“Why are you dropping the case? We need you.”
“I will not be representingyou. Mega Eats has made Sullivan an offer. She’s taking a day to think about it. It is likely that, as we proceed, your interests and Sullivan’s will be at odds. It may be to Sullivan’s advantage to disadvantage you and vice versa.”
Kia interrupted. “Mega Eats shut down my accounts. I’m off U-Spin.”
“These are things you can talk to Mark about. You can also ask me to withdraw from Sullivan’s representation because I know details about the case that another attorney wouldn’t. Mark can explain that to you.”
“I don’t care if our interests are different. I would never ask you to do something that hurt her.”
“But if it comes to it”—Nina seemed to be choosing her words carefully—“I will apprise her of the benefits of hurting you. I willtell Sullivan of her options, including the significant advantages of taking the Mega Eats deal. She and Opal are my best friends. They’re my family. And law is my other love. My clients aren’t always noble like you and Sullivan. I’m not saving the rainforests or inspiring minority business owners, but I don’t risk my clients’ interests. Goodbye, Kia.”
With that, Nina hung up.
“This is a lot to take in.” Mark spoke up quickly as if to reassure Kia he was still on the line. “I can give you a moment. Then we can talk about your social media accounts and anything else you want to share. Do you want to call me back after you’ve had a chance to collect yourself?”
“No.” Kia’s voice trembled. She needed a moment. She needed a year. “Talk to me.”
“First, tell me about your accounts getting closed.”
Kia explained, then finished, “Could it be a coincidence?”
“Sorry, no,” Mark said. “When Mega Eats thought Nina was still your attorney, they contacted her with a deal. If you stop any attempt to buy the Bois and relinquish your legacy owner status and admit to everything they say about the fraudulent marriage, they’llmake sure your business isn’t affected. Those are the words they used, and they’re keeping it vague so we can’t prove that they got your accounts shut. But they did. They know you’ll put two and two together.”
“Can they do that?”
“Legally? They shouldn’t. But it would take us a while to prove that Mega Eats has anything to do with your accounts being closed. We might never be able to prove it.”
“If I relinquish legacy owner status, does that mean Sullivan does too?”
A whiff of natural gas and charred burger drifted through the air as another food truck owner got their truck up and running,oblivious to Kia’s imminent breakdown.
“Not per the charter.”
“So she could buy the Bois if I could talk my investors into investing in her?”
It was a long shot. Gretchen said one of her investors was already getting nervous, but maybe there was a way. Maybe she could ask her father, aunt, and uncle. She could do a GoFundMe, except that she didn’t have any followers to ask.
“Per their deal, you’re required to relinquish your right to buy and not to help anyone else get the land.”
“What if the investors came to her on their own?”
“That’d look like too much of a coincidence. Even if your investors jumped over to Sullivan without your involvement, Mega Eats would punish you and Sullivan for it. Basically, you can back down, lose the Bois, and get out from under a mountain of attorney fees, or we can go to court and risk losing the Bois and getting hit with upwards of seventy-five thousand in fees.”
“How is that even possible?” Kia slid off the Jersey barrier and sat on the ground, her back to the concrete. She put her head in her hand.
“They claim to have hired the top partners at a very expensive firm. We’re talking people who bill eight hundred an hour. It’s an intimidation technique.”
“And Sullivan has to pay those fees too?”
“If you take the deal, you get your accounts back, and she’ll have to pay attorney fees. You’ll have to admit to all the accusations, so effectively, you’re saying you’re both guilty. Theypromise to only go after her.”
“What are our chances of winning the case if I don’t take their deal?”
“Slim, but the law is on our side. Judge Harper might do the right thing. Here’s the catch though. Because Mega Eats hasn’t acknowledged that they’ve got your accounts hostage, they don’t have to release them. If you win in court, they still won’t give them back. You’ll have to rebuild, and there’s nothing to say they couldn’t get your accounts shut down again.”
“The only way to keep my accounts is to say we did it,” Kia said slowly. “And sacrifice Sullivan?”
“Yes. Do you want to take their deal?”
