Chapter 20

The months had flown by as Dani was questioned and re-questioned. Dani now sat waiting for the doors to the courtroom to open so that the meeting could get started. Quickly she went over everything again, then thought back over everything that had happened over the last year.

Starting with her father's death, the investigation, and then the kidnapping attempt. Then came the first meeting with the original board from the Orchard's corporation, which led to meeting the McDoogles, finding Josh, helping Carol with a place to live, and have Josh's dad arrested. The middle of all of that were the two trials for the men that tried to kidnap her and for Josh's dad.

She thought of the trouble with Dale, at the pizza place, then Sandra and Ray. And how, out of that she now had a very competent and proficient assistant. The mess with Ms. Crandle made Dani wonder if that was the last time they would be hearing from the very unpleasant woman.

That led her to wonder why the woman was so bent on trying to take control of Dani but then that was the reason really. Dani thought to herself. But then it also made her think that maybe the same people were behind the kidnapping as were behind Ms. Crandle's repeated attempts.

It all seemed so much, so she pushed that part to the back of her mind for when she had more time. Dani glanced over to her left to see Mike sitting there in his chair. His left arm resting on the arm of the seat and his hand next to hers, absently letting the back of his pinky finger touch the ring on her hand. That brought a smile to her. With everything that she'd been though he was still there. Hell he had even been shot because of her.

That led her to remember how someone had succeeded in kidnapping her after having been attacked by a plant manager of one of her companies. She didn't mean to kill him but no one could say it wasn't self-defense when he was found still holding the knife in his hand. Then there was the ambulance ride from hell, with her friend Iris getting hurt. Ending with some loan shark that wanted money for a debt that was owed to him by Carol Thorton's dead husband who had a gambling problem, was also skimming money from Dan's company and then killed himself letting his wife deal with all the mess. But in truth it wasn't the end. That man was killed by the people that really wanted her. They would have killed her when they had what ever it was they wanted.

After the rescue and the investigation that followed there were an amazing number of elected officials involved. Not to mention five other big corporations, three government agencies, and three countries and counting, which were all involved to some level. As far as the investigations of her father's companies Dani requested that all of the facilities be searched again with all the books gone over so that nothing was missed. More drugs, money, products and even people were missing and when those in charge of the area's in question a few chose the coward's way out, instead of facing what was coming.

So there she sat, hoping it was the final time. She'd had had enough of courtrooms and people asking lots of questions of her about everything on that side of the planet. Sometimes it just seemed like she had woke up one morning and stepped into another world she didn't know existed.

With her that day were Margaret and Robert Lynnette, Sandra Blackwood, John Steiner and Iris Kurtz from her security company, plus FBI Agents Jeff Morrison and Jim Corsair, along with all of the members of the Board of Directors and the VPs.

Finally Sandy McNarry came out of the courtroom to signal that everything was ready for Dani to make the final presentation to the court.

This was a special court proceeding as there was a probate judge, a then two others judges that were handling the civil and criminal prospects of what was going on with the company before Dani took a head. The panel had all heard evidence and allegations of all the company was being accused of. They had heard how Dani had stepped up to get the companies back on there feet so that the employees didn't suffer. And it was only for them that she did work so hard.

After nearly a year the company was still in probate, as the corporation to which Dani's father had left his company, had yet to be found. Dani knew if something or someone was out there she or someone else should have found it by now. The normal wait was two years. But with everything that had gone on, and to keep the employees working, she was hoping to get the courts to grant her title so she could get more than just the 40% of the people back to work that she had working, now.

So it was that Sandy waved everyone in. Dani took her place next to Sandy, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Parks. They all waited for the judges to come in.

For the next two hours questions were asked and answered, and things were going very well. Then one of the judges sat back and looked at Dani.

"Miss Orchard, I have sat here listening to all of this and as remarkable as it sounds something just doesn't make sense to me. Why would you, a sixteen-year-old girl take on all of this? What are you getting out of it? What price are you getting for all that you have done?"

Dani looked thought full for a moment before answering. She knew that how she answered could be the deciding factor.

"I know I'm young. I know I have a lot to learn about many things yet in this world. I've seen the good and the bad of life, and how it can change a person. Before I started any of this I had learned that money was what brought people into and out of power. People were often confused when they found out I was well to do but had never showed it to anyone. My father had power through his money, and I can only hope he had a little happiness. It really didn't for me. He pushed people too hard and they broke, or he pushed people away. He pushed me away.

"I worked hard and knew from a very young age that Life was truly what one could make of it. Those with money were bullies and bigots that thought they had the right to push around anyone that had less than they did. I try very hard to see people as equals, no matter what. That's just how I am.

"You ask what price I'm getting out of this? The answer is nothing. You asked why it is, that a sixteen-year-old girl is doing this? Because it's the right thing to do. You see, when and if the company survives and if the company comes to me, I'm going to turn the company over to the employees. They will control the future of their lives, themselves. If they want me to stay with them, to keep things running and make it the best place to work, I might think about it. But no matter what, everything I have done has been for them and nothing more."

The judge that had asked the question still just sat there looking at Dani, not sure if he was ready to believe what the girl before him said. Though he had to admit, if only to himself, that she had done a bang up job.

"If this panel finds against you and orders you to shut everything down, would you?"

"I would do my very best to beg you not to do that. It's more than just the employees that suffer. Those fathers and mothers need the income to take care of themselves and their children. But it's more than that. With the income they have, they buy clothes and food at the local stores. They pay for their homes and their cars. They also pay taxes on that money. From what is paid out to those other entities they pay their employees and the cycle continues. As for the taxes; that goes to pay for the schooling of their children, the firemen, and policemen that protect them. It pays for the roads and a lot more.

In the end it comes down to you asking why? And to that I say why not? It's the right thing to do."

There was a long pause as all the judges just looked at her, trying to feel what the girl in front of them had spoken of. It was in that pause that things took a very strange turn as to how the rest of the hearing would go.

Ms. Crandle had to time her schedule just right, so that her target could not possibly make it to the hearing that she had gotten set up. Ms. Crandle had arranged for a judge to review the papers that gave Dani Orchard her emancipation status. Without them, she could take control of the child, for her own good, as well as take control of the money that Crandle knew the girl had.

With that she acted innocently when asked why the defendant wasn't there or her representative wasn't, she answered 'I don't know' and stated that her office had dually notified the girl and her lawyer. So with great satisfaction the judge ruled in favor of the emancipation removal, as clearly she needed better counsel about coming to court.

The second part of her plan went just as easily as another judge was clearly disturbed that a man as old as Mr. Mike Heyens appeared to be, was pawing and apparently groping a young girl of sixteen, so he signed the warrant for the man's arrest. All of it left Ms. Crandle dancing in the hallway on her way to the room where the special hearing was being held in regards to the Orchard's case.

The doors of the closed hearing opened and Ms. Crandle walked in like she owned the place, with a sheriff's deputy behind her.

"I'm sorry ma'am but this is a closed hearing," said the judge on the left.

"I'm sorry your honors, but I have pertinent information in regards to this hearing. More importantly to the minor, Daniella Orchard."

As Ms. Crandle moved forward to the podium in front of the judges, Dani looked to Sandy and then too Mike. Both looked confused and unsure of what was going on.

Ms. Crandle put her brief case down after she pulled out several folders.

"Your Honors, I represent Children's Services and have been appointed Guardian of the minor Daniella Orchard. As such this hearing can not take place as I have not been briefed as to the reason for it."

"I object your Honors, Daniella Orchard is an emancipated minor. This woman has from the beginning hounded and harassed my client on so many occasions that a restraining order is in place," Sandy McNarry stated. "This woman clearly has no right being here as thus is in violation of that order."

"Your Honors, with the continued threat to Ms Orchard, Children's Services felt it needed to take a hand in the mater in order to protect this child from outside influences. She clearly is being lead down a dangerous path with no one to help her. To that end we petitioned Judge Radford of family court to rescind her emancipation status and appoint her a guardian. It has also come to the attention of the court that a Mr. Mike Heyens has been making lewd and sexually explicit actions towards the minor and has been witnessed touching her inappropriately. To that effect we have had a warrant for the arrest of Mr. Heyens for statutory rape of the minor."

"Your Honors, if such a hearing took place why was Mrs. McNarry and myself not informed of this? I have not received a summons to any court hearing other than this one, in which I was a part of initiating," announced Dani.

"The summons was delivered and signed for yesterday at both The Orchard's residence and Mrs. McNarry's office. I have the returned cards right here to verify it," replied Ms. Crandle and pulled out two cards.

Dani quickly looked back to see that John was already on his cell calling to see if it was there or not. She then looked at Sandra as saw she was on her cell also.

"Your honors I would like to see these return signature cards as I was in my office after I left this court room until well after 10pm and I know no deliveries were made after 6pm."

"This is all highly irregular," stated the judge on the right. "But if this is true then we may be unable to proceed with this hearing."

"I agree but I wish to see these papers and this court order. The implications to what is trying to be done are not good," said the judge in the middle. "Please pass your evidence up as well as the order of arrest for Mr. Heyens."

While Ms. Crandle was passing papers to the bailiff Sandra had talked to John and then moved close to Dani and Sandy.

"Sandy, I called your office. A package did arrive for you but the name on it had nothing to do with Dani. I had your secretary open it. Among a bunch of non-sense motions was a summons for a court hearing, this morning, at 9:30am. You would not have known, as we were already in here. Also a box marked as coming from one of your charities came yesterday to Dani. I had one of the guys open it. Its just garbage, with the summons at the bottom. Both are being brought over and should be here in about 30 minutes."

"This time that woman has gone too far!" hissed Sandy.

"Easy. Let's let her hang herself," stated Dani with an evil smile on her face.

Just then the bailiff passed over the folders that contained the false allegations and supposed evidence.

The first file was strait forward. The petition and the court order rescinding the emancipation on the grounds of the continued threat to Dani but also because neither Dani nor her counsel had appeared in court.

The next file was the arrest warrant and pictorial evidence of Mike's inappropriate actions. It was all Dani could do as she stuffed her hands in her mouth so as not to start laughing out loud.

Dani had known she and Mike were being watched and know it was even more evident who that person was. With the knowledge Dani and Mike had staged several encounters for the witness to view. Sadly Dani knew this was going to break someone's heart. Dani slowly looked back to where the rest of her friends and family were sitting and looked right at Mrs. Lynnette and nod her head then let her gaze fall on Mr. Lynnette. He looked back at her with a satisfied smile on his face.

Dani turned away to look at the judges, who were going over a copy of the same file that had been handed to Sandy. Dani was hoping that they would take their own sweet time as it gave them more time to get her proof of conspiracy to them.