SIDEBAR CHAPTER 6: PRELUDE TO A DISS

Charles Sands was stunned. “What do you mean our room was moved?” he asked over the phone. He was about to leave for the courthouse having stopped by the office to gather some necessary financial records in the case of Justin Taylor. He listened carefully to all of the information being given by the Court Clerk in charge of today’s proceedings. “Will we still be…” He breathed a sigh of relief when the affirmative answer came through the line. “Right, I’ll let the others know.” He hung up the phone and sat back in his chair, which is how Melanie, Shavonne, and Lawrence Spokes found him.

“Problem? I expected to find you beating us to the door,” Melanie asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Depends on how you define the word problem.”

“Have the idiots on the chopping block today cancelled?”

“No. They are so convinced they are right that I doubt very seriously that even when we arrive, they would have seen fit to cancel. Also since you weren’t willing to give an inch in regards to Craig Taylor, I’m sure he’ll arrive just to exact his pound of flesh from his eldest offspring yet again.”

“Okay, so then what’s the problem?” Shavonne asked just before taking a sip of her coffee.

“The courtroom assignment has been moved…”

“But there isn’t another conference room at this location which is big enough to hold all of us plus the bailiff and the defendants!”

“I know and that was my argument, but…”

“Will you just get on with it, Charles? It’s too early in the morning for angst and drama,” Lawrence said, already bored with the conversation. He was ready to confront Samuel Hobbs for so many reasons, the least of which about him paying off the former Headmaster and various members of the school board. He was never so glad in his life that he hadn’t signed a confidentiality clause with St. James Academy; which would have prevented him from working with the acting D.A. and attorneys for the plaintiff in this case. Having met Justin Taylor and Brian Kinney, he couldn’t understand why there were people who thought it their right to destroy the two men.

“Fine. Here is what I know so far. We are being moved to Courtroom A.”

“Courtroom A? But that means…” Mel began, shocked beyond finishing her statement.

“That’s right. According to Melinda, who is the Clerk in charge for today, Judge Lano is tired of waiting.”

“Not our fault,” Shavonne said.

“I know that, and apparently, so does she. I would imagine that the Millionaire Boys Club is getting on her last nerve as much as they are doing to ours.”

“Well then, I guess it’s time to go kick some ass and rename some folks,” Shavonne said, picking up her briefcase.

“Rename?”

“Yeah. You know, Craig Taylor has already been renamed Po’ Broke Joe, or maybe that should be HO, if you think about his past mistresses. Samuel Hobbs is about to be renamed Sandbag, because if I have my way, that’s all he’ll be left with for a bank account. And young Christopher shall be christened Chump Change.”

Mel laughed. “Where the hell do you come up with this stuff?”

“It pays to be a BAP with Bed-Stuy friends and- for lack of a better term- ghetto tendencies.”

“BAP?” Lawrence asked.

“Black American Princess, which means my family is more than a match for any WASP, despite my skin color. I believe you refer to them, such as Daphne Chanders and her family, as Hornets.” At his affirmative nod, she continued. “Look, we can’t send the little rat bastard to jail on this charge, but we can make damn sure they understand that it’s no longer an option for them to buy off greedy, unprincipled principals and unscrupulous politicians. Trust me when I tell you, Christopher Mark Hobbs will fuck up again. That kind of unprovoked violent tendency is deeply ingrained into a person’s DNA, and it would have only taken one minute perceived infraction before he directed that bat to someone else. I’ve seen many men and women like him. They just want to hurt someone, and now that Chris has gotten a taste of what it feels like, I doubt he will stop. He may control it for a little while, but as soon as the opportunity presents itself, he’s going to do it again. So in the meantime, putting a mighty dent in his father’s considerable coffers will ensure that he pays the full consequences the next time. For now though, let’s get Justin some monetary compensation for his traumas, even though it won’t make up for what he’s truly lost.”

All of the occupants of the room nodded at Shavonne’s assessment. They had talked many times over the past weeks of how none of them thought this was an isolated incident, the way the Hobbs family and Craig Taylor would have everyone believe. Chris was just looking for a reason to hurt someone. If not Justin, then it would have been Bryce, or even Daphne. Anyone who the young man thought of as a threat or a blight in his existence as he’d always known it, as one of the ‘entitled’ would have been a target.  

They decided to take Shavonne’s car for the relatively short drive to the courthouse. She nearly laughed her ass off when the two occupants in the backseat nearly jumped out of their skin when Sole’s “Who Dat” came blaring through the car speakers. For her part, Mel already knew what to expect, having been a regular inside of the attorney’s car during law school. She snickered and bounced her head along to the music, surprising the men in the backseat further by rapping along with Shavonne to the lyrics.

“Nice to see that MC Vanilla Such-and-Such still has it,” Shavonne said as they pulled up into the crowded parking lot. After turning down the volume and all occupants showing their respective IDs, they headed to the designated parking lot for attorneys and other court personnel. “You guys go on in, I’ll be along in a few. I’m going to make a Starbucks run and return the call to my assistant. She’s at the D.A.’s office, waiting on another fax for today’s proceedings.”

“Does Melinda know already or do I need to inform her?” Charles asked.

“I’ll have Rory call her and Judge Lano directly. She may need to forward it via fax ahead of her arrival here, since the office is located across town.”

“No problem, just hurry back. Okay?” Mel pleaded.

“Of course, but hey… stop worrying. We’ve got this. If necessary, start without me. You’re the star of this case, I’m just the back up, remember?”

“Yes. I guess I’ve just grown used to your presence by my side since we started this.”

Shavonne smiled. “I mean, how could you not? I am magnificent and all…”

“And so modest, too,” Mel responded to the familiar joke.

“Besides, you have Lawrence. He’s our secret weapon since I’m pretty sure that Hobbs’ and Taylor’s lawyers haven’t yet informed their client of the newest addition to our team. Remember, their collective arrogance is what’s going to sink their already sinking ship. That goes for attorney and client alike.”

As she drove off, Lawrence asked, “Why do I feel that she knows something we don’t?”

Mel snickered. “Because she does. But if I know Shavonne, it’s going to be worth the surprise when she finally reveals it. I would imagine it has something to do with Russo’s files though. Not the ones at the office, but the ones retrieved from his house.”

“And you think it has something to do with case?” Charles asked as they proceeded to the entrance.

“Perhaps it will further explain why the idiot risked his long-standing career for the likes of these clowns.”

Going through the requisite security checks, where they had to allow their briefcases to be cursorily searched, the three of them reached the area of Courtroom A just in time to hear Craig Taylor’s new attorney, Harrison Dunham arguing with Melinda about the abrupt change in proceedings. On his heels was the attorney representing the Hobbs family, William Palmer.

“This is ridiculous! We were not informed adequately of a change in venue nor circumstances,” Harrison raised his voice, trying to intimidate the young woman before him.

“I beg to differ, since this decision was made yesterday. If anyone has a right to complain, it is the plaintiffs in this case, as they were just informed a little more than an hour ago. As for you, Mr. Dunham and also you, Mr. Palmer, your offices received the necessary documentation by way of email three days ago, and the hard copy hand delivered by courier yesterday afternoon.” She looked down at her clipboard for the signed ‘Return Receipt Requested’ slip. “Someone by the name of Tracy Mills signed on your behalf, Mr. Palmer. As for you, Mr. Dunham, someone by the name of Lionel Kennedy signed in your stead. I believe he is a partner in your law firm. Now as stated, there will be two hearings held today. Both judges presiding over each of them will address you all at large. Please take your seats until they are ready to proceed.” She turned her back and returned to the office, slamming the door behind her.

“What is the meaning of this, Palmer? How were we not informed so that we could prepare adequately?!” Samuel blustered, his face red and mottled with anger.

“Apparently we were informed, and unfortunately my assistant was negligent in giving me the information.” He couldn’t tell them that he had fucked Tracy the minute he arrived back to the office from court, where he was in divorce proceedings of his own.

Tracy Mills had been his mistress for years before she had become his secretary and they had managed to keep it a secret. But somehow a few months ago, his wife had happened up inside of his closed and locked office at exact moment when he couldn’t come up with any other excuse for why his head was buried in her ample bared breasts as his hips pumped wildly into the woman sprawled on top of his desk. His wife, Janice, hadn’t wasted any time filing for divorce, and yesterday’s preliminary hearing had been grueling. As a result, he needed to be between Tracy’s legs to relieve his stress, immediately upon his arrival back to the office. Of course that didn’t leave her room to tell him anything, much less about a change in scheduling for today’s hearing.

“Well she needs to be fired immediately! I will wait while you do that… NOW!”

For the first time in their acquaintance, William actually bristled. “Mr. Hobbs, although I value you and your family as clients, it does not in any way give you the right to tell me how to treat my employees. That said, I think we should concentrate on the matter at hand, instead of you trying to run my business as you do Christopher’s life. We are clearly seeing how well you have done so far with that, now aren’t we?”

“You work for me, Palmer. You would do well to remember that!”

“Would you like me to quit right now and you can handle this all without legal representation? I doubt that Judge Lano would allow you to pull the same stunt of postponing the inevitable that Dixon and Perkins tried a few weeks back, which is why I suspect our appearance is happening at this juncture.”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No more than you are trying to threaten me, Samuel.” William stared at the older man until his point was received by the overbearing businessman. Under normal circumstances, he might have given into Hobbs’ demands, but in light of what he was going through in his personal life, he wasn’t willing to chance losing Tracy personally or professionally and incurring her wrath due to the enforced termination of employment.

A similar argument was happening on the other side of the vestibule, much to the amusement of the three attorneys representing Brian and Justin. Craig Taylor was spitting fury towards his attorney, making similar demands to those of Samuel Hobbs. And just as Palmer, it was obvious that Harrison wouldn’t be cowed by the idiot practically yelling in his face.

“Look, Craig, I can understand that you are upset. However, there will not be a continuation or a postponement given. You can thank your fellow cohorts in bigotry for that. Because of their antics prior to today’s hearing, Judge Lano has lost her patience. As for your own hearing regarding Kinney, I have a feeling that has more to do with your son…”

“I have no son!”

“Fine, we’ll call him the blank that you should have shot, since you really don’t deserve to have offspring at all.”

“What?! How dare you?!”

“Oh I dare very much! Would you like to see how much?” He made a move you leave the courthouse, only to be stopped by the desperate hand of his client. Craig Taylor disgusted him on so many levels, most of all in reference to how he treated his son. Harrison and his wife, Ellie, had been trying for many years to conceive and were still unable to. True, he didn’t like gays in the least and felt that they shouldn’t have any rights under the law to own anything. But that was the only ideal he shared with Craig Taylor. The man had what Harrison most wanted and had treated his son like garbage. Regardless of Justin Taylor’s sexuality, he felt that the young man was still a better human being than the man who should have never been given sperm.

“Don’t leave… Please don’t. Okay, so I may have been a little hasty in shifting blame, but this whole thing…”

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it now, except wait. Go grab a cup of coffee from the cafeteria and be right back here. I don’t expect it will be too much longer before we find out what exactly is going on. In the meantime, I’ll call my office and find out what details were sent by email.” Without waiting for Craig’s nod in the affirmative, Harrison moved away from his client, cell phone already in hand.

“So what do you guys think?” Mel asked.

“If I were to guess, I would say that the Defamation of Character hearing for Taylor is going to be first. It’s the lesser of two evils and if the asshole remains true to form, it will hopefully get him out of Brian and Justin’s orbit a lot quicker,” Charles answered her.

Just then, Lawrence’s cell phone rung. As his co-council listened in on the conversation, he frowned. “Nevermind, I will take care of this myself!” He pressed the button to end the call violently.

“Wishing that you were at your desk where you could slam that receiver down, huh?” Charles smirked. “Well what is it this time?”

“It seems that our clients are being held up by a running mouth named Michael Novotny.”

“Fuck! They both really don’t need this today. I’ll go,” Mel said, sighing heavily.

“Ah. Mel. That’s not the only problem…” Lawrence let that sentence hang in the air.

As realization dawned, both Mel and Charles frowned, the statement, “You’ve got to be shitting me,” slipping unbidden from his lips.

Lawrence nodded. “Seems they were waiting for them in the visitor’s parking lot…”

“I’m going to fucking kill her! And then I’ll stomp him like the roach he is!” Mel growled. She’d already had enough and had now officially reached her breaking point. As she moved off to do just that, Charles grabbed her around the waist.

“No, you’re not. You can’t afford to lose your head right now, Mel. You’re their attorney!”

“So are you and Lawrence. Shavonne will be along soon. You three are more than qualified to act as lead council!”

“That’s not the point. Brian and Justin are depending on you, which is why you’re going to stand your ass here and let Lawrence go down there to handle this. Don’t give that bitch and her obnoxious chihuahua the satisfaction of causing you not to be here when you’re supposed to be. After everything is done, then you can handle them as you see fit, and I promise to act as your defense attorney. It will truly be a case of temporary insanity.” He smirked at her then, realizing that his words were penetrating her homicidal brain. “Although I wonder if you haven’t been suffering it all these years. There has to be a reason why you stayed with her for this long, don’t you think? Gives a new meaning to being crazy in love.”

Mel snickered at his reference to the popular song. “You’re an ass, Charles, but I love you for it.” Sighing deeply, she conceded. “Fine, but Lawrence, don’t give them an inch. Michael and Lindsay are opportunistic and will twist around everything you say if you let them. They are the eternal victims within their own minds, so mindfuck them in such a way that they will really know what it will feel like.”

“But Mel, she’s your wife,” he argued.

“No, she’s not. She’s a pod person using my wife’s body. My wife would never act this shamefully. Use whatever you have to, but get them away from here… and fast, before not even the reality of what we’re facing in court is enough to keep me grounded!”

Lawrence nodded, turning away to move towards the entrance. On his way, he stopped and called Shavonne to let her know what he needed to deal with outside of the building. He was relieved to hear that she was already alighting from the car and would meet him there. Stepping out of the building and turning towards the visitor’s entrance he was not surprised to hear the raised voices, two of which he knew all too well and one that reminded him of a whining mosquito. He wished in that moment that he had thought to ask the K-9 unit for a fucking muzzle!

“Brian, it isn’t right how you’re treating us! We realize how important this is. All we’re saying is that after today, Justin should return to Jennifer’s care so that you can take care of more important matters.”

Lawrence was proud of the way the young blond was comporting himself as Lindsay spoke, as if he wasn’t even standing there. He didn’t know what had happened since the last time he’d seen the couple, but they were more together now than they had ever been.

“Brian… I’m sorry,” whiny man interjected, cutting across Lindsay’s running diatribe of his supposed neglect and how it was his duty to see that she had what she needed… for Gus, of course.

“Don’t speak another fucking word to me, Michael! Your apology means as much to me as your dick does!”

“But Brian…”

Lawrence watched as if in slow motion as Brian drew his fist back only to be stopped by the slight, right hand of Justin. It was as if the movement was done reflexively, the hand trembling against the momentum of the forward-moving left hand of Brian Kinney. They both stared at each other in shock as if even they couldn’t believe what had just happened. Justin licked his lips before speaking, barely above a whisper.

“Don’t, Brian. Don’t pay attention to what either of them have to say, but most importantly, don’t give into the temptation to punch the living daylights out of Michael. We have something much more important to do than to stand here and listen to the litany of Liarsgate.”

“How dare you, Justin?” Lindsay gasped in outrage.

“I dare very much, since I know of every nasty, sneaky thing you’ve tried and are still trying to do to undermine me and Brian. You tend to forget, Lindsay, that I am from that same vaunted world you are from, only I’m higher up the food chain.”

“I don’t know what you’re…”

“How are Daddy and Judge Nathan Mathers, Lindsay? Still golfing buddies, or perhaps your father decided that he was no longer on his list of friends once he found out that his bosom buddy had his face buried in Nancy’s bosom? Or should I be asking about your lunch date with Mathilde Nordstrom and Beth Henley? You know they are also friends- well as much as WASP’s can be friends anyway- with my mother. They were all too happy to regale her with tales of Miss Lindsay’s latest rendition of ‘Woe is Me’. Then there is Michael here, who suffers from oral diarrhea in such a way that not only does his breath stink, but he does too. His bullshit comes out of his pores to infect everyone who comes in contact with him.”

“You little…” Michael began only to be cut off.

“No, walking asshole, that would be you! You're a little shit or a big steaming pile of it, depending on the day!” Taking a deep cleansing breath, Justin returned his gaze to his partner. “Brian, let’s go. We have enough to deal with today and it’s all I can handle without adding unnecessary and bold baggage to my list of dirty laundry that’s about to be aired.”

Brian led Justin off, kissing his still-balled fist around his own hand, Michael and Lindsay unloaded a string of curses and threats hurled at the young blond. As their insults and the like continued to fall on seemingly deaf ears, Lawrence moved next to the duo with Shavonne flanking his side. It took a few moments for them to realize that they were no longer alone.

“What the fuck are you two looking at?” Michael sneered.

Lawrence laughed and looked at Shavonne for confirmation that he should answer. At her slight nod, he said, “Two idiots who are about to be slapped with restraining orders if they don’t hightail their low-class asses out of here and stop harassing our clients.”

“Look, pal, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Those two- well the brunet anyway- is our friend, and as for clients… I know you’re lying since her wife is handling their case.”

“You’re right. Mel is handling their case, but you see, this lady right here is the Acting District Attorney, Shavonne Fuller, and I’m her assistant, Lawrence Spokes. So yes, Justin Taylor and therefore, Brian Kinney are our clients as well. Would you like those restraining orders now?”

“Lawrence Spokes? Lawrence Spokes? Is your wife Gloria Spokes?” Lindsay asked, eyes narrowing.

“She is indeed. And you are Lindsay Peterson, the offspring of the Country Club’s resident harlot and her chronic cuckold of a husband, so what of it?” He asked, already knowing where she was going with this deviation of conversation.

“I just think that it would be interesting for her to find out that you’re reneging on your promise not to work for the District Attorney’s office again. Also, isn’t it a conflict of interest, since you are one of the lawyers on record with St. James Academy? Talk about playing both sides of the fence! I wonder how the defense attorneys will feel about that,” she threatened, trying to look sympathetic but all she managed to look was constipated.

Both Lawrence and Shavonne laughed, but it was Lawrence who spoke. “By all means, tell her. I’m sure she will be pleased to find that you are the same tell-tales bitch that you’ve always been. It’s nice to have some constancy in this world full of so many uncertainties. By the way, where is Gus today?”

“What does he have to do with anything?” Michael asked, annoyed.

“Oh nothing much, except that Mel will be disappointed to know that once again, Lady Lindsay here, who wanted to play the doting mom of the manor, is as yet making a fool of herself by lauding loudly of all the responsibilities Brian has been neglecting while she only has ONE job, which is to take care of the child she schemed and nearly busted her ovaries open to birth. Talk about self-entitled and delusional people who continually think they are more special than they are! I mean, since you were recently let go from your teaching job for taking too much time off without true cause, there isn’t any reason why you shouldn’t be fulfilling your own duties as a stay-at-home mom, right?”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” Lindsay exclaimed, but Lawrence went on as if she hadn’t even spoken.

“It’s too bad that your boss saw you lurking outside of the same loft apartment building he lives in, lying in wait to once again spy on Brian and Justin’s comings and goings. It might have helped your situation had you at least had your sick child anywhere in sight, but no. No distractions for you, Lindsay. You couldn’t have something as trivial as parental responsibility reigning over your one-defective-brain-celled focus to be informed of a situation or change in circumstance that is unequivocally not your business. If you had minded said business, you might have been still gainfully employed. A nosy, entitled, and broke bitch with too much time on her hands is to be both feared and pitied.”

“Fuck you, Lawrence!” Lindsay spat.

“Wow! And this from an educated woman who is supposed to be able to tell fact from fiction. I wouldn’t fuck you with his- meaning your own personal lapdog standing here- dick, much less my own. Besides, aren’t you supposed to be into women? Last I checked, I was all man. But Shavonne, perhaps you might want a crack at Lindsay?”

“Nope, I have high standards and don’t fuck with bottom bitches. Besides, I had the best years ago. Don’t tell Mel I said that. Her ego is big enough,” Shavonne responded with a smile.

“Mel!? You’re…” Lindsay sputtered.

“Lying? Oh no, I’m not. But I am wondering why she downgraded though. I mean, Leda was first, but then me… it certainly couldn’t be for the money or connections, since both Leda and I come from wealthy families along the lines of Justin's maternal family, who have both class and elegance. But it just goes to show, that one can be a WASP and still be a basic trollop on par with a hoodrat. For the people in the cheap seats, meaning you two, that means a tramp from the ghetto. The only difference is that they are honest, whereas Lindsay is incapable of telling the truth in any form or fashion, and that includes the needs of her twat, which has probably seen more dick than the Underground Railroad has seen of people. Yeah, I know all about you too, Lindsay and I can definitely say that I am not impressed. But well that’s a conversation for another time. So it’s been real people; Lawrence and I have real full-time jobs to attend to. However, please be advised that I will put the restraining orders in front of a judge as soon as possible should I hear of you two harassing our clients again, for reasons as minute as a broken fingernail at your hands. Have a nice day!”

They walked back inside the building, stopping off at Security and picking up the coffees along the way. They were surprised to find Jennifer Taylor along with Ted Schmidt, Emmett Honeycutt, and Daphne Chanders already waiting for them along with Brian, Justin, Mel, and Charles. No sooner than Shavonne handed out the coffees, were they being called into Courtroom A.