Hutch's Property Ch. 01

"Yes sir." replied Freddie. "Next page is the description of the trust."

"Well, there's the one area of life that he shares with Lorna. Neither one are doing this school administrator thing for the money." Hutch said as he flipped to the next page and began reading the trust. As he examined the provisions, he thought, "Big deal. My liquidity is four or five times that, not counting what I have off shore." He turned to Freddie, "Do you have this report on your computer?"

"Yes sir." replied Freddie.

"Good, very good." Said Hutch still perusing the report, want you to poke around in his former school districts, his college, even his high school. Find out about any other women he has done this too. It would appear that he has been at it for quite some time."

"Yes, sir. I'll get right on it." responded Freddie.

"Roz?" asked Hutch.

"Yes, sir." she replied.

"I want you to get over to the School District's headquarters about eleven fifteen, eleven thirty. Hang out in the employee's lunch room. You'll find it by going in the employee's entrance off the parking lot. It's always open during school hours. You go down the hall to its end, then left. It'll be off to your right. See what you can find out from the employees. Also, I think my dear wife is meeting Ken there for lunch. I doubt Lorna will recognize you. And ah, check those recorders a couple of times through out the day and especially in the evenings."

"OK sir, I'm on it and I'll keep you posted." acknowledged Roz.

Friday Evening

Hutch walked out of the elevator, into the parking garage, toward his car. He glanced at his watch thinking. "I should be there between six thirty and a quarter to seven. Definitely in time for her speech and the presentations. Since this is the first speech Lorna has ever given that I didn't help write, I'll be interested in how well it goes." Electronically unlocking his car, he threw his brief case in the back seat and slid into the drivers seat. As he started the car, the thought hit him, "We settled tonight. Finally settled that three and a half almost four year ordeal. A real legal 'clash of the titans' battle between two very large multi national corporations." His client had come out on top, bringing tidy eight figure sum of money into Hutch's firm. Even the heavy traffic didn't bother him tonight. He even had a spring is step when he entered the hotel ballroom where the school district was holding their event.

Eyes finally adjusting to the dim lighting, Hutch made his way toward a table where Paul Allen, the superintendent and his wife were sitting. He assumed that it would be the table where he would find his wife. On his way to the table, he noticed that there were only three couples dancing. The male of one couple that was dancing very close fit the description of Kenneth Burns. As Hutch approached the group at the table, he noticed Lorna's purse and shoes. Paul stood up to greet him. As the two men shook hands, the music ended. Hutch turned toward the dance floor just as Ken and his dancing partner kissed. It was a "lovers" kiss. When the passionate kiss ended, the couple turned and walked toward Hutch. It was then that he noticed that he female involved in the kiss was his wife, Lorna Jean.

As the dancers neared the table, even in the dim lighting and already putting down two pina coladas, Lorna could not help but recognize the six foot four inch, broad shouldered figure of her husband . He was standing by her seat, glaring at her. "Norman?!? You made it here!?! She exclaimed, thinking, "I hope he didn't see that kiss. But, that glare tells me that he did. Why did I even dance with Ken tonight.?"

"Obviously!" responded Hutch.

The alcohol helped the ego that Ken had pumped up in Lorna kick in, "I didn't think you would make it. I didn't even think that you would remember."

"That's also obvious." said Hutch.

"Ah, how long have you been here?" Lorna asked.

"Long enough! Are you fucking him?"

"Norman?!? Watch your language!! I have to work with these people!" Lorna said raising her voice in an arrogant, condescending manner. However, she was well aware of the fact that her husband hardly ever swore. That it was a good indication that he was very upset with her.

"It seems to me that you would have thought about that out there on the dance floor." Hutch said, Still glaring at Lorna, he knew that look and tone of voice. He had seen and heard it from so many witnesses in the court room and in depositions. They were always lying and/or trying to cover up something. In his court room voice, as in court he was heard all over the ballroom, "Answer the question, Lorna! Are you have sex with this guy?" A hush came over the room, the band took a break, a humiliated Lorna was speechless.

Ken made the mistake of stepping in between Lorna and Hutch, "Ah, please Mister Hutchinson... Ah, the kiss was my doing. Your wife is a lovely woman, but I can assure you that we are not sexually involved..."

Hutch was so angry that for the first time in his life he felt a loss of self control was eminent. Ken's actions and comment only served to add fuel to the fire of his rage. "Was I addressing you? I don't even know you! Just stay out of the way!!"

Ken didn't move and tried to continue, his second mistake, "I was just trying to hel..."

Hutch, the college football linebacker, glared at Ken. Then Hutch's right hand crossed over to Ken's right shoulder and sent the slight built man flying and stumbling about ten feet. Then, sliding almost back to the dance floor on his face and shoulders.

Now adding anger to her glare, Lorna shouted, "Norman?!? That was totally uncalled for!! You might have hurt him!!" She then turned to ran to Ken's side.

Followed by Paul, Hutch turned and began walking out of the room. In the hall outside the ballroom, Paul called to Hutch, "Ah, Norman, ah, Mister Hutchinson? Please, may I have a word with you?"

The five foot eight inch, 130 pound Paul Allen was a very capable administrator, but hated any type of confrontation. He was simply not demonstrative enough to deal effectively with issues like employee fraternization. After pushing the button for an elevator to the parking area, Hutch turned toward him. Paul, trying to catch his breath, said, "Ah, I'll make sure Mister Burns files no charges. Ah, I'm very sorry for all of this. I ah..."

Hutch glared down at Paul, "What charges would he file?"

Realizing that he was talking to the senior partner of one of the city largest and most reputable law firms, Paul foundered around with, "Ah, assault I guess..."

"Mister Allen?" Hutch responded emphatically, "Listen to me carefully. First, any assault charge would die a sudden death in the DA's office. No Paul, that is no where near your problem, now. I'm sure your school district has policies in place to prevent something just like this from happening. So, I trust you'll understand when I say that your district has a sizable financial liability here. Then there is the news media. I'm quite sure they will have a lot of fun with this event." Hutch did not mention that two of his people were there with camcorders in hand and would remain through-out the evening. The elevator doors opened, Hutch entered and the doors closed. Leaving a stunned Paul with nothing to say and no one to say it too.

Lorna arrived from the ballroom, almost out of breath and asked, "Where's Norman?"

"He just left in one of the elevators to the parking levels." Paul said as he spun around to return to the party. Leaving Lorna frantically pushing buttons to open one of the elevators. Paul now realized that he had some culpability in this mess, since he had avoided talking to Lorna and Ken about what he hoped was just a friendship. Apparently it was rapidly becoming much more than that. He decided that he would call them into his office early the following week to discuss their relationship. He realized also that his job may very well depend on his properly dealing with this affair. Knowing that three members of the board were in attendance tonight and hearing that the district might have some financial liability from a powerful trial attorney sent shivers up his back. If it came down to his position or Lorna and Ken's, well, he had the back bone enough to make that decision properly. Not long after Paul returned to his seat, Lorna came back to their table. He asked her, "Did you find him?"

Lorna sat down, "No! By the time I got into the parking area he was gone." She glanced at her watch, it was almost seven o'clock. "I'm first to speak, aren't I?"

"Yes." replied Paul, raising to go to the speakers platform and introduce Lorna as the first speaker. Two minutes later, she rose to take the speaker's place at the platform. This was the first speech she had ever given that her husband did not help her write and polish. With his help, she had given dynamic speeches that had informed and inspired students, teachers and administrators alike. Which was the primary reason for her involvement in education. Hutch and Lorna certainly did not need the money. However, this speech might inform some, but she really doubted that it would inspire anybody. Now as she approached the platform, full of anger, guilt ridden and humiliated, all she had on the cards in her hand was a lack luster, uninspiring bunch of words. Neither she nor Ken were anywhere near the wordsmith of Hutch's quality.

Turning into her driveway, Lorna pushed the button above the windshield to open the garage door, allowing the car to roll to a stop into her parking place. She remained in her seat as the garage door closed. According to the dash board clock when she entered the garage, it was only nine fifteen. Lorna had left the party in full swing. But, she knew that she had to get home and deal with the situation. Not knowing what she would do or say, she only knew that she had put down three pinea coladas during and after dinner. That was on top of the two she had before her speech. An accomplished social drinker, she realized that she most likely should not have driven herself home. However, the anger, guilt and humiliation were still there. Now, she was operating on pride, alcohol and adrenalin. That ego that Ken had masterfully installed and puffed up to obscure her view of what was of real value would continue to prevent her from doing right by her husband.

Entering the house, Lorna found Hutch in the living room. Standing in the middle of the room, he had his coat and tie off, gazing out toward the pool, Hands on her hips, Lorna demanded, "What, in God's name, prompted that display of violence?!?"

Hutch turned to face his wife, noticing that her arrogant, condescending posture was in full bloom. He looked right at her, as he would a witness in court and said, calmly, "You haven't answered my question. So, why should I answer yours?"

In her drunken, angry state, Lorna shouted back, "Annd! What the hell would that be?"

Hutch responded in his usual calm, cool, collected manner that only served to increase her level of frustration, "Are you have sex with that man?"

Lorna stamped her foot and raising her voice, replied, "No damn it, I'm not. I have never cheated on you. But, if you keep pushing it, maybe I will, just to spite you.!"

Maintaining eye contact, Hutch shock his head from side to side, "Well, I wouldn't know it by that kiss tonight..."

Now her arms were crossed over her chest. She screamed back at him, "You made a foul of me tonight. You humiliated me in front people I work around..."

"No, Lorna. I'm quite sure you did that very well all by yourself. You did not at all need my help."

She promptly went into a tirade, saying some things that she didn't mean. Then a string of words came out of her month that she wanted to retract as soon as they passed her lips, "Maybe, just maybe I don't love you anymore!"

Watching the kiss bothered Hutch. Her subsequent actions had humiliated him. But, since he deeply loved his wife, those words cut deep and hurt considerably. He walked past her, toward their bedroom and said emphatically, "That being the case, I cannot, I will not remain in this house with you!"

Lorna went into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee and calm down. Thinking, maybe she and Hutch could sit down over a cup of coffee and talk it out. As she pushed the button to start the coffee maker, she heard Hutch come down the stairs. Coming out of the kitchen, she found him at the door to the garage with two suit cases. Stunned, she asked him, "Norm, what are you doing?"

"I told you what I was going to do and I'm doing it!" he answered as he opened the door and shoved one cases into the garage. As he picked up the other case, her cell phone rang. She drew it out from somewhere and started to answer it. He looked at her in disgust and commented, "Dressed as sexy as hell. But, you still have someplace for that cell phone. And, you wouldn't dare turn it off to talk to talk to your husband..." With that he passed through the door into the garage.

She answered her phone, "Yeah!" It was Ken on the other end.

"Just checkin' ta make sure you made it home..."

She cut him off with, "Yeah, I'm here. Talk to you tomorrow!" She snapped her phone shut and followed Hutch into the garage.

Ken laughed at her demeanor, "In a real knock down, drag out with her husband, I'll bet. My cock will be in that pussy very soon, no doubt about it."

Lorna entered the garage as Hutch was sliding into the driver's seat of his car, "Norman!?! Stop!

You can't leave me!!"

"Watch me!" he said, closing the car door, starting the car and opening the garage door.

Again stunned by his actions, she watched him drive way until the garage door closed. Then she screamed, "Well, fuck you too. I can make it on my own, without you..." Know in her heart that her last statement was not in any way true. Stomping back into the house, she screamed to nobody there, "I'm somebody now, too, Norman Hutchinson, attorney at law, C.P.A.! I don't need you or anybody else for that matter." Stomping around the family room, cursing her husband, Lorna's speech that evening reminded her that yes she did need her husband in her life. She then took a prone position on one of the couches and passed out.

A little after midnight, Lorna awoke to someone coming in the front door. Thinking it might be Hutch coming back, she went to the door to the garage. Then she heard Kathy at the front door saying good night to her date. Finding Kathy still in the entry, Lorna asked, "How was your date?"

"Oh, he's alright. Just a little full of himself. I'd sure like to find a guy who is as interested in me and what I want in life as they are in themselves. I want to find a guy like dad. So? How was the big event?"

"To put it mildly, it went terrible, a total disaster!"

"Oh no, mom! What happened?"

"Well, I had a couple of Pina Coladas on an empty stomach, mistake number one. Then, your father showed up just in time to see me do something really stupid. Then... " She placed the fingers of her right hand on her forehead and bowed her head slightly, "Crap... And then, I managed to compound it. Dropping her hand back to her side, Lorna continued, "So then, your father had the only lapse in self control I've ever seen. Then, he left and came home. I managed to give the worst speech I'd ever given. Downed three more Pina coladas during and after dinner..Then realizing that I had screwed up, I left the party early and came home to face your father." Lorna paused, sighed, then continued, "I don't really know how it happened, but your father and I got into the worst argument we have ever had. But dammit, he hurt and humiliated me at that party. So then, I said some things that I simply shouldn't have said and others that I didn't mean. So, he packed up a left..."

"Oh wow, mahm? What do you mean, he left?"

Still feeling her much more than usual consumption of alcohol, Lorna stated emphatically, "Just what I said, he packed up and drove away. What time is it, anyway?"

"Almost twelve thirty. Are you going to go out and find him?"

"Not tonight dear, I think we both need to cool down some. Right now I feel like I am going to loose everything I've eaten tonight...." With that Lorna headed toward the nearest toilet.

Saturday Morning

Hutch had driven to the interstate highway and checked into the first motel he found with a lighted "Vacancy" sign. Once in his room, he immediately shut off his cell phone. Emotionally drained, he pulled off his clothes and crashed in the bed. The next morning, after a fitful night's sleep, he got up at around eight am and took a shower. Once dressed he turned on his cell phone, knowing Lorna was most likely still asleep. He was surprised to find three calls from his daughter, all placed that morning. He also had a call from one of his larger clients in Dallas, Texas. A multi-national firm dealing in currencies and commodities, they had become deeply involved in derivatives. Recognizing the caller as Jim Stevens, their CEO, Hutch returned the call immediately. Reaching Jim at home, the call was answered with, "Damn good ta hear yer voice, Hutch. Glad ya got right back ta me. Iah know it's Saturday an' we both should be with our families, but we've got some Texas size internal problems out here. I don't really know if it's some employees trying to scam us or something worse. But, I do know this for sure, you've got the people that can find out for us, right quick..."

"Yeah Jim, I could get a team down there early next week."

"Ah, good, Hutch. But ah, I'd sure like ta see you down here t'day an' tomma. So you can look it all over first hand. You can stay in our home, I have everything you need, right here. Ah Hutch? Can yew be at the airport in about an hour and a half? I took the liberty of bookin' ya a flight on American..."

Hutch thought about it for a couple of moments, "Why not? It'll give Lorna and I some time to cool down." Then he said, "Yeah Jim, I can make that flight."

"That's great Hutch. We booked it online. So, you can go to the computer check in. I'll have my driver meet you at the baggage claim here in Dallas. Thank yew Hutch. I knew we could depend on yew."

After terminating his call with Jim, Hutch called his daughter, "Hi sweetheart..."

"Daddy?!? Where are you? Why aren't you here? Mom said something about an argument. Are you coming home?"

"Slow down precious. Your mom and I both did and said some stupid things last night. Your mom did and said some things that really hurt. Anyway, one of our larger clients in Dallas has some big problems. They would like me to come down there today and tomorrow to check it out.. I think it will give your mom and I some time to cool off."

"After talking to mom last night, I guess that's a good idea. But ah, dad? You should check the morning newspaper, or turn on the T.V. Ah, they have the whole scene from the school district's party last night. The newspaper has the head line of a prominent attorney, his wife and her lover get into it. And daddy? I think the first news crew just showed up at our door."

"Damn! We have to get a fence and gates across the front on the street. Tell them no comment. I've got to catch a plane to Dallas. I'll call you tonight."

"Ok daddy. Bye."

Later that morning, Lorna sat at the breakfast table spinning her coffee cup, not realizing how out of character both of them were acting. Usually, they would have spent the morning working something like this out. But in twenty five years, she had never given him reason to accuse her of cheating on him and she was totally unprepared from his reaction. In her hung over state, she still was not seeing it all very clearly. So, she was muttering under her breath, "Yeah Norm, run off with one of your clients for a couple of days, I'm still pissed off at you." Then she picked up her cell phone and called Ken. When he answered she said, "Hi, good lookin'"