CHAPTER 69: THE DESTRUCTION OF ZELDA…I MEAN ZEPHYR…PART I

BRITIN – EARLY EVENING

JUSTIN

“Stop it.”  He grumbles.  “Although I have to say the scat was a nice…”

“Brian!”  I grimace and smack him in the chest.

“Get up.”  I do so but am confused.  He pushes me back onto the sofa, then hands me my glass of wine.

I take a sip and snort most of it up my nose as he does a perfect impression of Michael’s prelude to fucking.  When he hums, wiggles his ass and shimmies his shoulders, I end up rolling around on the sofa shouting stop!   

And bless him, Milo comes running, ready to attack. The baleful look he gives us over his shoulder, as he stalks back out, could strip paint!

“Better?”  He asks, pulling me back into my original position.

“Much.”  I wipe my eyes and then frown when the doorbell goes.  “You expecting anybody?”

“No.”

“Where is he?!”  We hear Mel shout.

“Ah.  Methinks Jenny has told her mother.”  He sighs and takes a sip of wine as we also hear Steve calling out to her.  “Can I use you as a shield?”

“Anytime Stud.”

The door is flung open and we brace for impact.  “You have been spending far too much time with Zee and Faal and…I can’t thank you enough!”  She hiccups and sits down.  “Do you know how long that list is to get into the Supreme Justice Summer Intern programme?”

“Not…”  He begins.

“2 years!”  She stands up again.  “Two fucking years Brian!”

“But I…”  He tries to stop her tirade

“And you got them both, both Brian, to apologise!”  She’s starting to pace.  “I’m so glad I wasn’t there because I would’ve killed him!”

“She…”  He tries once more.

“I’ve cleared my schedule for the rest of the month. There is no fucking way he’s doing that again!”  She growls and heads to the cart and pours herself a healthy glass of wine and downs it in one.

“That’s…”  He holds up a hand to get her attention.

“I’ll be going to New Jersey to check on the other viper in this snake pit with Talon as her rep.  I got clearance.”

“Uh…”  He looks at me and shrugs clearly having given up.

“Right, once again thank you!”  She comes across and kisses him smack on the mouth and is out at the same speed she came in.

Brian, Steve and I just look at each other in amazement.  “Do you need us to…”

“No she drove to us.”  He smiles.  “Look, thank you Brian.  But we want to…”

“Yeah but you’re not going to.”  I tell him firmly.

“She’s right. They really are your best friends.”  He stands and gently closes the door behind him.

We sit in contemplative silence.  “I can’t believe I have to send that fucker a thank you card.”

I look up at him in surprise.  “Thank you card?  And what fucker?”

“Gardner Vance.”

“As tempting as that is, I think you should just do what you’ve been doing knowing he’s miserable.  Although I’m curious as to why you’re thanking him...”

“Wouldn’t have met Zee and Faal.”  He smirks relishing the besting of Gardner, not once but twice.  “And what I’ve been doing knowing he’s miserable?”  He asks, before tilting up my head for a breath taking kiss.

“Living your life happy of course.”  I manage to gasp out.

“Oh yeah that.  Let me show you how happy.”  He growls against my mouth before pushing me on my back.

JUDGE PAAL’S CHAMBERS – TUESDAY MID-MORNING

NARDA

I’m reading through the papers and still shuddering at the memory.  I have had to watch some truly grim things in my career, but him doing whatever the fuck that was has stained my memory.  I look up at the knock on the door and smile when Supreme Justice Rausch comes in.

“To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“This Novotny case.”  He sits down sighing.  “Do you know when they are going to cross?”

“Thursday.  We’ve got a day off tomorrow.  Actually, I’m glad you’re here. I’m worried that he’s…”

“I’m going to have the cross adjudicated.  I don’t want anything to come back from this.”

Inwardly, I heave a sigh of relief.  That was a worry for me too.  He may be a buffoon in court but he is clever in his own way.  After all, he got away with doing that shit for years.

“So what do you think of her?”  He leans back in his chair.

“Scarily intelligent.  But…”  I sigh.  “She’s hurting.”

“Not, I suspect, as much he’s going to be on Thursday.”

TREEHOUSE – SAME TIME

MASTER BEDROOM

ZEE

If it wasn’t so adorable, I would whip him upside the head right now!  I’m on my back with my stomach uncovered.  He’s never been a father from scratch before.  Now since he’s going to be, his morning ritual includes having a chat with Bubble as he has his coffee.

“So Bubble. Today is going to be an important day.  When you arrive you are going to meet two of the greatest men on the earth.  Brian and Justin, who are going to spoil you almost as much as I will.  Now they have been badly hurt…”

“Faal?”

“What?  She has to know the world is not fluffy and rosy.”  He argues annoyingly and logically.

“True.  You can continue as long as you don’t say their names.”  I reply dryly.

“Thank you.”  He kisses my nose then strokes my stomach as he talks.  “So two assholes hurt our friends.  One is being dealt with and the other is going to be. Now the reason I’m telling you this is because I need you to send soothing baby hormones to keep your mama nice and calm today.”

He gets up and heads to the bathroom.  “Hey!”  I yell at him.

“What?”

“Bubble kiss.”  I order, pointing at her.

“Just testing.”  He grins loping back to bed.

I really hope she has his smile.

ALLEGHANY COURTHOUSE – MIDDAY

COURTROOM 1

JUDGE PAAL

I look across at Malcolm and he mouths, ‘the Avenue protects’, and I nod.  There was no way this place wouldn’t be packed to the rafters today.

There is a curly haired woman who has not taken her gaze off of Novotny since she got here.  I need her to teach me that look.  Every time he looks across, she glares back at him and he immediately turns away.  You’d think after the 4th time he’d get the message.  But apparently not.

Despite Brian and Justin being as high profile as they are, this has not hit the press as much as I thought it would.  And I suspect it has something to do with a certain Zaden Ugerstacht and friends.  I don’t for one minute buy into the bullshit about her being threatening, though I don’t doubt she could be…she has a quiet menace about her.  But I’ve seen Harold and Millicent Foster Brown, Ronald Peterson, Bernadine and Arnold Williamson and other high profile WASPs on their side and I have them for this.

I take a breath and bang my gavel.  “Prosecution to open.”

“I call to the stand Justin Taylor-Kinney.”  Ephraim states.

I want to throw the gavel in Novotny’s smirking face.

EPHRAIM

It’s just Charles and I today, Meriam had another hearing to attend.  I stand up and clear my throat.  

Here’s the next episode of the Justin Taylor Stole My Life So I Stole His by Michael Novotny

“Mr Taylor-Kinney.  You have been with your, now, husband for how long?”

“On and off since I was 17.  Like he said, he had plenty of not his finest hour moments but here we are.”

I’m surprised when Justin suddenly pokes his tongue out. “He started it.”  He points to our side with a smile.

“Can we get on with this?”  Novotny gripes.

“What’s your hurry?  It’s not as if you’re going anywhere after this for at least 17 and a half years.”  Justin asks and the look he gets back is lethal.

Judge Paal clears her throat with a smirk. Sadly he’s not stupid enough to look at her in the same manner.

“The items that were recovered from the garage in Scranton contained many things.  I know that all of them are significant to you but are there any that are more significant than others?”

“The notepad…”

Novotny snickers. I can’t look at Justin but think…come into the parlour said the spider to the fly.

“Why is that significant?”

“It has the original drawings for Rage, a comic that we, Mr Novotny and I, created. It was going to be made into a movie but that fell through. We had a partnership but that was dissolved after I paid him $20K for his share of it in which he was supposed to have returned everything.  He clearly didn’t.”

“Ah yes, I draw the court’s attention to exhibit 4A. This is the contract that you both signed, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And what was the comic based upon?”

“The prom that I was attacked at.  We created a superhero based on Brian who saves JT, who is based on me, in the story and the bashers end up killing each other. There was a sidekick called Zelda or something like that; I can’t recall.  But he wasn’t integral like most side-cunts, I mean kicks, aren’t.”

Jesus!  And he looks so angelic!

“You mentioned the prom.  Do you remember anything of it?”

He lowers his head and sighs.  “Bits. Which is why the other thing of significance is the scarf.”

“I see.  I’m sorry this must be so painful for you.  Only one more question.  Chris Hobbs, the man who attacked you and got such a paltry sentence, what happened to him, do you know?”

“Yes.  He came to see Brian and I.”  

Judge Paal’s glare silences the court.  

“What for?” They had mentioned he had come to see them but I didn’t want to know what happened, until now.  

“To warn us that my father, along with other parties were going to attempt to cause us problems; also to commend me on my bravery for being out and proud when I was in school.” He snorts softly and shakes his head.  “To introduce us to his husband and to apologise for what he did, acknowledging that he, with connections, got fucking lucky…”

“I understand, Mr Taylor-Kinney.  But please sit down.  He’s doing fine.”  Judge Paal orders.

The entire court watches as Brian slowly, with some gentle but firm tugging from Gus, sits back down.

Yeah that must bite hard you cretinous fucktard!

“No further questions.  Right to recall.  Your witness.”

MICHAEL

My turn Boy Wonder!

“Mr Novotny.  I remind you about the use of names.”

“Yes your honour.”

“Mr Taylor-Kinney.”  He finally turns to look at me.  “You mentioned during my learned colleague’s disternation that…”

“Dissertation. And we’re not in school.  The words you are swinging at and missing are dissection or diagnosis.  But continue with your cross...”

“I’m not cross Mr Taylor-Kinney.”  I sneer.

“That’s great because we know how you behave when you lose your temper.  Or is that type of tantrum only reserved for young girls?”

“Now just…”

“However, I was going to say cross-examination.  You really should let people finish their sentences and maybe they will afford you the same courtesy.”

I look at the judge and she just stares back at me.   “Your honour?”

“Mr Novotny?  Do you need a legal interpretation?”  She asks.

“No but…”  I take a breath.  “He’s being hostile.”

“With respect, Mr Novotny, what did you expect?  You’ve admitted to a huge breach of trust.”

I shake my head.  “Never mind, your honour.”  I turn back to Boy Wonder.  “The notepad you mentioned…isn’t it true that there is some of my dialogue in there, which I own the copyright of?”

“Yes there’s dialogue, that’s true.  But two things: the contract we signed clearly states that I own everything connected to Rage. And that particular pad, as I said earlier, contains the original drawings for Rage, which…”

“We started on the computer in Brian’s loft.”  I point out smugly.  “Not in that pad as you suggest.”

“While it is correct that we started the rough sketches of Rage in my husband’s loft, the completed original drawings and story for the first issue is in that pad. I believe that the contents were copied for proof.”

I walk back to my desk and look underneath the cover sheet.  

Fuck!

“You can see that, right?  And by the way, writing the names of the characters in my comic, in that pad doesn’t count as dialogue.”

I grip the side of the desk before turning around to face him.  “As you’ve brought up, our comic is…”

“Objection.  Counsel is goading the witness.  It’s been established that neither the comic nor anything relating to it are Mr Novotny’s property.”

“Sustained.”

I take yet another breath of annoyance.  “As I was saying... The first edition comic was based on a minor assault you suffered. What were the other editions based on?”

There is a hiss of annoyance behind me but nothing from Boy Wonder.

“Various aspects of the relationship between Rage and JT culminating in their marriage, a case of life imitating art.”  He has the gall to smile at me.  “There were also other aspects from minor characters in it like Zelda but the main focus was relationship between Rage and JT.”

“Minor…”  I gape at him and then narrow my eyes.  “Why is that more significant than say for example a jacket, a shirt…?”

“Because that’s my first creation and…”

“Our first creation.”  I correct him snidely and catch the glare from the Judge.  “Moving…”

“Yes at the time it was our creation but now it’s not and you agreed to return it.  But as in most things you have to do for yourself without someone holding your hand, you can’t do it.  You fail to follow through.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!”  I snap.

“You failed to complete college.  You failed to repay the money you borrowed from us, which led to the forfeiture of your store.  Although under Blake’s guidance that has gone from strength to strength.  You failed to repay the college fund to Jenny.  You failed to pay the money you borrowed from Talon Kho, which led to the forfeiture of your entire collection.  Though that being said if you had done that then you wouldn’t be here so that’s a positive failure from our collective point of view. You failed to have your feelings returned.  But most importantly, you failed to be a good son, nephew, father, husband and friend.  That’s what I mean by that.”  

I am fucking furious but manage to keep it down because I know this is just posturing on his part.  “Let’s move onto the scarf, the other thing you said was of significance.  How so?”

“That’s my blood on it.”  

“I see.”  I notice he’s looking at Brian so I stand directly in his eye line.  “You said earlier that you remember bits of the prom.  What bits exactly?”

“Objection, relevance!”  

“The witness could be trying to gain sympathy by highlighting the scarf. I’m seeking to ascertain if it is as significant as he says.”

She reads some documentation in front of her.  “Your honour?”  I prompt.

“Patience Mr Novotny.”  She continues to read.  “Overruled.  Justi....  Witness will answer.”

Take that Boy fucking Wonder and Echo!

“Mr Taylor-Kinney, what bits, if any, do you remember that makes the scarf significant?”

“I was dancing with Daphne, my back to the door when she pointed behind me.  Brian approached and asked to borrow her date.  I teased him about him saying he wouldn’t be caught dead in a room full of 18 years olds but he wanted to recapture his youth.  He led me to the dancefloor and we waltzed, for want of a better word to Save the Last Dance.  He kissed me in front of the whole school after he draped the scarf over my shoulders...”  He smiles and I just stare at him.  “Then we went to the garage and we kissed by the jeep.  It was the best night of my life; he said he was being ridiculously romantic.  I was heading back to take Daph home when he shouted my name and that’s when Chris Hobbs hit me with the baseball bat. If Brian hadn’t been there, thanks to you, then Chris most likely would’ve killed me.”

“Th-thanks to me?  I wasn’t there.”  I frown at him.

“No you weren’t but you were in his loft.  No surprise there.  But for once, I’m grateful for it.  Brian was foolishly trying scarfing and you got him down.  So he showed up at my prom instead.  Have always meant to thank you for that, consider it done.”

“Cons…”  I stammer.

“May I continue?  I haven’t finished.”  He looks at Judge Paal and she nods.  “Before I lost consciousness, I remember Brian holding me and shouting no as he tried to stem the blood with the scarf.  The scarf is significant to me, well to us, because if he wasn’t there with that scarf, I would most probably be dead.  He saved my life with it.”

The court is silent, apart from the odd sniff.  

“Mr Novotny, any further questions?”  Judge Paal demands.  “Mr Novotny!”  I blink rapidly.  

What the fuck?  I thought he couldn’t remember!

“You seem to have more than bits of your memory of the prom back.  I’m confused by this. Have you been coached…”  

“Objection. Goading the witness.  Mr Taylor-Kinney’s memories returned in the last couple of years, following a spate of migraines.  The medical report is in there, exhibit 3A.”

“I would like to add something your honour because I know he will ask.”  Boy Wonder looks at her.

“Proceed.”

“The reason that you weren’t told of the return of my memories was because I only told people that mattered and you didn’t then nor do you now.”

I look at her to say something but as per usual she doesn’t!  

“When did you last see the scarf of significance?”  

Not a flicker.

“It was the night that I asked Brian to make love to me again.  I hadn’t allowed anyone to touch me because I was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder…”

“Was that medically diagnosed or...”

“Objection.  Goading the witness.  The documentation relating to Mr Taylor-Kinney’s PTSD is in the evidence, exhibit 4D. Perhaps it would be best if you were to read the papers before you start questioning.”   I turn around and glare at him.  

“Sustained.  You are being disingenuous Mr Novotny, stop that.”

I roll my eyes.  “Yes your honour.”  

“Mr Novotny, when you address me you will face me.”  She orders and I turn round.  “Did you understand my previous instruction?”

“Yes your honour.”  I reply and nod for emphasis.

“Good.  Proceed.”

“So where was the scarf that night?”

“I’m not sure I follow the question.”

“Where was it located within Brian’s loft?”  

“He was wearing it.  I took it off him, dropped it on the floor and we made love.”

“You dropped such a significant thing on the floor?  That’s strange.”  I smirk.

“Not as strange as you taking it in the first place.”  I glare at him and he merely raises an eyebrow.  

“And what were you going to do with it Mr Taylor-Kinney?”

“That’s none of your concern.  We put it...

“I think the court should know what you planned to do with this significant item when you retrieved it from the back of the…”  I just about stop myself.

“So you went looking for something to steal and found that?  You must have been thrilled considering you knew that Brian had been wearing it since the bashing?”

I feel the anger starting to build again.  “What I feel about the scarf is neither here nor there.”

“Come-come counsel, that’s a nebulous statement. If you felt nothing, then you wouldn’t have taken it and had it the way you did.”

“Had it?”  I repeat.

“Sealed in what equates to a Ziploc bag with the press clippings from that time.  Now that is strange.”

I stomp back to the desk, sit down and quickly flick through the documents.  

“Mr Novotny, are you excusing the witness or looking for something?”  Judge Paal asks.  “As has already been mentioned by previous counsel, we’re not mind readers.”

“I’m trying to find something, your honour!  I don’t understand what he’s just said.” I stand up and approach Echo and hold out my hand. “I need to look through your papers as clearly yours are different to mine.  Perhaps your colleague…”

“Finish that sentence very carefully Mr Novotny!  And no you can’t look through their papers.  The papers are exactly the same. They were delivered in a tamper proof envelope.”

“Then why can’t I see them your honour? I don’t see what the problem is.”  I fold my arms and look at the jury for understanding.

“Because they will most likely have made notes that you aren’t supposed to be privy to.  Now what is it that you are looking for?”

“It’s something he said.  About press clippings.  There’s no clippings in the photo I have so where’d he get the idea that that was how the scarf was wrapped...”

“Ah I see.”  Echo interrupts   “Exhibit 3C from the police photos, shows how the scarf was found and 3D shows the scarf on its own and...”  

“But I only have one photo…”

“There’s something under the desk; maybe that’s it.”  Boy Wonder calls out. I look to where he’s pointing and cringe. “Mr Novotny, are you going to pick it up so you can check for yourself?  It should ease your mind.”  Boy Wonder asks me.

He’s smirking... definitely smirking.  There’s more snickering behind me as I crawl under the table to pick it up.

“Is that it?”  She asks taking off her glasses.

“Yes.  Thank you, your honour.”

“Don’t thank me. Thank Mr Taylor-Kinney since he was the one that spotted it and saved me from charging you with contempt.”  She puts her glasses back on.  “And yes, I do mean for you to say ‘thank you’.”

“Thank you Mr Taylor-Kinney.”  I mutter.  

“So are you finished with Mr Taylor-Kinney?”

“Yes your honour, he can go.”

“You don’t wish to recall Mr Taylor-Kinney?”  

“No I don’t your honour.”  I state firmly and head back to the desk.

“Witness is excused.  Thank you.”

“Thank you your honour.”  He replies and then pauses.  “Can I leave the courtroom itself your honour? There’s something I need to do.”

“Of course you may. Nobody is a prisoner here.”

“Well almost nobody.”  He cuts his eye at me.  “Thank you your honour.”  

He smiles that Sunshine smile of his and then calls out.  “Mr Taylor-Kinney, we have that meeting to attend right?”

“Of course.”  Brian stands up quickly.

“Uh your honour, I’ve just remembered I do need to recall Mr Taylor-Kinney...”  I smirk.

“Really?”  Echo interrupts again.  “Which one; there’s two of them after all, and why?”

“Brian Kin...I mean Taylor-Kinney and it’s about a previous conquest of his that I’ve…”

“No.”  She interrupts.  “Gentlemen with my permission, please go about your business.  I understand the meeting is on 3rd floor, correct?”  Brian nods and starts to back out.  “Good, I will send someone to fetch you if we need you.”

JUDGE PAAL

I hold down the bubble of laughter as they almost run out.  “Counsel, do you have any further witnesses to call?”

“No your honour but retain the right to recall Justin and Brian Taylor-Kinney.”  Ephraim replies.

“Mr Novotny?”

“No your honour, but I want to retain the right to recall them too.”

I glare at him while Malcolm just shakes his head.

“Court is dismissed.  Jury, counsel and Mr Novotny to remain.”

“All rise.”  Malcolm demands.

Once the court clears, I turn to the jury.  “Ladies and gentlemen, the prosecution will start to cross-examine Mr Novotny from...”

“But…”

“Please let me speak, Mr Novotny!”  I cut him off sharply.  “However, since he has voluntarily foregone the services of an attorney, he obviously can’t cross examine himself.  Therefore, he is to prepare a statement that he will read in court prior to cross-examination. The statement will not attempt to use the previously dismissed diminished responsibilities, emotional and psychological damage.  For this reason, we will reconvene on Thursday at 1000 to give Mr Novotny time to prepare. Thank you ladies and gentlemen of the jury, you are now dismissed.  Counsel and Mr Novotny to remain.

As soon as the room is cleared, I turn my gaze upon Novotny and hold out my hand.  He looks at me confused.  “Your letter of apology to Jenny Marcus Bruckner-Smart... I would like to read it before you give it to her.”

He goes bright red.  “I haven’t done it yet, your honour.”  

“Why not?  It was a direct order from myself.”

“I was doing other things, your honour.”

“Clearly reading the evidence was not one of them.  However, I had anticipated this and prepared one for you.  Bailiff, please could you return Jenny and her parents to the court.”

MICHAEL

Guard Williams is behind me and I can hear him laughing quietly.  I want to turn around and shout at him but I’ve still got a sore spot from the last time he manhandled me.  I’m going to file a report on that.

The door opens and my heart sinks. Not only is Ben with Jenny but also Mel, Leda and Steve.   

“Wait, did I see The Taylor-Kinneys just then?”

“Yes your honour.”  Melville replies and my heart sinks further.

“Could you also bring them please?”

Melville almost runs to the door. “Mr Novotny, this is the letter. Please read it exactly as it is written and bear in mind I do have a copy in front of me.”  She looks up at footsteps.  “Ah gentlemen, I trust your business was completed satisfactorily?”

“Not yet your honour.” Boy Wonder smiles. “But it will be and it’s always more than satisfactory.”

I want to smack him so hard.  

“Is that his apology letter to Jenny?”  Brian asks incredulously and looks at me.  “You did it?  Or have you failed again and someone else had to do it for you?”  I look away.  “Jesus.”  He snaps.

“Proceed Mr Novotny.”  She orders.

I sigh and look at her and she glares at me.  “Dear Jenny.  I, Michael Charles Novotny, unreservedly and sincerely apologise for the distress I put you through last Friday.  I was childish, spiteful and it came from a place of guilt over what you had correctly surmised had happened. You are a very intelligent young lady and a credit to your parents Melanie Marcus, Ben and Steve Bruckner Smart and Leda Falk. Despite my abhorrent behaviour, I wish to offer…”  I pause incredulously as I continue to read, my eyes widening.

“Continue Mr Novotny.”  She orders.

“...congratulations on being accepted into the Supreme Justice Summer Intern programme this year and give my permission to use my case as part of your dissertation for Justice Rausch. Once again, my sincerest, deepest and complete apology.  Michael Charles Novotny.”  I trail off.  

“Here is the pen, sign it, give it to her and then you will be escorted out.”  She orders.

My stomach is in knots and I shakily sign it and hand the letter over.  Guard Williams starts to lead me out.

“Wait. I want to say thank you.”  Jenny calls out.

“Thank you?”  Ben is sceptical and a part of me wants to scream ‘in your face Juice Pig!”

“If you feel you must.”  Judge Paal looks as surprised as Ben sounded.

“Yes I do. So thank you Judge Paal, it was very nice of you to write that. I like this better than anything that he would’ve written because at least what’s written here is true.”

“That’s our girl.” Mel smirks. “And Michael remember, ver es varft oif yenem shtainer krigt tsurik in di aigeneh bainer.

“How can I remember something when I don’t know what it means?!”  I snap at her.  Guard Williams jolts my elbow.  “I mean, can you explain that?”

“He who throws stones at another gets them back on his own bones...”  Mel glares at me.

“In other words, you hit at her again and I’ll ask Zaden, you know the one you are so scared of, to throw stones at you. Understand?”  Justin growls.  

I want to scowl but I just nod my head and am led out with my face burning.

“See you Thursday Zelda!”  Justin calls out as the door closes behind me.