That¡¯s why we pushed hard to get Mac on our case. There is too much at stake not to have her onboard and sniffing around for us.¡±


    ¡°The fact that you¡¯re willing to endure her wrath tells me how much you want to win this,¡± Shaw reminded him, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I have the balls to cross her.¡±


    ¡°When you want something bad enough, you will.¡± Russell said, as he ate his bagel. ¡°She might be the difference in whether we win this war or not. A little of Mac¡¯s wrath is worth that, especially if Xander stays on with us as a client.¡±


    ¡°What about the fact that he¡¯s innocent?¡± Shaw asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make this case worth winning too?¡±


    ¡°It helps,¡± Russell admitted, ¡°But we should defend every client as if they were guilty, regardless if they are or not. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I believe Xander¡­ but we need to give every client our very best so that when we do represent someone who is innocent, then we will by default give him or her our best no matter what. The moment we start letting our opinions dictate our efforts is the day innocent people might not get the best we have and spend time in prison for something they didn¡¯t do. That¡¯s not something I¡¯m ready to accept, and will fight to my dying breath to make sure the system is as close to fair as it can possibly be.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that,¡± Shaw agreed.


    ¡°Go hit the gym and work out,¡± Russell ordered, ¡°Clear your mind and then tackle this with new eyes afterwards after a long, hot shower. Trust me, it works.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Shaw said, standing to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll still have my cell if there are any emergencies you need my help with.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your enthusiasm,¡± Russell said, ¡°But I can hold the fort down just fine. Get going before the partners smell you from the lobby.¡±


    Shaw bolted off to head for the gym as ordered, and Russell took another deep breath and sighed. The thought of Mac smelling something and chasing it gave him a moment of relief. Despite being dragged off the case, he knew she would hit this one with her usual passion because that¡¯s just how she was. She sniffed out the truth like a bloodhound and never let got of a case until it was seen through. That was just the kind of gumshoe that was going to get Xander out of this mess, that and a whole lot of luck. Russell wasn¡¯t the kind of guy to believe in luck, but rather made his own with hard work, determination, and sheer will. Sometimes that was enough, and other times not so much. Russell couldn¡¯t tell which was this was leaning but had a feeling things would get worse long before they got better. As if fate had heard his prayer to not have anything go wrong, Allister seemed to answer that call as he could be seen hurrying over to Russell¡¯s office, with a rather concerned look on his face. Russell noticed him coming and didn¡¯t like that look on his face.


    ¡°Allister,¡± He called out to his new guest, ¡°Take a breath and just give it to me.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Allister said, sucking in some air as if he had just run a marathon. ¡°My contact at the DA just texted me, Dick Burgess is making a move.¡±


    ¡°When?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°Right fucking now,¡± Allister huffed, ¡°He¡¯s forgoing the grand jury, and is going to risk a preliminary hearing.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± Russell said as he got up from his desk. ¡°That piece of shit is going to ambush our client.¡±


    Russell checked his watch and then pulled out his cell phone. He pulled out a card and dialed a number, but there as no answer. He quickly dialed another number, and got a pick up after two rings.


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    ¡°Xander Hopkin¡¯s office,¡± The secretary answered.


    ¡°This is Russell Benson,¡± Russell started, ¡°I¡¯m Xander¡¯s new attorney, and I need to speak with him right now. This is an emergency.¡±


    Allister stood there at the door and watched as Russell listened to the person on the other side.


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t?¡± Russell asked, pausing again. ¡°Alright. The moment he arrives, I want him to call me as soon as possible. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not there?¡± Allister asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t show up yet,¡± Russell said, thinking for a moment. ¡°We need to find him right now cause I can assure you a warrant has already been issued. Burgess is going to have the police charge our client in public, make him do a perp walk in front of every cell phone, and humiliate him in front of the entire city.¡±


    ¡°And in front of our potential jury pool,¡± Allister added, ¡°In today¡¯s political climate, Xander is pretty much guilty until proven innocent. We got to find him before they do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already ahead of you on that,¡± Russell said, calling another number.


    ¡°What is it Russell?¡± Mac said on the other end, sounding rather annoyed.


    ¡°I need to know where our client is,¡± Russell said, ¡°And I have a feeling you know where Xander might be right now.¡±


    ¡°And what gives you that idea?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°Not the time to play around, Mac.¡± Russell said, ¡°He¡¯s about to be arrested. Richard Burgess is jettisoning the grand jury and that means Xander¡¯s about to be taken by surprise in public.¡±


    ¡°Boss,¡± Russell¡¯s secretary called from the door.


    ¡°What is it, Dawn?¡± Russell said, rather impatient.


    ¡°Jefferson Jones on line two,¡± Dawn replied, ¡°He says it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    ¡°Shit, hang on Mac.¡± Russell said as he picked up the phone on his desk. ¡°Jefferson, what¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Just got a call from Hopkins senior,¡± Jones replied, ¡°He was having breakfast with Xander when two police detectives showed up and arrested him. They were dining out in public with a lady friend and it was in front of a lot of witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Jefferson,¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯ve got to go.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Allister demanded.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Russell said, as he put the cell back to his ear. ¡°Mac, we¡¯re too late. Xander was at a classy restaurant eating with his father and some girl when they were interrupted by police detectives whom promptly arrested him. He¡¯s being taken to the station as we speak.¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Mac replied, ¡°You better get your ass to the station right now.¡±


    ¡°Already going, get back to work.¡± Russell disconnected the call and turned to his co-worker who was just as stunned. ¡°Get your car, Allister. We need to get down to the station to see our client.¡±


    ¡°Meet me out front,¡± Allister said, as he sprinted off.


    Russell turned his attention to his secretary as he exited his office.


    ¡°Do I have any court appearances today, Dawn?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°No, Mr. Benson.¡± Dawn answered.


    ¡°Alright, lucky break.¡± Russell said, taking a deep breath. ¡°Cancel any appointments I have scheduled today and apologize for any inconvenience. Tell them it was an emergency and reschedule.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Dawn replied, ¡°Right away.¡±


    To Russell¡¯s surprise, Allister was already out front in what appeared to be a classic car that was very old school. Russell hopped into the passenger side and Allister roared off towards the station.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°I had a lunch date,¡± Allister said, ¡°And I like to show of whenever I can.¡±


    ¡°I am impressed, Allister.¡± Russell said, ¡°But floor it.¡±


    To Russell¡¯s surprise, Allister was quite the river and it took him only fifteen minutes to get through traffic and to the station where Xander was being taken.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to drop you off first to save time,¡± Allister said, as he pulled up to the station¡¯s main doors. ¡°Will save us time and I¡¯ll catch up after I park.¡±


    ¡°Good man,¡± Russell said, as he bailed out the moment the car came to a stop, and ran right through the main doors into the police station.


    While Russell was tempted to speak to the sergeant at the desk and make formal inquiries, that wasn¡¯t entirely necessary and a waste of time. He knew the sergeant would try to stall and give detectives time to grill his client, and even give them a heads up a lawyer was there so they could crank up the pressure to squeeze him since their time was almost up. Russell didn¡¯t need to ask for directions because he knew exactly where his client was based on the crime he was likely charged with. He ran up the stairs to save time and strolled into the detective lobby for the division that handled sexual offenses and he immediately saw someone that confirmed his instincts. A tall man with a very sharp suit was standing there in the middle of the room, speaking with two detectives, who were most likely the two men that arrested his client. The presence of the district attorney wasn¡¯t a surprise to Russell, as Richard Burgess was the kind of man who wanted to watch and see how hard or easy it was for certain nuts to crack. Russell was all for breaking up the party, as he stormed into the room.


    ¡°Dick Burgess!¡± Russell called out, as if he found a long lost friend.


    ¡°Russell?¡± Burgess said, almost surprised to see him. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Xander Hopkins,¡± Russell said, ¡°I know he¡¯s here, and I wish to speak to my client right now.¡±


    ¡°So the rumors were true about Jefferson Jones,¡± Burgess said, grinning just a little bit. ¡°This is an unexpected turn.¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Russell agreed, ¡°Especially considering your appalling record against me in preliminary hearings.¡±


    ¡°Do I look worried, Russell?¡± The DA asked him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Russell admitted, ¡°Do I?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Burgess said, ¡°Hopkins is in interrogation four.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Russell said, turning right away and walking over to the room and opening the door without even knocking. There was only one detective in the room, a man in a decent looking suit, that was sitting at the table. On the other side of the room was Xander, leaning up against the wall with is arms crossed. Both occupants in the room turned to face Russell when he whipped the door open with zero notice.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Russell said, glancing over at the detective. ¡°Please vacate the room so that I may confer with my client.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± The detective asked.


    ¡°You heard my lawyer,¡± Xander answered for him, ¡°The same lawyer I¡¯ve been asking for the entire time I¡¯ve been here.¡±


    ¡°Good man,¡± Russell said as he kept the door open and gestured. ¡°Come on, pitter-patter.¡±


    The detective stood up, ¡°We¡¯re not done here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes you are.¡± Russell said, ¡°Now pretty please with sugar on top, get the fuck out of here!¡±


    The detective had a sour look on his face, but complied and vacated the room. Once he was gone Russell slammed the door shut and deeply sighed. Xander was about to say something but Russell pointed at him, and stopped him from talking.


    ¡°Not one word,¡± Russell said, as he tapped on the two way glass that was on the wall in front of Xander. ¡°Just because no one¡¯s in here doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t standing room only out there. Did you ask for me the moment you were detained?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xander answered.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russell said, taking a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Xander returned from the bathroom after taking a moment to compose himself, hoping to return and find the woman he fancied and the father he hated being less hospitable than he left them. Turns out it was the exact opposite, as Lauren seemed like the daughter that the rich bastard never had which is amusing since had two real daughters that he didn¡¯t talk to. Despite their differences, Xander was the only one of four kids that actually spoke to his the most and he usually tried to avoid that much interaction with the annoying fella. As much as Xander wanted to express how he felt about his father being there, he decided to accept his glass as half full as they were getting along rather well. It was something Xander never thought he would ever see, his dad actually liking one of his girlfriends, but there it was. The old man chatting it up as if she was the rich one instead of him, which Xander found rather amusing. So instead of saying anything, he sat back and enjoyed listening to them gab and gossip while he finished eating breakfast. It was here where Lauren noticed that Xander wasn¡¯t saying anything.


    ¡°Xander,¡± She called out, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, as he appeared amused as well. ¡°He and I don¡¯t have the greatest history, so more surprised to see us all having such a lovely breakfast together than anything else. I do apologize for interrupting¡­ was this a date?¡±


    ¡°Kind of,¡± Lauren said, answering for Xander. ¡°We hadn¡¯t planned this, but we were both hungry and had free time so it kind just happened.¡±


    ¡°Those are the best kind of dates,¡± Mr. Hopkins admitted, ¡°The kind that just organically come together are the ones that are more enjoyable. Again, I do apologize for intruding.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Lauren said, trying to be pleasant. ¡°It was a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, still impressed by her manners. It was at this moment where the glee in face suddenly drained from his face as the old man spotted something that caught his eye.


    ¡°Mr. Hopkins,¡± Lauren asked, as she noticed it.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xander said, sitting up as he noticed it as well.


    ¡°Behind you, Xander.¡± The old man replied.


    They all looked in the direction he mentioned and approaching their table was two uniformed police officers and a man in a sharp suit who was likely a detective.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± Xander said, as he suddenly realized what might be happening.


    ¡°What are they doing here?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re here for me,¡± Xander answered.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°My guess would be to arrest him,¡± His father replied, ¡°For something that Xander didn¡¯t do.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Dad,¡± Xander said, as it was the first time the old man actually said that he didn¡¯t believe the accusation.


    ¡°Xander Hopkins,¡± The detective asked as he came closer.


    ¡°Can I help you?¡± Xander replied.


    ¡°You can stand up and put your hands behind your back,¡± The detective answered, ¡°You¡¯re under arrest for sexual assault in the first degree. You have the right to remain silent¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say a word,¡± Xander¡¯s father said, ¡°We¡¯ll have your lawyer down there as soon as possible. Hold tight till he gets there.¡±


    ¡°Do you understand these rights?¡± the detective asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not even answering that without my lawyer,¡± Xander replied.


    ¡°Treat him well,¡± his father growled, ¡°I see so much as see a scratch on him, I will have all your badges.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be alright, Sir.¡± One of the uniformed officers replied.


    Lauren was still sitting there as she was stunned as Xander was taken away by the police officers and was gone. It wasn¡¯t exactly how she expected their breakfast to end. Come to think of it, she found the entire date rather unexpected, with his father being there as well.


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    ¡°He assaulted someone?¡± She asked the old man.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t harm a fly,¡± his father replied, ¡°It¡¯s all bullshit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one hell of an accusation to just make,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Why would she make up something like that?¡±


    ¡°I can give you billions of reasons,¡± Mr. Hopkins answered, ¡°The alleged accused and her lawyers tired to shake us both down for money and we refused. Now Xander and his name are being dragged through the mud for refusing to pay up. This is nothing more than extortion.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Does this happen a lot?¡±


    ¡°More often than I¡¯d like to admit,¡± Mr. Hopkins admitted, ¡°I used to have people throw themselves in front of my car, hoping their short term pain would turn into long term financial gain. Once you start paying people more scammers seem to crawl out of the woodworks all hoping to cash in as well. This is why I have a whole firm on retainer. This is Xander¡¯s first accusation, and I have to admit it¡¯s terrible. I¡¯ve never had to deal with something this outrageous, and I was tempted to pay them.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I was told not to,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°His new lawyer insisted that they would fight this to the bitter end. We had to expect an escalation but a public arrest is theatre for the press. If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to contact our lawyers so they can meet Xander at the station.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lauren said, as she sat back down and watched the old man get on his phone and speak to his lawyer. She finished her coffee and patiently waited for him to finish speaking and disconnect the line.


    ¡°Do you need a ride to work?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Lauren said, ¡°I recently lost my job.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡± the old man said, ¡°There has to be a good story in there. Tell me about while I give you a ride home.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Thank you¡±


    The old man led Lauren to a small limo that was waiting outside. It wasn¡¯t stretched but was still very nice, and from a distance looked no bigger than a Lincoln town car. Once in the car, they pulled off and she could see that he was looking at her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°He really likes you,¡± the old man said, ¡°Usually when I show up, he gets becomes aggressive and confrontational. But not this time, as he went out of his way to behave and even be friendly. I think your presence had everything to do with that. It says a lot about what he thinks of you. Please don¡¯t let what happened ruin what might be something special. We are going to fight that charge in court. He hired the best criminal lawyer to deal with it the other day. That¡¯s how he met you, he was walking back to work after hiring his new attorney.¡±


    ¡°You know about that?¡± Lauren asked, ¡°About the near accident with the kids?¡±


    ¡°I saw the video,¡± Mr. Hopkins admitted, ¡°I recognized you from it, which is why I wasn¡¯t too surprised when I bumped into you both at breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Everyone has seen that,¡± Lauren added, ¡°It¡¯s so embarrassing.¡±


    ¡°I can see how some might see it that way,¡± the old man said, ¡°But I¡¯m a believer in no harm, no foul. No one was hurt, and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±


    ¡°I wish you¡¯d say that to my boss,¡± Lauren told him, ¡°He felt that was too close for comfort and that¡¯s why he fired me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°I could get my lawyer to look into that if you like, after we take care of Xander first, of course.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But the man is entitled to his opinion, and if he can¡¯t trust me with his kids, he is better off getting someone new to watch them.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, actually impressed with her maturity. ¡°Just do me a favor and not hold this false accusation against him. He¡¯s a good man, and you guys looked rather good together when I spotted you at my table today. That doesn¡¯t come along everyday, but don¡¯t tell him I told you that.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lauren said, as she noticed they were getting closer to her apartment. ¡°What happens to Xander now?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be booked tonight, and arraigned tomorrow.¡± Mr. Hopkins replied, ¡°Our lawyers will do their best to take care of him. Hopefully we¡¯ll get him out tomorrow and waiting trial in the comfort of home.¡±


    ¡°Alright, thanks for being honest with me.¡± Lauren said as the car slowed down.


    ¡°That¡¯s the best policy, Ms. Carter.¡± Mr. Hopkins added, ¡°We¡¯ll get through this. Let the lawyer and investigators do their thing and the truth will be revealed. Please don¡¯t judge Xander till the facts come out; he¡¯s innocent till proven guilty.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lauren said as she opened the door. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all one can hope for,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°It was nice to meet you and I hope to see you again soon.¡±


    ¡°You will, thanks for the ride.¡± Lauren said just before she closed the door.


    Lauren stood there and watched as the fancy car rolled off and merged back into the sea of traffic as Mr. Hopkins was either heading back to work or on his way to help his son. Based on the conversation they were having, she had the impression that things were bad between him and his father, but it didn¡¯t seem that bad based on what she had seen it didn¡¯t seem so bad. It was that interaction, and the response her video was getting online that people should be judged based on just one person¡¯s perspective for that view could be dead wrong. She wasn¡¯t going to judge Xander based on one person¡¯s word and would do what she could to help him, the least she could do after everything they had been through the last few days. She wondered what to tell her roomie what happened, but didn¡¯t think she would believe her so she just went back to her room and laid in her bed, thinking about what to do next. She couldn¡¯t help but think about Xander, wondering where he was and who he was with. Lauren hoped that someone was there to help him, and that he wasn¡¯t on his own.

 Chapter 15

    It took the officers little time to take Xander to the station, and once he was printed and processed, Xander was taken right to a holding cell. He expected to be locked in a general cell with other prisoners, but was instead left in a cell by himself. He was expecting to be taken to a room for interrogation, something you¡¯d see on television, but that never seemed to happen. Maybe it was just a waste of time since he had already asked for his lawyer so the point was moot. He was in that cell for about a half hour before someone in uniform came to get him. He was walked back out into what seemed like a lobby of desks and then shown to a room which was more fitting to what he had pictured from television. The small table and a few chairs around it, the one way mirror, it was all there. Xander seemed rather fascinated by it all, but that feeling went away when the detective that took him away from the restaurant and Lauren came into the room carrying a file. Again, very clich¨¦, Xander thought to himself as he watched the detective walk up to the desk, and sit himself down.


    ¡°Take a seat, Mr. Hopkins.¡± He detective started. ¡°We have a lot to talk about.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Xander said, refusing to sit down. ¡°I¡¯m not answering anything without my lawyer present.¡±


    ¡°You really want to wait that long?¡± the detective asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it will take that long,¡± Xander confessed. ¡°My father got the word out and I assume he¡¯s one his way as we speak.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± the detective said, opening his folder. ¡°I¡¯ll do the talking then. I assume you know why you¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even going to answer that.¡± Xander replied defiantly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± The detective continued, ¡°We have a case that you assaulted a woman named Danielle Waters. She claims you did something to her at a party a few months ago. Some very bad things.¡±


    Xander was tempted to say something, but understood that anything he said could and would be used against him in a court of law. He leaned up against the wall with his arms folded and said nothing. As much as he wanted to scream his innocence from the rooftops, his Dad was right and he was to keep his trap shut. The detective could sense his defiance and carried on. He started to take photos out of the folder and place them on the table.


    ¡°You need to see these,¡± the detective said, ¡°Cause this isn¡¯t a game, Xander.¡±


    Xander refused to even look at them, because regardless of how bad those pictures where and what might have happened, none of it was committed by him. He never had more than a drink that night, never blacked out and never even met the person in question, so he was not responsible for the horrors that may have occurred. He wasn¡¯t going to look at them and give the reaction everyone watching behind the glass wanted. They were no doubt looking for any kind of sign that might suggest guilt and then they¡¯d pounce on him like sharks sensing blood in he water. He just stood there leaning up against the wall, saying nothing and refusing to interact with the detective who was pretty much talking to the walls at this point. It was at this point where the door swung open, and Xander¡¯s gladiator had arrived. Russell Benson had a mean look on his face as he charged into he room, and scanned the room to see who was inside.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Russell started, glancing over at the detective. ¡°Please vacate the room so that I may confer with my client.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The detective asked.


    ¡°You heard my lawyer,¡± Xander said, finally speaking up for the first time in what seemed like forever. ¡°The same lawyer I¡¯ve been asking for the entire time I¡¯ve been here.¡±


    ¡°Good man,¡± Russell said, as he kept the door open and gestured. ¡°Come on, pitter-patter.¡±


    The detective stood up, ¡°We¡¯re not done here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes you are.¡± Russell said, ¡°Now pretty please with sugar on top, get the fuck out of here!¡±


    The detective had a sour look on his face, but complied and vacated the room. Once he was gone Russell slammed the door shut and deeply sighed. Xander was about to say something but Russell pointed at him, and stopped him from talking.


    ¡°Not one word,¡± Russell said, tapping on the two way glass in front of Xander. ¡°Just because no one¡¯s in here doesn¡¯t mean it isn¡¯t standing room only out there. Did you ask for me the moment you were detained?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xander answered.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russell said, taking a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    ¡°Was I indicted?¡± Xander asked, ¡°I thought it would have taken a grand jury at least a little time to go through all the evidence.¡±


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    ¡°They skipped the grand jury,¡± Russell said, as he walked over to the table and placed his briefcase on one of the chairs. He looked down at the photos that were put there by the detective. ¡°They wanted to stick your nose in this, like you were a dog that just peed on the floor.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t respond to any of it,¡± Xander said, ¡°I can¡¯t react to something I had nothing to do with. Why did they skip the grand jury?¡±


    ¡°The D.A. seems to think he¡¯s got a solid case,¡± Russell said, as he started to stack the photos and put them back into the file the detective brough in with him. ¡°That means we¡¯ll be moving on with a preliminary hearing instead.¡±


    ¡°What difference does that make?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get a chance to see their case early,¡± Russell said, ¡°And it¡¯s meant as a scare tactic, hoping we¡¯ll panic and want to settle. Any kind of settlement would also help your accuser in civil court, and Burgess gets a high profile conviction. It¡¯s a sound strategy, but it¡¯s not going to work. Not with me here.¡±


    ¡°So what happens now?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ll be shown back to your cell, and held overnight.¡± Russell answered, ¡°Tomorrow morning you¡¯ll be arraigned, so you have to spend one night here and then we¡¯ll get you our on bail.¡±


    ¡°Will you have enough to cover it?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about it,¡± Russell replied, ¡°Jefferson already told me your father will cover it no matter what it is.¡±


    ¡°So what happens after that?¡± Xander inquired.


    ¡°After that we¡¯ll have the preliminary hearing, probably the next week.¡± Russell said, as he walked over to the window. ¡°And I intend to use this hearing to get this gross fabrications tossed out.¡±


    ¡°We can do that?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°If we get lucky,¡± Russell said, ¡°If the judge believes there is sufficient grounds, it just means we do it all again in front of a jury. We get two kicks at the can to get this tossed, so despite what the think that gives us the advantage.¡±


    ¡°If that favors us,¡± Xander said, as he walked up to the table and sat down. ¡°Then why do it? Why not go through the grand jury.¡±


    ¡°Public opinion matters here,¡± Russell said, not taking his eyes off the glass. ¡°They think having you do the public handcuff shuffle will sway a jury pool enough to give them an edge. Problem is I have a good record with prelims so they¡¯re going to have to fight just to get to the next round. You hear that Dick, you¡¯re about to step into the ring with the champ. You better bring your A game.¡±


    Xander enjoyed his lawyer¡¯s confidence, and that gave him a chance to calm down but his lawyer could sense his uneasiness.


    ¡°Just take it easy,¡± Russell said, ¡°It¡¯s one night, and we¡¯ll have you home by the next morning. I get that it will be tough but you¡¯ll do fine. Get some sleep and we¡¯ll see you in court first thing in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I hear you,¡± Xander said, ¡°And don¡¯t say a thing, Right?¡±


    ¡°Correct,¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°Not one word. You hear?¡±


    ¡°Crystal clear, Sir.¡± Xander said, ¡°Not one word.¡±


    It was a this point when the detective returned, and inquired if he was ready to answer any questions. Upon refusal, Xander was led back to his cell to await arraignment the next morning and face the charges. Russell watched his client get escorted away and exited the room himself. Dick Burgess was out there waiting for him.


    ¡°You think you¡¯re ready for what I have?¡± Dick asked, feeling rather confident.


    ¡°I think that I¡¯ve got a few days to get ready for the prelim,¡± Russell said, as he strolled closer to the confident attorney for the people. ¡°I¡¯ll not only be ready, you might be surprised with the rabbit that I pull out of my hat.¡±


    ¡°You might be surprised by mine as well,¡± Dick said, walking away.


    Russell usually didn¡¯t like to puff his chest out in public, but at the moment he had to put on a strong face for his client and let everyone know that he was ready to fight anything and pretty much anywhere. He also had Mac working around the clock on the case, and he was sure that she¡¯d be working even harder knowing that the client had been arrested. Mac may be the best, but even Russell knew a lot was being asked of her with very little time to spare. He was going to have to be really nice and even helpful to the investigator to assist her with anything she needed.


    Russell walked out of the detective¡¯s den and when he returned to the first floor, Allister was there waiting for him in the lobby like a good soldier.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to wait here,¡± Russell said, rather surprised.


    ¡°I was alright,¡± Allister replied, ¡°I was making some calls, and looking into things while I waited so the firm and the client are being billed while I wait.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Russell said, as he started to walk out with him. ¡°Burgess seems to think his case is solid, but we¡¯ll find out next week. What are you hearing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hearing the victim is less than eager to testify in front of a jury,¡± Allister claimed, ¡°To the point where the grand jury was bypassed. There¡¯s almost two dozen people at those things, and can be very intimidating.¡±


    ¡°Dick¡¯s hoping we see the case a prelim and get so scared he¡¯ll get a settlement,¡± Russell said, as they emerged from the station and back into the street.


    ¡°That¡¯s a bold strategy,¡± Allister said.


    ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± Russell declared, ¡°If Mac doesn¡¯t find us something for the prelim, I guarantee that she¡¯ll make sure we have everything we need by the actual trial. She¡¯s already following her nose, and it¡¯s scary for the other side when that happens.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised she didn¡¯t get angry for being taken off her case,¡± Allister said, ¡°I heard she has quite the temper.¡±


    ¡°Oh she got angry,¡± Russell corrected, ¡°Let¡¯s just say I took one for the team.¡±


    ¡°Wait here,¡± Allister said, as he reached the street. ¡°I¡¯ll get the car and swing around to get you.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russell said, ¡°Thanks for your help, Allister.¡±


    ¡°Anytime,¡± Allister said as he crossed the street to walk over to the parking garage where he stashed his killer vehicle.


    While he was waiting for the car, Russell¡¯s cell phone started to call out. He answered the phone, aware of who was calling just by listening to the ringtone.


    ¡°Mac,¡± Russell said, ¡°What have you got?¡±


    ¡°I hit paydirt, Russell.¡± Mac said, sounding pleased with herself.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russell said, eager to hear more. ¡°Give it to me straight.¡±

 Chapter 16

    Alexander Hopkins Senior was in his personal den at home, and pacing the room like he was in a hospital waiting room. The arrest has made him very nervous, and he didn¡¯t go to the office and instead chose to head right home. He had considered going to the station, but his lawyer advised against it, saying the panic would only play to helping his son¡¯s prosecution. Jefferson had told him to let Russell do his thing, as he praised Xander¡¯s choice of attorney and assured him things would be alright.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what the price is,¡± Alex told his attorney, ¡°The moment we know how much bail is, cover it. No price is too steep. I don¡¯t care, Jefferson, pay it.¡±


    It was at this point where a lady his age came storming into his den, and this was the moment that Alex Sr. had been dreading. This was like seeing a hurricane hit the beach, and there was nothing you could do by watch the carnage. Alex was used to watching his wife of forty years pitch a fit, but even he knew today she was likely going to take things to the next level. Alex wasn¡¯t as impressed that their son had been arrested for something rather horrible, but he¡¯s had time to prepare himself for it. Jefferson and his firm had been talking to people about it for weeks, where as mom was now only hearing about it today with zero notice. To say she was going to go nuclear on his ass was the understatement of the century. As she stormed into her husband¡¯s den, all Alex could do was brace for impact. She looked almost as angry as the day her mother passed away, and she was given little notice for that as well.


    ¡°Alex!¡± his wife bellowed out, holding up her cell phone which had news of the arrest on the screen. ¡°What the hell is this?¡±


    ¡°I was just on the phone with Jefferson,¡± Alex replied, ¡°It¡¯s being handled.¡±


    ¡°Handled?¡± she roared back, ¡°How long have you known about this?¡±


    Alex took a deep breath. ¡°Two weeks.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks?¡± she repeated. ¡°Ever thought to let me in on this?¡±


    ¡°I had considered it,¡± Alex confessed, ¡°Jefferson wanted to settle and just make it all go away, and it looked like the accuser was all for it. Xander refused to pay to make it all go away. He¡¯d rather fight it out in court, and now it looks like he¡¯s going to get his chance.¡±


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    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± Janet replied. ¡°Does Jefferson approve of this strategy?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a choice,¡± Alex answered, ¡°Xander fired him and retained new council to represent him and his company.¡±


    ¡°He fired Jefferson?¡± his wife repeated, shocked to hear that.


    ¡°He did,¡± Alex confirmed. ¡°And then he was arrested. It was dreadful.¡±


    ¡°How would you know?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°I was there,¡± Alex replied, ¡°We were having breakfast with his lady when the cops arrived and cuffed him in public. They didn¡¯t need to do that, they could have asked and Xander would have surrendered.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you two were close again,¡± Janet said, rather surprised.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t done on purpose,¡± Alex admitted, ¡°I went there to dine on my own before going to work and he was at my table with a lady.¡±


    ¡°A lady?¡± his wife repeated, ¡°He was dining with a lady?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he was.¡± Alex confirmed, ¡°And she¡¯s quite lovely. Her name is Lauren and I think you¡¯d really like her.¡±


    ¡°How much does Xander like her?¡± Janet asked.


    ¡°Enough to put up with me,¡± Alex answered. ¡°He was even nice.¡±


    ¡°Wow, he does like her.¡± Janet concurred. ¡°And he was arrested in front of her?¡±


    ¡°I know, it was terrible timing.¡± Alex agreed, ¡°I hope this bullshit doesn¡¯t scare her away.¡±


    ¡°So you don¡¯t believe it?¡± Janet asked, eager to know what her husband thought about what their child was thinking regarding the situation.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Alex replied, ¡°This accusation is an attempt to extort money from us. Just like the blokes that kept jumping in front of my car, the only difference is these charges are more harmful and slanderous. This is why they assume someone will pay big to make it go away, to avoid the public shaming.¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he pay?¡± his wife suddenly asked. ¡°I mean this is humiliating. I¡¯ve seen you pay off for less than this.¡±


    ¡°Because of you, Janet.¡± Alex countered. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want you to think he¡¯s capable of something like this. He thinks paying them will make you think he¡¯s capable of doing this, which he didn¡¯t by the way. These charges are a total fabrication.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s nice to see you in his corner.¡± Janet observed, ¡°This might bring you two closer together.¡±


    ¡°Anything is possible I guess,¡± Alex conceded, ¡°No matter what he thinks of me, I¡¯m always going to be there for him. He¡¯ll always be that little boy that we raised together no matter how successful he is. I¡¯ll do what I can to get him through this, whether he wants my help or not.¡±


    ¡°And what about this lady he¡¯s been hanging around?¡± she asked him.


    Alex grinned back at his wife. ¡°You are going to love her. Her name is Lauren and turns out she used to work for¡­¡±

 Chapter 17

    It was a rather uncomfortable night in his cell, but Xander kept to himself and just tried his best to relax while waiting to be arraigned. He was unable to sleep but laid down in his cot and tried to get some shut eye, but it wasn¡¯t meant to be. He spend most of the night looking up at the ceiling, ignoring the chatter and snores coming from other cells in his area. Some of the other people being held overnight tried to speak with him, but Xander ignored them and never responded. He was too paranoid about what was going on, assuming that anyone trying to talk to him was a plant or a cop pretending to get him to talk and give up something that could be used against him. Xander knew that might be weird to consider, but Russell told him to talk to no one so he was going to take his lawyers command quite literally. He never spoke a word to anyone, and when the officers came to escort him to court, he didn¡¯t even speak then and just nodded to commands that were given to him. The ride to the court, even being sent up to the courtroom felt so surreal, everything was like a blur. He remember standing there in the middle of the courtroom, and really didn¡¯t hear anything until he heard Russell arrive and speak on his behalf.


    ¡°Waive reading, your honor.¡± Russell said, ¡°We plead not guilty to all charges and make motion to secure bail. Our client is an upstanding citizen who until now has never been charged with anything, not even a parking ticket.¡±


    ¡°We want the accused remanded, you¡¯re honor.¡± Another man in the room replied, ¡°He¡¯s a clear flight risk, and we fear he might flee the country before suppertime.¡±


    ¡°We are willing to surrender his passport,¡± Russell countered, ¡°And I can assure everyone here that my client is looking forward to fighting these ridiculous charges to the bitter end.¡±


    ¡°I like the sound of that,¡± the judge said, ¡°If your client surrenders his passport, I will post bond of five hundred thousand.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, your honor.¡± Russell said.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xander asked, still in a bit of a haze.


    ¡°This is typical, but we¡¯ll have you out within the hour.¡± Russell said, ¡°Jefferson is here with your Mom and Dad. They¡¯ll post your bail and we¡¯ll regroup later to prepare you for pre-trial.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Xander interrupted, ¡°My parents are here? Both of them?¡±


    Xander turned around and noticed them both standing behind him and waving to him and smiling to show their support. They both walked up and hugged their boy.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± His mother asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Xander answered, ¡°A little confused, but I¡¯m okay.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about bail,¡± his father said, ¡°Jefferson is taking care of it right now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xander said, and then he noticed something else. Standing behind his parents was another person he never expected to see. Lauren Carter walked up and smiled at Xander as she got closer.


    ¡°Hey,¡± She said to him, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m better now,¡± He said, smiling back at her. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see you.¡±


    ¡°You mean here in court?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I mean like ever,¡± Xander honestly answered, ¡°Getting arrested for something bad during a first date usually isn¡¯t a good way to end things.¡±


    ¡°You do realize we are in America, right?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°I realize that,¡± Xander said, ¡°But what¡¯s your point?¡±


    ¡°In this country,¡± Lauren continued, ¡°People are innocent until proven guilty. I thought it would be best to at least wait and see what the truth is before making any judgements about you and your character.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Xander said, rather surprised by her perspective. ¡°I guess that¡¯s more than what I currently deserve, so thank you.¡±


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    ¡°Up to that point, I really liked hanging out with you,¡± Lauren confessed, ¡°So if you didn¡¯t do this, I wouldn¡¯t mind picking up where we were so rudely interrupted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Xander said, ¡°But I¡¯ve got to be processed out. I¡¯ll be a moment.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Lauren said, ¡°See you soon.¡±


    Everyone watched as Xander was led out of the room by bailiffs to be processed out after making bail. Russell watched with everyone else and then turned to face the three people who were speaking with his client.


    ¡°This is pretty normal for someone¡¯s first arrest,¡± Russell explained, ¡°The fact that his seizure came right out of the blue didn¡¯t help either. It will probably take him a day or two for this all to sink in. He shouldn¡¯t be alone during any of that time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to take him home with us,¡± Xander¡¯s father replied, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s taken care of at least for the first few days. He¡¯ll eventually want to go back to his own place but we¡¯ll cover the first few days.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good, and thanks for covering bail,¡± Russell added.


    ¡°It¡¯s the least I can do,¡± the old man replied, ¡°He¡¯s my boy and he¡¯s innocent. I don¡¯t want him in there for another minute if I can help it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but who are you?¡± Russell asked, turning to face Lauren.


    ¡°This is Lauren, she¡¯s a friend.¡± Xander¡¯s dad replied, ¡°She was also present with me when Xander was arrested. I thought having her here would help.¡±


    ¡°I can tell that it did,¡± Russell said, ¡°But I know you from somewhere.¡±


    ¡°You probably saw me in the video,¡± Lauren added, ¡°The one where Xander saved the kid I was supposed to be watching.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Russell said, ¡°That was a close shave.¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± Lauren concurred, ¡°But thankfully no one was hurt.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure to meet you,¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯m going to join Jefferson and see if he needs any help.¡±


    Lauren stayed at the court with Xander¡¯s parents and waited in the hallway for Xander to be released on bail, which was mere moments away. Lauren couldn¡¯t help but notice that Xander¡¯s mom was looking at him a lot.


    ¡°Are you alright, Ms. Hopkins?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± She said, smiling back at her. ¡°You can call me Janet.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lauren said, looking rather nervous. ¡°Is it too much for me to be here, I don¡¯t want to intrude.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not doing that.¡± Janet replied, ¡°Alex said you would help, and based on Xander¡¯s reaction I think he was right.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Alex said, as he walked back over to where they were sitting in the hallway. ¡°I just spoke to Jefferson, he¡¯ll be out very soon and we¡¯ll take him home.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe I should be going,¡± Lauren said.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s alright.¡± Alex said, interrupting her train of though. ¡°I thought we¡¯d invite you over to the house for dinner. We want Xander to feel as comfortable as possible and, well¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s afraid that without proper motivation,¡± Janet continued, ¡°That Xander might just wander off and be on his own, which is not what his lawyer recommended.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Lauren said, sitting back down. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can to help.¡±


    ¡°I can see why he like her,¡± Janet said, gushing just a bit.


    It was at this point where Xander came into the hallway with both of the lawyers. He walked up and hugged his mom again. He was about to say something but his mother held up a hand.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say a word,¡± she told her son, ¡°I never believed them for a moment and I never will. Your father might be a tight ass most of the time, but he¡¯s says the same thing. You don¡¯t need to explain it to any of us. We¡¯re here for you and on your side.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xander said, ¡°So what happens now? Can I go home?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t recommend it,¡± Russell said, stepping in. ¡°Odds are there is going to be oodles of reporters camped outside your residence.¡±


    ¡°So a hotel, then?¡± Xander suggested.


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± his mother said, ¡°You can stay with us for a few days, until things settle down a bit. We can give your lawyers access to one of the dining rooms to gather and prepare for what¡¯s next.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Hopkins,¡± Russell said, despite the fact that it wasn¡¯t necessary. He realized the lady was just saying it to appease his son and keep things calm.


    ¡°We can hassle over details later,¡± Alex said, putting hand on his son¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s all head back to the house, and we can regroup there to figure things out.¡±


    ¡°All of us?¡± Xander asked, looking over Lauren.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Alex said, as he understood the question. ¡°I¡¯ve already invited Ms. Carter to join us.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright with that?¡± Lauren asked, not wanting to intrude.


    ¡°I am,¡± Xander said, smiling. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I have anything else to do,¡± Lauren jokingly added.


    ¡°You don¡¯t?¡± Russell said, ¡°What about the kids you watch?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get Jefferson to take care of that,¡± Xander¡¯s father said, ¡°You concentrate on Xander and these ridiculous charges.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I like the sound of that,¡± Russell said as he turned to face Xander, ¡°I agree with your mom. Crash at their place and let things die down before coming back to the city. Take a few days off work and we¡¯ll take care of the rest. We have a solid plan moving forward, but I¡¯m not ready to discuss in public just yet. I¡¯ll update you on it in a few days when I have more to work with. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± Xander confirmed, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°The car¡¯s out back,¡± Jefferson said as he arrived to speak with is clients. ¡°Is everyone ready to go?¡±


    Xander reached out and took Lauren¡¯s hand in his. She happily accepted it with a smile on her face.


    ¡°We are,¡± Xander said, ¡°Let¡¯s head home.¡±

 Chapter 18

    Russell Benson watched the Hopkins leave with Jefferson, and remained behind as he had his own agenda to take care of. He walked down the hallway in search of someone else, and found that man standing in the lobby leading out to the front doors of the courthouse. Dick Burgess was taking questions from various reporters and basically making a pitch to how he was going to handle Russell¡¯s client on behalf of the people of the state. Burgess was also sharply dressed and with teeth whiter than freshly pressed shirts as he enjoyed looking good for the cameras. His natural ability to give the press the sound bytes that always managed to make the airwaves helped his cases more than it hurt, as most people for prospective jury pools would remember the sharp dressed man with the cute smile. That always seemed to give Dick an edge but this was on beach that Russell Benson wasn¡¯t will to surrender without a fight. Russell also wasn¡¯t the kind of man who would allow someone to take up all the talking time so he emerged into the lobby himself, strolled over to where Burgess was making his statement and pretty much budded in.


    ¡°I can assure you,¡± Burgess was saying to the press, ¡°That we will use all our resources in place to secure the conviction and make sure justice is attained for the victim and the people of this fair city.¡±


    ¡°This fair city is about to learn why I have a winning record against you, Dick.¡± Russell called out as he stepped up to the same reporters. ¡°Good afternoon, my name is Russell Benson and I represent the accused, Xander Hopkins.¡±


    ¡°What strategy are you going to use for your defence?¡± one reporter asked.


    ¡°I thought a wise strategy would be to go with the truth,¡± Russell said, with a cheeky and rather playful tone. ¡°The truth happens to be that our client is innocent and these allegations are total fabrications.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± another reporter asked.


    ¡°There are signs if you look hard enough,¡± Russell answered, ¡°The fact that the alleged victim tried to extort our client for money last week would be a red flag for me. We are not going to give these blackmailers what they want, and intent to fight vigorously in court to clear Xander¡¯s good name. When this is all said and done, I will not hesitate to sue anyone who assumes my client¡¯s guilt without evidence and includes the media as well.¡±


    ¡°You can sue us for exercising our first amendment rights!¡± one reporter called out. She looked rather bothered by that statement.


    ¡°Yes, I can.¡± Russell corrected her, ¡°Because the first amendment only covers the right to speak the truth. Lies and blatant fabrications are not protected speech and you can be sued for defamation and slander if anyone reports or prints something that isn¡¯t accurate. Contrary to popular opinion, you are allowed to yell fire in a crowded theatre if there is an actual fire and your declaration happens to be a true account.¡±


    ¡°So who is telling the truth right now?¡± the reporter asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good question,¡± Russell replied, ¡°You¡¯ll have to find out next week during the preliminary hearing. I look forward to speaking to you again, and maybe by then someone will have proven which story happens to be true.¡±


    Russell walked away from the lobby and over to the other side where Allister was waiting for him, hands in his pockets as he watched Benson make his comments. He had a grin on his face and Russell approached him.


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    ¡°Couldn¡¯t resist, eh?¡± Allister started, ¡°You¡¯re almost as good and Burgess is at hamming it up for the cameras.¡±


    ¡°Just because I¡¯m good at it, doesn¡¯t mean I like it.¡± Russell said, as he turned to look back at Burgess who had carried on with his conversation with the press as if the last few moments with him never happened. ¡°Some people are born to be in front of the camera.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t hurt when you¡¯re looking to seek higher office, either.¡± Allister said, ¡°If he wins this case, Burgess is a shoe in to win the next election for DA.¡±


    ¡°A shame he¡¯s not going to win then, isn¡¯t it?¡± Russell declared.


    ¡°You sound more confident than usual, Russell.¡± Allister observed.


    ¡°I got a text from Mac during the arraignment,¡± Russell said, ¡°We need to get back to the office. It appears our top investigator found something she claims is rather significant to our case.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I love it when she says that.¡± Allister said, ¡°I¡¯ll get the car.¡±


    It took them little time to get back to the office but when they arrived Mac was already in Russell¡¯s office. She was sitting in his chair, and had a ton of papers scattered all over his desk while she worked on their case. Russell walked into his office and placed his brief case on one of the empty chairs and took his jacket off while scanning over his messy desk.


    ¡°Correct me if I¡¯m wrong,¡± Russell started, ¡°But don¡¯t you have your own office?¡±


    ¡°That office is cluttered with other stuff for another case,¡± Mac replied, ¡°A case I plan to resume after I take care of this one. So for the time being, we¡¯re using your office to organize and focus on this case. Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    ¡°If it helps you with this case, then I do not.¡± Russell said, laying his coat on the back of one of the chairs facing his desk. ¡°Our client needs us all to be vigilant, so if you need more office space, than that¡¯s what you¡¯ll get. Ego takes a backseat to results. Give me something I can work with and you can move in here for all I care.¡±


    ¡°Remember you said that,¡± Mac said as she picked up a rather thick file off of the mess on Russell¡¯s desk and handed it to him.


    ¡°Is this about the alleged victim?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m still looking into her,¡± Mac answered, ¡°That file has a lot of interesting information about the man who hosted this little unfortunate shindig. I think you¡¯ll find what I uncovered about him rather interesting.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Russell said, as he opened it and started to read it. He scanned through a few pages and the pictures that were printed on them and then looked back at Mac. ¡°Is this for real?¡±


    ¡°I verified it myself,¡± Mac said, ¡°I called all the police stations in each state and faxed the pictures for confirmation. It¡¯s legit.¡±


    ¡°Holy crap,¡± Russell said as he kept reading, ¡°This changes everything.¡±


    ¡°I can only imagine Burgess¡¯ face when we show this to him,¡± Mac said, ¡°His face will turn as white as his teeth.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to tell him,¡± Russell said, ¡°Discovery is for trial, we can hang onto this and sandbag him at the preliminary hearing, especially if Dick calls this guy to the stand, which I¡¯m sure he will.¡±


    ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Mac asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re trying to pressure us to settle,¡± Russell said, ¡°And despite my declaration to never settle, Dick will still try to push us in that direction by showing us everything he¡¯s got. That means he¡¯ll call this host to the stand too. When he does that, we¡¯ll take this guy to the shed and rake his ass.¡±


    ¡°And what do you hope to achieve?¡± Mac asked, ¡°Besides making you and your client feel a bit better.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how effective that is,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Other witnesses will be intimidated, and might not even testify and that will hurt Dick¡¯s case big time. We might not even get past the prelim.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck,¡± Mac said, ¡°There isn¡¯t a burden during that hearing. All he has to do is prove that¡¯s he¡¯s barking at the right tree. You¡¯re the one fighting an uphill battle here.¡±


    ¡°Get me something like this on the victim,¡± Russell suggested, ¡°And that fight won¡¯t be as much of a burden to me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m working on it,¡± Mac reminded him, ¡°For now made do with that.¡±


    ¡°Are you staying in late?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°I am,¡± Mac confirmed, ¡°You?¡±


    Russell started to roll up his sleeves, ¡°Might as well. I¡¯ll get Allister to order Chinese from that place we like. Show me what else you found out regarding this piece of trash...¡±

 Chapter 19

    After bond was posted, Xander was released to the care of his parents who had Jefferson rush them out the back door to a waiting car that took the lawyer and the four others who were following behind him. The vehicle waiting was a stretched limo so there was plenty of room as Xander and Lauren sat on one side while his parents were seated together across from them, and with Jefferson at the back. Things were silent for the first few minutes as the limo got through the crowd of press and photographers who tried to see them but couldn¡¯t through the heavily tinted windows. As the limo started to get further away from the courthouse and deeper into regular traffic, everyone seemed to relax as the tension from the moment appeared to be passing. Everyone was looking around, but no one was talking. Lauren was too curious to let the silence last for very long as she decided to get the conversation going.


    ¡°So what happens now?¡± she asked anyone.


    ¡°All we do now is wait,¡± Jefferson answered, ¡°Russell is going to head back to his office and get to work. When he¡¯s ready to present a defense, he¡¯ll bring it by for your approval. I hate to say it, but he is the right attorney to have if you¡¯re going to fight this in court. I¡¯m too old for this kind of trial.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done great work for us,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°But your honestly is appreciated, especially considering the dire circumstance.¡±


    ¡°I would also recommend freeing up one of your dining rooms,¡± Jefferson suggested, ¡°So that Mr. Watson and his team can use it as a war room¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s necessary?¡± Mr. Hopkins asked.


    ¡°Better for the lawyers to travel to you,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°Than have Xander go outside and get mics stuck in his face all the time. The best thing for your son to do right now is go underground and not come out for a while.¡±


    ¡°What about my company?¡± Xander asked, finally saying something.


    ¡°Someone else has to run it for the time being,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°Or you can do some of the work from home, but no going into the office.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander said, not pleased to hear that answer. The lawyer was right however, he needed to lay low and not give his lawyer any more fires to put out.


    ¡°Are you alright, dear?¡± His mother then asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just tired,¡± Xander answered, ¡°And I¡¯m also famished. I haven¡¯t eaten since breakfast was interrupted earlier this morning.¡±


    ¡°Should we stop somewhere and hit a drive through?¡± Lauren suggested.


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± his mother replied, ¡°The chef who runs our kitchen is preparing his favorite in anticipation of Alexander staying with us.¡±


    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Xander said, as he seemed happy to hear that.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Lauren said, as she momentarily forgot who she was speaking to.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad,¡± Xander¡¯s father added, ¡°I might have suggested the same if we didn¡¯t have a chef. It was a good idea.¡±


    Things got rather quiet once again after that exchange, but most of the people in the car were relaxing and just trying to stay comfortable while the limo finally reached the highway and was heading towards the house at a faster speed. About a half hour later, they had arrived to their destination and it was more like a mansion than a house. It also looked like a house straight out of gone with the wind, with grand white pillars and large doors at the front. Lauren was amazed by how big the place was as she got out of the limo and looked at it.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Lauren said, ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, dear.¡± Xander¡¯s Mom said, ¡°So sweet of you to say.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get inside and eat,¡± Xander said, eager to chow down.


    ¡°Alright,¡± his father answered, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s served soon. Alexander; take Lauren to one of the guest rooms and get her settled in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡± Xander replied. He usually didn¡¯t like to take orders from his father but since he approved of Lauren hanging around, he didn¡¯t mind this time.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Lauren called out, ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m not intruding?¡±


    ¡°Hardly,¡± Xander¡¯s mother replied.


    ¡°We have ten bedrooms in the house,¡± Xander replied, ¡°And each one has their own bathroom. Plenty of space.¡±


    ¡°And you need to lie low as well, Ms. Carter.¡± Mr. Hopkins added, ¡°Since you were at the courthouse it¡¯s best we all stay here with Xander and not make things any more complicated for his legal team. So not another word on the matter. Let¡¯s all get inside and prepare for the evening meal.¡±


    Xander took Lauren by the had and led her into the massive foyer, and then up the massive staircase to the second floor. The hallways were like an art gallery themselves, hosting pieces just as expensive as the gallery she had attended earlier in the week with the kids. Xander stopped and opened a door, then gestured to Lauren for her to enter first.


    ¡°This one is one of my favorites,¡± Xander said, ¡°See if it¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine,¡± Lauren said as she walked into the room which was larger than her apartment back in the city. There was even a massive work of art hanging on the wall opposite of the bed. She thought it looks familiar but thought to herself that couldn¡¯t be. Not for a guest room.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Xander said, grinning back at her. ¡°That¡¯s the Pollack that I bought my mom for her birthday a few years ago.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re going to let me sleep right beside it?¡± Lauren said, shocked. ¡°Not worried that I might fall into it or spill something on it?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Xander said, ¡°I doubt that will happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re going through all this,¡± Lauren said, looking back at him. ¡°I haven¡¯t know you as long as most people, but you¡¯re sweet and kind. You don¡¯t sound like the kind of person who do what you¡¯re being accused of.¡±


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    ¡°Thanks,¡± Xander said, seeming rather relieved. ¡°I¡¯d never do that kind of thing. I¡¯ve lived around strong women my whole life, and respect them and everyone else to much to ever harm someone like that, let along a woman. That¡¯s why I¡¯m fighting this fabrication with my lawyers. Paying this person off would reek of guilt and I¡¯d never be able to look my mother or my sisters in the eye if they thought I was even remotely capable of doing something like that.¡±


    ¡°Sisters?¡± Lauren repeated, ¡°How many siblings do you have?¡±


    ¡°Three,¡± Xander replied, ¡°I¡¯m the youngest.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Lauren said, smiling back. ¡°I¡¯m the youngest too.¡±


    ¡°The bathroom is right over there,¡± Xander said, as he pointed to the corner of the room. ¡°I¡¯m going to retire back to my room. After all that¡¯s happened, I wouldn¡¯t mind changing and freshening up before dinner.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lauren said, ¡°See you as supper?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Xander said, as he started to back up to the door. ¡°Which is at five.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lauren called back, ¡°Was just about to ask.¡±


    Lauren waved goodbye and watched as Xander left the room and closed the door behind him. She took a small gander around the room, before heading in the bathroom to wash up a bit herself. Lauren started to feel a little stir crazy in the confined room, and while she was tempted to turn on the television she wasn¡¯t eager to see anything on the news about Xander and his appearance in court. She had watched a bit of the coverage earlier and found it rather upsetting. Instead, Lauren left the room and decided to wander around a bit and look around the big mansion. There was fine art, vases and other expensive pieces all over the place. Rather than nose around the bedrooms, Lauren went back down the massive staircase to the main floor to look around there instead. She browsed around the living room, and even a few more hallways, before accidentally bumping into someone. It was one of the staff from the kitchen and she nearly dropped something while trying to avoid a collision. Lauren reached out with her arms and prevented whatever she was carrying to fall over.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± The staff member said, ¡°That was close.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for almost causing it,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Do you know where supper is going to be served?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s right down that way,¡± the lady replied, ¡°Big dining room with a table that can hold up to twenty. You can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lauren said, before everyone went their separate ways.


    It took her a few minutes to find the room the servant had referring to, but once she found it, Lauren had felt rather dumb for not finding it sooner as the room as massive and the kind of d¨¦cor you¡¯d expect to see in from monarchs.


    ¡°Hello there,¡± a voice called out.


    Lauren was startled at first to realize that Xander¡¯s mother was on the other side of the massive dining room, looking out the window, seeming staring at something. As Lauren started to walk closer, the older woman closed the drape she was peeking through and waved to the younger woman to back away.


    ¡°Stay over there,¡± she called out to Lauren. ¡°The press is starting to gather outside our gates, so I¡¯d recommend not standing by any open windows for the time being until we can get someone to take care of them.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to take care of the press?¡± Lauren asked, rather confused.


    ¡°Well, not in any nefarious way.¡± Mrs. Hopkins replied, but with a smile that kind of relished the idea even though it was not an option. ¡°I¡¯m just tired of the unwanted attention, especially since my son is being charged with a horrific crime. I would prefer to be left alone and yet there they are with their cameras and their microphones. Doing whatever they can to land a scoop. They don¡¯t care about us, only about boosting their ratings up a mere point or two. They¡¯re parasites, every damn one of them.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t argue with that,¡± Lauren said, as she kept away from the windows. ¡°Are you feeling alright, Mrs. Hopkins?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± the older woman answered, ¡°I feel deep shame. There is a part of me that wants to believe he¡¯s innocent, and yet I¡¯m afraid that I failed him and raised someone who was capable of doing something so vile. Does that make me a bad person for even entertaining that thought?¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.¡± Lauren said, as she stepped closer. ¡°I clearly haven¡¯t known your son as long as you have, but in that time he¡¯s been so amazing. In the last few days he¡¯s fired his lawyers, hired a new one, and defiantly refused to take any offers to settle. I don¡¯t know about you, but these do not strike me as the actions of a guilty man. A guilty man would want this all to go away as soon as possible, and he would have accepted that settlement which was nothing short of blackmail. A guilty man would have paid anything to prevent this from reaching the headlines and even from making it to your ears. Someone with something to his would pay tens of millions of dollars to make it all disappear. He didn¡¯t do that, and is refusing to pay a single penny. He¡¯s not being cheap, he¡¯s opposing this because he didn¡¯t do anything wrong. A man with something to hide would never walk out in public, afraid that the cops would drag him to the station in front of a million cameras. If he had done that, a child I was watching probably would have lost his life a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Xander¡¯s mother called back, ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about this,¡± Lauren walked over to Mrs. Hopkins and took her cell phone as she did. She used social media to look up the video in question and handed the phone over to his mother so that she could watch the heroic act Xander did with her own eyes.


    ¡°Oh my gaud!¡± his mother cried out, as she had never seen the video. ¡°I had no idea this happened! That child almost died!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not a criminal,¡± Lauren said, taking her phone back. ¡°He¡¯s a hero, and they don¡¯t commit the crimes that your son is being charged with. He¡¯s a hero that deserves the benefit of the doubt, because he¡¯s innocent until proven guilty. There¡¯s nothing to be afraid of, because from what I¡¯ve seen it looks you raised an amazing man.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, dear.¡± Mrs. Hopkins replied, ¡°I really needed to hear that.¡±


    It was at this moment when a sound came from the hallway. The two women turned to face the doorway and Xander was already there, listening to the conversation in question and rather intently.


    ¡°Hi there,¡± Xander started, trying to look calm and friendly.


    ¡°And just how long were you listening?¡± his mother demanded.


    ¡°Long enough,¡± Xander said, as he walked closer. ¡°There¡¯s a reason why I chose to fight this, mom. It was to prove to you and the rest of this world that I¡¯m innocent. I¡¯m not paying my lawyers to disprove the accusation, but to prove my innocence. I don¡¯t want any of you to have and doubts, none what so ever. I¡¯d rather pay my lawyers anything they wanted to clear my good name. By the time this is all over, neither of you will have a single doubt. Alright?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lauren said, smiling back at him, ¡°Sounds good to me!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my boy.¡± Mrs. Hopkins said, as had a tear in her eye as she walked over and proudly hugged her son. As she released her son from the warm embrace, she took a second to punch her son in the arm.


    ¡°Oww!!¡± Xander called out, ¡°What was that for?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s for almost being hit by a bus!¡± his mother replied, ¡°I realize you did a good deed, but that was took close for comfort. Try to nab the child before he makes it to the road; understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Xander said, playfully rubbing his arm.


    It was this moment when Xander¡¯s father entered the large dining room with Jefferson following right behind him.  Xander¡¯s old man looked rather pleased to see that everyone was there as he appeared to be eager to take his seat.


    ¡°Everyone is here,¡± He called out as he walked towards his favorite chair. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! Everyone have a seat and we¡¯ll get started.¡±


    ¡°Just one condition,¡± Mrs. Hopkins said as she walked around the table to sit beside her husband, ¡°No legal talk at the table. I don¡¯t want anything depressing said while I¡¯m trying to eat. If you and Jefferson want to discuss it with Xander, you can do it in the den after supper while I give Lauren a tour of the estate.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am,¡± Mr. Hopkins replied, which was very similar to how his son responded to her just a few moments ago.


    ¡°Very good,¡± Mrs. Hopkins said, as she sat down and the proceeded to punch her husband in the arm exactly the same way she had to her son earlier.


    ¡°Oww!¡± The old man cried out, ¡°What on earth was that for?¡±


    ¡°Your son saved a child¡¯s life,¡± his wife answered, ¡°And you thought it was best to not to tell me about it, or even show me the video that was going viral online?¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± her husband replied, ¡°Sorry about that, my dear.¡±


    ¡°What are you all talking about?¡± Jefferson said as he appeared confused, ¡°When exactly did this happen?¡±

 Chapter 20

    Xander slept in that morning and preferred to rest and ignore the media that was standing outside their main gates and reporting on the alleged accusations worldwide and in all forums. He could see some of them from the dining room windows, but they were unable to see them from the other side. The Hopkins paid a lot to have glass that you couldn¡¯t peek through, and also for glass that was completely bulletproof. While the police complained about some of the security features, the Hopkins didn¡¯t care as they had their own security force that watched the house two-four-seven. Xander strolled around the big mansion, for the first time in quite some time. He was used to living in his own condo, so it felt weird to be in the big house this early in the morning. He hadn¡¯t slept in his own room in many years, but the room hadn¡¯t changed and was still his like it had been all those years before. Xander¡¯s parents know he was living on his own, but that was their way of keeping the metaphorical light on for him. Everyone¡¯s room were still kept up that way, as his mom and dad seemed unable to come to grips with the empty nest that had developed far too quickly for their liking. They were keeping the rooms almost like a memento of times past, something they could go back to and look at if they were feeling nostalgic. Part of Xander wanted to think of it as denial, a refusal to accept how things are now. Another part of him realized that it was two parents that loved their children too much to let anything go. It was something Xander knew he would never really understand as he didn¡¯t have any kids of his own. Not yet, Xander thought to himself as he strolled down the stairwell and towards the dining hall where he assumed breakfast would already be served and on the table. He was correct in that assumption, but he was surprised to see that he was the only person that hadn¡¯t arrived yet. Both of his parents and even Lauren were already at the table and talking amongst themselves about who knows what. They all stopped talking to greet Xander, which led him to believe the conversation was obviously about him. Hopefully they were just talking about good things and not the impending appearance in court. That¡¯s the last thing he wanted to talk about this early in the day.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Xander said, trying to put on a good smile for everyone.


    ¡°Good morning, son.¡± His father replied, smiling back. ¡°How did you sleep?¡±


    ¡°I got a few good hours,¡± Xander confessed as he sat down. The chef already had food there waiting for him, as he knew everything Xander liked considering that he had been cooking for the family for well over a decade.


    ¡°Was I interrupting something?¡± Xander asked as he noticed the ladies had gone rather quiet when he arrived.


    ¡°Not really,¡± Lauren said, ¡°We were just talking about you.¡±


    ¡°Nothing bad,¡± His father said, coming to her defense. ¡°Just basic stuff like what kind of kid you were, what you were like in school, normal stuff.¡±


    ¡°That seems fair,¡± Xander said, as he started to eat.


    ¡°But speaking of your case,¡± his father continued, ¡°Your lawyer called the house a short time ago. They want to speak to you and update you on their progress.¡±


    ¡°That sounds promising,¡± Xander said, eager to know more.


    ¡°Considering how much press is out there,¡± his father said, ¡°Benson said he¡¯d be coming to us later this morning to give the update. He sounded very upbeat about it, so I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s good news. Just a gut feeling.¡±


    ¡°Your gut is seldom wrong,¡± Xander said, as it was true. ¡°I hope that it is today too.¡±


    The rest of the meal was rather pleasant as the family remained at the table and enjoyed their food. Xander¡¯s dad was eager to get to his own office, so he left after breakfast was over. While he was eager to remain behind and see the lawyers, the old man preferred to give Xander some space and not pry too much.


    Xander¡¯s mom led both of them to a room that looked like a fancy den. It had books stacked on the wall, a large table for people to work with. A good place to meet someone that you¡¯re expecting to show up very soon.


    ¡°Whose room is this?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°It used to be your sister¡¯s den before she moved out,¡± his mother replied, ¡°Now it¡¯s a spare room to conduct business it when you father doesn¡¯t want to use his den. I thought you and your lawyers could use this as a war room to prepare for your case.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Xander?¡±


    ¡°I like it,¡± Xander agreed, ¡°A nice private place for going over all the details.¡±


    Lauren and Xander remained in the room and waited for Russell to make his big entrance, which occurred about an hour later. Benson didn¡¯t show up alone as he was there with who Xander recognized as his intern, along with the woman that interviewed him earlier in the week about the case. Benson said she was his best investigator.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to hear from you so soon,¡± Xander said, walking over to shake his lawyer¡¯s hand. Benson appeared to be in a good mood as they shook hands, giving Xander the impression that it might be good news.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°What¡¯s the update?¡± Lauren asked.


    Russell paused for a moment considering who was asking the question.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Xander said, ¡°She knows everything, and I trust her.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Russell said, as he went to take a seat. ¡°We¡¯ve managed to dig up a lot of information about the people who are the foundation of the DA¡¯s case. We¡¯ve done a lot of digging and lot of what we found do not gel with the story that we¡¯ve been hearing and that creates a lot of doubt. It gives me what I need to tear their story apart, and if I do enough of a good job during the prelim, the judge might just dismiss on the spot.¡±


    ¡°Is that possible?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible,¡± Russell answered, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t happen that often. If they just present a mediocre case, that will be enough for a judge to send it to a jury. But the weaker the case, the most likely twelve people are going to take my side. I¡¯ve been known to sweet talk a jury to go my way quite often, that¡¯s not what Dick wants. He¡¯s hoping we see his case and try to settle before it even reaches a jury. That¡¯s the path of least resistance to him, but that also might confirm what I¡¯ve been hearing.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°The alleged victim,¡± Mac said, finally speaking up. ¡°We have a feeling she doesn¡¯t want to testify, and that¡¯s why they may have skipped the grand jury.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°Could mean a whole lot of things,¡± Shaw said, also speaking for the first time. ¡°Could be not want to relive the trauma.¡±


    ¡°What trauma?¡± Xander said, sounding a tad hostile.


    ¡°What he meant,¡± Mac said, sensing the hostility, ¡°Is that one of the possibilities we have to consider is that the assault happened, but was perpetrated by someone else. We have no idea why she¡¯s pointing a finger at you, but we can¡¯t assume that what she¡¯s describing never happened. It may have.¡±


    ¡°Or it could be total bullshit,¡± Russell said, feeling the need to take his client¡¯s side.


    ¡°Or it could be bullshit,¡± Mac said, conceding the point.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Xander said, ¡°We have to examine all possibilities.¡±


    ¡°If it is bullshit,¡± Russell said, refusing to let the bone go. ¡°Her refusal to take the stand might just be her lawyers attempting not to suborn perjury. That would certainly explain the shakedown before your arrest. They all know the accusation is bullshit and are doing everything they can to keep that lying bitch off the stand.¡±


    ¡°So, if she¡¯s not taking the stand, who is?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°My guess would be the guy who she told first,¡± Russell answered, ¡°That being the host of the party, the guy who also invited you to the little shindig.¡±


    ¡°You mean Marcus?¡± Xander said, ¡°The party was to celebrate someone¡¯s birthday, but the party was held at his house.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s who I¡¯m talking about.¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°Odds are that¡¯s who the DA is going to call on to testify at the prelim. Based on what I¡¯ve heard he sounds like a solid witness, but we¡¯ll be ready for him when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°It means we¡¯re digging into the man,¡± Russell said, ¡°And Mac has found a lot of dirt that is going to make Marcus¡¯ cross examination rather painful, especially when I do it.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s my friend,¡± Xander said, sounding concerned.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not.¡± Mac corrected him, ¡°Based on what we¡¯ve found, whatever friendship you had is suspect at best.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound good,¡± Lauren said, ¡°What did you find?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s done this kind of racket before,¡± Russell said, ¡°We even thing he and the victim are working together but haven¡¯t found proof of it yet.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Xander said, ¡°That prick set me up??¡±


    ¡°Sure looks like it,¡± Russell said, aware of why his client was upset. Someone he thought was a friend was the enemy all along.


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to find out how many times he¡¯s done this,¡± Mac added, ¡°But many of the cases are sealed, and we can¡¯t get anyone to come forward.¡±


    ¡°Because the other people who were in my situation paid up,¡± Xander concluded.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Russell said, ¡°And usually when cases like this are settled, both sides are required to sign a non-disclosure. Usually that is made to protect the accused but, in this case, it was also protecting their lying asses. We¡¯re going to keep digging, now that we have an idea of what might be going on.¡±


    ¡°This is good,¡± Lauren said, taking his arm and hugging it. ¡°This means you didn¡¯t do anything and were set up just like the others who paid out. Let them keep digging, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll find something to use in court.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Russell said, appreciating the assist, ¡°We have a lot of time before we have to go to court, plenty of time to find more dirt.¡±


    ¡°Especially when I¡¯m the one doing the looking,¡± Mac added.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander said, as he appreciated their confidence, ¡°So, what do I do now?¡±


    ¡°You sit back and wait,¡± Russell said, ¡°Say nothing to the press, as I¡¯ll handle those wolves. Just stay here and bunker in for the time being and give us the space and time to do our jobs. We¡¯ve got your back, so sit tight and relax. We¡¯re on it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xander says, ¡°It sounds like we have a good plan. Thank you for coming and updating us on where we stand.¡±


    ¡°We are going to take care of this,¡± Russell said, ¡°And I¡¯ve kicked some serious ass with less to work with. I¡¯m going to take those pricks to the shed and take care of business.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xander said, shaking his lawyer¡¯s hand.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me,¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯m going to feed the trolls.¡±


    It was at this point where Russell and his people left the mansion after what was a very productive meeting with his client. Mac was walking behind him as they made their way to the main doors.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Mac asked him.


    ¡°I like our chances,¡± Russell said, ¡°Now let¡¯s tell the press that.¡±


    Mac stopped at the door and watched as Russell emerged from them and walked all the way to the main gates where hordes of press were flashing pictured and holding up mics to get any kind of statement for their editors. Russell straightened out his tie and smiled as he walked up to the gate to speak with the reporters.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to make a statement on behalf of Xander Hopkins.¡± Russell started.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± One of the reporters asked.


    ¡°My name is Russell Benson,¡± Russell answered with pride, ¡°And I am lead council representing Xander Hopkins and I¡¯m here to let you know that my client is innocent of all charges being laid against him. We have no intention of taking any deals being offered and are eager to have our day in court to fight these absurd allegations and the frauds who are making them. We are going to fight with every fiber of our being and my firm will not rest until Xander¡¯s name is washed clean of these preposterous charges.¡±

 Chapter 21

    After Russell made his challenging statement to the press, Xander watched from behind tinted windows as he got into a car and rode back to the firm to get back to work. He smiled at the thought of seeing that man thunder in court on his behalf, which was going to happen sooner rather than later. While Xander was scared that he would have to be in court, he felt better knowing someone like Russell was going to be there to protect him from the people that mean to strip him of his wealth, his dignity, and his very freedom as well. The last petrified Xander the most, but he had to remain faithful in his lawyers and the fact that the truth was on his side. Xander knew he was innocent, and that the accusations were complete horse shit. The fact that anyone who claimed to know him would even believe them for a second it had upset him the most and why he had to fight the charges are vigorously as he possibly could. Xander stood there at the window and watched as the media made their updates videos to air probably at six o¡¯clock for their respective stations. As he was doing so, Xander didn¡¯t notice his father walk into the room behind him.


    ¡°They¡¯ll eventually go away,¡± his father said as he walked closer. ¡°There will be other stories and scandals for them to chase. The one thing I like about today¡¯s media is that their attention span is as short as their audience¡¯s. Back in my day, a scandal could last for months, even years because reporters had the patience of elephants. This will blow over son, especially when your lawyer proves your innocence in court.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t supposed to be our job to meet that burden,¡± Xander replied without turning back to face the old men.


    ¡°I know that, and so does your lawyer.¡± The old man concurred, ¡°But I think Russell is assuming this burden for your benefit and to put forward the best defense possible. I¡¯ve never seen someone so zealous for a client.¡±


    ¡°He knows I¡¯m innocent,¡± Xander said, finally turning to face his father.


    ¡°I can understand why you¡¯d know this,¡± his father said, ¡°But how does he know it without actually being there?¡±


    ¡°Because I told him something the public doesn¡¯t know,¡± Xander said, ¡°I told him about my promise to you, the covenant I made to you when I turned sixteen. I haven¡¯t broken it yet, father, and that¡¯s why this accusation is total bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± His father said, recalling history. ¡°The covenant still stands?¡±


    ¡°It does,¡± Xander said, ¡°I have yet to break it.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± his father said, taking a seat to think about it. ¡°Wow! I think you¡¯re the only one who kept it all this time and for this long. That also explains how you were able to dedicate so much time to school and work. Your secret is finally out.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do that on purpose,¡± Xander said, sighing at the thought. ¡°I took what you said back then seriously and was waiting for the right person, that special lady that was out there. I remember the abuse you took, the lawsuits people tried to file. I didn¡¯t want to put myself in that position, and despite my efforts here I am, being accused of something monstrous!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being attacked by an evil person,¡± Dad said as he got back up and walked over to his son. He put a supporting hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m glad you took that pledge seriously because it¡¯s what protected you from these frivolous suits all these years. It¡¯s the right thing to do as well, and I¡¯m very proud of you for showing that kind of restraint and strength.¡±


    ¡°You should have seen my lawyer¡¯s face when I told him,¡± Xander said, chuckling about it a little. ¡°He couldn¡¯t believe it, but when I explained why he seemed to understand. That was all the inspiration he needed and has been my most vocal advocate since.¡±


    ¡°That explains a lot,¡± Dad said, looking out the window as well. ¡°That¡¯s how he could stand in front of all those cameras and just declare war on anyone that dared to defame your good name. As much as I like Jefferson and his ability to represent my interests, I think you made the right call switching lawyers for this case.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Xander said, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a walk and try to find out what Lauren is up to. Hopefully she didn¡¯t get lost in here.¡±


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    ¡°I really like her,¡± Dad called out as Xander was walking towards the door. ¡°I can see how you are around here. Do you think this lovely young lady might be the one?¡±


    ¡°I actually do,¡± Xander confessed, ¡°I like her that much. I hope she does too.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling she does,¡± Dad admitted, ¡°But it¡¯s best to talk to her about and make sure none the less.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xander said, ¡°I¡¯ll see you at lunch.¡±


    Xander was tempted to wander around the house and think but thought better of it as he didn¡¯t want to come off as someone pacing the place like a caged animal. Instead, he walked back to his own bedroom and locked himself in there. He called the office and spoke with his secretary, getting his messages and responding to them for her to pass the message back to those who had tried to reach him. While he was tempted to call them all back himself, Xander thought best not to do that unless it was urgent as he didn¡¯t want to come across as desperate to speak to someone or even worse that he might be bored. He didn¡¯t like not being in the office, but it was better than being remanded in prison for the time being. The idea of being cooped up in the mansion wasn¡¯t ideal to him, as he preferred the comforts and privacy of his own condo in the middle of town, but Xander was determined to play the hand he was given rather than gripe about it. Considering the situation that he found himself in Xander was lucky the judge didn¡¯t think he was a flight risk and toss his ass in jail. Being in his old home wasn¡¯t the worst thing he could think of and chose to be grateful rather than snobbish as there are billions of people who¡¯d love to be where he was. It was something his mother would often tell him and his siblings if it looked like they were enjoying the comforts provided by their father. Xander could remember his Dad getting angry every time she said it because he didn¡¯t want this kids to be shamed for living under the care he worked hard to provide. He refused to apologize for being successful and rich, because he didn¡¯t inherit his fortune and worked hard for them and lifted himself up to this level and he was damn proud of that. He didn¡¯t want his kids to be shamed for liking it as well because they were his motivation to work hard to provide for them. Xander seemed to take the example his father used, as he refused to let his dad spoil his ass too much, and why he used the money his dad gave him to build his own empire and then return the handout as if it were a loan instead. He liked the idea of making his own way just like his dad did, and he was sure the old man respected him just a little bit more than the other kids because of that. At least he hoped that was the case.


    Xander tried not to dwell on it, as he lay his head down on the pillow to rest. Taking a nap seemed like a good idea as he relaxed it the best and closed his eyes. He wasn¡¯t even asleep for more than an hour when a loud sound startled him out of his snooze, and despite hearing it many times before it took Xander more than a moment to figure out what it was since it had been so long.


    BANG!!


    ¡°Shit,¡± Xander said, ¡°He can¡¯t be¡­¡±


    BANG!!


    Xander was tempted to go flying down the stairs and into the backyard but hesitated because he didn¡¯t want to fly off the handle in case someone else was watching. Yet after a few more shots, it was the commotion in the front yard that was now intensifying. The press was rattled by the shots, as the police were responding quickly to the call despite private security having no issues with what was going on.


    Xander walked out of the bedroom and about halfway down the stairs and watching from up there and the police were trying to storm the building but failing. Yet the private security was unwilling to allow access.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received multiple reports of gunshots!¡± the police officer at the door called out, ¡°We need to inspect the building!¡±


    ¡°Of course, you have,¡± the private guard replied, ¡°It¡¯s Saturday!¡±


    ¡°What the?¡± The cop asked, sounding confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s Saturday,¡± the guard repeated, ¡°The master of the house always does his shooting practice in the backyard on Saturday afternoons. That¡¯s why we¡¯re not rattled by this, he does it every weekend.¡±


    ¡°We still need to check for safety,¡± The officer insisted.


    ¡°Not necessary,¡± The guard said, ¡°Unless you have a warrant, I suggest you vacate immediately, or we will make you.¡±


    Despite their eagerness to get inside and mosey around, which was why security was putting their foot down in the absence of a warrant, the police had no choice by to leave. The press outside was freaking out but felt like idiots when the reason for the shots were explained away. Dad was shooting clay pigeons in the back, and everything was fine.


    Xander was still standing when his father returned to the lobby with his rifle in his hands, asking the guards what the commotion was about.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Xander called from the staircase. ¡°With all the press out there, what do you think they assumed when they heard your shooting? They have an active imagination and probably went right for the worst-case scenario. Thanks, Dad!¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry about that.¡± His dad called back up the stairs. ¡°I was just sticking to my schedule, trying to get back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Not this weekend, Dad.¡± Xander said, walking back up the stairs. ¡°Normal is taking a vacation and we¡¯re all along for the ride. Buckle up!¡±

 Chapter 22

    It took about a week for the reporters to finally go away, as there were other stories and new leads to follow. Standing outside a house hoping someone might step out for a picture or answer questions started to get boring as it was clear to everyone out there that the inhabitants were hunkering inside the mansion for the long haul. With other stories to report and the world moving on as it always does, the crowd outside the gates slowly began to thin down until there was next to no one left. The odd straggler was determined to be the one person to get something, but all they got film on was the coming and going of Xander¡¯s legal team as they would come over every few days to ask questions and gather Intel for the upcoming prelims. The prosecutors were going to have to prove to a judge this case was worthy of moving forward since Dick skipped the grand jury. To use this as a football metaphor, Russell saw that as an opportunity to cut the pass off and run it back into the end-zone for a pick six. The lawyer seemed rather confident, but he was sure in his own abilities and was determined to get into the ring and start duking it out. This wasn¡¯t going to be an actual trial, so there would be no opening statements, but the lawyers would get a chance to plead their case to the judge before he or she made their final decision on whether or not there was enough evidence to proceed. Russell actually preferred arguing to a judge, rather than taking his chances with a grand jury, since people can often make decisions based on emotion or what they feel about the people in question and that wouldn¡¯t favor Xander as people are resentful of people who are richer than themselves. With preliminary hearings, the judge is about as impartial as you can get and makes decisions based on the evidence, or the lack there of. Russell also told Xander repeatedly that he also liked this hearings because it gave them a decent preview of their case, which is like getting an early peek at their playbook. While Dick was going to have to eventually surrender everything in discovery, the hearing still gave them more time to work on it, and more time is never a bad thing when prepping for war.


    As the date to the start of the hearings came closer, Russell and his team were rather quiet about their strategy and chose to concentrate on decorum and how Xander should act and conduct himself in court. Impressions made in the courtroom were very important, and Russell was determined to make sure Xander made the right one with the judge for various reasons. When the day finally came, Xander was dressed nicely but not too much. He wore a modest suit as he avoided the ones that might make him look too elitist. His parents and Lauren were waiting in the foyer for Xander as he descended the stairs. He looked over at Lauren who was also modestly dressed, but still looked very nice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to come with us,¡± Xander reminded her.


    ¡°I want to,¡± Lauren said, ¡°I¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Xander said, as he took her hand when he reached the bottom of the stairs. ¡°I guess we should get going then.¡±


    Everyone was very quiet in the car as he drove downtown to the courthouse. Xander¡¯s father had pulled some strings and they were able to use the back entrance to the courthouse rather than walk through the front door, and that meant sneaking around the press and not having to walk through a mob of protesters that also managed to form outside as well. Once in the building, Xander and Lauren could see Russell in the hallway speaking with his investigator and they quickly walked over to see him.


    ¡°Nice choice,¡± Russell said, checking out his suit. ¡°I approve. Not too fancy and not too the other way. It¡¯s just right.¡±


    ¡°What is going to happen today?¡± Lauren asked, somewhat curious.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to sit back and allow Dick to present some of his case,¡± Russell explained, ¡°And during that process I¡¯ll get to cross whomever he calls and try to spoil his fun.¡±


    ¡°When do I take the stand?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± Russell answered, ¡°The point of this hearing is to see if Dick has enough to move forward. Putting you up there would reveal our strategy and I¡¯m not ready to let him know what ideas we have brewing. Right now, my job is to poke holes in his case and make it look as weak as possible. If the judge believes there isn¡¯t enough to move forward, he will dismiss the case and we¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited,¡± Russell warned, ¡°Dismissals rarely happens. Dick doesn¡¯t have to prove anything beyond a reasonable doubt yet. All he¡¯s got to do here is just prove there¡¯s enough to move forward. I¡¯m still going to try my best, but I don¡¯t want you to expect a miracle. Like I said before, worst case is we move onto trial. I still get a look at his case and gain valuable insight on how to kick his ass in round two.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander said, taking a deep breath. ¡°I trust you, and the process.¡±


    ¡°Good man,¡± Russell said, patting his client¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just remain calm and try not to react to what you hear. I need you to be a statue. A lot of things are going to be said that you won¡¯t like but I¡¯ll get a chance to rebut as well. You¡¯re here to observe and stand trial. I¡¯m the one stepping into the arena, I do the fighting. We clear?¡±


    ¡°Crystal,¡± Xander replied, quoting one of his favorite movies.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in there,¡± Russell said, gesturing to the door. ¡°We should grab some good seats for your family. I want them to all be front and center for the judge. A united front.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander¡¯s father said as he and his wife walked closer. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Russell opened the door to the courtroom and held it as everyone passed by him, and then he followed up the rear. Xander¡¯s parents and Lauren took their seats behind the table that he and his lawyer would be sitting at. The three people there to support him would be less than a foot and a half behind him the entire time. Russell put his briefcase down and quickly opened it, pulled out a few pens, two blank pads of paper, and one pad that has a ton of notes already scribbled onto it. He gently sat down in his chair and turned to face his client.


    ¡°This pad is yours,¡± Russell started, sliding one of the blank ones over to him. ¡°If you have a question, write it here and I¡¯ll reply in kind when I have a moment. Do not speak or say anything that could be heard or misinterpreted by anyone in the courtroom. And no matter what is said by the witnesses on the stand, you cannot react, even if you know its false. We will challenge any claims being made, but there will be a time and place for everything. Outbursts are cute for juries, but not when it¡¯s just a judge. So, keep a poker face at all times and roll with everything that happens, alright?¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander said, sighing deeply. ¡°Poker face.¡±


    ¡°Good man,¡± Russell said, patting his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re here to wage war, remember? I¡¯m not going to go light on anyone here. Just because the odds are against us also doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not going to take a shot. I¡¯ll try to win, but I can¡¯t make any promises.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Xander said, as he seemed to get it. ¡°Just take your best shot.¡±


    ¡°You bet your ass I will,¡± Russell said, ¡°Here she comes, stand up.¡±


    ¡°All Rise!¡± the bailiff called out, as everyone rose to their feet in compliance. ¡°The honorable Judge Francine Marshall is now presiding!¡±


    The Judge, a thin and rather stern looking lady in her early fifties strolled into the room and walked up to take her perch above everyone. She softly sat down and looked out at the sizeable crowd in her courtroom.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°You may all be seated,¡± she ordered, and everyone proceeded to take their seat. ¡°Are the people ready to proceed?¡±


    ¡°We are,¡± Dick called back, as he appeared eager to get going.


    ¡°Call your first witness then,¡± she replied without even looking back as the judge appeared to be setting up her own notes and preparing for the hearing.


    Dick stood to his feet, ¡°The people call Detective Jones to the stand.¡±


    A man walked into the courtroom, a tall man that was wearing a pretty nice suit. He took a seat on the witness chair and was sworn in before his testimony began. During initial questioning by Dick Burgess, the detective established when the complaint was officially started, which was a few days after the alleged incident took place. He gave details of the party, as well as how many people were there, who he interviewed as well as any evidence that was gathered from the scene after the fact. After getting the basic details of the case, Dick informed the judge that he was finished with his witness.


    ¡°Your witness, Mr. Russell.¡± The judge called out.


    Russell stood up from his desk and slowly started to walk closer to the witness.


    ¡°Detective,¡± he started, ¡°How many times did you interview the alleged victim?¡±


    ¡°A few times,¡± Jones replied.


    ¡°Do you know exactly how many times?¡± Russell pressed.


    ¡°More than once, but no more than a few.¡± Jones answered.


    ¡°How many times did you speak to my client?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°None,¡± Jones answered.


    ¡°And why not?¡± Russell asked, ¡°Were you not interested in hearing his side of the story?¡±


    ¡°We were afraid he¡¯d just lawyer up,¡± Jones honestly replied, ¡°When faced with such intense charges, that¡¯s what they often do. That¡¯s exactly what your client did when he was arrested, he kept quite and just asked for you.¡±


    ¡°Those are his rights,¡± Russell reminded the detective. ¡°Now you mentioned earlier that the house this alleged incident occurred at was swept for your people in forensics, correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the detective confirmed.


    ¡°When did that happen?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°Four days later,¡± the detective answered.


    ¡°And did your people find anything that ties my client to this case?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°No,¡± The detective answered.


    ¡°You found nothing,¡± Russell repeated, ¡°No hairs, no DNA, not a single shred.¡±


    ¡°We believe he cleaned up after himself,¡± The detective answered.


    ¡°It had been four days,¡± Russell countered, ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that was no cover up and that during Mr. Jannsen¡¯s maid just got to the scene and cleaned up before your people arrived?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± The detective replied.


    ¡°It¡¯s also possible there was no DNA to find,¡± Russell added, ¡°Which could explain why there was nothing for your people to find. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± The detective answered.


    ¡°Nothing further, your honor.¡± Russell said, as he walked back to his desk.


    ¡°Please step down,¡± The judge ordered as she looked back to Mr. Burgess. ¡°Call your next witness.¡±


    ¡°The people call Kent Jannsen,¡± Dick said, with an air of confidence in his voice.


    Russell put a hand on Xander¡¯s shoulder and tried to keep him calm as Xander¡¯s friend walked into the courtroom and up to the front to sit in the witness chair. After he was sworn in, Dick Burgess stood up and walked over to his witness.


    ¡°Mr. Jannsen,¡± he started, ¡°Were you not the host of the very party that this unfortunate incident occurred at?¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± Kent answered, ¡°I was hosting a party for Dave¡¯s birthday.¡±


    ¡°And the defendant, Xander Hopkins was there?¡± Dick asked.


    ¡°Yes, he was.¡± Kent replied, ¡°He is friends with Dave and wanted to be there to celebrate the big day.¡±


    ¡°And when did you first hear about the incident we are all here about?¡± Dick asked.


    ¡°I was cleaning up,¡± Kent said, ¡°So somewhere around two in the morning, when Dani came down the stairs. I remember she almost fell down and I ran to catch her.¡±


    ¡°You are talking about Dani Edwards,¡± Dick asked, ¡°The defendant¡¯s victim?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Kent confirmed.


    ¡°Objection,¡± Russell said, standing up. ¡°I prefer the court refers to Ms. Edwards as the alleged victim.¡±


    ¡°Overruled,¡± the judge snapped back, ¡°No theatrics in my courtroom, Mr. Benson!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Russell said, sitting back down.


    ¡°What did you notice about the victim?¡± Dick said, intentionally ignoring the words Russell asked him to use.


    ¡°Her clothing was torn,¡± Kent answered, ¡°Her hair wet, and she had various injuries. It looked clear to me that she was attacked.¡±


    ¡°Objection,¡± Russell called out, ¡°Speculation.¡±


    ¡°Sustained,¡± The judge ruled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll rephrase,¡± Dick said, looking back at Kent. ¡°Did Ms. Edwards tell you what happened?¡±


    ¡°Hearsay,¡± Russell called out.


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± The judge said, ¡°Move along, Mr. Burgess.¡±


    ¡°When did you call the police?¡± Burgess asked.


    ¡°Not that night,¡± Kent answered, ¡°We waited until she was ready which wasn¡¯t for a few days.¡±


    ¡°Did you take her to the hospital?¡± Dick asked.


    ¡°We did not,¡± Kent answered, ¡°None of that happened until days later.¡±


    ¡°No further questions,¡± Dick said, looking back at Russell. ¡°Have fun.¡±


    ¡°Your turn, Mr. Benson.¡± The judge called out.


    Russell stood up and didn¡¯t say a word as he slowly picked up a file folder form his desk and slowly approach the witness.


    ¡°I have one question for you Mr. Jannsen,¡± Russell started, as he walked closer to the witness and took a deep breath before asking. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kent said, surprised. ¡°I gave you my name!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± the judge answered, ¡°Asked and answered.¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Russell said, looking back at Kent. ¡°It wasn¡¯t properly answered.¡±


    ¡°Objection!¡± Dick called out from his desk.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to remind the court that Mr. Jannsen is under oath,¡± Russell said, ¡°So please answer as honestly as possible.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Kent replied, ¡°I said my name is Kent Jannsen.¡±


    ¡°But it isn¡¯t,¡± Russell said, as he opened the file he was holding. ¡°According to this rap sheet from Cincinnati, Ohio, your name is Eric Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Kent said, rather surprised.


    ¡°And I have another sheet from California,¡± Russell said, pulling out another form, ¡°And according to this one, your name is Robert Allen. Colorado thinks you¡¯re Jonathan Woods, and then there¡¯s a guy named Samuel Nichols, who is wanted for several crimes in South Carolina.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Benson,¡± the judge said, again unimpressed. ¡°Is there a question coming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try again, your honor.¡± Russell said, ¡°What is your name? And please remember that you are under oath and can be charged with perjury.¡±


    ¡°Daniel Mills.¡± The young man finally answered.


    ¡°Finally, some truth.¡± Russell said as he walked back to his desk, put down the folder he was carrying and picked up a new one and opened it while walking back to the witness. ¡°Daniel Montgomery Mills. Born August 12th, 1998, in the heart of New Mexico. Correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the man replied, ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ve got quite the rap sheet, Mr. Mills.¡± Russell said, flipping through the file he had on him. ¡°Most of these charges revolve around blackmail and racketeering. So, the question I have here is: was this plan to extort my client Ms. Edward¡¯s idea, or yours?¡±


    The young man sat there, tight lipped as he had no idea what to say.


    ¡°Your honor,¡± Russell called out, his patience wearing thin.


    ¡°Answer the question,¡± The judge ordered the witness.


    ¡°No,¡± the young man former known as Kent answered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s try something else,¡± Russell said, eager to trap him again. ¡°Was it your idea to blackmail a man named Gregory Hansen in Ohio two years ago, falsely accusing him of the exact crime my client is currently being accused of right now? Did you use the same girl to set up Mr. Hansen, or did you find someone else over there to pull off your racket?¡±


    ¡°I refuse to answer,¡± the witness replied.


    ¡°You have to answer,¡± The judge reminded him.


    ¡°At this time I would like to exercise my fifth amendment rights,¡± the young man declared.


    ¡°Your honor,¡± Russell said, throwing up his hands.


    ¡°The witness is dismissed,¡± The judge said, banging her gavel.


    ¡°Actually, your honor.¡± Russell said as he grabbed the witness to stop him from getting up. ¡°There are multiple outstanding warrants in three states for Mr. Mills. I would recommend the Bailiff take him into custody.¡±


    ¡°So ordered,¡± the judge said, ¡°Take him.¡±


    Dick stood up and watched in disbelief as his witness was placed in cuffs and take into the back by the Bailiff.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to break for lunch,¡± The judge said, ¡°Be back here in an hour.¡±


    ¡°Is this your approach,¡± Dick said to Russell as the courtroom began to clear, ¡°You¡¯re going to attack the credibility of all of my witnesses?¡±


    ¡°If I have to,¡± Russell said, ¡°Don¡¯t take my word for it, have a look for yourself what a piece of shit liar your witness is.¡±


    Russell handed a copy of Mill¡¯s record over to Dick.


    ¡°I suggest you speak to your other witnesses,¡± Russell said, ¡°Especially to Ms. Edwards, whose real name is Jessica Sandford¡­ well, at least according to the state of Kentucky.¡±


    Dick was about to say something but instead he kept the file Russell gave him, grabbed his own briefcase, and stormed out of the courtroom. Xander was standing behind his lawyer and had heard the entire exchange.


    ¡°Holy shit,¡± Xander said, looking at Russell. ¡°Is this true? This Mills guy and her set me up just like that guy in Ohio?¡±


    ¡°It sure looks that way,¡± Russell said, ¡°They were under the impression that if they accused you of something so heinous, you¡¯d pay anything to make it go away. I have a feeling you¡¯re not the only man to be set up by these grifters and they¡¯ve managed to do it many times to other men across the country.¡±


    ¡°This is outrageous!¡± Xander said, as he couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t celebrate too soon,¡± Russell said, ¡°We¡¯re not finished yet. Let¡¯s break for lunch and get ready for the next session.¡±

 Chapter 23

    When they returned to court, the room was a lot more packed than it had been earlier that day. The fireworks with one of the witnesses caught their interest and there was almost no seating left for anyone. Russell and Xander sat at their desk and were eager to proceed, but Dick Burgess was rattled to the point where he was looking to make a tactical retreat. He was uncharacteristically quiet at his desk as everyone wait for the judge to return from her chambers. When the bailiff called out for everyone to rise, Judge Marshall was quick to get to her seat and order everyone to sit down. She went through a few papers on her desk, and then turned to face Mr. Burgess.


    ¡°Mr. Burgess,¡± the judge called out, ¡°Call your next witness.¡±


    ¡°Your honor,¡± Burgess said, as he stood up. ¡°The people need to request a recess until tomorrow morning. We require a bit of time to reassess our case before proceeding.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± the judge asked, ¡°We¡¯ve barely started.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree, your honor.¡± Russell said, standing up. ¡°It¡¯s a little early in the game to be calling time outs.¡±


    ¡°I apologize to the court,¡± Burgess continued, ¡°But we need time to reassess our case and get it back on track.¡±


    ¡°What say you, Mr. Benson?¡± the Judge asked Russell.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little annoyed,¡± Russell answered, ¡°But I¡¯m not worried about giving him one extra afternoon to get his act together. I¡¯ll still be ready to kick his arse.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s mighty generous of you, Mr. Benson.¡± The judge said, looking over at Burgess. ¡°You had better be prepared to move ahead tomorrow, Mr. Burgess.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am.¡± Burgess said, letting out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I mean it,¡± The judge scolded him, ¡°If you try this again tomorrow, I will not hesitate to dismiss with prejudice. We clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your honor.¡± Burgess said again.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re adjourned until tomorrow morning,¡± the judge said as she slammed her gavel down a few times to close the current session.


    Everyone stood up in the courtroom as the Judge left her perch and went right back to her chambers. Russell was tempted to ask Burgess what was going on, but the big lawyer had already packed up and made a b-line for the door with out as much as a whisper, which was very uncharacteristic of him. Even when Russell was kicking his ass the man always had a glib remark to rebound with, but not this time. Rather than speculate about what was going on, Russell grabbed Xander¡¯s father and that caught Jefferson¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Something¡¯s happened,¡± Russell started, ¡°There¡¯s something going on we¡¯re not aware of.¡±


    ¡°What do you need?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°Get everyone back to the house,¡± Russell ordered, ¡°We¡¯ll meet back up same time tomorrow. I¡¯ll have someone call you if there are any updates.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Jefferson said, but he reached out and grabbed Russell¡¯s arm so he couldn¡¯t walk away. ¡°Just one more thing, Russell.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Russell asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t something bad.


    ¡°Look,¡± Jefferson started, looking a little nervous. ¡°Despite our many conversations, and the numerous stories I¡¯ve heard, that was the first time I¡¯ve seen you work a witness in court. You fucking annihilated him. That was amazing and terrifying at the same time. You are definitely the right man for this case. If I ever get accused of something I didn¡¯t do, you are going to be the only man I call.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Jefferson.¡± Russell said, as that was the kindest thing a lawyer could say to someone also in his profession. A most sincere compliment.


    ¡°What do you think is going on with Dick?¡± Jefferson inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but Mac is going to find out.¡± Russell answered, ¡°I don¡¯t like not knowing what¡¯s going on, so we¡¯ll find out before we¡¯re back in court. Get some rest and we¡¯ll go for the throat again first thing in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Jefferson said, as he let go of Russell¡¯s arm and gave him a friendly pat. ¡°Glad to be on your side.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how often I heard that,¡± Russell replied, ¡°Never gets old.¡±


    Jefferson didn¡¯t respond and instead walked away. Russell didn¡¯t care that much as he also walked away in the opposite direction as he was also eager to speak to someone else. Mac was in the lobby on the main floor talking to Allister as Russell descended down the massive staircase to join them. It didn¡¯t take a rocket scientist to figure out what they were talking so passionately about.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Allister said, ¡°Burgess is the kind of guy who has his schedule airtight, and ready to go on day one. Asking for this delay is suspicious.¡±


    ¡°As much as I hate to admit it,¡± Russell said as he came into earshot, ¡°But Allister is correct. Dick doesn¡¯t ask for time to regroup. Something¡¯s happened, and we need to know what it is asap.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Mac said, as she knew what he meant. ¡°I¡¯ll get right to it. I have a few ideas what it could be so I¡¯ll find some answers.¡±


    ¡°In the meantime,¡± Russell said, turning back to Allister. ¡°See if your inside man has any clue to what¡¯s going on with Dick. If this is half as bad as we think it is, those offices are probably in panic mode right about now.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Allister said as he liked the idea too. ¡°I¡¯ll give my man a shout.¡±


    ¡°Mac, hold on.¡± Russell said, ¡°Come with me for a second.¡±


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    Both Mac and Russell walked away from Allister who was using his phone anyway so he didn¡¯t much care as they left him. They strolled across the lobby because Russell spotting someone that he wanted to speak to. He had a hunch this man might have the answer they were looking for.


    ¡°Virgil,¡± Russell said, strolling over. ¡°How did you find this morning¡¯s action?¡±


    ¡°Quite exciting,¡± Virgil said, ¡°Your reputation is well earned.¡±


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± Russell said, as he didn¡¯t give a shit. ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to set up an appointment to talk about a settlement.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you do?¡± Virgil said, rather surprised.


    ¡°You do?¡± Mac repeated, also surprised.


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Russell said, ¡°I¡¯ll have one of my interns send you copies of the papers we intend to file next week when I counter sue your client for defamation of character and extortion. I thought you¡¯d like to get together and talk settlement to avoid litigation.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re suing us?¡± Virgil asked, to stunned to say anything else.


    ¡°I suggest you speak to your client,¡± Russell said, as he paused for a moment. ¡°Do you even know where your client is right now?¡±


    Virgil didn¡¯t say another work and instead decided to walk away, which was petty much the answer Russell was expecting.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Mac said, as she took the cue. ¡°He has no clue.¡±


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t.¡± Russell agreed, ¡°She¡¯s running.¡±


    ¡°You bet your ass she¡¯s running,¡± Mac said, smiling. ¡°Bus or train?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m old school,¡± Russell answered, ¡°My money¡¯s on the bus.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll check both.¡± Mac said, as she started to walk away. ¡°I¡¯ll update you the moment I have something.¡±


    ¡°What about my ride back?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°Take an uber!¡± she called back.


    Russell took a deep breath and knew she was right. It was wise to stay out of her way when Mac was hunting for something, or someone. Before he could start to order a car from uber, Allister was there to pat him on the back.


    ¡°The car is right around the corner,¡± Allister said, motioning to the main door. ¡°I¡¯ve got an update from my source. We can talk about it while on our way back.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Russell said, ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    They were able to get back to the office rather quickly, and when Russell returned to his office, Shaw was in there working on something. Normally Russell would be irritated that Shaw was using his office as if it belonged to him, but odds are Shaw was working on a case that was supposed to be his so having him working on it in there saved him the time of looking for him to check in on it. Shaw saw his boss arriving and stood up to greet him.


    ¡°I heard you smoke Janssen in court this morning,¡± Shaw said, ¡°Wish I could have been there to see it.¡±


    ¡°It was fantastic,¡± Russell said, sitting down behind his desk. ¡°That was not the result Dick was expecting. I torched him like a redneck turkey.¡±


    ¡°Sweet,¡± Shaw said, ¡°I was just working on one of your delegated cases. We¡¯re moving along, but not as quickly as your case it.¡±


    ¡°Let the wheel grind slowly,¡± Russell advised him, ¡°And if this goes the way I think it does, you¡¯ll get reinforcements before it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Now that would be epic,¡± Shaw said, as he could picture it. ¡°They get cocky taking me on and then the great Russell Benson shows up to mop the floors with them. Forget the client, I¡¯d pay to see that happen.¡±


    ¡°Not necessary,¡± Russell said, ¡°We¡¯ve got a free afternoon to clean up some paperwork while we wait to hear back from Mac. So, get me up to speed here.¡±


    This was a good chance for Russell to go over Shaw¡¯s work to see how well the young associate was doing, and to his surprised, Shaw was doing just fine on his own. They were still working on it close to suppertime when Mac came back with the news Russell was hoping she¡¯d come back with. Turns out his instinct was right, and that caused Russell to contact the courthouse himself and request an emergency meeting with her honor before trial resumed at nine the next morning. He had a feeling this was the kind of information the judge would want before staring the next round. With the proof he needed in hand to drive the final nail into the coffin, Russell decided to head home and rest up for the big face off the next morning. As he was heading home to rest, he got a text confirming that the judge¡¯s office agreed and booked him and Dick to meet with the judge at eight am, an hour before court was supposed to resume. Russell had a drink, some leftover pasta, and a sleeping pill to help him crash that night. He was able to get some decent rest but was back up and on his way to the courthouse very early that morning. Once he was through security, he b-lined for the judge¡¯s chambers where both her honor and Dick Burgess were already present.


    ¡°Good morning, councillor.¡± The judge started, ¡°Want to share with us why you wanted to meet before court resumed this morning?¡±


    ¡°I have information that might explain why we may not be resuming at all,¡± Russell said, ¡°We have discovered evidence that shows the people¡¯s lead witness has fled the state.¡±


    ¡°What kind of evidence?¡± the judge asked.


    ¡°I have video,¡± Russell said as he took a tablet out of his briefcase and handed it to the judge.


    The judge sat there and watched the video which showed the alleged victim and her mother boarding a bus that departed soon after.


    ¡°As you can see your honor,¡± Russell continued, ¡°This is why the people were not able to continue yesterday afternoon. Their witness made a run for it.¡±


    ¡°Is this true, Mr. Burgess?¡± the Judge inquired. ¡°Was this lady supposed to be your next witness?¡±


    ¡°She was,¡± Dick answered, ¡°She was the reason we had to delay. Apologies.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± the judge said, handing the tablet back to Russell. ¡°What was going through that girl¡¯s mind that made her want to run?¡±


    ¡°After her associate was arrested,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Chances are she was afraid she was going to be arrested as well after she testified. Just like our previous witness, Ms. Edwards also has outstanding warrants in various states.¡±


    Russell then passes copies of some of the warrants over to the judge, who then took a few minutes to read them while both men remained standing patiently.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good, Mr. Burgess,¡± the judge admitted.


    ¡°Apologies, your honor.¡± Dick said, obviously rattled. ¡°We are looking for Ms. Edwards and intend to get her to testify¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± the judge interrupted, ¡°Citizens have the right to face their accuser and yours just skipped town! Combined with these warrants, I have reason to believe you either had no clue about them, or you knew and were withholding them.¡±


    ¡°Your honor,¡± Dick said, ¡°I would never withhold anything from the court.¡±


    ¡°Very well, we¡¯re going with incompetence.¡± The judge said as she laid the warrants down on the table. ¡°Mr. Benson, anything else you¡¯d like to add.¡±


    ¡°The defense moves for an immediate dismissal.¡± Russell said, unsure if the judge would give him one. Given the mood she was in, Russell didn¡¯t want to waste the request being made and decided to toss a Hail Mary to see how she¡¯d respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Burgess,¡± The judge said as she was clearly ticked off, ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have rushed this case to my court without all the relevant details in hand. I¡¯m granting the defense¡¯s motion, and this case is hereby dismissed¡­ with prejudice.¡±


    Burgess looked like he wanted to respond, but adding prejudice basically made anything he wanted to say irrelevant. He simply said nothing and waited to be dismissed from the room.


    ¡°Both of you get out of here,¡± the judge finally said.


    ¡°Thank you, your honor.¡± Russell said, as he started to back out of the room.


    ¡°Out!¡± the judge repeated.


    Russell said nothing else and vacated the chambers and walked back out into the hallway. He was expecting Burgess to say something to him out there, but the man had already walked away and was probably already on his way back to his office to hide away to lick his wounds. Russell didn¡¯t care as he pulled out his cell phone and quickly dialed a number. After a few rings, someone finally picked up.


    ¡°Hello?¡± the voice on the other end answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Russell said with a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The voice on the other side asked.


    ¡°I have good news,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Tell everyone to stay where they are. There¡¯s no need to come back to court. It¡¯s over.¡±

 Chapter 24

    Everyone at the Hopkins mansion were preparing to leave early that morning. They had a quick breakfast and were just getting ready to head out for the car when someone cell phone started to ring. Jefferson was standing by the door and waiting for his client when the phone had started to ring. He quickly pulled the mobile device out of his pocked and promptly answered the call.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Jefferson said into the device.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Russell replied on the other end of the call. Jefferson could tell by the tone of his voice, that Russell was happy about something. It was very similar to the tone he would often take when the hot shot lawyer was about to rub something into his face and brag. Jefferson took that as a sign this might be good news.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jefferson asked.


    ¡°I have good news,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Tell everyone to stay where they are. There¡¯s no need to come back to court.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Jefferson inquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± Russell replied, ¡°All charges have been dismissed.¡±


    ¡°Tell me everything,¡± Jefferson ordered.


    He stood there and listened to Russell as he explained everything to him over the phone. About what Mac had found, and the emergency hearing that just ended in the judge¡¯s chambers mere moments ago with a dismissal of all charges. Everyone was walking towards the door while Jefferson was listening, and the lawyer shuffled over and blocked the door with his body, which prevented anyone from going outside. Before Mr. Hopkins could say a word, his lawyer held up a hand which asked for his client to wait for him to finish his call.


    ¡°Thank you very much, Russell.¡± Jefferson said, as he looked over at Xander. ¡°I will pass along the news immediately. Yes, thank you. Take care.¡±


    Jefferson disconnected the call, and everyone was eager to know what the hell was going on.


    ¡°That was Russell?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°It was,¡± Jefferson said, as he then smiled. ¡°The case has been dismissed.¡±


    ¡°What was dismissed?¡± Xander¡¯s father asked.


    ¡°All the charges, every damn one of them,¡± Jefferson said, still grinning like a cat that just ate someone¡¯s favorite bird. ¡°Russell just had an emergency meeting in chambers with Burgess and the Judge. During that feisty powwow, her honor dismissed the entire case with prejudice.¡±


    ¡°He said that?¡± Mr. Hopkins asked, ¡°With prejudice?¡±


    ¡°He did,¡± Jefferson said, with a wide smile.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Lauren asked, looking at Xander.


    ¡°That means double jeopardy applies,¡± Xander said. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡± Xander¡¯s father said, as he was quite surprised.


    ¡°Just like that,¡± Jefferson confirmed. ¡°Something clearly has happened since we left court, because judges usually don¡¯t dismiss cases that harshly everyday. Russell and his people likely found out what it was and pounced on it.¡±


    ¡°So, Xander doesn¡¯t get his day in court?¡± His mother asked.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need one,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°The lack of evidence is what likely caused the judge to dismiss it. I also believe the prejudice might be from something exposed, misconduct by either the DA or one of their witnesses. From here one, we¡¯ll get our PR people to run with the fact that this case was so weak it never managed to get past prelims. We can take that and run since the burden is lower for such pretrial. We can tout that the DA failed to even meet this minute burden, proving that these charges are complete fabrications, as Russell came close to proving in court yesterday when he roasted that first witness. By stopping this right here, Xander¡¯s reputation will probably not to take the massive hit we all feared it would. The damage here is minimal, most of it just from the public arrest.¡±


    ¡°Something we should sue those bastards for!¡± Xander¡¯s father said, pointing a finger at Jefferson''s chest rather aggressively.


    ¡°Excuse me, Sir?¡± Jefferson said, hoping it was just hot air and not an actual request from his richest client.


    ¡°You heard me!¡± Hopkins Senior confirmed, as he appeared quite heated, ¡°I want options for litigation against both the police and the DA¡¯s office for the public humiliation they forced my son endure. They rushed to judgement without properly vetting their own witnesses, and they didn¡¯t even know the bastard¡¯s real name! I want them all sued for false arrest, false imprisonment, and especially defamation of character. I want papers brought up as soon as possible! Have I made myself clear on this matter, Jefferson?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡± Jefferson said, as he knew better to not ask questions when Hopkins Senior got this hot tempered. ¡°I¡¯ll get my top civil litigators on it this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Dad,¡± Xander said, as he wasn¡¯t used to seeing his father this angry at someone either than himself for a change. ¡°Are you sure we should do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite sure this is needed,¡± His father countered, ¡°I think an example needs to be made here. If someone wants to go after my kids, they had better be prepared to deal with me as well because I will not stand by and let this slander go by without a considerable, disproportionate response.¡±


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    ¡°Oh my,¡± Xander said, as he realized any protest was futile. The old man was out for blood, and no one was going to talk him out of it. ¡°Good luck, father. Let me know if you need anything from me to assist.¡±


    ¡°I sincerely appreciate the offer,¡± His father replied, ¡°But I got this one, don¡¯t we Jefferson?¡±


    ¡°Quite,¡± Jefferson concurred, ¡°We are going to nail those lazy, corrupt bastards to the damn wall, metaphorically speaking of course.¡±


    ¡°Get over here!¡± Xander¡¯s father said, as he grabbed his boy and embraced him with a deep hug. He then released him and looked back at everyone else in the room. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be celebrating? The good guys won! Truth prevailed!¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Xander¡¯s mom said, as she really liked his enthusiasm. ¡°But I think we should just do something private here and not make a fuss of it so soon.¡±


    ¡°Private?¡± Xander¡¯s father said, as he thought about it. ¡°I suppose so, but I¡¯m going to invite a small handful of people close to us, and especially his new lawyer, who I might add was marvelous in his duties! We are going to have a party!¡±


    Xander patted his Dad on the back and smiled. ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s celebrate!¡±


    ¡°Tuxedos, champagne, and the finest caviar money can buy!¡± Hopkins Senior happily shouted as he wasn¡¯t pulling any punches here. He turned to face Lauren who was kind of observing everything from a short distance. ¡°That goes for you too, my dear.¡±


    ¡°It does?¡± Lauren softly whispered.


    ¡°Yes,¡± his father confirmed, ¡°Your support has been a beacon of light to my son in what were dark times. I thank you for that and would be so grateful if you were to dine and celebrate with us tonight.¡±


    ¡°I would be honored,¡± Lauren gladly replied, ¡°But I don¡¯t have a tuxedo.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry,¡± Xander¡¯s mom said, giving her a half hug with one arm, ¡°I¡¯ve got you covered on that one.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Xander¡¯s Dad said, as he seemed so excited. He turned to face Jefferson again. ¡°I want you down here for supper as well and invite Russell Hanson as well as anyone else who aided in securing my son¡¯s freedom.¡±


    ¡°I will reach out to him as soon as possible,¡± Jefferson said, and even though he didn¡¯t like another lawyer taking all the credit for the win, he needed to make sure Hopkins Senior remained as happy as he was right now. His civil litigators were going to bill more than enough to make up for losing most of Xander¡¯s business.


    Xander and Lauren watched as everyone vacated the lobby, with his parents returning inside while Jefferson left the premises to get back to work on what his father just ordered him to do. Xander stood there like a statue, unable to move as he could hardly believe it, that the wild mess was actually over before it even got a chance to start. He looked back at Lauren, who was also looking quite cheerful at the news.


    ¡°This is wonderful,¡± Lauren said, grabbing his arm to comfort him.


    ¡°Is it?¡± Xander asked, as he was thinking about it. ¡°There was a part of me that was actually looking forward to having his day in court.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But your lawyer was right to end this as soon as possible, not only for your sake but for the people who work for you. Imagine what a dragged out company could have done with your standing with your friends, family and even the people who work for you. The fact it was tossed so quickly proves that it was the fabrication Russell said it was. Take the win, Xander, because it proves the truth was on your side.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Xander conceded, taking a deep breath. ¡°So, would it be too presumptuous to hope we might be able to start over?¡±


    ¡°Oh really?¡± Lauren said, ¡°What did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°Well, how about a date?¡± Xander asked, ¡°We never really got a chance to finish the first one, did we?¡±


    ¡°No, that is true.¡± Lauren said, ¡°But wasn¡¯t lunch at the park with he kids our first date?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t count,¡± Xander corrected her, ¡°Dates are one on one, with the focus being on one another with no outside distractions.¡±


    ¡°Then the second doesn¡¯t count either,¡± Lauren noted, ¡°Because your father jumped in on that one as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good point.¡± Xander said, even chuckling. ¡°I guess we¡¯re going to have to start all over again.¡±


    ¡°I like that idea,¡± Lauren said, giving him a half hug. ¡°Let¡¯s do something private, but first I think your father wants us to stay for the party he has planned.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Xander said, thinking about it. ¡°He seems pretty strong about doing that tonight. I think we should let him have this moment, and we¡¯ll have our first date later in the week. Sound good?¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Lauren repeated, as she was liking where this was going. ¡°Your mother also sounded excited about picking out my dress, so we wouldn¡¯t want to deny her that moment as well.¡±


    ¡°True,¡± Xander agreed, ¡°I am quite surprised by how much they¡¯ve taken a liking to you. Not that I blame them, I am quite smitten as well.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Lauren said, as she took that cue and leaned over to give him a short, but very nice kiss on his lips.


    ¡°It is so,¡± Xander repeated as he even blushed a little bit.


    He was going to say something else, but he was interrupted by his phone, which started buzzing in his pocket. He was tempted not to answer it, but thought against it and at least looked at the screen to see who was calling. Once he read the name, Xander looked back at Lauren.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said to her, ¡°It¡¯s Russell.¡±


    ¡°Take it,¡± Laurens said, ¡°Let¡¯s get more details on what happened.¡±


    Xander opened the line and put the phone up to his ear.


    ¡°Russell,¡± Xander started, ¡°I heard the news from Jefferson. Great work on getting those shit charges dismissed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I get paid the big bucks,¡± Russell said, rightfully full of himself. ¡°We can get into the details later.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡¯s holding a party later tonight,¡± Xander added, ¡°And he wanted you and whoever helped out on the case to attend. Can you make sure everyone who helped out gets the invite?¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± Russell said, ¡°But that¡¯s not there reason why I was calling.¡±


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say over the phone,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Is there any chance you could come down to my office so we can discuss it in private?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Xander said, checking the time. ¡°Can I come by after lunch?¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Russell replied, ¡°See you then.¡±


    ¡°Aright, cheers.¡± Xander said.


    ¡°What was that about?¡± Lauren asked as Xander ended his call.


    ¡°Russell wants to talk to me,¡± Xander answered, ¡°It sounded important, but he said it can wait until the party later tonight.¡±


    ¡°Do you want be there with you?¡± Lauren offered.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s alright,¡± Xander replied, ¡°I think he wants to speak with me alone first, and I¡¯ll let you in when I find out. I think we just need to relax and enjoy the win while we can. Let¡¯s get ready for the party we¡¯ll deal with everything else later.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Just don¡¯t leave me here on my own too long.¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± Xander said, as he understood all too well.

 Chapter 25

    Russell came back to his office straight from the courthouse, and Willy was the first one to greet him off the elevator. The senior partner had a wide grin as he walked over and early shook Russell¡¯s hand. Russell could also tell there was an angst in his voice as he offered congratulations to his peer. He was smart enough to know exactly what was going through the old man¡¯s head. Russell had done such a good job at defending his client that he was missing out on a chance to bill Xander for more hours and now he was afraid that the firm might have to return a large portion of that hefty advance. Willy wasn¡¯t the kind of man who favored refunds, and neither was Russell.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Willy,¡± Russell told the old man, ¡°I have a feeling Xander is going to let us keep that retainer and save it for a rainy day. This experience has rattled the young man and I have a feeling he¡¯s going to want my protection moving forward in case someone tries to take advantage of his position again.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re sure about this?¡± Willy asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s a good kid,¡± Russell reminded him, ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s quite happy with our service right now and will want to keep us on retainer. I¡¯m quite confident we¡¯ll get to keep some of reserved for future business. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he let keep some of it as a bonus as well.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Willy said, as he understood, ¡°Just having him remain with us will be good for the firm. We¡¯ll definitely draw in more business for doing him right and winning as efficiently as we did too.¡±


    ¡°You bet your ass we will,¡± Russell said, slapping Willy on the shoulder before starting to walk away, ¡°I bet we¡¯ll have more than a few big fish calling us all week!¡±


    ¡°From your lips to god¡¯s ears,¡± Willy called out as he lost sight of him.


    Russell strolled back to his office and checked with his secretary who appeared to want to share a word with him.


    ¡°Is everything alright?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°It is,¡± his secretary replied, ¡°I just wanted to give you a heads up; Mac is in your office, and she appears more agitated than usual.¡±


    ¡°Duly noted,¡± Russell said, as he strolled into his office without a care.


    The case was over and he had some ideas on how to smooth things over with his investigator to make sure she didn¡¯t try to slug him again. As he strolled into the office, Mac was sitting or relaxed, but going through papers and still hard at work. This was also another concern for Russell because Mac was the kind of person who didn¡¯t like to leave cases unfinished if she didn¡¯t figure out every single detail. Despite getting the big win in court Mac still looked like she wanted answers, and Russell suddenly knew why his secretary felt the need to warn him.


    ¡°Mac,¡± Russell said, trying to sound chipper as he strolled in. ¡°Great work on finding the girl and her mother at the bus station. I can assure you the judge wasn¡¯t impressed they were running, and that they had several outstanding warrants. Our client was able to dodge a bullet before it was even fired. You have no idea what a great help your efforts were in court today. Thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not over,¡± Mac said without looking back.


    ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± Russell asked, trying to act dumb, which he was never that good at.


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me, Russ.¡± She chided at him, her voice cracking like a whip.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bite,¡± Russell said, as he laid his papers down on the desk. ¡°What minute detail has got you whipped all out of shape on the day we should be celebrating victory for our filthy rich client?¡±


    ¡°The paper trail,¡± Mac said, holding up some specific papers, ¡°I followed the money and it went somewhere very interesting.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Russell said, as she now had his attention, ¡°What money?¡±


    ¡°Transfers made to our ringleader,¡± Mac explained, ¡°The founder of the feast where the assault was staged. He was paid to set this thing up.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch,¡± Russell cussed, ¡°Someone hired that bastard to specifically set Xander up? Tell me you have a name for who made the payment!¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve got a name.¡± Mac said as she handed him a copy of the transfer and pointed at the name of the sender. ¡°Cliff Brown.¡±


    Russell paused for a moment, digesting the new information.


    ¡°Why does that name sound familiar to me?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s a professional fixer,¡± Mac informed him, ¡°He¡¯s the kind of guy you turn to if you need something fixed, or in this case set up.¡±


    ¡°Have we met this guy before?¡± Russell said, still trying to recall himself.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Not you personally,¡± Mac continued, ¡°But a few members of this firm have retained his services, one of them more than the others.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡± Russell asked.


    Five minutes after being summoned by Russell¡¯s secretary, Allister arrived to the office as quickly as he could to join the powwow with Russell and Mac.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Allister asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be celebrating.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem,¡± Russell started, ¡°And we need your help with it.¡±


    ¡°Anything,¡± Allister said, eager to serve.


    ¡°Someone paid off the people who set up Xander,¡± Russell said, ¡°This was a hit on our client¡¯s reputation, and possibly against his company.¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Allister said, ¡°That¡¯s some pretty heavy stuff.¡±


    ¡°Why would someone do this?¡± Russell asked.


    ¡°Several reasons,¡± Allister said, processing it. ¡°If it was an attack on his company, it could have been a rival company or even someone wanting to take his place as CEO if Xander ever stepped down. Hell, it could have just been for money.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Russell asked, sounding quite curious.


    ¡°Shorts,¡± Allister said, ¡°If someone knew the CEO was about to be arrested for whatever bullshit, they could short the stock and make a killing when the numbers took a dive after his very public arrest.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Russell said, as that could widen the net of suspects infinitely. ¡°We need to speak to the person who made the payment. A middleman that you have experience with named Cliff Brown.¡±


    Allister¡¯s eyes went as wide as saucers when that name was dropped.


    ¡°Cliff is involved in this!?¡± Allister said, as he looked like he was literally about to crap his pants over it.


    ¡°We need to speak with Cliff,¡± Russell said, ¡°We need him in here ASAP, and I mean yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± Allister said, trying to sound like he was okay with it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you get it,¡± Russell said, walking closer to Allister. ¡°I know you¡¯ve done a shit ton of business with the same man that paid people to set up our client. If he finds out about this conflict, we could be sued or even brought before the god damn bar association. Get this piece of shit in here so we can nip this in the bud¡­ now!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make the call,¡± Allister said, ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee he¡¯ll want to come in.¡±


    ¡°Tell the man that Russell Benson has work for him,¡± Russell said, putting a hand on Allister¡¯s shoulder. ¡°And let him know that if he does this solid for me, he¡¯ll have an I.O.U. from yours truly that he can cash in any time he friggin¡¯ wants.¡±


    ¡°That could work,¡± Allister said, nodding in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll make the call.¡±


    Allister made the call, and Brown seemed very interested in what Russell wanted so he showed up in less than an hour. He looked like an old school thug, the kind of guy that worked as a bouncer whenever he wasn¡¯t busy. When he arrived to the office, Russell had both Mac and Allister vacate the room to give him and Brown some privacy.


    ¡°Am I in trouble?¡± Brown asked, curious why he waned the room alone.


    ¡°You could be,¡± Russell said, gesturing to his pocket. ¡°Give me ten dollars.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Brown asked.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± Russell cracked back, ¡°Give me a ten or whatever is the smallest bill in your wallet is and hand it over right now.¡±


    Brown sighed and then dug into his wallet, pulled out a crisp twenty, and then handed it over to Russell.


    ¡°As of right now, I¡¯m your lawyer.¡± Russell said, putting the bill into his pocket. ¡°So, now everything you tell me is covered by client attorney privilege.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good to me,¡± Brown said, as he got the man¡¯s drift. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°We have a transfer receipt here,¡± Russell said, handing it over to Brown. ¡°It¡¯s a transfer you made to a lowlife that set my client up for an assault he never committed.


    ¡°Oh, that job.¡± Brown said, as he recalled it easily. ¡°I remembered that one because I don¡¯t get asked to do dirty work like that very much. I¡¯m the guy who usually cleans up these messes, not the shit disturber causing them.¡±


    ¡°Interesting point,¡± Russell said, as he believed the man. ¡°But the person you set up is a billionaire that can make your life very ugly with just the snap of his fingers.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Brown said, as he didn¡¯t like that idea. ¡°Any way I can wiggle my way out of the dude¡¯s crosshairs?¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± Russell said, crossing his arms to look a little more stern. ¡°Give me everything you know about this, and I¡¯ll tell the billionaire you co-operated and that you¡¯ll make him a priority if he ever has a mess that needs cleaning.¡±


    ¡°Tell him that it was just business,¡± Brown said, as he could see where the wind was blowing. ¡°Not only will I owe him a solid, but I¡¯ll give him anything he needs to clear his name and even sue the people who did this to him. I have evidence like recordings and even video.¡±


    Russell couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Video? Of who?¡±


    Brown smiled as he knew the fish was hooked, ¡°The dude who hired me and sent me out to set up your client. It¡¯s on my phone, would you like to see it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Russell replied, ¡°Show it to me.¡±


    Brown took out his cell phone, and turn on a specific video that he had stored on the cellular device. Both men stood there and Russell watched the small screen as the lawyer was glued to the screen and couldn¡¯t believe what he was watching. Once it was over, Russell turned to Brown with a face that looked like someone had slapped him.


    ¡°I want a copy of that,¡± Russell said, ¡°Better yet, I¡¯m willing to pay for it.¡±


    ¡°As much as I enjoy a good payday, that would not be ethical.¡± Brown said, despite being a total turd who was already breaking laws. ¡°Give me your email and I¡¯ll send it to you right now. Just promise me that your firm will not blacklist me cause you lawyers make up a fair chunk of my income.¡±


    ¡°As far as I¡¯m concerned, this will remain between us.¡± Russell said, sighing deeply as he removed his tie. ¡°Just make sure no one else sees that without my knowing about it. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Brown repeated, ¡°It¡¯s done. You have the video.¡±


    ¡°Speak of this to no one,¡± Russell said, as he walked Brown to the door, ¡°And I¡¯ll make sure my client hears that you co-operated.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Brown said, as he stopped just at the cusp of the doorway. ¡°And you¡¯ll have my back if I need it too?¡±


    ¡°I owe you a favor and I¡¯ll come through as long as your requests are reasonable,¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°But speak of this to no one.¡±


    Once Brown left the room, both Allister and Mac came back into the room as they were waiting outside hoping to get the skinny once they were done. Mac was eager to get in there and she didn¡¯t hesitate to break the ice.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Mac asked, eager to get answers.


    ¡°He was the middleman as we suspected,¡± Russell said, taking a deep breath as he couldn¡¯t believe it himself.


    ¡°How bad are we talking here?¡± Allister asked, ¡°Who is he accusing?¡±


    ¡°We have more than an accusation,¡± Russell said, as he gestured to Mac. ¡°Close the door, because I have a video to show you.¡±


    Mac closed the door and for her and Allister, all was suddenly revealed.

 Chapter 26

    While the celebration was tempered down as per Xander¡¯s request, his father still invited close family and friends over to the mansion to have an intimate event to celebrate his son victory of those who meant to smear his good name. Xander¡¯s legal team was also invited to the mansion as well, to thank them for a job well done keeping Xander out of trouble and prison at the same time. Russell was hesitant to even attend but did so out of duty to his new client whom he was more dedicated to protecting now than he even was before. To make things seem casual, Russell didn¡¯t go solo to the event and allowed Mac to use his credit card to get something fancy so she could be his plus one. A decision that would be a wise choice to make given that his duties as Xander¡¯s attorney were far from being over. As they strolled into the fancy mansion, the few guests that were already there provided more than enough cover for Russell to make a sleek exit and wander around to look for his potential target. As he was wandering the hallways, he bumped into Xander who was also trying to escape the attention he naturally didn¡¯t want.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Xander said as he spotted his lawyer. ¡°Nice to see a friendly face that I actually like around here!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, kid.¡± Russell said as he walked over and shook Xander¡¯s hand. The young man didn¡¯t let go and also pulled him in for a hug.


    ¡°You have no idea how grateful I am,¡± Xander said, as he was just so relieved.


    Russell stood there for a moment, unsure if he should share the sensitive information that he recently discovered. His pause didn¡¯t go unnoticed.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xander asked him, ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    Russell stood there and continued to pause and then finally he let it out.


    ¡°Mac isn¡¯t the kind of person to let things go,¡± Russell started to explain, ¡°She doesn¡¯t like to close a case until every little rock is overturned. It¡¯s that kind of dedication that makes her one of the best.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Xander said, ¡°What did she find?¡±


    ¡°Payoffs,¡± Russell answered, ¡°Someone paid off the people who set you up. We found the middleman who made the payments, and he sang like a damn bird. He gave me everything I need to prove beyond all doubt who was behind this.¡±


    ¡°So, not only was I set up,¡± Xander summarized, ¡°But someone paid the people to do it to me specifically?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Russell confirmed, ¡°And I know who did it.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Xander demanded, ¡°I want to know who did this to me.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Russell asked, ¡°Once I give you all the details, there¡¯s no going back. The fact that I know who did it means I can protect you from that person and wage the good fight behind closed doors while you run off and live happily live ever after with Lauren. You can live in ignorant bliss, and I¡¯ll will make sure that turd pays for it and never does it again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that for me?¡± Xander asked, as he was touched by the offer.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t an easy answer,¡± Russell continued, ¡°Once I tell you this, your world will never be the same. It will hurt that much.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the gesture,¡± Xander said, ¡°But I prefer to know who my enemies are so that I can defend myself from those who mean to do me harm.¡±


    ¡°Then follow me,¡± Russell said, gesturing to the hall. ¡°That asshole we¡¯re looking for is just a few doors down.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Xander said, as he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Russell and Xander walked down the hallway and then directly into the office of Xander¡¯s father. His old man and his attorney were both in the den puffing on some cigars and celebrating in their own way. Both Alexander Senior and Jefferson both looked quite pleased when they saw Russell and Xander enter the room.


    ¡°Welcome, gentleman!¡± Xander¡¯s father called out.


    ¡°Join the celebration!¡± Jefferson said, relaxing in a soft chair and with a glass of scotch in his hand.


    ¡°No thanks,¡± Russell replied, as he didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°I¡¯m just not in a celebrating mood tonight.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Xander¡¯s father said, as he noticed the anger in Russell¡¯s voice.


    Before anyone else in the room could say something, Russell wound up and slapped Xander''s father right in the face with an open hand, knocking the cigar right out of the old man¡¯s mouth. The slap Russell gave his client¡¯s father was so hard that he also knocked the old man to the ground.


    ¡°Russell!¡± Jefferson called out as he leapt out of his chair.


    Russell was the closest person to the old man, so he helped Alexander Senior up back his feet and pointed a finger at Jefferson to stop his advance.


    ¡°Sit back down, Jefferson, right now.¡± Russell ordered.


    ¡°What the hell is the meaning of this!¡± Hopkins Senior roared with anger.


    ¡°You just couldn¡¯t handle it, could you?¡± Russell said, ¡°The fact that your own kid was not only kicking ass and taking names, but that his own empire was starting to challenge even yours in terms of success and wealth. You also had no control of the kid either, as he paid you back your ten million with interest. The fact that he was starting to look as good or even better than you in the business world must have been a direct hit to your fragile ego.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being irrational, Mr. Benson,¡± The old man chided back.


    ¡°Am I?¡± Russell said, still seething. ¡°I spoke to Cliff Brown earlier today. Not only did I find the man, but that smug bastard told me everything.¡±


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Jefferson asked, just as confused as the old man Russell was yelling at. ¡°Who the hell is Cliff Brown?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to tell them, or should I?¡± Russell asked the old man.


    ¡°Go to hell, Mr. Benson.¡± Xander¡¯s father spat out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass,¡± Russell said, smirking just a bit. ¡°You¡¯re not my client, so you don¡¯t even have the authority to tell me what to take in my coffee.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell is Cliff Brown?¡± Xander asked, as he was eager to know more.


    ¡°He¡¯s the bagman who paid off the people that set you up,¡± Russell answered, ¡°And he was hired to set this whole thing up¡­ by your father.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Xander said, stunned beyond words.


    ¡°That can¡¯t be true!¡± Jefferson said, also astonished to hear it.


    ¡°Oh, it is.¡± Russell replied, ¡°And I have more than enough evidence to prove it.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± The old man said, ¡°What proof do you have?¡±


    ¡°Video,¡± Russell said, smirking at the old man. ¡°Brown recorded every conversation you had.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this,¡± Xander said, as he started to shake with anger. ¡°You¡¯re my father! How could you do this to me?¡±


    ¡°He wanted you in his debt,¡± Russell explained, ¡°If he couldn¡¯t control you with money, he decided to use favor to win you over instead. He was hoping that Jefferson would convince you to settle and pay to make things go away, and then you¡¯d be back in pappa¡¯s debt for bailing you out of this mess of his own making.¡±


    ¡°I swear Russell, I had no idea!¡± Jefferson started to beg, ¡°I would never betray a client like that¡­ I swear!¡±


    ¡°Save that for the bar association!¡± Xander yelled back.


    ¡°No,¡± Russell said, as he grabbed Xander¡¯s arm. ¡°Jefferson¡¯s telling the truth. He had nothing to do with it.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure about that?¡± Xander¡¯s father asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s easy,¡± Russell answered, ¡°All the proof I need came from that meeting when Xander fired him. Xander put Jefferson on the spot during that meeting concerning his innocence. Instead of giving a straight answer, Jefferson hesitated because he didn¡¯t know what the answer was. If he had no idea what the truth was, that means he had no idea you were the one who set him up. Had Jefferson been in on it, he would have been able to shout Xander¡¯s innocence from the rooftops without a shred of hesitation. Jefferson¡¯s inability to answer the question proves that he didn¡¯t know what was going on.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Benson,¡± Xander¡¯s father started, almost growling, ¡°I would like you to leave my residence at once.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Xander said to his old man with just as much hostility, ¡°We are all leaving right now.¡±


    ¡°Xander, hold on,¡± His father pleaded.


    ¡°No!¡± Xander called out, ¡°This is the final straw. You and I are finished!¡±


    ¡°Grab Lauren and get out of here,¡± Russell suggested, ¡°Take her back to your condo and stay there until you hear back from me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already gone,¡± Xander said, and he proceeded to walk right out.


    The old man¡¯s first instinct was to chase after his boy, but Russell shift to the side and intentionally blocked what would have been his exit to follow his son.


    ¡°I asked you to leave!¡± Xander¡¯s father roared, ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I will.¡± Russell said, ¡°And you¡¯re going to listen to what I have to say, or this could be the beginning of a very bad week for you, Mr. Hopkins.¡±


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± The old man asked.


    ¡°Probably,¡± Russell answered, ¡°I¡¯m going to remind you that I have video of you paying off a man to commit a crime. The last time I checked, all my friends at the district attorney¡¯s office would call that conspiracy to commit. I also have bean counters going over mountains of data from the New York Stock Exchange, looking for all trades that were made involving Xander¡¯s company over the past few months. They''re looking for any trades that were made in the days leading up to Xander¡¯s arrest, specifically for shorts. I have a feeling once Xander fired Jefferson and hired me to fight these ridiculous charges in court, you saw an opportunity to make some quick cash by shorting Xander¡¯s company. You were aware that his arrest and word of this charges would send the stock crashing, and boy were you right. The company took a dive and lost close to twenty percent! If my investigator finds a single short called in by you or any of your associates, I will personally notify the Securities and Exchange Commission about your illegal activity.¡±


    ¡°You smug son-of-a-bitch,¡± Mr. Hopkins said.


    ¡°Alexander!¡± Jefferson called out, as he finally stepped in between the two men. ¡°As of this moment, I am advising you as your attorney to shut the hell up! This man is not your lawyer, which means anything you say can be used against you in a court of law. So, back away from the man and don¡¯t say another friggin¡¯ word!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the old man said, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Russell,¡± Jefferson said, trying to use a civil tone, ¡°My client has politely asked you to vacate the premises. Please respect his wishes and leave so that we don¡¯t have to get security involved.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russell said, looking back at the old man, ¡°You stay the hell away from Xander. As his attorney, I will be keeping a look out to make sure his interests are protected from future attacks by anyone¡­ especially you.¡±


    ¡°Point taken Russell,¡± Jefferson replied, ¡°Please leave.¡±


    Russell was tempted to say something else and try to get the last word but wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal with security, so he turned around and walked right out of the den into the hallway. As he strolled down the hallway towards the door, Mac was already there waiting for him with both Xander and Lauren.


    ¡°I have a limo waiting outside,¡± Russell called out, ¡°Not one word until from anyone until we¡¯re in there and the hell out of here.¡±


    All four of them walked out the main door, and straight into the limo that Russell had waiting for them outside. Once they were in the car Xander looked back at his lawyer, and it was evident that the young man was still brewing with anger over the revelations that were just handed to him.


    ¡°You said you had video,¡± Xander said, ¡°Let me see it.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russell said, as he took out his cell phone and started to play the video for all to see. It started Cliff Brown turning the camera on and specifically listing the date and proving it by showing the newspaper for that day. A few minutes after it started, the meeting had begun as Xander¡¯s father appeared in the screen carrying a rather sizable attach¨¦ case.


    ¡°I assume that¡¯s my money?¡± Cliff asked.


    ¡°It is,¡± The old man confirmed, ¡°Half a million, just as we agreed.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Cliff asked, ¡°I mean this is your own son we¡¯re talking about here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t question me about that,¡± Xander¡¯s father replied, ¡°Just set it up and make sure it sticks enough so that the kid will have to pay them off to make it go away.¡±


    ¡°What did the kid do?¡± Cliff asked, ¡°Forget to send a father¡¯s day card?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s none of your damn business,¡± Xander¡¯s father snapped back. ¡°Just let me know when it¡¯s done so I can get ahead of it and clean it all up for him.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, now that makes sense,¡± Cliff said, amused by it. ¡°You¡¯re making this mess so you can sweep in and be hero daddy.¡±


    ¡°Just shut up and get it done,¡± the old man said, ¡°This is the last time we¡¯ll ever meet, so contact me through our usual channels from here out.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Cliff said, ¡°Have a nice day, Mr. Hopkins.¡±


    As the old man left the room, the video showed Cliff starting to count his money and that is when Russell turned off the video.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the only one,¡± Russell added, ¡°There are a few videos of your father making contact and planning the whole thing with Brown.¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Xander said, as he couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± Lauren said, just as disgusted by what she saw.


    Both Xander and Lauren held one another as everyone remained silent until the limo drove them both back to Xander¡¯s condo. As it entered the building¡¯s private parking lot, it came to a stop right beside the elevators and Russell watched as the young couple got into the elevator and were gone after the doors closed.


    ¡°What now?¡± Mac asked, rather curious.


    ¡°Back to the office,¡± Russell answered.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Mac asked, even though she was the kid of girl that never came across an hour of overtime that she didn¡¯t like.


    ¡°As serious as Chris Christie at a buffet,¡± Russell said, sighing. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the office. We¡¯ve got a lot of significant work to do.¡±

 Chapter 27

    Xander never wanted to have this party, but his father insisted. Lauren knew the young man enough to understand he wasn¡¯t the kind to brag or gloat. One benefit of there being a small party at the house was that Lauren would get a chance to hang out with Xander and help him get over the horror of the last few weeks. She was wearing a nice dress that Mrs. Hopkins picked out herself, and even gave her an elegant pearl necklace to go with it. Lauren wasn¡¯t too nervous as the crowd gathered was rather small and most people kept to themselves. She was soothing her nerves with a glass of wine when a familiar face finally showed up. Xander was looking rather nice in his custom-made suit, and Lauren was eager to run over and greet him. He strolled over to where she was standing the moment he laid eyes on her, excited to see the young woman as well.


    ¡°You look amazing,¡± Xander said, eager to pay her a compliment.


    ¡°Your mother was very kind to help me get ready,¡± Lauren said, ¡°This suit looks amazing on you? Where did you get it?¡±


    ¡°I had it ordered custom,¡± Xander replied, ¡°Was saving it for a special occasion. Winning my freedom seemed like a pretty decent excuse to me.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a good one to me,¡± Lauren agreed, ¡°I¡¯m just glad it¡¯s over.¡±


    ¡°That makes two of us,¡± Xander said, sighing deeply. ¡°I was sure this was going to be one of those drawn-out cases that went on for months, maybe a year. The kind that would take my PR people years to fight just to help the company recover. Russell truly worked miracles here.¡±


    ¡°I can tell you who I¡¯ll be hiring if I ever get into trouble,¡± Lauren said, as she was also impressed with how amazing the lawyer was.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope it never comes to that,¡± Xander said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t wish what happened on my worst enemy.¡±


    ¡°Do you even have a worst enemy?¡± Lauran asked, slightly curious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Xander said, ¡°Despite what a tyrant CEOs might look like to the public, I try to do well by the people I work with. Let¡¯s not dwell on that and enjoy the night as it¡¯s in celebration of a win for the good guys.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drink to that,¡± Lauren said, even raising her glass a bit.


    Xander smiled as he was please that Lauren was enjoying herself, and he was even more relieved that Russell did such a great job defending him that there was little doubt regarding his innocence. To get the judge to toss it out before the hearing was even finished was better than the result he was hoping for. He thought this was going to lead to a trial, with a jury and the whole nine yards. While he liked his odds with Russell in his corner, he didn¡¯t blame his lawyer for getting the win anyway he could. There was no point taking a risk with the jury if there was a way to win before the game even started, and Russell took his shot and hit nothing but net. The trial ending so quick also caused his company¡¯s stock to rise and end quite well when the bell sounded at the end of the day. Things really were looking up for him but seeing that smile on Lauren¡¯s face was better than all of it combined. The fact that she believed in him and now knew he was innocent was more than he could hope for. Yet as he took a quick glance around, he saw the man who made it all possible.


    ¡°Hey¡­ there¡¯s Russell,¡± Xander said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡°Sure thing,¡± Lauren said, as she used the moment to refill her wine and even grab a few puffy like pastries that looked to have crab in them.


    Lauren was patiently waiting because she assumed Xander and Russell would come into the room to join everyone and take victory lap, but that never happened. When she looked over to check on them, Russell and Xander were talking about something and both men appeared to be serious about their discussion. Lauren didn¡¯t like that look on his lawyer¡¯s face, so she tried to walk over to get an idea of what was going on. Lauren was about halfway across the room when someone grabbed her arm and stopper her from getting any closer.


    ¡°Trust me, dear,¡± the woman whispered, ¡°You don¡¯t want to know what they¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°What,¡± Lauren said, as she didn¡¯t recognize the woman. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°My name is Mac,¡± the woman replied, ¡°And despite how awesome I look tonight, I am actually an investigator that works for Mr. Benson. We discovered something pretty bad regarding his case. So, I think it might be best for you to hang back and be here for the young man in case he need support later on.¡±


    ¡°What kind of discovery are we talking about?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°About the person that was behind it all,¡± Mac replied, ¡°And let me tell you this is more outrageous than what you¡¯d expect from an over-the-top horror film. There¡¯s a good chance this news is going to devastate him.¡±


    ¡°Then I definitely want to be there for him,¡± Lauren said, as she tried to break free, but the investigator was surprisingly strong.


    ¡°I admire your eagerness to stand by your man,¡± Mac admitted, ¡°But this isn¡¯t when he¡¯s going to need you. Right now, here¡¯s firing on all cylinders but it¡¯s just adrenaline. He¡¯s going to crash later tonight when the actual weight of it hits him, and that¡¯s when Xander is going to need someone.¡±


    ¡°So, we just wait here for what?¡± Lauren inquired.


    ¡°We should probably go wait by the main door,¡± Mac suggested, ¡°Because if they are confronting to I think they are, we¡¯ll be making a quick exit very soon.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is happening,¡± Lauren said, as Mac started to drag her towards the main door. Part of her didn¡¯t want to go and keep celebrating what was supposed to be a big win for the good guys. Yet as she was being dragged away from the main room, the reality of the situation finally started to become more real.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get into the details, not here at least.¡± Mac continued, ¡°But odds are Xander will tell you everything after we leave. He¡¯ll need someone to talk to and I have a feeling you¡¯ll be the one he wants to confide in.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Lauren said, as she didn¡¯t appear to have a choice in the matter. It wasn¡¯t like she wouldn¡¯t want to be there for Xander if he needed her love and support, but she never thought it would happen on this of all evenings.


    ¡°Look, there¡¯s Xander!¡± Mac said, pointing at him. ¡°And it looks like he¡¯s making his way to the main doors as well¡­ most likely on Russell¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re leaving then,¡± Lauren said, a bit bummed out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take is personally,¡± Mac said, ¡°If he was told what I think he was told, his current mood and hostility has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Good to know, I suppose.¡± Lauren said, as she never wanted to be the person that would cause Xander any pains. Yet she could tell there was a pained expression on his face as he walked over to where she and Mac were standing.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°Are you alright, dear?¡± Mac asked the young man.


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Xander answered, ¡°I¡¯m downright disgusted.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get into that soon,¡± Mac answered for him, ¡°Where¡¯s Russell?¡±


    ¡°He should be coming behind me shortly,¡± Xander answered.


    As if he heard his name being called out, Russell emerged from the same area where Xander himself came from and was walking towards them all with a very dedicated stride. He was clearly in a hurry to leave the building as soon as he possible could. Russell waved to everyone as he was getting closer.


    ¡°I have a limo waiting outside,¡± the lawyer called out, ¡°Not one word until from anyone until we¡¯re in there and the hell out of here.¡±


    Lauren did as she was told and followed the other tree out the door, as then went straight into the limo that Russell had waiting for them outside. Xander took a seat beside him, but still had a worried look on his face as he waited for Mac and Russell to get into the limo with them. Once they were inside and the car was slowly leaving the parking lot, Xander didn¡¯t hesitate to speak up.


    ¡°You said you had video,¡± Xander said, ¡°Let me see it.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Russell said, as he took out his cell phone and started to play the video for all to see.


    Lauren watched the video with Xander, and what she saw utter disgusted her. Watching Xander¡¯s own father pay off some guy to create the false accusations was the last thing she expected to discover that night, but there it was for all to see. She could hardly believe that was the same man she had breakfast with, or who looked so supporting when Xander needed him most. It was all a lie, as it appears he was the man behind it the entire time. Once the video was over, Russell revealed to them both that this wasn¡¯t the only video in his possession.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Xander cussed under his breath.


    ¡°That¡¯s awful,¡± Lauren said, as she could barely muster the words. If she could see the old man right now, she¡¯d be tempted to give the bastard the stiffest slaps that she could muster. She was also glad that she never walked in on the men when they were making their confrontation, for she was unlikely to control her temper and give the old man a well-deserved slap.


    They both sat there in the car and were rather silent for the rest of the ride back to the building where Xander¡¯s condo was located. Once parked out front, Xander and Lauren stepped out of the car and quickly jogged into the building relatively unnoticed. Xander used a card keep to activate the elevator in the lobby and started to patiently wait for it to come to them. Another elevator door opened, and Lauren tugged at his coat for a moment.


    ¡°This elevator¡¯s here,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we take that one?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my elevator,¡± Xander answered, ¡°This one specifically accesses my condo directly. So, have to wait for this one.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lauren said, putting it all together. ¡°A condo with its own private elevator¡­ why am I not surprised?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Xander said, deeply sighing. ¡°This was not the time or mood I wanted to be in when showing you my place for the first time.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can leave if you¡¯re not ready,¡± Lauren suggested. She didn¡¯t want to go, but the last thing she wanted to do was make him more uncomfortable than he already appeared to be.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Xander said, as the doors to the elevator he was waiting for finally opened, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, because I wasn¡¯t going to listen to you anyway,¡± Lauren replied as she walked past him and onto the elevator.


    Xander smiled a little for the first time since they left the mansion and walked into the elevator and swiped his card again once inside the elevator. Lauren had noticed that there were only a few buttons in there, and they were listed only as the ground floor and parking lots below. So, in order to use this elevator at all you needed the card to activate it and also to swipe again to authorize it to go up at all. Once the doors were closed, it took the elevator only seconds to reach the floor they were traveling to, and as the doors opened Lauren couldn¡¯t believe what was waiting on the other side. There was no hallway, no doors, as the elevator opened directly into Xander¡¯s apartment. As they departed the elevator, she was amazing by how high the ceilings were at they had to be at least twelve feet high. As they strolled into the massively open space, the living room, a dining area and even the kitchen were all visible. There was also a staircase that led to another level, meaning that Xander¡¯s condo took up two floors. The outer walls were mostly glass that went from floor to ceiling, and the view of the city was astonishing from either side as they had traveled rather high for the length of time they were in the elevator. Xander noticed the wide eyes, and he grabbed her hand to gain her attention.


    ¡°Hey, are you alright?¡± he softly asked her.


    ¡°This place is amazing!¡± Lauren said, a little too stunned for words.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that exciting,¡± Xander replied, almost enjoying the distraction. ¡°It¡¯s just a living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. You¡¯ll find all this in any other house, this just happens to be located somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lauren interrupted, pointing at something hanging on the wall. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Xander said, ¡°I also bought that several years ago at a private auction. It almost cost about half as much as the piece I donated to the museum.¡±


    Xander left Lauren alone to wander about and check things out while he walked to the kitchen to get something to eat. There were two massive fridges in there, and while of them was a little slim since he hadn¡¯t been living there the last while, he was more than relieved to see the other was fully stocked. Lauren slowly strolled made her want to join him in the kitchen after wandering around and gawking at other things around. She noticed he was taking food out of the fridge and tossing it into the oven. \


    ¡°What is that?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°I have a personal chef,¡± Xander explained as he put a few containers on top the oven. ¡°She always keeps the second fridge stocked with meals that are not only tasty, but rather healthy for us too. So, if I ever come home from a hard day at work, I can just take something out and all I have to do is reheat it. If I don¡¯t use the food within a few days, she¡¯ll donate it all to a local food bank and refresh it. So, no matter where I am or what I¡¯m doing she¡¯ll come in once every few days and take care of the food.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s rather convenient,¡± Lauren said as she walked over and opened the fridge to check for herself. Inside it was over a dozen containers, several that were full courses, and half a dozen varied salads to go on the side.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll have this with it,¡± Xander said, grabbing a premade Caesar salad.


    ¡°What are we having with it?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°Chicken Parmesan,¡± Xander answered, ¡°Are you okay with that?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± Lauren said as she walked around an island that was in the middle of the kitchen and sat down on one of it¡¯s stools like she was going to a bar.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Xander asked, sensing her mood.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to go through that,¡± she replied, ¡°I¡¯m just at a loss for words. This party was supposed to be a happy occasion, but instead you took an epic kick right in the gnats.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that shindig wasn¡¯t as fun as I hoped it would be.¡± Xander concurred, ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Forget about me,¡± Lauren countered, ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I will be,¡± Xander said, taking a deep breath. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time my father and I had a falling out. You should have seen the one we had when I told him I wasn¡¯t going to the university of his choice. He got so mad, that he threatened to cut me off and force me to make it on my own.¡±


    ¡°Holy crap,¡± Lauren said, ¡°I¡¯d just be happy my kid got into any university!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d think that would be enough,¡± Xander agreed, ¡°But he¡¯s a stubborn man that loses his cool when people refuse to do his bidding. I¡¯m used to locking horns with my old man, and while this one hurts a lot more than it usually does, I have a feeling this too will pass.¡±


    ¡°It may pass like a damn kidney stone,¡± Lauren added, touching his cheek with her hand, ¡°But it will eventually pass. All things do.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling this will be a little easier,¡± Xander said, as he took her hand and kissed it gently.


    ¡°I¡¯d suggest watching something on TV, but I don¡¯t see one.¡± Lauren started, ¡°Where do you watch the game, or your favorite shows?¡±


    ¡°Oh, in the living room.¡± Xander said, as he grabbed a remote that was laying on the island in the kitchen. When he hit the button, the wall above the fake fireplace started to open to reveal that a massive seventy-inch screen was hidden in there. Once the wall was opened the big screen turned and a baseball game was already on. Lauren turned back to look at Xander with a stunned face.


    ¡°Get out of here!¡± she called out.


    Xander had another smile on his face, as he watched Lauren run into the living room and inspect the massive screen and where it just emerged. While she was marveling at it, he took the food out of the oven and transferred it to a plate with some salad on the side and walked both plates into the living room on a tray, complimented with a few cans of soda. As he walked into the living room to join her, Xander could tell that living moving forward was going to be alright, with or without be piece of shit father and his scheming ways. The future was right before him, and it was making all the hell he went through the last few weeks slide right off his back. With that woman here, the condo feeling like home for the first time and Xander was totally digging it. He could get used to having her around.

 Chapter 28

    It had been a few months since Xander¡¯s case had been dismissed, and Russell¡¯s law firm had never been so busy. Not only because Xander and his company were going to remain clients of his firm, but also because of the flood of new business that came their way from people who were seriously impressed by how Russell took care of the case so efficiently. They had made more new clients in the last few weeks than they had the previous year and all of them were wealthy and in need of legal help, just the way Russell liked them. Things were getting so busy, that the firm didn¡¯t have enough litigators to handle the workload. Willie took care of the problem, as he went out of his way to buy out another firm from the other side of town that was struggling, merging their staff into his which gave them all the bodies they needed to keep up with the wave of new clients. The new staff went from nearly going under to being a part of a bigger firm that had a very bright future. That and the bump in pay made them all quite thankful and eager to get back to work. Willie also bought out the floor beneath them to accommodate the new worker bees; something he was eager to do but now had the solvency to take care of. The other partners were cool with it as the new flush of rich clients made it all possible. Xander was so happy with how things were going, he was tempted to buy the whole building for Russell just to show his appreciation. Instead, he let the firm keep the entire retainer aware that they were going to earn every penny of it representing both himself and the company with vigor and passion. After what had gone on over the last several months, it was already the best investment he had ever made. The losses Xander¡¯s company could have taken if he lost this case would have been enormous by comparison, so the young man had billions of reasons to be happy with his new firm and especially with his new lawyer. Xander was in the elevator and as he strolled into the lobby to visit Russell, there was a man he hadn¡¯t seen in a while standing in the middle of the lobby. It was that lawyer that he bumped into in front of the courthouse, speaking with Alister and Willie. The very man who had recommended Russell in the first place when he asked him straight out. Xander walked over to where the three men were standing.


    ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Xander called out, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Hopkins!¡± Alister called out, shaking his hand. ¡°Good to see you again. I¡¯d like to introduce you to our newest partner; this is Harrison Bailey.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Bailey,¡± Xander said, shaking his hand. ¡°Nice to see you again.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, kid.¡± Bailey replied.


    ¡°You two have met?¡± Alister asked.


    ¡°They have,¡± Willie said, with a coy smile. ¡°Why do you think I was more interested in merging with his firm in the first place?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think it was a good choice,¡± Xander agreed, ¡°Thanks again for directing me here. Most lawyers would prefer to toot their own horn.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I was tempted,¡± Harrison confessed, ¡°But my firm didn¡¯t have the manpower to even try to represent yourself or you company. We also didn¡¯t have Russell, so I thought it was best to be honest with you rather than try to take on something I already knew I wasn¡¯t capable of handling.¡±


    ¡°And in the end, it all worked out for everyone.¡± Willie added, ¡°Adding Mr. Bailey and his people will make representing you and all the new clientele that came in with you much easier.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic,¡± Xander said, ¡°If you need another retainer to make sure everything goes smoothly, you just let me know.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Willie said, as that¡¯s not what he was looking for. ¡°Thank you for the offer, Mr. Hopkins. Not necessary at the moment, but the gesture is appreciated.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to go,¡± Xander insisted, ¡°I need to speak to Russell.¡±


    After saying his goodbyes, Xander strolled right past the big desks in the lobby and started to walk towards Russell¡¯s office. After visiting many times over the last few months, Xander was starting to get to know layout of the firm where his lawyer worked. As he approached the office, he called out to the secretary as he pointed to his door.


    ¡°Is he with anyone?¡± he called out to her.


    ¡°He is,¡± the secretary replied, ¡°But they¡¯re both waiting for you.¡±


    Xander let himself in and while he was expecting to see Russell there, the other lawyer that was in the room was a complete surprise. His father¡¯s own lawyer was sitting on the couch and sipping a fine glass of scotch when Xander walked into the room. He paused for a moment, and Russell could already see the fire that was starting to brew up inside his client.


    ¡°Xander,¡± Russell said, ¡°Jefferson and I have been working together on something and he came here in peace. While his client might be a piece of shit, his lawyer is a smart man that does his job reasonably well.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Xander said, pausing. ¡°He is a piece of shit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard worse,¡± Jefferson confessed, ¡°Sticks and stones, master Hopkins.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bite.¡± Xander declared, ¡°What is he doing here?¡±


    ¡°Making peace,¡± Jefferson said as he stood up and passed his empty glass over to Russell.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want peace?¡± Xander said, sounding rather confrontational.


    ¡°Well, not total peace.¡± Jefferson corrected himself, ¡°Speak to your lawyer about it and if there are any issues we can try to accommodate them. I hate to run, but I have an important meeting to get to and I¡¯m already running late.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for stopping by Jefferson.¡± Russell said, as he watched the man walked out and close the door behind him. Right after he walked out, Russell held up a hand and motioned for the young man to take a seat on the couch.


    ¡°I get how you¡¯re feeling,¡± Russell said, ¡°I truly do.¡±


    ¡°What the hell was that all about?¡± Xander called out.


    ¡°Just laying down some groundwork, and setting boundaries,¡± Russell said, walking over to his bar and putting Jefferson¡¯s glass into the sink. ¡°Jefferson has already worked out a settlement with the DA¡¯s office. You should be happy that we¡¯re all going to be able to put this entire ordeal behind us.¡±


    ¡°So, Dad pays a big ass fine and gets away with everything again.¡± Xander said, as he was used to seeing his dad slither out of trouble like the snake he was.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a rat¡¯s ass about your old man,¡± Russell declared, as he knew where that hostility was coming from. ¡°The whole point of this was to make sure your mother and siblings were free and clear, rather than having them go down with your father¡¯s ship. I don¡¯t like the idea of using family as a legal human shield, but Jefferson is looking out for them as well, so this was the best deal for all involved.¡±


    Xander took a deep breath, but he knew Russell as right. The last thing he wanted to do was drag his whole family into the debacle and cause them any undeserved hardship. He loved them enough to let what his father did go, and just move on without him.


    ¡°What about Lauren?¡± Russell inquired, ¡°How are things going with her?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s amazing,¡± Xander said, as his mood lightened.


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome,¡± Russell said, as he could sense the shift. ¡°Do you still want our firm to sue her former boss for firing her without just cause?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Xander said, ¡°Lauren is going to open her own daycare and run things the ways she wants from here on.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Russell said, slightly impressed with the idea. ¡°Does she have any investors so far?¡±


    ¡°Just one,¡± Xander answered, ¡°And that¡¯s all she¡¯s going to need.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re paying for the whole thing?¡± Russell said, not even surprised.


    ¡°I¡¯m investing,¡± Xander corrected him, ¡°That place is going to turn a huge profit, especially when I pressure all my friends and associates send their kids there. And the last time I checked, investing in companies like that also make great tax write offs.¡±


    ¡°Damn,¡± Russell said, ¡°You¡¯re really on top of it here.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s also going to be located less than a block from here,¡± Xander continued, ¡°So, if there are any lawyers or staff around here that are having issues setting up childcare, let us know about it. Anyone who works here will be given priority and maybe even a Russell Benson discount.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Russell said, ¡°Hell, I¡¯m tempted to have a kid just to take advantage of it.¡±


    ¡°You should get on top of that,¡± Xander recommended, ¡°Because I think this world would be a much better place if we had some more Russell Bensons running around here.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate the compliment,¡± Russell said, taking the compliment. ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry to do that, but it¡¯s the thought that counts.¡±


    ¡°So, I was right,¡± Xander said, getting back to the top at hand, ¡°Dad is just going to pay a fee to the S.E.C. and that¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m afraid so.¡± Russell said, ¡°But the agency allowed us to get some stipulations of our own added to the deal, sort of their way of thanking us for tipping them off about the insider trading that was going on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Xander said, curious to hear them.


    ¡°Your father and anyone legally associated with him are no longer allowed to invest or short anything that you own or have a significant investment in.¡± Russell started to explain, ¡°He won¡¯t be allowed to legally own a single thing you do. I don¡¯t have to tell you that there¡¯s a lot of potential for shenanigans if you have the imagination for it.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Xander said, as he already had some ideas going through his head.


    ¡°I can see the wheels spinning already,¡± Russell said, as he liked that. ¡°What are you doing for lunch?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to treat my favorite lawyer to the best seafood in town,¡± Xander replied as he was in the mood for seafood that day.


    ¡°What about Lauren?¡± Russell asked, somewhat curious as he wasn¡¯t used to seeing Xander without her as the two of them had been near inseparable since the trial.


    ¡°She¡¯s off doing her own thing, meetings regarding the daycare,¡± Xander said, rather proud of what she was doing. ¡°She¡¯s very excited about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not one to turn down a free lunch,¡± Russell said, as he liked the idea of having surf and turf with an extra lobster tail on the side.


    ¡°Before we go,¡± Xander said, as he had one more thing on his mind. ¡°I want you to get in contact with the man who paid off the people who accused me.¡±


    ¡°You mean the middleman?¡± Russell replied, ¡°I can get in contact with him. The man specifically said he¡¯d make you a priority if there was ever anything you needed him to do. He seems quite eager to redeem himself.¡±


    ¡°Glad to hear it, because I do want something.¡± Xander responded, ¡°I want him to track down the two people that set me up.¡±


    ¡°What do you want with them?¡± Russell inquired.


    ¡°I just want their location,¡± Xander said, eager to find these crooks. ¡°Once your man has it, the proper authorities to be notified. I¡¯d like to see them both formally charged and locked up with no bail by the end of the month.¡±


    ¡°Consider it done,¡± Russell answered, ¡°I¡¯ll let Cliff know about it after lunch. He will be more than eager to get into your good graces. He¡¯ll be a good asset moving forward, as he¡¯s very good at what he does. The fact that he¡¯s in your debt will make him an even better employee.¡±


    ¡°I get that,¡± Xander agreed, ¡°But that also means he¡¯ll never turn on me again and his expertise will never be pointed in my or Lauren¡¯s direction ever again.¡±


    ¡°Amen to that,¡± Russell said, ¡°Let¡¯s get outta here; I¡¯m famished!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Xander said, as he looked relieved. ¡°Because I also have other some good news to share with you.¡±


    ¡°Save it all for lunch,¡± Russell interrupted, as he opened the door and let his client exit the office first.


    Russell walked Xander to the elevator, and as he did Russell could see the looks on everyone¡¯s faces as everyone knew where their prosperity was coming from. This kind of admiration and income was going to elevate Russell to partner at least half a decade earlier than it should have happened. Things were looking up for the attorney, and while he was still preparing for the worst¡­ Russell was enjoying his moment as he made sure to occasionally stop and smell the roses. Yet after lunch, he was determined to get back to work and keep defending all his new clients with the same vigor and passion he was going to take out on his lobster at lunch. Things were looking good, and they were about to get even better for the firm and their badass litigators.

 Chapter 29

    It was early in the morning, and the day was just barely getting started. While he was tempted not to show his face anywhere, even in his own restaurant, Alexander Hopkins Senior was not afraid to show his face in public. Despite all the shit that he had experienced over the last few months and the legal mess that Jefferson had to work above and beyond to get him out of, being able to go out and enjoy a good breakfast was the whole reason he was paying such an enormous fine in the first place. That being said, staying home all day would have been similar to sentencing himself to prison, so Mr. Hopkins preferred to get his money¡¯s worth and get out there to enjoy the freedom that he handsomely paid oodles of his fortune to preserve. As he strolled into his own restaurant for breakfast at his usual table, he was surprised to see there was already someone sitting there reading a newspaper. Not only was this person sitting at his table, but she was also occupying a specific seat as well. Mr. Hopkins didn¡¯t appreciate making the effort to come out of his shell to dine at his favorite place, and while he was tempted to get the staff handle it for him, the old man decided to use the opportunity to handle it civilly and with manners.


    ¡°Parson me,¡± Mr. Hopkins started, ¡°But I do believe you¡¯re in my seat.¡±


    The person occupying that specific seat stopped reading and pulled down the newspaper to reveal herself to the old man. Lauren Carter looked back up at the old man and grinned at him with a playful smile.


    ¡°I was told by someone with good authority that this seat was the best,¡± she replied, folding up her newspaper.


    ¡°Ms. Carter,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, as he was pleasantly surprised to see her, ¡°To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?¡±


    ¡°Well, I thought we should have a talk,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Break bread and try to get past what¡¯s been going on within our family.¡±


    ¡°Our family?¡± Mr. Hopkins repeated, as that part stood out for him.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out eventually,¡± Lauren said, as she held up her left hand to reveal a pretty impressive diamond sitting rather nicely on her ring finger. It was the last thing the old man expected to see, but the site of the impressive engagement ring on Lauren¡¯s hand had the effect that she expected it to have.


    ¡°When did this happen?¡± the old man said, grinning from ear to ear. This was honestly the first time he hadn¡¯t faked a smile in months, as he was genuinely happy to hear that his youngest boy was going to get married.


    ¡°Last night,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°It was quite a romantic evening.¡±


    ¡°This is fantastic!¡± the old man said, calling a member of the staff to walk over. ¡°I¡¯d like a bottle of our finest champagne!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not,¡± Lauren said, not in the mood to drink so early.


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, turning back to face her. ¡°Are you expecting?¡±


    ¡°I am not,¡± Lauren said, ¡°I just not the kind who likes to drink this early.¡±


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re going to be family,¡± Mr. Hopkins started, as he sat down at the same seat he took the first time they met at this restaurant. ¡°I¡¯m happy to share my favorite seat as long as you use it properly.¡±


    ¡°While the gestured is appreciated,¡± Lauren replied, ¡°I can assure you we are not on good terms at the moment, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, already aware of the reason why. ¡°So, you¡¯ve come to give me a good scolding, Ms. Carter?¡±


    ¡°Something like that,¡± Lauren replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you believe one is deserved?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m confident that they are all well deserved,¡± Mr. Hopkins agreed, ¡°What exactly did Alexander tell you?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t have to tell me a thing,¡± Lauren answered, ¡°Russell showed us the video right after we left your place that night.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh,¡± the old man said, taking a deep breath. ¡°What do you expect me to say at a moment like this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Lauren said, ¡°While I¡¯m not a parent myself, I still find it rather odd you¡¯d do something like that to your own child.¡±


    ¡°I was raised to believe you should push your kids to their limits to make them tough,¡± Mr. Hopkins explained, ¡°I was raised to believe that making them strong prepared them for the harsh, unforgiving world we live in.¡±


    ¡°I can see how one could think that,¡± Lauren conceded, ¡°But I was raised to believe it was our job to provide for the child and raise them to prosper on their own in a world left to them better than what it was like when we got it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a fair assessment,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°I know a lot of people who believe in that and think we should protect them and even coddle them.¡±


    ¡°There is a big difference between protection and coddling,¡± Lauren countered, ¡°Xander¡¯s success isn¡¯t something for you to be jealous of because your children are the result of your hard work, not your competition. His success should be your success, so why isn¡¯t that good enough for you?¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°That is also a fair point,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°With my youngest son, it never felt like I had anything to do with his success. He just sort of went off and did it all himself and I had nothing to do with any of his successes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where we disagree,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Where do you think Xander learned how to conduct himself the way he does? He spent a lifetime emulating the man he looked up to, and how that man conducted himself. He was always watching you, Mr. Hopkins, even when you didn¡¯t know it. You were always teaching him how to be a man by example. He¡¯s more like you than you know, and that¡¯s also why he¡¯s the successful man he is. You had a lot to do with that.¡±


    ¡°Alexander will never admit that,¡± Mr. Hopkins retorted.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t make it less true,¡± Lauren retorted, smiling back at him. ¡°You should celebrate his successes and be happy he¡¯s not weening off your trust funds and just playing video games all day and getting drunk every night.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m finding it very difficult to disagree with you,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, as he knew any kind of resistance would be quite futile. ¡°The more I listen to you defend him, the more convinced I am that he¡¯s found the right person to spend his life with.¡±


    ¡°You may be in the doghouse right now, but it will pass.¡± Lauren told him, ¡°It might pass like a damn kidney stone, but it will pass. Xander will forgive you because you¡¯re his father and he loves you. I¡¯m not sure when that day is, but eventually we all have to forgive our family for their transgressions. Just give it time and be patient.¡±


    ¡°I thank you for such wise words,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°Will you still be joining me for breakfast?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m here aren¡¯t I?¡± Lauren said, ¡°And I¡¯m not done lecturing you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well that¡¯s a shame,¡± the old man responded, ¡°I was actually hoping you¡¯d tell me more about the daycare you two are building.¡±


    ¡°Xander knows a good investment when he sees it,¡± Lauren said, trying not to toot her own horn that hard. The project was her idea but none of it would be possible with out Xander¡¯s backing. Still, if the venture was profitable, which was looking quite likely, he¡¯ll be seeing a return on his investment rather quickly.


    ¡°I¡¯m hearing a lot of good things about it to the point where I¡¯m bummed out I can¡¯t invest in it myself.¡± Mr. Hopkins said with a chuckle, ¡°But that is how the cookie crumbles, and I¡¯ll just make my fortunes somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll land on your feet,¡± Lauren said as she wasn¡¯t buying any of it, ¡°And so will Xander if you let him fly away from the nest. The fact that he¡¯s this independent is simply astonishing. Were you ever this successful at his age?¡±


    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t.¡± the old man confessed, ¡°I wasn¡¯t this successful until my mid to late thirties. What he¡¯s done is truly remarkable.¡±


    ¡°Well now that we¡¯ve found something to agree on, let¡¯s order.¡± Lauren said as she took out a menu and didn¡¯t hesitate to splurge, aware that the old man was going to happily cover the tab as he was grateful she was even talking to him at all.


    ¡°So, when is the wedding?¡± the old man inquired.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t figured it out yet,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But it won¡¯t be too long.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°If it feels right, don¡¯t drag out the engagement. I have an exquisite villa in Fiji I could offer for your honeymoon.¡±


    ¡°Tempting,¡± Lauren replied, ¡°But I might have to pass. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to go tropical for our honeymoon. Just a feeling I have.¡±


    ¡°My son doesn¡¯t like sand,¡± Mr. Hopkins added, ¡°I¡¯m not sure why, he was just never a fan. Each to their own, I suppose.¡±


    Conversation was light for the rest of the meal, but Mr. Hopkins found the company and the mood to his liking as their time together progressed. When it was all said and done, Lauren stood up and put her coat on to signal she was going to depart.


    ¡°It was nice to see you again,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, very appreciative.


    ¡°Well, if you behave I will make an effort to show up more often.¡± Lauren said, as part of this visit was to offer an olive branch along with the well deserve scolding. She felt it was best to whack him several times with the stick and then offer him the carrot if he took his licks like man.


    ¡°I would happily surrender my favorite seat for the pleasure of your company,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°It¡¯s yours whenever you want it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lauren said with a smile, ¡°Enjoy your day Mr. Hopkins.¡±


    As Lauren was walking away, Jefferson was actually just arriving which was the real reason Mr. Hopkins was going out for breakfast in the first place. Thankfully for him the lawyer was late as usual and didn¡¯t interrupt his time with the young lady.


    ¡°Is that who I think it was?¡± Jefferson asked as he took a seat across from him.


    ¡°That it was,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°She surprised me for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°What did she want?¡± The lawyer asked, quite curious about it.


    ¡°To offer an olive branch,¡± The old man answered, ¡°And I happily accepted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Jefferson said, ¡°What made you eager to accept?¡±


    ¡°The pricey engagement ring on her hand,¡± the old man answered, ¡°She¡¯s going to be family soon, and I see a lot of my son¡¯s mother in her. This is going to be a good match and I couldn¡¯t be happier about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Jefferson said, surprised by quite delighted, ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the real deal, Jefferson.¡± Mr. Hopkins said, ¡°She¡¯s not after him for the money and they appear to genuinely love one another. It¡¯s almost as if the situation I brewed helped form a stronger bond.¡±


    ¡°After the fines you paid, that was on expensive test.¡± Jefferson reminded him, ¡°Just promise me you¡¯ll never do anything that foolish ever again. If you do, at least let me in on it next time so I can cover your ass, so you won¡¯t end up on video and handed over to the prosecution on a silver platter.¡±


    ¡°Duly noted,¡± The old man replied, ¡°But to be fair, you handled all this rather well despite not being in on it. Good work, Jefferson.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t pay the big bucks for my charm.¡± Jefferson added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t pay for that too?¡± Mr. Hopkins asked.


    ¡°You pay me so much, that I tossed in the charm for free.¡± Jefferson added, ¡°You know I¡¯ll be here to take good care of you whenever necessary. I¡¯ll be sure to contact Russell Benson to make sure that you¡¯ll still get invited to the wedding whenever it happens.¡±


    ¡°Good to know,¡± The old man said, ¡°I don¡¯t plan on missing it.¡±


    ¡°Keep out of trouble and you should be fine,¡± Jefferson reminded him, ¡°Especially since the bride to be is cooling off already.¡±


    ¡°Enough of that subject,¡± Mr. Hopkins said, as he appeared impatient, ¡°Let¡¯s get down to what you came here to discuss. Did you bring the papers?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Jefferson said, taking them out of the attach¨¦ case he brought.


    ¡°Very good,¡± The old man huffed, ¡°We need to make a few changes, and order something to eat. This might take a while.¡±

 Chapter 30

    After meeting with Xander¡¯s father, Lauren felt the need to go out and clear her mind. Something to help clear away the shit that was shoveled during her surprise visit with the old man. She knew the perfect place to go clear her head which is the most amazing mental pallet cleanser in the entire city, the art gallery downtown. It had been months since she visited the place, and she was excited to look around again. Without the kids around to watch like a hawk, Lauren was able to browse and take her time as she stared at her favorite pieces and admired their brilliance. She liked the fact that this place was available to her and the public whenever they wanted a distraction from life and the things that troubled them. Even hundreds of years after their passing, the artists from the past were cheering people up and giving them inspiration. Lauren knew that she was never going to be that inspirational, and that more than a hundred years from now she might not be remembered by anyone. There was a part of her that honestly didn¡¯t care, as she would prefer to live well and do her best to make life better for others today rather than hundreds of years later. She knew there were people out there that she could help, and with Xander backing her up, the sky was clearly the limit. She never wanted to be with him because of his money, but it certainly didn¡¯t hurt. She thought of him again as she approached the piece that would remind her of him from this moment on. The classic painting that Xander purchased himself, and she couldn¡¯t help but take a seat on the very same bench that she fainted on not long ago. She sat there and stared at the painting, and then down at her ring. She began to wonder if this was all a dream, and that she was going to wake up and be back in that apartment with her grump roomie. While that wouldn¡¯t surprise her, Lauren closed her eyes and prayed that this was the real world and that she was never going to wake up from it. The answer came mere seconds later when someone asked her a question.


    ¡°Penny for your thoughts?¡± The familiar voice asked her.


    Lauren opened her eyes, and her fianc¨¦ was standing there looking like a million bucks in a suit she hadn¡¯t seen yet. She looked up at him and smiled.


    ¡°I was thinking of you, actually.¡± She informed him.


    ¡°All good things I hope,¡± Xander said, sitting down on the bench beside her.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lauren said, as she leaned into his shoulder, ¡°I was remembering how I fell off this bench when I fainted.¡±


    Xander couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he remembered it fondly.


    ¡°I remember it well,¡± Xander replied, ¡°How is your head feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But a part of me is scared.¡±


    ¡°Scared?¡± Xander repeated, ¡°Of what?¡±


    ¡°That this isn¡¯t real,¡± Lauren said, ¡°It all seems too good to be true. I hope I¡¯m not in a coma from falling over that day.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± Xander said, trying to reassure her, ¡°But if you are, I can assure you that when you wake up I¡¯ll be there too.¡±


    ¡°You promise?¡± Lauran asked, aware he was playing with her.


    ¡°I promise,¡± Xander said, leaning over and kissing her brow.


    ¡°Is it crazy we¡¯re getting married?¡± She asked him.


    ¡°Some might call it that,¡± Xander answered, ¡°But if something feels right, I say just do it. I was never the kind of kid that would dip his toe in the pool. I preferred to just cannonball in there and let chaos reign down.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds like you,¡± Lauren said, amused by the metaphor. ¡°You¡¯re not afraid this could be a terrible mistake?¡±


    ¡°If it is a mistake,¡± Xander replied, ¡°Then it¡¯s mine to make. I¡¯d rather try something and crash and burn then never give it a chance. Wondering what if for the rest of my life sounds a lot worse than knowing you tried and gave it your all.¡±


    ¡°I like your attitude,¡± Lauren said, hugging his arm while resting her head on his shoulder. She never wanted to let him go but knew they would eventually have to move on from this spot.


    ¡°F.D.R. said there is nothing to fear but fear itself,¡± Xander quoted, ¡°And that¡¯s the kind of attitude I take when looking at everything. I don¡¯t panic until I have a good reason to do, refusing to let fear control my life and my decisions.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more of a Kennedy kinda gal,¡± Lauren said, which got another laugh out of her handsome fianc¨¦.


    ¡°He was a pretty cool dude too,¡± Xander conceded, ¡°He wanted to change the world and was taken out before he could see it through. I kind of felt like that a few months ago when my life was spiraling out of control. That I was going to lose my chance to change the world and make it a better place. That was one moment when fear almost got the best of me.¡±


    ¡°How did you handle it?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I hired a new lawyer,¡± Xander said, ¡°And then Russell saved my life in more ways than he¡¯ll ever know. I was actually walking back from my first meeting with him when I bumped into you and the kids. If I never hired Russell, I don¡¯t think I ever would have had the pleasure of meeting you.¡±


    ¡°I guess we¡¯re both grateful to Russell for many reasons,¡± Lauren agreed, ¡°He gave you back your life, and brought you into my life as well. Now we¡¯ll have a chance to make that difference you were hoping for.¡±


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Will you help me out with that?¡± Xander asked her.


    ¡°I suppose I can toss you a few ideas,¡± Lauren jokingly answered, ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t make a total ass out of yourself.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the whole point of getting married?¡± Xander asked, ¡°To love, honor, and prevent him from making a total ass out of himself?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right.¡± Lauren said, smiling. ¡°I suppose your mother will have a lot of helpful advice on that subject.¡±


    ¡°I suppose she would,¡± Xander conceded, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m ready to talk about him right now. I just head from Russell that he¡¯s just going to pay a simple fine and that will be all she wrote. No trial, and no jail time. Not one damn day.¡±


    ¡°I heard about it,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But the old man is getting his fair share of lectures, especially from the women in his life.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Xander asked.


    ¡°It is so.¡± Lauren confirmed, ¡°As a matter of fact, I had breakfast with your father this morning at his restaurant.¡±


    Xander sat up with a surprised look on his face. ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Lauren said, ¡°And if it makes you feel better I stole his favorite seat again just to piss him off.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± Xander said, rather surprised. ¡°Actually, that does make me feel better.¡±


    ¡°Like you said before,¡± Lauren said, ¡°Fear isn¡¯t something you should allow to control you, especially when it comes to our parents. While you may be furious with your father right now, you need to settle your affairs before it¡¯s too late. I¡¯m never going to get a chance to make things up with my parents, and I can assure you that¡¯s the ultimate what if that will keep you up a night if you don¡¯t bury this hatchet before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°I get it,¡± Xander said, as he remembered Lauren mentioning during a different discussion that her parents were no longer around. He seemed selfish for taking his living parents for granted while Lauren had no one else to turn to. In her eyes, bad parents were easier to get along with than those who were six feet deep.


    ¡°What he did sucks on so many levels,¡± Lauren continued, ¡°But eventually you will have to forgive him, not for me or your parents, but for yourself. Carrying around that anger will only hurt you in the long run. Don¡¯t let him live in there rent free, and just give all that rage the heave ho. In the end, it will make you feel better rather and that¡¯s all I really care about.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Xander said, ¡°It¡¯s something I need to work on.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you had to resolve it today,¡± Lauren added, ¡°I think giving you until our wedding day to take care of it is enough time, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I have to forgive him by the wedding?¡± Xander repeated.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s set a date and then we can judge if that¡¯s enough time.¡± Lauren said, ¡°But I don¡¯t need to remind you that I¡¯m short a father to walk me down the aisle. That means I¡¯ll need your father to step in, and in order for that to happen you two have to be on much better terms.¡±


    ¡°I see where you¡¯re coming from,¡± Xander said, as he understood. ¡°As long as the engagement isn¡¯t too short, I should be able to take care this before the big day.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what store I¡¯ll buy my dress from?¡± Lauren said, thinking about wedding stuff since the subject came up.


    ¡°None,¡± Xander said, ¡°Your dress with be custom made by one of the finest designers in the world.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯ll be wearing a tux, right?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°Kind of,¡± Xander said, smiling back at her. ¡°There¡¯s deep Scottish roots in the family so we¡¯ll all be wearing kilts.¡±


    Lauren looked at him with a surprised face. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Dead serious,¡± Xander replied, highly amused by her reaction. ¡°Our family even has their own print that we make our own kilts out of. All the men on my side of the aisle will be wearing them. I¡¯m even going to force dad to wear one too as a part of his eventual penance.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that would be a sight to see.¡± Lauren said, laughing out loud.


    ¡°Yes, it certainly will be.¡± Xander concurred.


    ¡°I get that you¡¯re not scared,¡± Lauren said, as she still had doubts, ¡°What makes you so confident that this is going to work out for the best?¡±


    ¡°I could give you billions of reasons,¡± Xander playfully replied, ¡°but in the end there is only one that truly matters.¡±


    ¡°And what one is that?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°That I love you,¡± Xander answered, ¡°And everything else is just bullshit.¡±


    Xander leaned over and gave Lauren a short, soft kiss, and then stood up from the bench because he was ready to leave.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Xander started, making a gesture to his painting, ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work out, I could always put this back bad boy back up for sale. I bet I could make at least a thirty percent profit the next time it goes up for auction.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Lauren said, acting offended by the mere suggestion. ¡°This painting is never to leave this gallery, ever!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Xander asked, as he was amused by her response.


    ¡°I want it to always be here,¡± Lauren explained, ¡°That way it can always cheer me up whenever I need it.¡±


    ¡°That sounds fair,¡± Xander said, as he agreed with her. ¡°I¡¯ll adjust my will to have it donated to the gallery with the stipulation that they never sell it.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Lauren said, ¡°But it never hurts to have backups as well.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I have backups to my backups,¡± Xander declared, as he helped his fianc¨¦ off the bench and back to her feet. ¡°We¡¯re going to be alright.¡±


    ¡°So, where are we going now?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I was thinking of going out for pizza,¡± Xander replied.


    ¡°Pizza?¡± Lauren said, as she thought he was trying to be funny.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Xander said, smiling back at her. ¡°There¡¯s a great place a few blocks from here that I like. Let¡¯s grab a slab and head home with it. I¡¯ll even let you pick the toppings.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Lauren said, taking his hand as they started to leave the gallery together. ¡°Can we have pineapples on it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, hell no.¡± Xander said, ¡°That is just not happening.¡±


    ¡°And what do you prefer?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I like anchovies,¡± Xander replied, ¡°But I¡¯m willing to let it go and compromise. I suggest you do the same regarding that vile, sour fruit.¡±


    ¡°Sounds fair,¡± Lauren conceded, ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll work it out before we get there.¡±


    ¡°I am too,¡± Xander said, as they strolled out the gallery together towards a better life. While he didn¡¯t know what the future would hope for either of them, the young billionaire had never felt more confident about it with Lauren by his side. He looked forward to what was to come and couldn¡¯t with for the rest of their life to begin. It would get there before he knew it, so Xander was going to make sure he savored every moment going forward. Lauren brought out the best in him and made him a better man, and for that he was willing to spend the rest of his life trying to return the favor. If he failed, it wouldn¡¯t be from a lack of trying as he intended to do anything he could to give that woman the husband and family that she deserved. Their life together was only just beginning, a new chapter that he looked forward to reading as they marched into the future together. And as long as that future didn¡¯t include any sour fruit on their pizza, Xander was confident they were going to be alright.


    THE END