Hearthstone Entertainment
3 Testimony
WE GOT A CALL from Sheriff Donaldson and he asked me to bring Hannah, Rose, Whitney, and our attorney to the county office building to talk about the incident on Friday. We set a time of three o’clock to give Jennifer’s stepmom, Teri, time to get there from Indianapolis. She’d come down Sunday afternoon to review our tapes and look at the pictures. I couldn’t understand why he wanted Rose and Whitney, but he just said that he thought it was important. When we got there, he brought us right into his office. Another guy was there as well and he was introduced as the Prosecuting Attorney for Monroe County, Dan Atchison.
“First off, I’ve gone over the evidence with Attorney Atchison,” the sheriff started, after we’d all been introduced. “The fact that everything was taped is helpful. The fact that the developed film from Mr. Sharp contained not only photos of the girls sunning on the deck, but also some intimate photos of other people in your clan supports your assertion that he was in violation of his contract and should have forfeited his camera and left without incident. We could press charges of aggravated assault.”
“He’s going to jail?” I asked.
“Not exactly,” Mr. Atchison said. “This is a tricky area of what to do. The question is ‘do you want to press charges?’ This is the kind of situation that is a little hazy for us. We could pursue it, but if you aren’t willing to press the case, we wouldn’t stand a chance of convicting without a long and expensive prosecution. Before you answer, let me say that you should discuss this with your attorney. Ms. Pratt, it is good to meet you on the same side of the case.”
“Thank you, Mr. Atchison,” Teri said. “Here’s the thing. When we reviewed the tape yesterday, he pushed you. You didn’t even move back a step, Hannah. You just responded with a flurry of punches. The tape would suggest an aggressive over-response. Now, what Mr. Atchison has not seen, and with your permission, Hannah, I’ll show him the photos and nurse’s report from the clinic.” Hannah nodded.
“How could he hit you hard enough to bruise and you not move?” Atchison asked. “This is not evident from the videotape.”
“I was a rock,” Hannah said softly.
“I… uh… you didn’t tell me about this on Friday,” Sheriff Donaldson said. “Is it still evident?” Hannah unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off one shoulder. The bruises were still yellow, even though the arnica was helping fade them.
“Ms. Pratt? Do you want to consult with your client? If you wish to pursue this, we should have a pathologist report and x-rays before this fades any further,” Mr. Atchison said.
“I had a long talk with Hannah yesterday,” Teri said, looking at Hannah. Hannah nodded to her. “Ms. Gordon does not wish to press charges. She does want an apology from Mr. Sharp and support for dismissing him from the production, which, by the way, means that he will be dismissed without credit for the class, as well.”
“I suggest, then, that we call Mr. Sharp and his attorney in to negotiate that settlement,” Mr. Atchison said. “I know George Brown and he is not likely to recommend that his client press any suit against Ms. Gordon or her production company. Let’s get this settled before the holiday if we can.” The attorneys stood and shook hands. Mr. Atchison left. It was clear, however, that we weren’t dismissed.
“Okay,” Sheriff Donaldson said. “You kids have created quite a stir in the county. You have a huge amount of traffic in and out of your ranch. You have forty-some people living out there. You need to do something about security. My department can’t be the place you run to every time there is a problem, though we certainly do expect you to report any criminal activity and you know I’ll personally respond. You have my daughter captive out there,” he chuckled. “But you need security. That’s why I asked Rose and Whitney to join you. Rose, you and Brian are listed as the managing members of Clan of the Heart, LLC. Whitney, I asked you because you are capable and yet restrained in your response. I’m going to suggest that you have an official corporate security team, uniformed and in place during all your business activities.”
“I talked to Jean Duval,” Teri said. “He agrees that your charter was drawn up in such a way that we can quickly convert it to a corporation instead of an LLC. We believe that you can then designate an actual security officer in your clan. It is evident that you are all capable of defending yourselves, but having a point person responsible and a team is a good move.”
“Later this summer,” Sandy’s dad said, “I want to arrange a meeting between you and the county commissioners. You’ve pushed the boundaries regarding what is technically allowed on private property. I’ve put out some feelers and Judge Smith is of the opinion that you could form a legal community if the commissioners and the Sheriff’s Department agree. That means you would be an unincorporated town in the county. At some point, you would be able to incorporate if that was on your agenda. I’ll have to say, though, that forty acres is a little small for an incorporated town. Still, your population suggests that it would be possible. Just be aware that there will be some resistance to that. You should start a campaign among your neighbors to get them ready. Marshall Jacobs is already in your court. You need to line up the rest.”
Wow! Become a town?
“Cameras.”
“Rolling.”
“Action in three…” Hannah counted down two and one on her fingers. Elaine entered from the curtains on our left and we applauded politely. This was it. We were doing our first recording as if it were a live performance in front of twelve volunteers from the clan as a studio audience. I was the only male.
“Thank you. Hello! I’m Elaine Frost. Welcome to Chick Chat, the show where girls talk.” She turned toward the left. All three cameras were live and Hannah was working her magic on a small platform in the center of the room where all three stage areas could be seen. It was a brilliant solution on the part of Doug and Carl who created the central command center so that at least all the monitors and controls didn’t have to be moved between shows.
ELAINE: Let’s talk about the law. The speed limit is 55.
It’s posted on a sign right beside the highway:
“SPEED LIMIT 55”.
But you need to read the fine print.
Speed limit 55
Unless you are in a hurry;
Unless you are late;
Unless it’s an emergency.
Speed limit 55
Unless you only push it a little;
Unless you are a better driver than most people;
Unless other drivers are really idiots.
Speed limit 55
Unless you drive a sports car;
Unless you used to drive a sports car;
Unless you want to drive a sports car.
Speed limit 55
Unless they don’t ticket until you are ten over;
Unless it’s late at night;
Unless no one else is around.
Speed limit 55
Unless it’s a dumb law;
Unless it’s really just a suggestion;
Unless the DOT made a mistake.
Unless you are going downhill;
Unless there is a car right in front of you and you just don’t like following someone;
Unless you are in the FAST LANE.
Speed limit 55
Unless you’re nearly out of gas and need to get home before you run out;
Unless you’re thinking about something else;
Unless you are angry, sad, upset, happy, celebrating, or drunk.
Unless you can afford it;
Unless you know someone who can fix it;
Unless you have a really good lawyer.
Speed limit 55
Unless you have to pee;
Unless there’s a storm coming;
Unless your time is more important than speed limits.
Speed limit 55
Unless everybody goes faster;
Unless you’re just sticking with traffic;
Unless you just want to get there.
Unless you drive for a living;
Unless you don’t drive for a living;
Unless they’re not serious;
Unless your wife made you do it;
Unless your speedometer is broken;
Unless it’s not criminal and you wouldn’t break an IMPORTANT law;
Unless going faster sticks it to the man;
Unless you really just don’t care.
SPEED LIMIT 55
Unless you read the fine print.
[Pause as we applaud. Turn slowly toward Camera two. Little nose wrinkle.]
We’ve got a great show lined up today. What could be better than a man in uniform? Shh shh shh. Ladies! Other than men in kilts. Our special guest today is Monroe County Sheriff Jim Donaldson and we are going to talk about the law. Let’s have a warm welcome for Sheriff Donaldson.
[Applause. Sheriff Donaldson enters from our right. Elaine turns to welcome him and shake hands.]
“Cut!” Hannah called out. She jumped down from her control platform and got in front of us all. “You all are the lucky audience. We decided before we started that we would shoot the monologue twice, you all get to hear Elaine punch out those words one after another again. Girl! How do you talk so fast? We missed a critical cut when you went into the long stream at the end. You started to back up when the cameras closed in on you. Don’t. Cameras, we’ll draw a new line on that two feet back. From then on, camera one zoom in slowly and time it until you are tight on her mouth at ‘Going faster sticks it to the man“. Camera three hold rock steady. Camera two reverse and roll back to full body shot so that when she turns to you to introduce the guest we have the whole set. Elaine, don’t forget that April here is your target for the introduction. Sound, fix that scrape on the sheriff’s microphone. We can hear it as soon as he starts moving. Five minutes till live. Sam, Elaine needs water. Liz, touch up her lipstick after she has a drink.”
We scuffled around and chatted among ourselves. My motormouth girlfriend was incredible. So was her producer/director.
“Places, everyone,” Sam called. “Live in fifteen seconds.” We turned and stopped scuffing our feet.
“Cameras.”
“Rolling.”
“Action in three…” and we were off again. I couldn’t believe how Elaine could rattle that whole thing off so perfectly a second time. And then she and Sandy’s father, Sheriff Donaldson, sat in the big leather chairs.
“Aren’t these chairs luscious?” Elaine asked him.
SHERIFF: Very comfortable.
ELAINE: Sometimes I just fall asleep in them.
SHERIFF: Should I nudge you?
ELAINE: It’s never happened with a guest. Yet. [Laughter.]
SHERIFF: There’s a first time for everything.
ELAINE: Let’s hope not. Sheriff, there is a burning question on every woman’s mind that none of us have ever had the courage to ask. [Lean forward and slowly unbutton top two buttons on blouse.] Can a woman really get out of a ticket by showing a little cleavage?
SHERIFF: I think if you show any more, Elaine, I might have to write a ticket. [Laughter.] Our responsibility as officers of the law is to enforce the law equally, no matter what. Except…
ELAINE: You’re human?
SHERIFF: That certainly comes into the equation. Not just in terms of women and traffic tickets, but in understanding the dynamics of whatever the situation happens to be at the time. It’s important that we realize that not only are we human, but that you are, too.
Twenty minutes later, we all applauded as Elaine and Sheriff Donaldson shook hands again.
[Camera tight on Elaine.]
ELAINE: Join me again, won’t you? This is Chick Chat, where girls talk.
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