“I’m not going to quit on you Julie,” Brett Smithson responds; “regardless what you may think, you’re not firing me. Whether you realize it or not, I’m the only one in your corner.”
“How can you be in my corner,” Julie snapping; “if I’m stuck in this cell?”
“You wouldn’t be in that cell if you didn’t escape the building yesterday,” Brett speaking.
Before Julie could answer, a soft gong could be heard; knowing that the council has now gathered and she would soon be collected by guards and taken to the chambers.
“You know,” Julie speaking as Brett walks off; “I never had breakfast yet. You might want to tell them that before dragging me to their farce of a trial.”
*****
Eric, Spencer and Frieda back on the computer after Sheriff Cooper had to interrupt them for his own research. Looking again at the online shopping site for sexy lingerie; Frieda was selecting several racey bras and panties in many different colours and styles. Some lacey, some sheer and others that could barely be considered undergarments.
“You know,” Spencer enjoying the selection Frieda has picked out; “you father is going to have a cow when he sees the bill for this purchase.”
“And your mother will have a complex when she sees you wearing these,” Eric grinning; “but don’t let me stop you from confirming your purchase.”
“These are nothing,” Frieda smiling; “but do you think the Tesla sports car I ordered for mother for a Christmas present was a bit much? Sure she liked her BMW, but after her car accident, that car was totaled beyond repair.”
“It depends,” Spencer laughing; “will your father faint when he finds outs about the car or those first edition books you bided on?”
“I say he flips out and makes a mad dash over here,” Eric giggling; “you know his card company is probably calling him inform him of these large purchases.”
“I’ll just tell him it’s my Christmas shopping,” Frieda heading onto the next site; “in fact I’ll text him now. It’ll soften the blow.”
“More like give him a swift kick to the nuts,” Eric seeing the site Frieda just went to; “Jewelry?”
“I think Eric is right,” Spencer commenting; “don’t push it any more than you already have.”
“But I want to get you pretty things,” Frieda grinning.
“We got you,” Eric closing the site; “and that’s what matters.”
“But if you want to get presents for us,” Spencer speaking; “you might want to consider agreeing to a spending limit. Eric and I don’t have a no-limit credit card to draw upon.”
“Fine,” Frieda sighing; “but you do know that the lingerie I just purchased? Some of it will fit Spencer.”
“I should hope so,” Spencer responding; “because Eric would look silly wearing them.”
The three laugh at that last comment just as a soft gong could be heard. Their mirth cut short as well as Frieda’s internet shopping; they decide to leave the reading room and re-enter the now near empty common area.
“You wonder how long it will be before they call on us,” Frieda asking.
“I don’t know,” Eric asking; “but I wouldn’t mind some juice or some soda beforehand.”
“Well lets what the buffet has for us then,” Spencer answering.
*****
“You got to be kidding me,” Benton looking at his cell phone as he was literally on pins and needles. At Awareness and being fitted by their tailor for some made to measure suits as Amanda shops around for some new evening wear. “Frieda just texted me,” Benton sighing.
“What did it say,” Amanda modeling a red sequined dress with a slit on the side to allow for easy mobility.
“Was Christmas Shopping online at the council building,” Benton speaking; “you’ll understand once the card company calls you to confirm some purchases.”
“Wonder what she bought,” Amanda chuckling; “because it sounds like she might have upstaged me.”
Benton doesn’t answer as a few moments later his phone rings. Responding and hearing the usual greeting from fraud alert. His face nearly drops as he is informed what was just purchased on his credit card account. Whimpering as he reluctantly tells the person on the other end that the purchases are valid and were from his daughter he hangs up and looks fit to burst.
“Okay Benton,” Amanda looking at him; “out with it. What did Frieda just purchase?”
“Rare first edition books,” Benton first commenting.
“Well that doesn’t seem too bad,” Amanda commenting; “what else?”
“A car,” Benton answering. “A Tesla sports car to be specific.”
“Well that’s a three hundred grand purchase there,” Amanda looking stunned; “Question is who the car is for?”
“Oh that clever girl,” Benton figuring things out; “I know exactly who the car is for.”
“Spill it then,” Amanda paying for her purchases while Benton is getting jabbed by the tailor again for moving; “who is getting a Tesla for Christmas.”
“I think it you Amanda,” Benton growling at the tailor for poking him with a pin; “do that again and you’ll pull back a bloody stump."
“Then stop moving,” the tailor not intimidated at the large black furred were-panther before him; “it’s not easy making a suit for a were as large as you. Moving about doesn’t help.”
“Don’t antagonize the tailor Benton,” Amanda speaking; “Its one thing I know, you don’t piss off a person with a lot of pins and needles. Anything else our daughter bought or was that it.”
“Nothing else,” Benton lying; knowing of the lingerie his daughter bought from some retail company he would never set foot in any other their stores, but unsure as to why she would want to get any more clothes; let alone bras or panties. ‘I need to have a serious talk with Frieda on her spending,’ Benton thinks to himself; ‘the books are one thing, but a three hundred thousand dollar plus electric car? I wonder if I spoil her too much.’