Bloody Tric

Mark spent the next year traveling. He would spend a week or so, maybe more in a city. Tiring of motels and hotels he finally purchased a large RV, a class "A" model and used it as his mobile domicile. He would drive to a new city, find a good RV park, rent a car and then explore. He visited museums and parks. He attended ball games of every sort. Professional, college, or even high school didn't make a difference to him. He sometimes went to a bar or pub and got to know some of the regular patrons. He never drank to excess but was always ready to stand a round if necessary.

Sometimes he connected with a local lass. He was very skittish around married women. He didn't want to do to some other poor slob what Dale had done to him. He would be up for just a night or two or sometimes even three with a woman before moving on. He had no intention of trying for a long term relationship until some things were settled at home.

Willa fought the divorce. She demanded counseling. Mark's lawyer agreed but stated no one knew exactly where Mark was so the judge decided against it. She demanded the lion's share of the business citing how they had suffered, she especially, while getting it off the ground. Mark's attorney countered that Mark had set up the corporation so that Willa was in an advisory position only. She could sell her share but could not demand the business be sold. He presented the original paperwork setting up the corporation and her signature was on the appropriate spot and the other pages had her initials.

The judge ordered that the corporation make sure to give Willa her share of the profit on a quarterly basis. It would keep her in a nice lifestyle but not an extravagant one. Mark gave Willa the house and the cars, as a matter of fact, he gave her everything in the house also. There was a good size gun collection as well as the antiques she had gathered over time. The value of the package was substantial.

Willa had also inherited Dale's position at Timmons Electronics. Dale had disappeared to parts unknown when his accounting practices had come to light. The SEC was looking for him concerning other matters. With Dale gone there was no one at the helm so Willa had stepped up and taken the job as helmsman and had brought the company back from the brink of bankruptcy. The board of directors supported her wholeheartedly. She was paid well. She was paid so well that she didn't need to gut Mark's company to maintain her lifestyle. Through his attorney Mark learned that Willa really just wanted a sit down meeting where she could present her case to him. Mark finally agreed.

He came into town as he had left it, on the bus. He had parked the RV a hundred miles away in a national forest and then got a taxi ride to the bus depot. At the end of the bus ride he used a taxi to get to the large hotel where he was to meet his estranged wife. He arrived early enough that he could walk around and scope out anyone watching. He wasn't too concerned about the police anymore but wasn't taking any chances.

He knew there were still some charges pending against him but the original District Attorney was defeated in his reelection bid and the new D.A. was up to his eyeballs in gang and drug crime culminating in a shooting at a nightclub where eight people were killed. The poor man and his staff were working many late hours trying to bring the shooters to justice. Mark was small potatoes and had been an embarrassment to the previous administration, not the current one.

Mark entered the hotel and met his attorney and they proceeded to the small meeting room that had been arranged for them. Soon Willa and her attorney joined them.

Introductions were made and they all were soon seated with a beverage of each person's choice in front of them. Mark leaned back and crossed his legs as he sipped his large mug of coffee and contemplated his wife. Willa looked good, just older and a little worn. He supposed that the rigors of the new job were taking its toll on her.

Willa sat and took in the man she had been married to for so many years but now was almost a stranger. He was thinner but looked like he was in shape. He had a nicely groomed goatee and his hair was fashionably long but well kept. His clothing was not the suit and tie he used to wear. No, it was clean khaki's and a nice button down shirt.

Finally Mark broke the silence. "You called for this meeting. Why don't you start talking?"

Willa made quick eye contact with her attorney. At his small nod she cleared her throat and began. "Mark, first I want to apologize for hurting you. That was never my intention when Dale and I started to see each other outside the office. It was no fault on your part. I guess we just started working together later and later and finally we just started to relax and have late meals together. It led from one thing to another until we were in bed together. He wasn't bigger than you or better in bed, just different."

As Willa started to talk Mark took out a small tablet and started to make marks on the page. He continued as long as she was talking.

She continued. "I still love you and want to be married to you. I think we can get by this. I have asked for counseling and I think we can have stronger marriage than we had before. I know now that cheating hurts everyone. You can move right back into the house. I have not changed anything. All of your stuff is there. We will be happy, just wait and see."

Mark kept making marks on his paper. Finally he was done. "Yep, just as I imagined. You hit most of the excuses right out of the

Cheater's Handbook

. The only thing you didn't try was the old 'It's not you, it's me.' And the one that goes, 'You never suffered from a lack of loving.' I just have to ask about the children we had planned on having. We are now a full year older than the last time I asked you."

He showed her the paper. He had jotted down various explanations and excuses he had found for cheating by reading stories on the internet. He had a mark by most every excuse on the page.

Willa blanched a little. She was used to negotiating contracts now and usually came out ahead, actually very far ahead. Why last week she had negotiated a sweet deal with Kellie Parsons for warehouse space that was very good for Timmons Electronics.

"I just thought that we were getting a little old for kids. Besides, my job is tough. It is a full time, sixty to eighty hours a week, job that requires a lot of my time. We are trying to keep from closing the company down. I don't have time for. . ." Her voice trailed off as she realized that her honest answer wasn't what Mark was hoping for.

"Well, Willa, here we have an impasse. I have found that I can maintain a connection to our company by employing top people to handle the day to day work and just be available to handle emergencies and contracts. I have allowed Kellie a lot of latitude in even contracts so I only have to be available for new large contracts. You have decided that Timmons Electronics cannot survive without you there every minute of the day. I really don't know why you believe I should come back. I would see you less than when you were fucking Dale and I bet the sex would be even less than then."

Mark stood. He knew when a negotiation was over. "Why don't you find another stud to fuck in your office? That's all you need." He didn't wait for an answer but left and started to walk to the bus depot.

Mark was a little surprised that Willa didn't try to stop him since she professed such a great love for him. He didn't waste any time by just strolling towards his future. No, his stride was full and his steps were quick. His intention was to call his attorney when he got on the bus and have him proceed with the divorce. He was at peace with being single. Once he was totally free he could put down roots somewhere and then see about finding a woman to complement his lifestyle.

He barely noticed the police cruiser sitting at the depot as he entered the small waiting room and went to purchase his ticket. "Excuse me, sir. Might you be Mark Wallace?" came from behind him. Mark turned and answered the patrolman.

"Yes, I am Mark Wallace. Is there something wrong?"

"Sir, you are under arrest for false reporting and conspiring to bring false charges against Willa Wallace and Dale Timmons. Please put your hands on top of your head and turn and face the wall, sir."

Mark complied. He didn't think the new D.A. would be looking for him. Willa must have called the cops when he left the conference. Soon he was handcuffed and then patted down. After that he was hauled into the police station and booked. Then he was placed into a holding cell to wait for transport to the jail. No one bothered to talk to him or even ask a question.

At the jail he was photographed and fingerprinted and then put in a holding cell to wait for his lawyer. He was not forced to put on the orange jumpsuit as the deputy chaperoning him told him that he would just have to make bail and then would be released.

His attorney made his appearance and reassured Mark that he was already in contact with the assistant D.A. He was proposing a plea deal that would keep Mark out of jail and a minimum of probation. He felt it would be accepted and Mark would be out of trouble with little fuss. Mark agreed to the plan.

Mark was then taken in front of the judge. Since this was just a bail hearing, the judge asked a couple of questions. The biggie was whether Mark was a flight risk. Mark answered truthfully that he was essentially homeless since his RV was his domicile and that wasn't considered a home by most people. He promised to have the RV moved to a park in town so that he would not violate the terms of a bond.

Suddenly another attorney approached the bench. "Your honor, if I may speak? I represent Willa Wallace, Mark's wife. He has a domicile here in the city and she is ready to put up the entire cost of bail and assures the court that he will not skip. As a matter of fact she is requesting that he be placed under house arrest with an ankle monitoring device to help assure the court of his willingness to comply with the terms of the bond."

Mark grimaced at his attorney. There was no way he would agree to be incarcerated in a house with Willa. He assumed that Willa was terminally pissed at him and would be wanting payback for the public humiliation he had heaped on her. Being ankle monitored where she could get to him was not in his best interest. The judge was pondering Willa's attorney's request.

Mark nudged his attorney and whispered to him. The attorney nodded. "Your honor, while my client is thankful of his wife's offer of domicile and bail, he believes that this is not in his best interest. Your honor may not remember the events leading up to today but my client feels that this arrangement may be a ploy by his estranged wife to exact a measure of revenge against my client for the humiliation that he caused her when he made her affair with her boss public. My client respectfully requests that other accommodations be made for his bail. He is willing to surrender his passport and be monitored via electronic means but not at his former address and not with his estranged wife in attendance."

"Your client is willing to risk being incarcerated if I do not agree with him?"

"Yes, sir, Your Honor. My client is willing to be placed in general population in the jail and would then request a speedy trial at the court's earliest convenience."

"I see. I believe that I will adjourn this court for a short recess. Would the respective attorneys please join me in chambers?"

With that comment the judge lowered his gavel and led the prosecuting attorney, Mark's attorney and Willa's representative to his chambers behind the bench. They were gone for approximately fifteen minutes. Mark was forced to just sit there and be bored and uncomfortable as he was being eyed by the bailiff at all times.

Finally the attorneys came back out. Willa's attorney didn't look too pleased. Mark took heart with that. Mark's attorney led Mark outside to a quiet spot to confer. The bailiff accompanied them but didn't handcuff Mark.

When they were alone Mark's attorney spoke, "Mark, the judge is sympathetic. He actually had a laugh when reminded of what you did to punk your wife and her lover. The prosecuting attorney also wants this handled quickly and quietly. There are other pressing events that are distracting him. He doesn't want this to go to trial. Would you be willing to plead guilty if the judge then suspends your sentence and gives you probation?"

Mark sat and thought about it. He was guilty and he knew that he could go to jail if convicted. He nodded his agreement and they went back into the courtroom. His attorney conferred with the prosecutor for a moment and the judge called the proceedings back to order. Mark stood and pled guilty to the charge of making a false police report. The judge sentenced Mark to a $1000 fine and a year of probation. With that Mark was a free man.

Mark was processed out of the jail and he called Kellie Parsons. "Kellie, I will be here in town for a year serving my probation. Please make arrangements to have my RV brought here. Also, do we have any accommodations available?"

"Mark, I have just the place. I used the profits from last year to purchase an upscale small apartment building. We rent out four of the units and keep the last two for visiting clientele. Both are two bedroom units with full furnishing. You just need to decide which one you want and I will make all the arrangements."

Mark thanked his C.O.O. and his attorney gave him a ride to the three story apartment house. He chose the one that suited him best. It was on the third floor and was quite spacious. It was also furnished with higher end furniture. After calling Kellie back about which one he was taking, a delivery person soon arrived with food staples and a case of beer. Later that afternoon his RV was delivered by a couple of his employees who had volunteered to retrieve his pride and joy. Mark also arranged to have a car delivered so he could get around town easier. He moved some clothes and his computer from the RV to the condo and he was soon set.

He had a quiet evening in his new home and went into the office the next morning. It had been months since the last time he darkened the doors of his business so he was pleased to see the modernization and renovation that Kellie had accomplished since he had left on his sabbatical. His older employees all came to say hello and he was introduced to new employees. Most were very quiet when introduced. Kellie smiled and informed Mark that all employees had heard about the incident at the Wallace household and the new employees were in awe of how Mark had set up and punished Willa and Dale.

In the office the gloves came off, so to speak. Kellie started out, "What are your plans for the company? Are you coming back to run the place? If so, where does that leave me?"

With a smile Mark answered honestly. "Kellie you have done a great job, probably better than me. The company is doing well and even expanding. I know you have a couple more big companies looking to us for buildings to house large inventories and maybe a new distribution center. I have a couple of ideas on how to leverage us to a new level that I want to run by you. As for taking back control, I am not sure I want to do that. I have enjoyed my hands off approach to the company and I trust you to make good sound decisions to help keep us profitable. As a matter of fact, I also need to talk to you about how to keep you here. Would a percentage of the corporation help you to realize how important you are to me?"

Kellie grinned at her boss. She had been confident that he wouldn't throw her out into the cold but the offer of a percentage of the business was a nice inducement to stay and be a team player.

They discussed options as well as Mark's idea to expand the company to new cities and try to repeat their success. They developed a timeline of finding empty or blighted properties to purchase and get the expansion started. Mark was insistent that Kellie remain in charge and he would help to find new clients after the warehouses were started in their next target city but Kellie threw a wrench into the fire.

"Mark, I want to be your CEO or COO, which ever you desire but I also want some time off to start my family. My husband and I have been anxiously waiting for the right moment to have a baby and I am pleased to announce that I am six weeks pregnant. If you are willing, would you please take back the reins of the company until I feel ready to resume?"

Mark didn't know if he wanted to be that involved with the business again but Kellie was a gem and not replaceable so he tamped down his concerns and gave his biggest smile. "Of course that is okay with me. I will keep your seat warm for however long you need to get this new Parsons kid up and running."

Kellie gave him a hug. "By the way, how would you like to be his or her godfather?"

To say that Mark was humbled by the request would be a great understatement. He was speechless for a short moment in time before breaking out in a grin and giving a great big "Yes" to her. He grabbed her and gave her a big hug and wished her a wonderful motherhood experience.

During the next weeks Mark was brought up to speed on the current status of the business and Kellie's ideas for expansion locally. He heartily approved of them all. Because Willa was a co-owner she had to be read in on all the plans and she did not express any real doubts on them all.

Willa tried many times and used various and sometimes unlikely means to get Mark to sit down and try to resuscitate their marriage. She failed each and every time. Instead she got the judge to order counseling. Mark couldn't fight that one unless he might be jailed for contempt and that might threaten his probation.

Mark didn't have a choice on the counselor so he assumed the counselor that Willa chose would be in full accord with Willa's wishes and wants and his own wishes and wants be damned. He was pleasantly surprised when he met with Dr. Marsha McClellan privately.

She simply stated she had already had a meeting with Willa and that they had a productive meeting but that she was not able to disclose any of what they had discussed. Likewise she would not discuss anything that Mark gave her in private.

She then asked Mark questions about how the couple had met, Mark's own upbringing, his schooling and personal experiences, as well as what made him tick. Finally she then asked about the events leading up to the breakup. She never alluded to any knowledge of the publicity surrounding the party and the public outing of Willa and Dale's relationship.

At the end of the session Mark felt he had a neutral person in the counselor instead of the adversary he had envisioned. She never once interrupted except to ask for a clarification. Not once did Mark get any vibe that she was judging him when he was discussing how he had set up Willa. She did ask why he had not allowed the duo to be brought to trial. Mark was honest when he told her that he might have hated what Willa had done to their relationship but that he could not in any good conscience allow her to be convicted and jailed when she was innocent of what she was accused of.

"I am sorry that the frame-up that I perpetrated on her harmed her relationship with her family and friends. That was something I had not anticipated. I just wanted to punish her for what she had done to us or, more importantly, me."

By the end of the session Mark was drained. He left her office, even though it was still early in the day, and went back to his condo and had a couple of fingers of his favorite bourbon and relaxed for the rest of the day.