CHAPTER 84: LAYING DOWN THE LAW

ANDREA BRINKMAN RESIDENCE – SUNDAY EVENING

NANCY’S ROOM

I fling my phone on the bed in fury. Nobody is picking up. I know that Ronald, Lynette and Oliver were just showing off for Elspeth and they will be doing some major apologising.  I was prepared to be reasonable over this divorce but not after this.  I shall drag this out.

“Come on Nancy!”  Andrea trills through the door.  “Surely you’ve managed to find something to wear by now!”

I grab a dress and change into it.  I’ve had to use some of Andrea’s make-up as they virtually destroyed all of mine.

“This will have to do.”  I mutter to myself and head downstairs.

LOUNGE

As I come in Andrea hands me a martini, this is more like it after the trauma of earlier.

“So what are we going to do this evening?”  Andrea giggles alongside Sophie who then shrugs before turning to me.  “I think we should go to West Virginia.”

“What’s in West Virginia?”

“Fresh meat of course!”  Sophie laughs.  “Cheers!”

“Cheers!”  I clink their glasses and for now my family is forgotten.

WOODY’S BAR

BRIAN

I’m supposed to be listening to Ted but right now Justin is leaning over the pool table lining up the shot.

“I’ll wait until he stands up so that I have your full attention.”  Ted smirks dryly, his face falls when I turn to stare at him.  “Sorry Brian.”  He mutters going red.

I continue to regard him.  He’s come a long way since I started Kinnetic and hauled his ass out of sharing.  Both professionally and, like Emmy Lou, as a true friend.

“Sorry?  What for?  He does have a great ass.”  The relief on his face is amusing.  I stand and drain my beer.

“But you need to speak to Cyn about getting an area of your office sound proofed.  Your afternoon delights with Blake are getting a little loud.”  I smirk and saunter towards Justin leaving a mortified Ted in my wake.

I watch Justin concentrate on lining up his shot perfectly and, as if he knows I’m watching, he turns and smiles.

“Need some help?”  I ask coming closer but he starts to track backwards shaking his head.

“Mr Taylor-Kinney, where are you going?”  I growl following him.

“I want to finish my game of pool.”  His eyes are fiery but I catch the look at my crotch and the tongue flicker.  “And the table is that way.  Now you go and torment Ted some more and… no don’t look at me like that!”  He demands almost stamping his feet, he’s almost mine.

“Like what?”  I start to pull him towards me and hand off the pool cue to someone.

“Brian.”  He whispers as I lift his chin.  “Just a kiss okay?  I really want…”

I kiss him very gently and his mouth blooms and I deepen the kiss and get lost in the taste of him.

“Seriously how the fuck are they breathing?”

“What?”  I look up at the impressed expressions round the bar

“Eight minutes of kissing, leg wrapping then grinding.”  Someone laughs and I look down at the satiated expression on Justin’s face.

“That’s not all right?”  I mutter in his ear and he tightens his legs, he goes pink and shakes his head.

Lowering his legs he leans against me and takes the water from Ted with a wobbly smile.

“I thought it was a myth.”  Ted looks at me incredulously.  “But did you really just do that?”

“Yes Ted he really did that.”  Justin croaks.  “I don’t know how but he just does.”

I adjust my jeans and smirk at Justin.  “You too?”  He beams.

“Yep.  Now come on these are D&G, I need to change!”

ALTIUS

LYNETTE

I can’t help the laugh.  “So let me get this straight, oh pardon the pun.  You managed to get a date on Liberty Avenue with the only straight single woman in a predominantly gay diner?”

Dad’s face is picture of embarrassment and I couldn’t be happier.  “So where are you taking her?”

“Nowhere, I’m thinking of cancelling.”

“What on earth for?”  I demand and signal the wine waiter to pour some more.  “Well?”  I prompt when he doesn’t answer.

“She’s a bit younger than me.”  He admits.  “And I’ve only just separated from your mother.”

“What did you say earlier?  I believe it was something about being happy.  Are you seriously thinking that mother is staying at Andrea’s weeping over what happened this morning?  Of all the things she’s doing weeping is not it.  She’s going to be doing what she does best, looking after her social standing.”

Oliver nods in agreement before finishing off the wine he sipped.  “Okay you don’t want to see this woman?  Then give me your phone and I’ll cancel the date for you.”

Daddy’s head snaps up and he looks appalled.  “No thank you I’m more than capable of cancelling it myself.”

“Then do it now, whilst you feel so strongly.”  Oliver orders and I love him more than anything at that moment.

“Uh, well it’s quite late to be calling someone.  I can do that tomorrow.”  Daddy blusters.

“It’s only nine o’clock.  You said that you’re meeting her on Tuesday it's best to let her know now so that she can make other plans.”

Daddy looks between the two of us and then smiles.  “You, Oliver March are a terrible person!”  He chuckles.  “And I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

“That’s Oliver Peterson-March if you please.”  He smirks and kisses my hand.

ALLEGHANY COURTHOUSE – MONDAY MORNING

COURTHOUSE 2

SANDRINE

We’re at the back waiting for them to come in and by we, I mean Philip, Elspeth, Lewis and Lindon.  Debs couldn’t face it so Jennifer is keeping her occupied.  The door opens and the bailiff comes in again, I nudge Philip and he looks up from the statement that he’s been pouring over.

“All rise for Judge Richards.”

As the Judge settles Philip leans across and says something I can’t hear to Slick who just nods her eyes fixed on the two people who have made her miserable.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, we shall continue where we left off.  I believe there’s not that much of the video to go.  Then we will go on to the statements from Brian Taylor-Kinney and Daniel DeVore and then their statements and then you will consider your verdict.”

We watch in silence as they try to justify their actions with she could afford it.  She took my things away.  She helped them fall in love.  She besmirched my name to the art world.

Twice Lewis had to force Lindon back into his seat.

I notice that only Nancy is there from Lindsay’s side of the family and she doesn’t look anywhere but squarely at the back of Lindsay’s head.  She, of course, is in full apologetic mode so she’s snivelling and looking contrite, luckily for Slick the jury is once again concentrating on the video.

Novotny has the nerve to look bored during this and I catch a couple of the jurors looking across at him.

“Philip.”  I whisper and nod in the direction of the jury and he smiles grimly.

“Never ever assume that the jury is not watching you.”  He tells me.  “They are watching everyone including Slick.”  He sighs and looks behind him but she and Lindon are engrossed.  “And all for the wrong reasons where she is concerned.”

I frown at him and then look at the jury.  “In this day and age surely not!”  I gasp.

“This is WASP country so yes.  Now we need to be quiet the statements are about to be read.”

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, members of the court, the first statement is from Brian Taylor-Kinney.  Bailiff.”  Judge Richards calls out.  “Please bring in Mr Taylor-Kinney.”

We all exchange incredulous looks.  But that is nothing compared to the looks on the faces of Novotny, Lindsay and her mother.  We wait for Brian to be sworn in and he clears his throat.

“I have known the defendants since I was a teenager and their victim, Slick Phoenix for the last twenty years.  Ms Peterson and I share a child called Gus, and Michael Novotny shares a child with Mel called Jenny.  Mel is Lindsay’s ex-partner.  The reason I bring them up is because of what they did for the last three years.  I was under the impression that Michael was paying support for Jenny as that is what they told me but it turned out that I was supporting both children and Lindsay was syphoning off a portion of the money for herself.  But that money has since been returned, not by choice of Ms Peterson.”

The jury looks across as one at them and they shift in their seats.

Brian clears his throat and continues.  “As for Mr Novotny, as well as lying to me about paying support he has caused disruption in my private life to the point that he, I mean he and Lindsay, were issued restraining orders, which they ignored and have only been partially lifted.  They called the reception hall where they thought our wedding was being held and cancelled it, and Mr Novotny emailed the priest to say that my husband was married to someone else.  Because of their interference Miss Phoenix was held at gunpoint and almost kidnapped by the accomplice of my husband’s estranged father and that information would not have been available to him if they hadn’t told him.”

He takes another sip of water.  “With regards to the New York trip, they were given plenty of opportunities to tell Slick…I mean Ms Phoenix…about what they did and they, as you saw, didn’t do that. In fact, that took great pleasure in not doing so.   And with regards to the portrait, what they did while knowing what happened to her mother is unforgivable.”

Again he clears his throat, but this time he looks at both of them.  “Even if they don’t go to jail for what they’ve done.  Even if you buy the bullshit they come out with in their statements.  I will never forgive them for hurting me, my husband Justin and my best friend and sister Slick.”

“Thank you Mr Taylor-Kinney you are excused.”  Judge Richards tells him his voice thick.

I take a chance and look at Slick and her eyes are fixed on the floor and Lindon is rubbing her knuckles.

“Bailiff please bring in Daniel DeVore.”

We watch quietly as he is sworn in and Novotny now has a sweat filming his forehead, as well he should.

“My son and I have only just reconnected, due a family history that has no bearing on this trial.  No doubt he will try and make it a reason for what he did as his woe-is-me tale, do not buy into this.  What his mother did is nothing to do with this but what he did for the last three years does.  Like Brian Taylor-Kinney I was helping him to support his daughter, but unbeknownst to me he wasn’t paying into the joint account like he said he was.  In fact, he led me to believe that Jenny’s mother had a career break and I increased the payments to support that.  It was only at the instigation of his mother that I found out the truth and I acted accordingly.  Slick Phoenix, did not, I repeat, did not, take his stuff away, I gave them to her.  You have documentary evidence to support that. Michael Novotny is not stupid but he is lazy, and is far too used to everyone and by everyone I mean Brian helping him.  Now he doesn’t have that, so he pitches a whining fit, which normally gets other people to help him, but this is no longer the case.  He has one person in his life to help him and that is Ms Peterson, but she is not interested in helping anyone other than herself.”

Lindsay gasps in indignation.  “Silence in court!”  Judge Richards orders.

Daniel shakes his head as he looks at Lindsay before turning to Michael.

“Michael, Lindsay took your comic and sold it to Phoenix Uptown.  Kyle told me so if you got any money from her it was because of that.  And it serves you right.”

“I knew it!”  Novotny yells.

“Silence in court!”  Judge Richards bangs his gavel hard and Novotny is hauled back into his seat glaring at Lindsay.

“Nice that you’re focused on the bigger picture Michael.”  Daniel intones dryly eliciting chuckles.  “Ms Phoenix knows my son better than I do and after we had a night of celebration she insisted on giving me $10K of the money raised by selling the items I gave her.  The next day I found out that my son had taken the majority of the money out of the shared bank account, but still I couldn’t countenance pressing charges for fraud even though that was what it was.  Because at the end of the day he’s my son.  However, when I found out what he did afterwards, I so wish I had because it would’ve saved Slick, Brian and Justin from the pain he caused them.  And like Brian I will never forgive him.  Lindsay, I don’t know and don’t care about so she doesn’t matter.”

Again Lindsay gasps in indignation.

“Thank you Mr DeVore you are excused.”  Judge Richards nods and waits for the door to close.

“Mr Roberts please can you read the statement from Mr Novotny.”

Mitchell Roberts stands up and he shakes his head.  “Slick Phoenix has caused, along with Justin Taylor, a rift between Brian and myself.  I have, despite her alarixious behaviour tried to be her friend but time and time again she has…do I have to finish this?”

“No Mr Mitchell and I take it he meant avaricious?”  Mitchell nods and sits down.

Judge Richards just shakes his head.  “And no Ms Chen you don’t have to read hers.  Not one word Ms Peterson.”

Judge Richards glares at them and then looks to his left at who I can’t tell but his shoulders drop, I think in relief, before he turns to the jury.  “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury you are now excused to consider your verdict.”

An hour later they file back in Lindsay has still been snivelling and looking appealingly at them.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury have you made a decision?”

“Yes we find that Michael Charles Novotny and Lindsay Peterson did deliberately and maliciously defraud Slick Phoenix and intentionally harassed both Brian and Justin Taylor-Kinney and Slick Phoenix.”

“What?!  No!”  Lindsay shouts.

“Sit down!”  Judge Richards bellows.  “We will now hear a statement from Slick Phoenix before I pass sentence.”

I watch as she makes her way down to the stand, as she passes them they turn round and look incredulously at all of us especially when Brian and Daniel join us.

SLICK

I look at the speech that Philip has rewritten for me and I straighten the paper.

“You are without doubt the most pathetic individuals I’ve ever had the misfortune to know.  I know this is WASP country and this is most likely not going to help but I have to say it.  But you two are shitheads.  You didn’t have to do anything you did to me, to Justin and more importantly to Brian.  You know...you know!  How much he loved you guys and still you betrayed him and still to this fucking day have not apologised!  What you did to me money wise is no biggie because you’re right, I can afford it. But the portrait, the callousness with which you did that…”  

I feel the tightness in my chest and I don’t want to cry not in front of them.  I take in some air, bite down on my lip and close my eyes.

“Needs to be apologised for.”  I continue.  “And I want that now.”

There is a long silence before Lindsay whimpers out an apology and Michael grudgingly follows.

“You don’t mean it either of you.  I just wanted to hear it.  So now I have I’m done.”  I growl and start to leave.

“Ms Phoenix!”  Judge Richards calls out and I flinch and slowly turn round.

“Well said and well held.”  Judge Richards nods.  “And now you’re done.”

I give him a small smile and walk pass them to the back of the court.  I pause in surprise as I look at the people who have arrived.  Dets. Crane and Bank are there as are Kyle and Brandon, Justin, Emmy Lou, Ted, Cynthia, Blake, Carl, Grimm, Roman, Twinkle, Snook, Gus, Jenny, Molly, Lucy and Mel and more and more people are coming in.

“What the hell?”  I murmur in bewilderment.

“You’re being coddled suck it up.”  Claire smiles and I make my way to Lindon.

“The defendants will stand.”  Judge Pall orders.

For reasons best known to herself Nancy stands as well.

“A jury of your peers have found you both guilty of malicious intent to commit fraud and to that end it is so ordered that the 4 years and 10 months be served out in full unless they are released on good behaviour prior to that time.  Michael Charles Novotny will serve his time in the men’s correctional facility upstate and Lindsay Peterson will serve her time in the women’s correctional facility upstate and after their release the restraining orders will be reinstated, which means they will not be able to be in any contact whatsoever with Brian and Justin Taylor-Kinney and Slick Phoenix.”

“No your honour no!”  Lindsay howls and then collapses.