The Bachelor Party

By Ron Hummer

Tony Sage, a financial consultant is about to go to jail for bilking thousands of investors out of their money in a Ponzi Pyramid scheme. Before he goes on trial, he wants revenge on the man who had a one night stand with his wife, Michael Wells, a lawyer with Wells, Carmichael, Lane, and MacGregor.

What started as a fight in the back of a strip club between the two ended in the murder of Tony Sage. Michael stands accused of the murder because he was found unconscious next to the body with the murder weapon, a knife in his hand.

Enter Jack Roscoe, Private Detective and former Navy Seal. He is hired by the firm to solve the murder. The problem: Jack doesn't like lawyers, especially ones who specialize in non-compete agreements. Wells, Carmichael, Lane, and MacGregor is one of the largest law firms in this field.

Even though Jack has two friends whose lives were ruined due to their non-compete agreements, he decides to handle the case. Jack will be battling mobsters, a motorcycle gang, and several convicts, all while helping Rebecca Martinez, a victim of domestic violence, in an effort to solve this case and get the money back for the investors. By the end of the story, Jack hopes to teach the lawyers of Wells Carmichael, Lane and MacGregor a lesson that they will never forget.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Apr 26, 2016
• ISBN: 9781456618254

Book preview

said.

Chapter 1

January 14, 2013

The Present

Well, that’s our show on Amendment One for today. Let me thank our guests for being here. First, Republican State Senator Bob Hillman and Irving Wells, partner of the law firm Wells, Carmichael and Lane.

Thank you John, Irving said.

Yes, thank you, Hillman added.

I’m John Winter and thank you for listening to us. Good night.

Michael Wells started clapping as the show ended, followed by his sister, Elaine, and their mother, Emily. They sat opposite him in the livingroom on a gray couch. He looked at his watch, saw that it was 8:30. Have to go to Ralph’s bachelor party in about 20 minutes, he thought.

Wasn’t that a great show? Emily said, leaning back against the cushions on her couch. From where Michael sat, his mother’s hair was short, dark, and wavy, the lamp lights revealing the lines under the lids of her eyes as well as the crows feet. Behind her, Michael had a view of the fireplace with pictures of the family on the mantel.

It was, Elaine added. She took a sip of her tea, stared at Michael over the rim. Her face was alabaster white, glowing, soft; her hair was dark, long, flowing over her shoulders; her aquiline nose was small and her dark eyes seemed large, framed by lush black lashes.

Dad has a great voice, Michael said. He should have been in radio.

Well, he was, Emily responded. Don’t you remember? He worked for his college radio station when he was in law school.

I think he could have worked on a radio station, Michael said.

He was more interested in being a lawyer, Emily replied.

I can understand that, Michael said, grinning. He looked at his watch again. I should get going soon.

Okay. Remember that you have a big case on Monday, Emily said.

It’s a slam dunk, Mom. Like you said, Charlie Gomez signed his non-compete agreement 15 years ago and he can’t open his own business here in New Jersey since it competes with Trident Industries.

Just like the case I had a few weeks ago, Elaine added. That hairdresser, Ruby. She wouldn’t go 50 miles like she was supposed to go. She worked for John Olsen before she was laid off. The customers were asking about her. I mean, that was the whole reason for the non-compete in the first place. And she goes into court accusing John of yelling at her all the time. Creating a poor work environment."

Emily shook her head. Like that cardiologist that worked in Mercy Hospital. Had his practice 50 miles from the hospital. He was laid off but he fought us because he didn’t want to move. I mean, the hospital could have lost his patients if he went to another hospital just a few blocks away. That’s why we attached a fine of $500,000 to his non-compete agreement if he was within the 50 mile limit.

"We should do that on all non-compete agreements, Michael said.

Give it some time, Emily said."

I’m working with a group of Dentists right now. We should have a fine of at least $100,000 if any of them go below 50 miles.

Might be good to talk to your father about it when he gets back, Emily said to her son.

We should do it, Mom. I mean, it’s not like the judge will throw it out. Sure, maybe he’ll say it’s unreasonable. But he won’t throw it out because it’s in there.

That’s true.

I really think we should do it for as many companies as we can, Michael said adamantly. Our clients need protection and putting fines in place will be a great way to make sure that employees won’t go below the 50 mile limit.

I see your point. We’ll talk to your father together when he gets back.

I’d like to be there too, Elaine said. I have a lot of clients that I can apply fines to. I think it’s the future of non-compete agreements. Our clients have a right to have them.

Okay, Emily said, chuckling. When your father gets back, we’ll talk to him about this.

Sounds great, Elaine said.

It’s a good thing that the Governor signed the trade secrets act, Michael added. New Jersey is employer friendly but now it will be easier to bring civil lawsuits against employees like we can do in the other 47 states. Hopefully, New York will be the next state to sign it.

Seems like every state is employer friendly, Elaine said.

Except for California, Emily said.

Yeah, I can’t believe that they still outlaw non-compete agreements, Elaine said angrily. That has to change at some point.

We won’t have an office out there until it does, Emily replied. You heard the Senator. Companies will be reluctant to move there unless they have their non-compete agreements. That’s why Georgia adopted Amendment 1. Companies were moving to Florida and and Tennessee because they are employer friendly states. Georgia knew that they had to be employer friendly so that’s why we can get the judges to stop ruling against non-compete agreements. Senator Hillman knew that that was the best thing for Georgia to do.

In the end, everyone will have jobs again, Elaine added.

I should really go, Michael said, rising to his feet.

Have fun, Elaine said. I’ll be getting together with the bride tomorrow and her friends.

Okay, I will.

Chapter 2

Michael sat next to his friend David McMahon in Lacy’s strip club, taking a sip of his beer. He leaned back, looked at the topless dancers on the dance floor, listening to the music of the Outlaws song Hurry Sundown.

You think this marriage will last for Larry? David asked, taking off his silver rimmed glasses. He wiped his shirt on the glasses to remove the fog on them, then put them back on.

Michael thought about his days in law school at Yale, Larry always sleeping with different women all the time. Can’t see him ever being tied down to one woman, Michael said.

I can’t see it either, David said, running his hand through his sandy hair.

Michael took a long sip of his beer, gazed at Larry and five other friends as they put dollars in the panties of the dancers on stage.

Did you hear about what’s going on with Tony Sage?

He thought of Tony Sage and his wife, Hannah, a smile forming on his lips now.

What about him?

You thinking about his wife?

What’s that supposed to mean?

Hey, she’s hot. She was hotter when she was in that movie in the 80’s Rock and Roll High School. Her boyfriend in the movie was a bully and beating everyone up.

What about her husband?

He’s going to be arrested.

Michael put his elbow on the table, putting his hand under his chin. Really.

Yeah. Ripped off his clients. Pulled a Bernie Madoff.

How do you know this?

My Dad told me.

David’s father was the current District Attorney. He worked as an Accountant.

Michael thought back to seeing Hannah in a bar by herself, sipping a Margarita. Her red dress was tight, above her knees, displaying her long tapering legs. He listened as she told him that Tony was always coming home late at night, wondering if he was having an affair. He told her how crazy that was and that she was a beautiful woman, maybe even more beautiful than she was in her movie.

That was all it took, he remembered, as he put his hand on her knee, the feeling of her panty hose made him tingle as he covered her mouth with his. They were out of the bar and back in his apartment half an hour later.

Michael took another sip of his beer, felt the room spinning as David jumped off his stool. I’m heading to the men’s room.

Okay, Michael said.

Michael put his hand on the bar to steady himself as he took his phone and pressed speed dial one, the bile rising in his throat.

Are you okay? a woman asked.

No, Michael whispered.

Maybe you need some air, she said. There’s an alley in the back. I’ll help you.

Michael gazed at the red headed woman as she put her arm around him and walked toward the door, the music changing to Talk To Me Fiddle from Charlie Daniels.

Michael was barely able to stand as the woman pushed the door open and Michael felt the fresh air hit his face. He put his phone in his pocket, said "I don’t feel so good. He broke the hold of the woman, ran over to a garbage can and vomited into it.

Looks like you lost your cookies, a familiar male voice chuckled.

Michael turned and looked at the spinning figure of Tony Sage as Tony threw a right into his jaw. Michael crashed to the ground.

That’s what you get for sleeping with my wife, the man said as he moved towards Michael. He shook his head, grabbed Michael by the shirt with both hands, picked him up, then head-butted him. Michael slumped against the wall.

Sage clapped his hands. Pathetic. Can’t understand what my wife saw in you.

He drew closer and Michael threw a right somehow, catching Tony in the nose. Tony drew back from the blow, put his hands to his nose. Not bad, he said, looking at the blood. Glaring at Michael, he grabbed him by the shirt, threw a right to his nose, then drew his knee into his groin. He fell to the ground coughing.

Son of a bitch, he said, kicking Michael in the stomach.

Okay, he’s had enough, the woman said.

Shut up, he said to the woman. I’ll say when he’s had enough.

Tony watched as the woman walked towards him. That’s enough. Just go home now. She grabbed his arm; he pulled it away. She tried to grab his arm again. He slammed his elbow into her mouth; she tripped and fell to the ground.

Tony laughed and kicked Michael in the stomach again. Michael groaned in pain and felt more bile come to his throat. The woman was up again, holding a knife in her hand. I said he’s had enough. Leave him alone.

Sage chuckled, then slapped the knife out of her hand. She punched him on his shoulder. He shoved her away, then watched as she fell to the ground. Her head hit the pavement, a pool of blood started to form around her head.

Michael’s vision started to blur; his head continued to spin. Suddenly, he heard Tony Sage say what the hell are you doing here?

Change of plans, the voice said as Michael fell to the ground, unconscious.

***

The sirens woke him nearly half an hour later. Michael was helped to his feet, bathed in the lights from the police squad car. Michael’s eyes hopscotched between his friends who stood in the alley and the prone figure of Tony Sage who was on the ground, blood all over his nose and his white shirt.

You okay? a man said.

Michael turned and looked at the blond-haired police officer. What happened?

Maybe you should tell us, the officer said.

I don’t remember.

I suggest you try, the man said. He took out his handcuffs, turned Michael around and slipped them on his wrists.

What is going on here? Michael asked.

You’re under arrest for the murder of Tony Sage.

Murder. I didn’t kill him. I was in the alley and he beat me up. I was unconscious.

All I know is that we found a knife on the ground with your fingerprints, the officer said.

Michael felt tears in his eyes as the officer read him his Miranda rights.

Chapter 3

Emily and Elaine Wells were nearly running to visit Michael in jail. Emily received a call from the warden in the prison that Michael was beaten up. It was just his second day in prison, Emily reflected. When is this nightmare going to end?

She wiped tears from her eyes as she thought back to the hearing. She knew that Michael’s attorney, Amanda Collins, had done her best but the judge denied bail due to the fact that the evidence was overwhelming and that Michael would be a flight risk. The DA would only settle for Michael being in prison until his trial.

Emily and Elaine walked into the room and Michael sat there. There was a red line on his forehead, his left eye was black. Emily noticed additional bruises on his face as she sat down.

Are you all right? Emily asked.

I don’t know, Michael responded, rubbing his stomach.

What happened? Elaine inquired.

There were three of them. Michael put his hand to his mouth and coughed. They attacked me in the back as I was cleaning the floor.

Emily clenched her lips together.

Why didn’t you tell the warden who the men were?

I don’t want any trouble. They said that they wanted me to deliver a message to you.

Emily’s eyes widened; Elaine put her hand to her mouth.

They said Mr. Russo sends his regards.

Elaine bit her lip, leaned back in her chair. I don’t know anyone named Russo. I don’t think we even had a case with a person named Russo.

Well, that’s what they said.

You should tell the warden who did this, Elaine demanded.

They know who did it. The warden talked to them. I don’t want to have any trouble here.

Emily said, I’ll speak with the warden.

Mom, I’d rather you didn’t.

Fine.

What does Amanda say? Michael asked, running his hand through his dark hair.

We don’t know. The DA doesn’t buy your story.

What about the woman that helped me out of the bar?

We can’t find her?

Mom, she was there. I know she was there.

Michael, there were traces of ecstasy in your blood. It was put into your drink. For all we know, she could have done that.

She probably did. She was asking Tony to stop. Said I had enough.

Michael, the DA said it doesn’t make sense. They said that you got into a fight with him and maybe he pulled the knife and it was in self defense.

He didn’t have a knife. The woman did.

Amanda said she may consider self defense.

There must be cameras at the bar.

There were, Elaine said. No one got a good look at the woman. The cameras didn’t pick anything up.

And no one knew who she was?

No, Emily said.

Michael closed his eyes, chewed the inside of his cheek. What am I going to do?

I’ll speak with Amanda, Emily said. She’s a great criminal attorney. You know that we’re close friends. We both graduated from the same law school. We were in the same sorority.

How’s Dad?

Emily and Elaine stood up. You’re father’s fine. He couldn’t get a flight out of Atlanta. He should be here tomorrow.

MIchael shook his head.

We’ll figure something out, Emily said. We know you didn’t do this.

I know you do.

We’re going to see Amanda right now, Elaine said.

Okay.

Michael stood up, his body shook. Emily and Elaine hugged Michael.

Emily and Elaine were outside, walking toward their car. As they reached the black Mercedes Benz, Emily noticed that three men were standing near the car.

Can we help you? Emily asked as the men stood there.

Emily looked the three men over carefully. The one on the left was much taller than her, short blond hair that was parted to the left with the body of a football player. The one on the right, shorter, his dark hair cut in a buzz cut. The man in the center ran his hand through his dark thinning hair that had a bald spot the size of a golf ball.

I thought I would come over and introduce myself to you Mrs Wells, the man in the center said.

If you know who I am, you know that we’re lawyers and officers of the court.

The man smiled, took a deep breath. My name is Frank Russo.

Emily glared at the man, put her hands on