A/N: I will just do a general thank you to all who have read and reviewed this last chapter, mainly because this next chapter is a long one. I had only briefly touched on the court case to show Linda getting what she deserved and moved on to Sarah and how she reacts.
However, a friend who read it said that it was too brief and didn't really show why Sarah does what she does. So, I added a few more witnesses and have slowly ratcheted up Linda's paranoia resulting in it being divided over two chapters instead of just one.
BTW, did anyone catch it in the last chapter how the King had Mueller send the Writ of Intent to BOTH of Sarah's parents? This was for a reason. It starts here. Cue evil giggle.
Chapter Seven: Liar Liar, Your pants are on fire.
Part I
Judge Harris looked over her courtroom and sighed at having to deal with yet another child custody case. They were the absolute worst part of her job, deciding which parent a child was to live with. No matter how amicable things started out, inevitably the case brought out the less than flattering traits in both parents. This one, well she remembered her original decision after the mother had abruptly ended mediation and hoped that this time, this case had a better outcome because that poor young girl in her office clearly had no idea the truth about her parents.
Judge Harris had seen some of the rather one-sided publicity regarding the case and knew that the father had been attempting to take the high road regarding his ex-wife's past. The problem with that was that she was rather sure that the young girl in her office was going to have a rude awakening before this case was resolved.
The bailiff announced court was in session and called the case. "A Petition for the Modification of Primary Custody of the Minor Child known from here on in as Sarah Marie Williams. Petitioner Linda Williams vs. Respondent Robert Williams, Judge Dora Harris presiding."
Judge Harris took in the two parents sitting on opposite sides of the courtroom. Robert Williams was looking back at his current wife for reassurance while holding a pen with a yellow legal pad in front of him, clearly planning on taking notes and working with his attorneys. She had expected the high-powered divorce attorney, Artie Gables to take the first chair, but it was clear from the way that they were seated that he was in the courtroom for moral support as a younger female attorney held the first chair. Harris didn't know her, but from the way she was studying the notes and looking over at Linda Williams she was more than ready to question the actress.
Linda Williams hadn't so much as looked at her ex-husband, and from the way she was interacting with her only attorney, it was clear that she was sleeping with the rather besotted man. From the annoyed expression on his assistant's face, it was also clear that her attorney was more into the actress than in her court case.
"Mr. Mangusson, you may begin." Judge Harris announced and watched as the well-dressed attorney stood and called a child psychiatrist to the stand. As the well-paid shill talked about the importance of a mother in the life of a teenage girl, Judge Harris wrote down a few questions and listened intently. When the Respondent didn't question the doctor, Judge Harris stopped him from leaving the stand.
"Have you actually spoken to Sarah Williams or are your responses meant in more general terms?"
"No, I haven't spoken to the young lady in question." The man replied before adding. "I do have the backing of the latest research by the Board of APA's backing me on this."
"Thank you." She said dismissing the man, then asking Magnusson to call his next witness.
When the woman took the stand and began to speak, Judge Harris waited until she had answered the latest question then turned to the lawyer and asked. "Does this witness have anything more substantive to offer than how much your client misses her daughter?"
"We feel that this is a very important part of this case." He replied.
"Ms. Bronson, have you spoken to Sarah Williams or did you at any time observe Miss Williams with her mother during her early childhood?" She inquired.
"No, your honor." She replied.
"Mr. Magnusson, as we are trying to get through this case today, might I suggest limiting your witnesses to only those who have substantive testimony to offer. I would prefer to only hear from those who have witnessed direct contact with a member of the Williams family, more specifically with Sarah or have had contact with Sarah while spending time with either parent or her stepmother."
Andrew Magnusson stood and said: "I understand your honor."
When the Judge went to dismiss the witness, she was rather surprised to have the respondent's attorney stand and ask if she might question the witness. A bit surprised, the Judge said: "As long as it is substantive and not a repeat of what I just asked, I will allow it."
The thirty-year-old attorney agreed then turned to the witness. "You have been as you described it, best friends with the petitioner Linda Williams for how long, Ms. Bronson?"
"Since she moved to Los Angeles, we have been neighbors in Bel Air for the last five years." She replied.
"Do you have any proof of this friendship?" Magnusson frowned at the odd questioning but allowed it. "Yes, I mean, you can read about it in of the magazine articles about Linda or myself. We have always referred to each other as our best friend." She answered a bit sharply.
"Thank you. Now, Ms. Bronson, when did you learn of your best friend's daughter? Did she tell you when you met? Did you learn of her five years ago, when you became neighbors? Or was it more recently?"
Magnusson wasn't happy with the question but knew there was nothing objectionable about it. "Linda only confided in me last month after she learned that TMZ had found out about her daughter. She was terrified at the thought of the press harassing her young daughter. She told me that she had stayed silent all these years to protect Sarah from her life."
"Did she show you a photo of Sarah at that time?"
"No, she said she never kept any around for the same reason," Bronson replied. "It's such a shame that she had to hide so much of her life to protect that little girl."
"Little girl?" The attorney then said "Never mind that question. Ms. Bronson, has your client been preparing a room in her house for her daughter? Done any remodeling to her place?"
"No, she said that she will update the guest cottage for her, since Sarah will only be using it so infrequently," Bronson said and Magnusson had to hold his hands still as he began to tap his fingers on the table, hoping that his client hadn't shared her boarding school plans with the woman on the stand. To his relief, the other attorney clearly missed the inference as she dismissed Bronson and the Judge let her step down without any questions.
Going down his witness list, grimacing as he realized he couldn't call the majority of his witnesses. Finding one that would be acceptable, he called Linda's agent who spoke of how often the press had searched his client's trash and how often the paparazzi stuck cameras in her windows.
Linda was bored and was struggling to appear interested when she noticed the rather insipid woman that Robert had replaced her with was glaring at her. Hiding her need to smirk back, she instead faced the front of the courtroom and decided to have a little fun with the sad sack she had used to be married to. She was just about to smile at her ex-husband when she noticed how dry her mouth was.
Reaching for the glass pitcher of water on the table in front of her, she went to pour herself a small drink. To her horror, the spout missed the lip of the glass and poured out all over the table. Gasping, she shrieked in anger as the cold water landed in her lap. Pushing her chair back and standing as she tried to avoid getting any wetter, she dropped the pitcher which shattered and even more water spilled onto her.
The bailiff moved towards where she was and her attorney who had quickly jumped up as the Judge rapped her gavel to quiet down the others in the courtroom. Linda wasn't happy to realize that she seemed to have ended up with the entire contents of the pitcher in her lap, her dress now sticking to her skin as the cold water soaked through even to her panties.
"I will allow a half hour recess to allow the petitioner to dry off. Bailiff, please arrange for one of the janitors to clean this up."
Judge Harris left the courtroom and those that remained watched as Linda Williams struggled not to have a meltdown. In the hallway, she was demanding to be taken out a back door and to her hotel to change when Magnusson pointed out that the judge was only allowing them a half hour.
"I need more time. I can't be seen like this, for god's sake, what am I paying you for? Go talk to her and tell her that I will not..."
Magnusson leaned in and whispered "Get control of yourself. If anyone sees you throwing this fit, it will blow up in your face. Is that what you want?"
Linda's eyes widened and turned to look at the various corners of the long corridor before covering up her rage at what had happened and how inconsiderate the judge was being. "Well? What am I supposed to do?"
"I am going to ask Bronson to bring you back an outfit but for now, Janet, take her to the ladies room and find a way to dry her off enough so that we can continue."
The put-upon assistant did as directed while Magnusson went to see if he needed to do any damage control. Bronson agreed to speak to Linda about what outfit to bring back and then left the courthouse while the Judge had retreated to her office and had to deal with an anxious teenager who felt bad about her mother's accident.
Judge Harris calmed the teenager down and gently and without obvious intent questioned then teenager regarding her bicycle accident as a child. When the half hour was up, she arranged for a soda and some snacks to be brought to her office then returned to her courtroom. Looking at the various combatants, it seemed as if the local side were relaxed but the Hollywood group were clearly out of sorts in spite of the smiles painted on their faces. Noticing the glare from the assistant to the actress, she frowned as she could see the slightly discolored skin on the older woman's face.
Taking a longer look as she resumed the trial, she saw that the mark was in the shape of a hand print. If she had to speculate, she would believe that Linda Williams hit the assistant for some reason. Deciding to investigate a little more, she sent a note to the bailiff who read it then sent his deputy to retrieve a police officer as requested.
Magnusson stood. "Your honor, due to her accident, Mrs. Williams has asked to be allowed the indulgence of waiting to testify until after dry clothes have been retrieved for her from her hotel. We are more than happy to agree to allow the respondent to state their case so that there is no delay as the judge has mentioned wishing to keep the trial on track."
Harris looked at the young attorney who leaned over and was speaking to her client. "Ms. Havers are you ready to proceed?"
"Yes, your honor."
"Ms. Havers, you may proceed with your case then."
"Thank you, your Honor. I would like to call my esteemed colleague Arthur Gables to the stand." Once the man was sworn in, the judge leaned forward to hear what he had to say. "Mr. Gables, you were hired by Mr. Williams to represent him in his divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife during their original divorce, correct?"
"Actually, incorrect," Artie replied to his co-worker's surprise. "I was off on my dates during our original interview. As a partner in our firm, I have actually been employed by Robert Williams in regards to his marriage, divorce and custody case since before their first wedding as I wrote up their prenuptial agreement."
Havers knew that there was something Artie wanted on the record, something that he had apparently just remembered. "Would you please tell the courts about this prenuptial agreement?"
"It was a standard prenup, as required by our firm for all of its attorneys. At least before the first meeting with the petitioner Linda Williams."
"Please explain." Judge Harris noticed that Magnusson and his client were quietly conferring with one another as Artie pulled a file out of the stack he had brought with him to the stand.
Handing one copy to her to pass onto the judge and one for Linda's lawyer, he said: "This is the original with my handwritten notes on the petitioner's addendum." Judge Harris watched all and saw that Linda had been tense at first, but after reading what was written had relaxed and couldn't help guessing that there was something big about to come out but that she was obvious to the danger.
"For the record, please read the addendum into the record." "Linda Williams insisted that in the event of a divorce, so as to not unduly burden her career that should any child result from the marriage that a full-time nanny was to be employed to take care of the child or children. That at such a time as agreed upon, the minor child would be sent to a suitable boarding school at the appropriate age if my client was unwilling to accept full custody of said child."
"Was any such age agreed upon and any particular boarding schools mentioned?" Dora Harris knew that look on Artie's face and was sure that there had been.
"My client offered to have it written in the prenup that he would accept full custody but Ms. Williams insisted on clarifying this addendum. My client and she negotiated, he wished to have it state that Sarah was to be at least a teenager before boarding school was an option, Ms. Williams, well she wished to send her off at eight." Judge Harris looked at the actress, who didn't appear the least bit bothered by this revelation, nor when the witness added that the list of boarding schools acceptable to the actress were all schools in Europe.
"None here, in the states were acceptable to her?" Havers inquired.
"None." Artie Gables replied.
"My client signed this agreement, correct?" She asked.
"Yes, but only after the agreed upon age was twelve and that ones in the states had to be included in said options. He also had it written in the agreement that this was only to be an option if and only if he was in some way incapacitated to take care of their child."
Havers having drawn first blood moved on. "When did Mr. Williams first speak to you about the possibility of a separation from his wife?"
"The marriage was frequently unstable due to Ms. Williams ..."
"Objection." Magnusson stood and interrupted. "To put all the blame on my client without any evidence on the records is prejudicial to my client." Harris reluctantly had to agree and ordered the witness to avoid placing blame on the petitioner without evidence on the record.
"Mr. Williams started a file within three years of the marriage, which detailed issues regarding his wife at the time and her neglect of their child. He had kept a journal of the details. I have a copy that we filed with the courts a month after their fourth anniversary." Two copies were handed to the judge and Linda's attorney who struggled not to grimace as he noted the signed letters from witnesses, dates, photos and even to his horror a transcript of a telephone conversation between his client and her lover/producer at the time.
"In the interest of brevity, here is the report from a year later that was filed by a private investigator after Mr. Williams was informed by an eyewitness of an affair between Jeremy Scoldfield and the petitioner." Harris looked at the offered file, her eyes widening at the attached photos and then at the petitioner. The photo clearly showed Linda Williams in one room having sex while in the room next door a young girl was playing with a stuffed bear. The time stamps on the successive photos proved that this went on for several hours and there was an attached video. She saw Magnusson whisper something to his client who shrugged and replied to whatever he said.
"Why did your client wait to file for divorce?" She asked Gables.
"We decided that it would be best to wait until he had childcare in line and a housekeeper to ensure that his daughter would have someone there once he gained custody," Artie stated. "That all changed in December when Linda Williams deserted the marital home and left their daughter with an elderly neighbor suffering dementia to run off with Mr. Scoldfield."
"This would be when Sarah Williams chased after her mother's taxi and was hit by a delivery truck, correct?" Havers asked.
"Yes."
"What was your next interaction with your client regarding his ex-wife? Notwithstanding your visits to his daughter's bedside." She asked wishing to skip over that part of the case until she had a different witness on the stand.
"He was going to give his wife at the time one last chance before using the prenup to limit her contact with their daughter. We spoke about this on the phone the day his daughter woke up from her coma. A week later, when Linda Williams hadn't visited her gravely ill daughter in the hospital, he asked his assistant to sit with the young girl and went to New York with papers he had asked me to draw up." Artie looked at Linda Williams and glared at the woman as he said: "She signed the papers and I am guessing without looking as she called my office the next day to scream at myself and my assistant."
"Regarding the custody of young Sarah?" Havers asked.
"No, she didn't even question Robert getting permanent and full custody. No, she called upset that she would not be getting either alimony or a cash payout. She threatened to sue Robert in court to get what as she told me at the time she deserved for being forced to move to the backwater of Connecticut and raise their daughter. Robert had been expecting this to happen and had prepared a counteroffer."
"Which was?" Artie handed the papers to be passed around and said: "In exchange for a half a million dollar buyout to be paid in a years time, she would spend every other weekend with their daughter until such a time as Sarah had healed enough from her accident to be more accepting of her mother leaving."
"What did Linda Williams do?" "She swore that Robert would pay and announced that she worked on weekends as an actress so it was inconvenient to spend that time with her daughter. We offered Monday and Tuesdays instead since most Broadway plays are closed on Monday, she refused again and hired an attorney. We went to court and it was adjudicated that as she was being well paid as an actress, she would not receive alimony but that Robert would pay off any outstanding bills."
"Did this resolve the case?"
"No, Robert wished Linda to keep in at least some form of contact with Sarah as she wasn't healing well from the accident and the doctors all felt that this was the result of her mother being missing from her life."
"What if anything happened?"
"Linda William had been offered a role in Los Angeles and wished to end the case, she offered my client half of her signing bonus for accepting the role if he would agree to drop the case," Artie stated.
"Did your client agree?"
"He dropped the case, told her to keep her money and had her sign away any rights to their daughter," Artie replied. "In front of the hired court stenographer, her attorney, myself, the court moderator and of course Mr. Williams the petitioner signed the paperwork then swore at her ex-husband for what she called trying to derail her career. She claimed that the young child had been a mistake and that as far as she was concerned Sarah no longer existed."
"OBJECTION!"
Harris saw Magnusson stand and shout but when she asked for the reason for the objection, the man clearly was stumbling around for another reason than that the testimony made his client look bad and that it as a legally binding agreement meant his client was not going to win.
"Attorney-client privilege." The man threw out but both he and she knew that it was a joke.
"Overruled," Harris replied and watched from the corner of her eye as the star heatedly whispered something to her lawyer. When he denied her wish, it was rather clear that she had forgotten the incident and was not happy to have it brought out in open court.
Havers sat down and Magnusson stood to question Arthur Harris. He went through the prenuptial agreement and got him to concede that they often contained language where one parent was given legal custody as a convenience but scored no real points to fix the damage being done to his client. He avoided the mountain of evidence regarding the affair, it had no real bearing and both sides knew it; other than to dirty his client's image. He tried to poke at the photos as being altered but the divorce attorney pointed out that there was a video of the event that if he wished they could view in court.
Magnusson hastily moved on and tried to paint his client as emotionally distraught and unable to make sensible choices due to misdiagnosed medical issues. He avoided using the words postpartum depression but made a point to infer that Linda had suffered from it. Harris noted it but was holding off any ruling regarding it until she had done more research into the illness, but was almost certain it was an offered excuse in this case.
Magnusson sat down and Havers called the surgical nurse from the trauma center that treated Sarah. Jessica Grovet testified about the injuries the young girl had suffered, about her long road to recovery, about Robert William and how half the police force had watched over the young girl twenty-four seven but how her mother had never visited.
Magnusson tried to point out that the nurse wasn't on twenty-four hours a day and wouldn't know if Linda had snuck into the hospital but he knew it was a minor victory but thinking on what Linda had told him regarding her ex-husband and his marrying the assistant, he asked "What if anything did Mr. Williams tell his daughter within your hearing regarding her mother's supposed absence?"
"He told her at first that Linda Williams was suffering a cold and that she was being ordered kept away. Eventually, the young girl stopped asking for her mother and pretty much stopped talking at all."
Magnusson asked, "I believe that young Sarah received several presents from her mother at this time, did she not?"
"She was sent presents from quite a few people who felt bad for the child who almost died. The police force, the AMTRAK crew, complete strangers." Jessica replied.
"But there were presents with cards that said they were from Linda, weren't there." Magnusson had to avoid outright lying, but he could imply that the gifts were from the girl's mother, not her ex-lover.
The nurse reluctantly agreed then burst out with "Material gifts are no replacement from spending time with a child who was that horrifically injured. Your client..."
"Your honor, I am done with this witness, please instruct her to exit the witness box." Magnusson felt he had scored a few more points, even if they were minor dents to the overall case against his client.
The goblins who were in the courtroom, looked at one another then seeing the strange lady who was at the hotel with their queen's mother entering the courtroom with a bag. Keeping an eye on the lady, they heard her speaking to the queen to be's mother and realized that she had brought the woman a present.
When the boss lady on the wooden platform allowed the queen to be's mother to exit, they followed the two women.
Linda was soon changed and as she vented about having to be in small town nowhere, about her ex-husband and the child that was forcing her to be there, the goblins eyes narrowed and with a snap of their fingers, did a bit more damage to the woman who blithely returned to the courtroom.
Linda arrived as a police officer offered up testimony on the accident. She felt a tinge of concern when he described how badly Sarah had been injured, wondering if the girl might have scars that could end up needing plastic surgery. The last thing she wished for was a child who was less than perfect.
As the man went on and on trying to track Robert and herself down to inform them of their daughter's condition, she struggled not to yawn. Lowering her hand to under the table, she snapped her fingers at the assistant and when the girl looked her way leaned over and said: "Pour me a glass of water."
Once the girl had done as directed and making plans to have Maggnie fire the girl once this case was done, Linda lifted her glass to sip the cold water. The water was lukewarm and had a strange taste to it. Wishing she dare spit it out, she gagged a bit as she swallowed instead.
"Linda, try to at least make it look like you are paying attention," Magnusson whispered sharply as he stood to question the officer. He was able to get the officer to acknowledge that there was no way that Linda could have known her daughter would do as she had done. Linda nodded in agreement, how was she to know that that girl would get it into her head to chase after them.
When the police officer exited the stand, she frowned a bit as he had looked a bit familiar but in the end, she dismissed him as unimportant.
Her ex-husband took the stand and Linda was furious by the end of his first answer. He had tried to claim she had knowingly gotten pregnant as if...it had ruined her entire theater career. Nevermind, any chance with the very wealthy producer she had been trying to catch. His version of their life as a put-upon husband who didn't trust her with their child had her angry as he brought up every single measly mistake she had ever made.
Sarah hadn't been hurt by having that old lady watch her. Besides, it wasn't as if the old bag had had anything better to do with her time. As for the time she had 'accidentally' locked Sarah in her room, she had told him then it hadn't been on purpose and yes, Sarah had fallen out of bed, but it wasn't like she had been badly hurt. The leaving the kid in the hotel, she demanded that her lawyer refute that testimony, after all, he had left them first.
She was in a rage as he dared to call her slattern when he described finding her still in her nightgown at noon the day he had her sign their divorce papers. She had still been asleep when he had knocked, what did he expect, that she would get up at nine after closing down the club after a cast party that lasted til dawn?
Her rage felt overwhelming and knowing she needed to calm down before all was lost, Linda blindly reached for the glass of water and drank some, this time spitting it at her attorney as he stood to question her ex-husband.
All turned to stare at her and Linda snapped at the assistant. "What did you do to this water, it tastes like the sewer?"
"Nothing." The woman turned to her boss and said: "I swear, there is nothing wrong with the water."
"Just get her a fresh pitcher, Janet." He ordered then reaching over to grab Linda's arm, whispered "What the hell are you doing? I have been drinking from that same pitcher and it is fine. Now sit your ass down and shut the hell up before you can't get a part in a hemorrhoid commercial."
Linda felt her rage growing but did as directed while the judge suggested that they get on with Robert's questioning.
When Magnusson tried to refute his testimony, she felt better as he pointed out her ex-husband's long hours, how he had made the decision without her to move to Connecticut, how he had left them on Thanksgiving to go to see his boss. When Magnusson made Robert sound cheap for refusing to pay her alimony or a settlement, she took a deep breath when he had no answer to Magnusson's rapidly asked questions.
Feeling a sharp pain, she gasped and felt it again, then fought against swearing as she realized that the underwire in her bra had just poked through and was sticking into her skin. As casually as she dared, she crossed her arms and sliding her hand into the suit she had changed into, she tried to move the wire slightly. A bit of relief later, she was enjoying Magnusson skewering Robert regarding his supposed infidelity.
"Well, we only have your word you weren't sleeping with your former assistant and considering you married the next one..."
A slight smirk came to Linda's face as she saw how red Robert was getting only to have the sharp pain return. Crossing her arms again, she decided to discreetly remove the wire. To her surprise and relief it came out easily and she covered it with her hand as she slid it into her purse never noticing how lopsided her breasts now were in the form fitting suit.
Havers announced she had one remaining witness and Magnusson when questioned said that he only intended to call Linda upon their return, so they were released for lunch with the judge stating that she intended to speak to Sarah as well after lunch and that none of the adults were to have contact with the teenager as she had arranged for a law guardian to be appointed for the girl.
All stood to exit after Havers had found out for Robert that the judge intended to eat lunch with Sarah herself but that they would not directly discuss the petition.
Linda was preparing to meet the press when the judge looked up from where she was leaving and announced that she had arranged for a small repast to be made available for both sides as to protect all sides from the press. Linda wasn't happy, how was she to play the devoted mother struggling to do what was right and to set up for her eventual loss if she couldn't speak to the press. Once in the small chamber and grimacing at the offering from the judge filled with cholesterol and carbs, she complained: "How can I talk to anyone I need to without exiting the building?"
Bronson said that she would see if she could find a reporter for her and thanking her, Linda said "You are the only true friend I have left in the world. What would I do without you?"
Once Bronson left, she looked at Magnusson and rolled her eyes. "What a sap. Still, she is at least useful."
"You might want to avoid those sort of remarks," Magnusson said while looking around the room with a quizzical expression on his face. "This isn't going too good, Linda."
When he kept looking towards the door, she snapped "What is going on?"
"Nothing, I am just looking for Janet. I need her to do a little research for me." He replied. "I wonder what is keeping her?"
"Who cares?" Linda replied as she pressed against him. "As for the case, remember, I want to lose. After all, you yourself told me that child custody cases are sealed in this state. As far as the press is concerned, I am a winner just by being here."
"That is just it if anyone decides to talk...all it takes is TMZ making just the right offer." He said frowning as he thought about the group in the courtroom.
"The attorneys can't because of privilege. Robert won't nor that wifey of his to protect the kid. Why do you think he has stayed silent so far. As for the staff... seriously? I could sue them, the court system and the county, they will keep their mouths shut."
Magnusson wasn't so sure, he was rather worried about this disaster. Looking at his client/mistress standing at the window staring out it with a dissatisfied frown and warned her. "You need to watch your actions in the courtroom, Linda. What were you thinking spitting that water at me?"
"It tasted like feet or warm piss." She snapped then heard the sound of giggling and with a look around while still holding her purse to her chest, asked "What was that? Who is there? Who was laughing at me?"
"What are you talking about?" Magnusson asked while looking at her like she was crazy.
"Someone was laughing, it was sort of high pitched, like..." Linda went silent, as she struggled to remember where she had heard that laugh. It for some reason reminded her of her daughter's bedroom and how Sarah would be playing with her invisible friend.
"You need to calm down, Linda." He said. "There was no laughter, that water tasted perfectly fine and you need to get a grip."
"Sarah! When you get a chance to question the brat, bring up her invisible friends. She was always playing with oddly named invisible friends." Linda ordered. She heard an odd chuckle then what sounded like someone chanting. "How can you not hear that?"
"Hear what?" He asked thinking no matter how nice she looked on his arm and how good it was to be in the paper as her escort, nor how good in bed she was, this wasn't worth the aggravation Magnusson was beginning to realize.
Linda gasped and shouted "Someone named Hoggle peed in my water. Didn't you hear that? I heard them laughing, saying that I was getting what I deserve for lying to their queen."
Magnusson sank into a nearby chair and was simply staring at the woman when she jumped at the sound of someone entering through the door. When Linda swung her purse, he stopped her and saw it was Branson who looked a strange shade of ash white.
"L-linda..." The star struck former B-film actress looked at the woman standing and struggled to tell her the news. "It's all over the news..."
"What is? What is going on?" Magnusson asked.
"You...have to see it for yourself," Bronson replied but before she could explain the bailiff came to remind them they were due back in court in ten minutes.
"Bronson, what is all of your incessant babbling about?" Linda snapped.
"Tara Thompson, she...she, the part, it went to her..." Bronson said avoiding looking at Linda.
"What? What did that has-been do now?" Linda inquired.
"She got the part in the new George Lucas production. She is to play the queen." Bronson replied cringing. She knew all too well how badly Linda had wanted that particular part.
"No, it's not possible. There is no way...she had to be sleeping with someone, there is no possible way that she got my part." Linda went on a rant and Magnusson who normally would have warned her off knew that it was too late. The door had not been closed completely and the shrill sound of Linda's temper tantrum could be heard clearly down past the ladies room.
When the actress began to blame the loss on the exposure of her secret child and claiming that it had to have been Tara who had sold her out, he merely shook his head, wishing he were anywhere but where he was.
To Be Continued
