Chapter 4 - The Counter-Strike
Three days later, Arthur Vance—Richard’s shyster lawyer—received a package at his office.
It wasn't a $50,000 wire transfer.
It was a formal suit filed by Sarah Jenkins on my behalf in county civil court, alleging Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Civil Extortion, Fraud, and Defamation.
Attached to the filing were three key pieces of evidence:
The complete audio-visual recording of the extortion attempt at my home.
The lobby security footage from my office.
Certified historical school and state child welfare records proving that Richard had legally abandoned me at age fifteen, forcing my aunt to apply for emergency legal guardianship while Richard evaded court-ordered child support payments for three years.
That afternoon, Sarah and I sat in a private conference room at the county court building for a mandatory pre-trial emergency hearing requested by Vance's office.
Arthur Vance sat at the defense table looking thoroughly disheveled. Beside him sat Richard, looking smaller, older, and distinctly terrified. The cheap bravado had completely evaporated.
Judge Evelyn Thorne, a formidable woman with twenty-five years on the bench, flipped through the evidence binder with deliberate, heavy slowness.
"Mr. Vance," Judge Thorne began, her voice dropping into an octave that made the air in the room feel twenty degrees colder. "I have read your 'intent-to-sue' letter regarding filial support."
Arthur Vance cleared his throat nervously. "Your Honor... my client is an elderly gentleman in financial distress, simply seeking—"
"Your client," Judge Thorne interrupted, slamming the binder shut with a loud THUD, "is an individual who abandoned his minor daughter twenty years ago, evaded state child support obligations, and then attempted to use fraudulent legal threats to extort $50,000 from her during a child's birthday party."
"Your Honor—"
"Silence, Mr. Vance," Judge Thorne snapped. She turned her piercing gaze onto Richard. "Mr. Vance, if you or your counsel take one more step toward enforcing this baseless, predatory claim, I will not only dismiss your petition with prejudice, but I will also refer this matter to the District Attorney's office for criminal extortion charges."
Richard swallowed hard, his hands trembling against the table. "I... I just wanted what was fair..."
"Fair?" Judge Thorne scoffed. "What is fair, Mr. Vance, is that you leave this courtroom and thank whatever stars you have left that your daughter has not pursued criminal charges against you for the back child support you still owe to the state of Oregon."
Judge Thorne signed a document on her desk with a sharp, decisive flourish.
"A permanent five-year Restraining Order is hereby entered," she declared. "You are prohibited from coming within 1,000 feet of Hannah Vance, her family, her home, or her place of business. If you violate this order by a single inch, you will spend thirty days in county jail."
May you like
THUD.
The gavel fell.
