Chapter 35

When the receptionist led me into the conference room, I found my friend Jennifer at the head of the table. On one side sat Marty dressed in a suit. I couldn't remember ever seeing a picture of him in a suit, let alone seeing him in person dressed that way. Beside him sat a younger man in a golf type shirt and a young woman in a sweater. Jen of course was dressed in her power suit. I was by far the worst dressed one in the room in my jeans and old sweater.

"Hello everyone," I said as I walked to the vacant side of the long table and seated myself.

"Hello Maxine," Jennifer said quietly.

"Yes Hello Maxine," Marty added. The other two just nodded. Marty tried to go on, "Max, let me just say..." At that point I raised my hand.

"Marty, I really don't want to hear it. I just came to get the money. I wouldn't believe anything you said anyway."

"Give her the check Jennifer. Maybe after she sees this is no trick, she will listen."

Jennifer handed me a check for $75,000. "Nice," was all I said as I put the check in my purse. I even signed the receipt that was attached to the check without comment.

"Now will you listen to me?" Marty asked.

"I will listen, but it isn't likely I will be interested in what you have to say."

"Just keep an open mind, " Marty said. I nodded.

"You know I got involved with the Internet to setup my bike business." I nodded again. You also know I used your images to help promote the franchise." Before I could comment, he added, "Without your permission." I nodded again.

"I have lately been using reprints of local articles along with your images for the same purpose. In fact you have quite a following on the net."

"I didn't ask for it, " I replied.

"I know, but it is there all the same. After a while I noticed how cheap it was to publish stuff on the Internet. Then I found out how profitable it could be. Much more profitable than the bike business."

"How nice for you, but what has this got to do with me?"

"I want to set up an Internet TV type station. Some of those cable stations run really low budget shows. I think I can do the same thing and make a ton of money."

"Like I said before, what has this got to do with me?"

"I want to do a fifteen minute reality show about you every day."

"So that's what this is really about. You agreed to the settlement, so you could pitch this nonsense to me. I am not one bit interested in making you even more money."

"But are you interested in making money yourself. I promise I will pay you well."

"I just don't need the money. At least not for a while," I said pointedly touching my purse.

"Why not at least talk to your people and see how they feel about it."

"What people?" I asked.

"Why we would have to pay the people who did an appearance on the show. Your young assistant, Ed Martin, Detective Blevins, anyone else with whom you interact. It's a chance to put some money in the economy around here."

"Marty you and I both know this isn't a big humanitarian gesture. You are all about making money. You are even more about making the profits as large as possible."

"Max you are ten times more interesting than that stupid guy with the long hair who picks up bail jumpers."

"That is a very small part of the business. Mostly I do nothing interesting at all. And when I do, I sure as hell don't want it on the Internet. So thanks Marty, but no thanks."

"Okay but think about it. In the meantime would you let these two follow you around for a few days? I promise no cameras hidden or otherwise."

"Why the hell would I do that?"

"For a thousand dollars, " Marty said.

"I just told you I don't need your money that much."

"Okay how about a thousand to your preacher friend's mission. I'm sure he could use it."

"That's pretty low even for you."

"I know, but I learned from the best, you."

"Two days, and the Reverend Archer never knows where the money comes from." I demanded.

"Done," Marty agreed.

"How did you know about Archer anyway?"

"I have my ways, you should know that."

"Oh I remember ; your money can buy almost anything and anyone. My guess is one of my people got duped by one of your people."

"I wouldn't be at all surprised, if that weren't the case."

"Okay for a grand to the mission, your people can follow behind me and do whatever they want but they cannot bug me period."

"Fair enough, " the young man replied.

"At the end of day two Jennifer better come up with a check. Your producers can not follow me home ever."

"Yes, we know you don't allow anyone to know where you live. We can respect that," the young woman agreed. "But if you go out after work, we expect to be notified."

"Fair enough."

"Also there are some things they cannot be a party to. You know how that is Marty."

"Yes, just tell them to stay in the car and they will, but Max I expect you to act in good faith."

"I always do what I promise, you should know that."

"Then will you give me your word that you will cooperate as much as possible?"

"You have it, " I replied.

"Good, I am going to have to ask you to let the two of them ride with you. They don't have a car."

"Rent one Marty, or loan them one of yours."

"Just let them ride around with you. You have room in the van."

"Not really, but we can give it a try."

"Lucas do me a favor, call around and find the Reverend," I said that into the cell phone after we were in the van.

"I'll call you back in a few minutes," Luke said.

"While we are waiting how about we chat?" the woman asked.

"I don't chat. If you have something you wish to know, just ask," I suggested.

"Marty said you were direct," the man said.

"I seriously doubt that is how he put it," I replied.

The woman smiled then asked, "So you were born here?"

"Of course, why else would anyone come to this hole?"

"Good point, there doesn't seem to be a lot going on."

"There isn't, " I admitted. "I'm going to swing by the office; I just got an idea for something you can do."

I kept it until we got to the office. There was something I wanted to do with the twins, Mopsy and Flopsy, tagging along. The young dude being Mopsy and the chick being Flopsy. In her case it was a good name. She was overweight and they did flop around.

"I was just about to call you," Luke said. "I tracked the Reverend down to an old service station. Even though you didn't ask, I checked and found out who owns the building. It's owned by an old guy who lives out in that area. He fixed cars and sold gas there for years. The EPA shut him down because his tanks leaked. The Feds did a super fund cleanup, but left him broke and with no way to replace the tanks. So the holes got filled in, just like this place. His old station just wasn't five blocks from the country jail, so it had no rent value."

"So what is the Rev doing out there?" My heart sank, I was afraid it was something illegal to do with his church as a cover.