Recollection Rick
Chapter 46
"I am in deep sh*t!" Dave Crockett spits into his private cellphone. "My publisher is trying to hunt me down, probably to fire me. You promised me that your group gives The Ledger enough business to make her play along. From what I'm hearing from my people, she's in no mood to play. And she's ordered a retraction."
"Relax," Chase counsels. "Keep your head down for a while. We're getting a new push ready. And if she fires you, SQUZ can find you a place somewhere."
"I don't just want a place somewhere. I've spent years building a contact list for my work at The Ledger. I have friends here. I've got a God damned Secret Santa. I don't want to start over," Dave protests.
"Look, you agreed to plant that story," Palmer reminds him. "And we paid you very well to take the risk. Man up and take your knocks. I'll be in touch."
"Man up," Crockett mutters as a beep signals the call's termination. "I'll man up all right. SQUZ screws me. I screw back." He checks out the window of his Catskills' cabin. Light snow is falling, but it could get heavier. The skiers will love it but schussing down a slope is the last thing on Crockett's mind.
The receptionist/office manager/woman-of-all-work, Miriam Levitt, knocks on Jim Beckett's door. "Jim, there's a man named Dave Crockett here to see you. He doesn't have an appointment, but he says he knows who's behind the article in the Ledger."
Jim looks up from his search of West Law. "So do we, but send him in. Let's see what he has to offer." Jim takes quick stock of the tall, rapidly balding Crockett. Smiling by reflex and automatically extending his hand, the new arrival radiates salesman. Jim gestures him to a well-used guest chair. "What can I do for you, Mr. Crockett?"
"It's what I can do for you, counselor. I'm the one who arranged for the Ledger to run the article smearing those kids and the professor from Hudson."
"Assuming that's true, Mr. Crockett, why did you do that?" Jim inquires.
"Because I was paid to," Crockett states simply. "I like to live well. I also like to wine and dine prospective advertisers. My expense account used to cover that. With the newspaper business tightening its belt, I'm lucky if I can expense a couple of hotdogs at Nathan's."
"And why are you telling me?" Jim prompts. "What do you hope to get out of it? I don't pay for tips. Even when it's accurate, information coming in that way is difficult to back up in court. So if you're trying to sell something, there's no reason to waste either of our time."
"I'm not selling anything," Crockett counters. "Palmer Chase hung me out to dry. I'm just returning the favor."
"Palmer Chase, the CEO of SQUZ Group?" Jim asks.
"That's him," Crockett confirms. "The initials are short for scuzzball."
Jim chuckles. "Not exactly what you'd read in his LinkedIn bio. Mr. Crockett, step by step, from the beginning, tell me about your transaction with Palmer Chase."
Dave leans forward conspiratorially. "He made contact with me on the course at my club."
"We have a clear trail of malicious intent," Jim Beckett announces over a rare family restaurant gathering of the Castle clan plus Craig, the Wygards, and Francis Gilly. "Palmer Chase verbally contracted with Dave Crockett to plant a damaging article in the Ledger. Crockett engaged in deceptive behavior to get it published. And despite the retraction, we have ample evidence of the damage done, not the least of which is losing some great PR from Recollection. Those actions also jeopardized the professor's position at Hudson. A suit based on those and other injuries should be reasonably straightforward.
"We also have the matter of continuing the work of Stop the Poison. The non-profit status for the foundation just came through. It will be picking up the cost of lab space and analytical work at the University. We've also engaged an outside firm, Higgins' Services, to collate and audit data as it comes in from across the country."
Rick grins. "And Higgins hired Lee Anne Petrie. So we have her confessions to clear her conscience and Crockett's revelations to get back at Chase."
"Plus tons of data proving the contamination in products distributed by SQUZ subsidiaries," Alexis adds.
"The fact that they knew the products could be harmful and distributed them anyway should be criminal," Kate muses.
"The Justice Department may choose to get involved, but a federal case like that can go on for years," Jim Beckett points out. "Publicity and a class-action suit on behalf of anyone who might have used the products could be a lot more effective in terms of knocking SQUZ out of the marketplace."
Dana wiggles his brows. "And actually stopping the poison."
Rick claps his hands together. "Great! We've got that settled. Now, we have about two hours before the taping of my final Recollection showdown, with Buffy Manfred and Ken Cornbloom."
Craig raises his water tumbler. "To fair play and a great game."
Glasses clink. "Salut!"
Lily bangs on the tray of her highchair. "Loo!"
For the first time in the tournament, Rick isn't starting in the highest scorer position. Ken earned that, and Buffy isn't too far behind. Ken has the record for the most games of Recollection ever won. Buffy doesn't look much like a slayer of vampires or anything else. But while her body tends more toward comfort than speed, her mind moves with lightning rapidity. Rick isn't really expecting to win, which is why his gut allowed him to join in the feasting beforehand. He's under a lot less pressure than in the other rounds. Even third place will garner Stop the Poison a very large pot of cash. He just wants to avoid embarrassing himself too badly while competing with the trivia world's top minds.
George appears to explosive applause and addresses the audience. "I can hear how excited you all are. I'm excited as well. Tonight we have the brightest of the bright competing to answer the toughest questions our writers could assemble." He turns to another camera. "And for you at home, this is the night to sit back and enjoy the battle. So let's get to the categories. We have National Marine Sanctuaries, States that Flow Together. The Bushes, Klezmer, Movie Swaps, and Journalism Clichés. Ken, you start us off."
Rick is beginning to wonder if he'll ever get to answer a question. Even for the ones he knows or thinks he knows, Ken is faster on the buzzer – until he gets to Movie Swaps.
George reads the highest value question. "After the death of Bela Lugosi, what was the profession of the man who substituted for him in Plan Nine From Outer Space?"
When Ken and Buffy both hesitate, Rick finally manages to buzz in. "Chiropractor!"
"That's correct, Rick. Choose again," George instructs.
Rick takes a deep breath. "Let's start at the top. I'll take Swaps for 200."
"Who fell from her horse, leaving the role of Batman's photographer girlfriend, Vicki Vale, open for Kim Basinger? Rick again!"
"Sean Young."
"That's correct. Rick, I think you may have found your category."
Rick is still behind Ken when they finish the first round, but he's ahead of Buffy. If he can hold that position, it will mean more money for Stop the Poison. He stares at the board as George reveals the second set of categories. Oh, boy!
