Dan was getting a tension headache. “I don’t know James,” he said in his West Hollywood office, “there’s just not enough here. And for christsake, put down that katana!”
“Jimmy set me up!” I exclaimed. “He brought on Cassandra knowing that I would blame Greta and that I would make a fool of myself and that she would fire me for it which would mean I would owe the studio $52 billion! It’s as clear as day!”
“You’re probably right,” he said. “But that would be next to impossible to prove in court. And besides, I’m not even sure what he did was illegal. Unethical, of course. But illegal?”
I began twirling around the katana while I spit balled ideas. “We gotta figure out something, Dan,” I said. “What if I can convince Cassandra to take the stand?”
“I don’t know,” he said as he started pacing back and forth. “I just don’t think that the courts will want to listen to this case.”
Suddenly it occurred to me. “You’re afraid,” I told him.
“Afraid?” he shrugged. “Afraid of what? This all seems like a stretch to me. That’s all. I’m just trying to be pragmatic.”
I snapped the katana over my knee like it wasn’t shit and threw it in the corner. Then I leaned over the desk to look him square in the eye. “This is Hollywood you COWARD!” I told him. “This isn’t the place to play scared. This town favors the bold, the adventurous, the visionaries! If you want to play it safe, then perhaps you should practice law in Wichita Falls! Not here!”
“But I haven’t appeared in a court in years,” Dan pleaded as his voice cracked. “I don’t think I’m strong enough anymore.”
“I see,” I said. Then I transitioned into a more calming state. “Dan,” I continued, “you are the most powerful attorney this town has ever seen. Nothing can change that. You would have beat me if I hadn’t viciously murdered your client. That’s the only reason I won. You pushed me to the brink! It was the battle of wills and I happened to have come out on top. That doesn’t make you the lesser opponent. It was any given Sunday and someone had to win. But now’s your time to have your triumphant return. Let’s go to the Los Angeles Superior Court and show them who still runs this town!”
Dan seemed to have been zapped back into reality. “You’re right,” he said. “You’re right: I am the greatest attorney to have ever lived.”
I nodded. “Damn right. But the deadline to pay up is Friday. We must come up with a plan!”
TO BE CONTINUED…
The Internet Ruined Everything 