DAY 50

Attorneys Bretz and Samuels requested a hearing with the judge.  When they came in without piles of paper the judge was impressed.  Walter Foore, Jody Favor, and the two men who had dropped nails were with them along with the Union Leadership and the David Perkins.  Bretz presented the terms of the deal to Judge Sorenson.  He looked at Samuels.  “Is that agreeable?”

“Yes, your honor.”

“I will agree on one condition.  The parties here will meet today and see if they can resolve this situation.”

“Your honor, our clients have agreed to try.”

A half hour later the parties were in the county court.  Charges against everyone were withdrawn with agreements from the defendants that they would be careful to not repeat the offense in any way, would make a public statement admitting the actions, including in that statement they were illegal, and would in any way possible discourage anyone else who they may encounter who they felt was contemplating illegal action.

Jody was so happy to be of jail and without the ankle bracelet that she was almost willing to admit to anything including the Sharon Tate murders.  After the news conference she and Sean went out to eat with Lee Hargrove.  After they ordered she looked at Lee.  “Did the international really tell you we were protected?”

“Yes.  You don’t think I would have taken the chance if they didn’t.  Their lawyer took us off to the side and told us a state law protected us.”

“What did Bretz say?”

“We didn’t ask.  We thought the international guy should have known.”

“What is he telling us now?”

“To drag our feet.  Keep the company on the hook.  Eventually they will make a bad mistake.”

“What is Bretz saying?”

“He told me to play it like the judge said.”  He told them about the conversation with Bretz.

“So he wants us to cozy up with the company?”

“A little.  But he told me we need to be a hundred percent reasonable, even if the company isn’t.  He said offer them what doesn’t matter to us that they may want.”

“Does he think that will work with those knuckle heads?”

“He kept telling me to quit calling them things like that, even between ourselves.  He thinks they are scared enough to talk reasonably if we will do the same.  He told me we don’t have a choice.  He said that they already have enough on us to get decertification in the works.  That is bad.”