All Comments on 'The Currency of Time Ch. 02'

You sure know how to twist that knife yet still have us ask for more. More please...

Because no matter what, everyone in that room knows what happened and regardless of their clients interests, they will have a very strong opinion on the woman who cheated on her husband and her lover who threatened to have him killed. And is willing to abuse the woman who left her husband, lied and conspired to defraud him.

Not a very nice couple.

In WWWM Debbie had real and legitimate grievances against Bill. You don't let yourself

become a flabby workaholic when married to a piece of ass that is gorgeous AND intelligent. Learn to delegate the job responsibilities or get another job. Likewise in Separate Vacations , the narrator was in vocational low gear and Tiffany made him pat in spades

. Shame on her, shame on him but I understood with help of DQS how the core of these characters made the crash and burn then relationship rebirth possible. This is not the case here. We have a decent Don Quixote hearted narrator but this variant of Dulcinea . Feh. Kylie Kardashian has more substance. Deirdre wants to pair off with Tyga error Julian ? No biggie.

I'll follow the story, but things wound up predictable. Firing up certified check by stogie was inevitable given DQS 's predilections. You never say never with this author's talent . The back room law firm scene capped by Bill's entrance made this a four star read. Yes end was telegraphed but Mister Steele irons out that wrinkle rest assured he'll be too large a creative force to held in Literotica ' s pond.

This seemed to have been written by a five year old.

Just awful.

. . . just one amazing story by a great storyteller. This second chapter could be a stand alone top notch tale complete. Instead it is the middle ground between an unbelievable setup and an as of yet unrevealed final chapter.

We know McCarthy has left the country but we can also be sure he hasn't left the story's world. Awaiting the final chapter.

Written by a five year old?

One of the stupidest comments I've ever read and there have been some seriously stupid ones.

Me? I loved it. It was entertaining from start to finish, well thought out and with crisp believable dialogue... plus, as a bonus, the Angel of Death shows up. Wow.

Five stars.

An edge of the seat reading ......went through all of it in one go .....waiting eagerly for the next part ....

Stupid and pointless story.

All huff and no puff.

I really enjoyed this story, and for that matter most of the stories you give us on Literotica. Please keep up the good work. Five Stars *****

All I can say after reading this is "WOW"! Incredible! Thank you!

And your bitter pointless comments?

How much do they sell for?

I liked the chapter but it took way to long to get to the point.

The talent that produced Ghosts & Whispers and When We Were Married is still there. This was a real tour de force. What's not there, as others have pointed out, is a woman who is worth giving a damn about. And that's a near-fatal weakness. A cold woman is a cold story and that turns off our emotional attachment. But of course it's still compelling reading. What can possibly come next?

This is a 5* story, and it may have a few problems but it is well put together and well written.

It is strange to me to see so many negative comments. It takes an incredible amount of time and effort to put this together, like anonymous would ever take the time to construct. Destruction is all he knows.

No wonder the good writers find some other place to direct their energy.

if your going to walk away why go through all of that for what.....nothing. You got what you deserved but you burn the check over what....princples. No, stupidity. The husband and the boyfriend are the stupidest fuckers on the planet. Your whore, is worth a 150 million, yet he wants to keep her husband from getting the money (whom he doesn't know). And the husband make a big deal out of sticking it to his wife and her lover yet he burns a check for 10 million dollars. And that speach at the end, she doesn't give a fuck about him, and if he respected her father so much, he would have taken what her father left him. (4)

DanielQSteel1,

Family jealousies abound, You have got some nerve letting your mom write a comment about your story. Put me in the category as a "Like Very Much" Welcome back! We have missed you.

10m burn and just walk away.it sound good,but common sense stay crazy.

Thanks for sharing a great read.

Nicely written. Held my attention throughout. Made me check the site twice for the sequel.

Please do write again.

Well written. Technically proficient. Unfortunately for me this quickly ventures into a cartoon in a way that is very jarring. The complete implausability of the events of this chapter are more glaring in light of your writing skills.

Now when are you going to put out more. LOL but seriously. I like the Maitland character and think he would be excellent in small doses like this story. Until you get another story to Feature him.

but their is something in your head that wants to have your male lead have as much pain as possible. you write stories that have the people he loves just shit all over his love, and he never does anything about it. i wonder what goes through your head when you come up with this shit. i dont give a fuck if you keep writing or not. i wont ever read any of this crap ever again.

Q has a way with words. The devil is in the details. There were more than a few plot holes. The super successful law firm is going to lie, cheat, steal, perjure, and God knows what else because some rich woman's boyfriend is greedy? I think not. The husband returns to find his wife has amnesia, yet is in full control of her fortune, and can freeze him out? She's officially mentally incompetent by their own standards, but they obey her wishes in preventing the husband from taking care of her?

Then the husband goes to the meeting and starts pulling all sorts of amazing things out of his ass, like proof of fraud and theft? He practically pulls the big tit loving Bill Maitland out of that dark place. Not keeping the money was a nice touch, but we never heard why he married the nasty slut in the beginning if her money wasn't an issue. The prose is some of the best we'll see here, but the plot was hard to believe, and in crime dramas, plots need to be tight and convincing. In fantasies like most of us plebeians write, suspension of disbelief is essential and acceptable. Q has set his personal bar very high and thus, he was hoisted by his own petard.

A very good part 2...However there is something bothering me: Why had she gone all that trouble, just to avoid to give him 10 millions? Just to satisfy her lover? Then why not let him kill her husband? That was her lover most wanted wish...I know all will be explained in Part 3, but I'm commenting part 2...but still 4*

posting on Lit! Don't leave again...

That was a firecracker of an installment, cant wait to see what the next two chapters hold.

It is tough to relate to Deidre, as she has been drawn as a shallow, immature character. The recording at the end did help.

Where do you go from here? I dont know, seems like a good place to end it. But I hope not.

Glad you're back! I look forward to more great stories.

I truly enjoy your stories. I was pleasantly surprised that you brought Maitland into this story. 5 stars

Just an append: It would have been better that he showed one last trump: Make another call and then donate the check to charity, with all of them watching...A much better desteny to the money...

I love your writing, but WHY do you have to have your male character lead always go through so much crap in your stories? The degree of subtlety that you express and the game within a game is fantastic, but again why does your male lead character always get SO much crap thrust upon him?

The whole exercise. No likable characters. No story here. No really good ending.

Not terrible, but nt good either. I expected better out of a legendary LW author.

You're an excellent writer. Unfortunately you seem to me stuck in a hideous rut. Why are you so infatuated with this "Angel of Death" character? Write something new and different. Why not try something fresh instead of gnawing at the bones of old plots.? Try Tampa or Miami, how about a female protagonist? Anything, for God's sake except the "Angel of Death." Jesus Christ! One star for not moving on.

Thanks. Please keep writing, quickly.

But, when was all done i felt it was appropriate.

Michael, his dad and Diedre dad would have fit in well with the men known as Wildcatters. When oil was discovered at Spindletop (google it) the Wildcatters were all over Texas (and eventually Oklahoma and Louisiana) looking for elusive BLACK GOLD. They would come up dry, and broke, but then some hit it big building cities such as Houston and Dallas with their willingness to take chances.

I read Michaels burning the check as his decloration of independence from DeDe and OIL. Plus, he had signed for the check so it was his which seemed to really upset the bf and then to burn it in front of them and leave declaring DeDe dead to him final show of contempt and disrespect.

Is different than your post divorce descriptions. Is this one of your "flashback" side stories where a main character later appears in WWWM? I hope this means that you are going to continue with book 4. Hell, I'd even buy it on kindle if needed. I hope you're back to stay & not just passing thru.

the author said it was in four installments...why is everyone saying the story ended with chapter 2?

In my life at least, I have found that it is often not necessary to seek revenge on people that have injured me. Most of the time the same pattern of behavior that resulted in my injury proved to be much more self destructive to the foolish perpetrator. As I look back, I can see the misspent lives of many of my early peers and the sad state of affairs that they now find themselves in. That is not to say that I am perfect and without flaws, but it is to say that my decisions have proven wiser than theirs. I chose not to give into selfishness, foolishness and immediate gratification. For that I have been amply rewarded. In this story, the results of her foolishness have already cost her a child. She decided to compound her error by throwing away a decent man and going back to a selfish fool. You do not need an epilogue to know that this will not turn out well for her. She has damned herself to a life of confusion and pain.

Lousy story.

He walks out and said she is dead to him. That's a pretty serious response.

And yet he burns up $10 million because, what, she didn't want him killed by her loser of a boyfriend? She is OK with ruining him in every other meaningful way. What, is death letting him off too quick and easy? She wants to leave him alive but ruined and suffering? Burning the check was meaningless. Letting them all get away with their manipulations was meaningless.

The back and forth arguments with Maitland about who would prevail in court were also meaningless. Wilkes said "The courtroom isn't some bloodless arena where legal arguments are tested and weighed to determine Truth. It's a battlefield. Once men fought and died on fields to determine which side God would favor. Today we use words and books and evidence." He was correct, except they would now be up against Maitland, an unstoppable force. The slimy lawyers would lose despite all their posturing. Fraud, debarment, loss of legal reputation, personal embarrassment, and financial losses awaited them.

The writing was, as usual, great. But writing is only a wrapper, The story is rotten and stinks.

She loves a guy who date raped her. Had an abortion because of him and still loved him! I could not imagine a more loathsome creature. No one likes your characters. Average writers write for themselves. Great writers write for thier audience.

man did I miss your writing!

smitty

I love all of your work. This story has gotten under my skin. I hope we dont have to wait for too long to see what happens! Still longing for wwwm...

wow that was one hell of a story. I am definitely waiting for the next part. Put it up soon. It is different. Do keep writing more good ones

There is no redemption for most of the characters. A woman who had an abortion with the encouragement of a sleazy boyfriend. Legal shenanigans to cheat her husband. I know there is a fourth installment. I pray this mess will have something positive in the end. It is well written but the content is disagreeable.

I really do.

you keep putting up work like this and there will be a revolt the next time you leave this site without giving us good reading material. Have really missed your wonderful and strong stories.

One of the best short stories I have ever read. I enjoyed it from beginning to end and I just wish I could write like this. I almost never make comments other than to give the story stars at the end. This one was GREAT!!!

But, he did burn the check.

The Anonymous before jasonnh 's comment and his, Yes. Amazing what you can do with words. But the Irony you create... I gotta go. I'm two hours behind because I read and mused over Ch. 2 for too long. I don't dread what is coming I just hope emotionally I will enjoy it more. I am really sic and why? because I will read it and probably enjoy it too.

Thanks for sharing your hard work on Lit.

x

Just, Wow!

DQS has become the bard of the broken hearted male--the men who learn that no one can hurt them quite so much as the women who once filled their lives with love. He has also shown in his insightful story telling that a desire to forgive has a uniquely redeeming quality worth cherishing. Will Michael ever forgive Deirdre? Can she ever do anything to merit that act? I don't know but I will eagerly await DQS's next word on the subject. Given the title of the story I expect that any resolution will take time to play out. As to this latest installment I was enthralled by the blend of dark satiric humor(I am a retired lawyer so I can sympathize with the urge from Shakespeare onward to dispose of the legal profession), the thrust and counterthrust of mental strategy, and the sharp development of character. The dominating presence of William Maitland before he became The Angel of Death was particularly welcome. (Query Was that a walk on appearance by the monstrous mother in law of Separate Vacations?) I particularly liked Michael's handling of the cashier's check. Some critics have found that unrealistic but I was reminded of a scene in The Quiet Man when John Wayne's character burned his wife's dowry. Placed in context it was an act of heroic contempt. In many of DQS's stories many of his wronged husbands have their own character flaws. Michael on the other hand seems to be maturing into a man of true nobility.

@impo_61 To donate charity, sciences, something other from the $10 million is better than to burn it! BTW 5*****

Duna

Thanks.

I agree with Harddaysnight assessment. Who would like these characters. The contrived plot where the husband is victimized. Lawyers who commit unbelievable acts of malfeasance. A selfish woman who loves the guy who was paid off by the father to get lost. I know there are four chapters in all. What is there to like. She is in love with a loser and thinks it is is noble not have a decent man killed. i will probably read the rest of the story but if the end does not justify the means, I will not read another story by this author.

An heiress to a international oil exploration and production company would be worth far more than 150 million.

A few more minor ones are there but certainly don't take away from DQS story.

He's still one of the top 5 Authors here.

Very enjoyable.

So a man who has help find so many oil fields is worth just $35k after few expenses on a psychiatrist and PI? Ludicrous

One of the most outstanding things, & one that makes your stories stand out, is the way you bring back & tie in characters from past stories. Maitland, Davidson, Hunt Bank, Stu, etc. Your individual stories are like supporting chapters from WWWM.

I loved this story. few minor mistakes/figures can be avoided. I ws glued wd ur story. m hoping to read more from u. keep it up

Just wish I could find the rest of "When we were married". I have the second book but it promised more. Just never seemed to be able to find it. Fantastic!!!

5 stars!

He should have donated the money and would have still kept the high ground. He takes after his dad and father in law - money means little to him. Her lawyers if they were gong to play games should have fronted the $10m made him sign the release for 250k and billed her back for the $10m. Or she gives hubby the $10m and shit brains is told he took the 250k how would he know the difference?

Where are we going? Hubby takes on OIL finds massive deposits becomes super wealthy, meanwhile the a holes at OIL fuck things up hubby buys it out and throws the cunt and dick head out in the street.

Holy fucking bullshit - it's like you're trying to channel Matt "I just love her so much" Moreau. Why? One is more than enough. Ok, you've got way better writing skills sure, but that doesn't excuse the bat shit crazy convoluted legal legerdemain that made up part 2. And nothing explains the two year absence.

glad to have you back. never thought it would happen/l

It is difficult to know how to react to this story by clearly the universal favorite writer on the site. Chapter 01 starts out very good. It reads like a good slow setup for a mystery or suspense story. Think Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rebecca.” It feels fast paced with a bit of foreshadowing although it is slow and takes it’s time to develop character. The chapter ends where the story actually begins. The wife has been in an accident. She claims amnesia, but is it for real? Forces are trying to keep the husband from her. What is going on? Who is the villain? We have reached Manderley, and the dark shadows are descending.

And now for something completely different. Chapter 02 is a disaster. It is tell not show. It feels like a bad imitation of a thirties mystery where all the principles are assembled to expose the killer. And just as it starts to get interesting again we have the deus ex machina in the form of a character borrowed from another story. One Bill Maitland comes charging in to totally muck things up. Leaving aside the obvious TV view of legal procedure (I have learned that being factually accurate in this area is rarely appreciated) what does this character add? The MacGuffin has already been exposed (millions in the prenup) by the time he appears. We know who the bad guy is (the evil former boyfriend), and what the motive is just plain ego.

Supposedly, there are two more parts to this story and with such a good writer it may well get back on the rails. It is no longer a mystery, and there is a lack of suspense. Maybe it climbs out of the hole as some kind of romance. I certainly hope it does

Jasonnh and HDK summed this story up perfectly.

Seriously, why would Michael go through all that hassle just to walk away with nothing? The 10 million ment nothing to his wife but would at least piss off the scumbag boyfriend big time and hell, he could of donated the money to a charity rather than just burn the check!

@ xylem69

Michael will take the tramp back in chapter 4. DSQ's stories while always well written, basically boil down to an over the top evil woman shiting on a good man and he then takes her back after accepting 99.9% of the blame for any issues they had for bullshit reasons.

I wonder if we'll get to see the lovely Debbie Maitland as well...?

The wife is just so over the top despicable, and the husband is so weak for a guy who was a pussy hound just two years before, and the tapes are so incriminating, that I wonder if this isn't all a crazy setup, where Deidre and Michael are in on it and she whored herself for some purpose. I know it's nuts, but I just can't see how Michael's behavior makes sense as written. And it would explain why Deidre was so negative about having Michael killed. I say there is another major twist left to see.

If not, this is a cartoon. A well written cartoon, but a cartoon nonetheless.

DanielQSteele is back....and he brought Maitland with him. This week keeps getting better. Next chapter, puhleeeeeze! Por Favor! Prego! S'il vous plait!

Probably mostly disappointed in Mort. He's her godfather. He was her father's close friend. His job isn't just to do her bidding as her lawyer, it's to look out for her. He undoubtedly was quite familiar with what Julian did. It sounds like it was possibly statutory rape, they undoubtedly had evidence. He also knows Julian was money hungry then and can see he probably is now due to the focus on $10m. With the playing of the tape of proposed murder, and taking Dierdre down if she tried to stop him, he should be even more opposed to Julian. He knew Orion would be aghast by this. Hopefully, he will have more of a voice in further chapters.

Also, the main character spent a lot of money and favors to get distractions into the hospital, to plant bugs and tap phones, to secure Maitland's support (and Dallas'). Particularly with Dallas, to go through all this, shame a major set of donors and not even end up with anything to show for it isn't very politically wise. Burning the money or no, it is hard to see why Maitland went along with this. This is a waste of political and legal capital for the State's Attorney with no pay off, no case, no press, nothing. Plus, why would the protagonist be volunteering an email to a prosecutor that states he raped Dierdre?

That said, your writing is entertaining and engaging as always. Look forward to future

Didn't anyone notice there are two more installments to this terrific story?

too long....

Another great DQS tale. I suppose there are some lawyers that are this crooked but not the ones I know. Nevertheless, great imagination and good writing. A combination hard to beat.

anon.1

Very sad on so many levels. First, as much as it pains me to do so, I cannot rate this one. The writing is fine mind you but the ending sucks, for myself at least, to the extent that I cannot find it within myself to even do a single star rating. No one wins here, no one. The lawyers are exposed as corrupt, to an extent that far exceeds the levels of corruption normal to almost all lawyers. Even though the story leaves them not facing any charges Maitland and his boss, along with everyone else involved, knows that they are corrupt. The law itself loses because justice is not done. Because of that Maitland loses. The husband loses the love of his life as well as the ten million, money he can replace, but not the loss of his wife. That will ruin his life forever no matter how much money he makes from that point on. The cops lose because their leader is now known to be corrupt. The ones that were with Maitland would always know that the ones who didn't side with him are not worthy of the badges they wear. That would have far reaching consequences from that time forward.

The wife loses because she has traded in a decent man for a man who has not only demonstrated a willingness to commit murder but one who has also demonstrated a willingness to physically hurt her. It does not take much of an imagination to see that someday she will stop loving her lover, and when she does he will either kill her or have her killed.

The lover will lose eventually because he is the type that will go through even the kind of money that the wife has, ruining the company in the process, quicker than anyone would think possible. He will eventually either be killed himself or be sent to prison for his crimes. And since Maitland knows he is guilty of planning a premeditated murder can anyone doubt that Maitland would not make it a point to find out everything he does from that point on?

I'm not saying don't read this story, but if you do just accept that it is a story where everyone loses. Sad, depressing and denying any hint of any kind of justice, this is just not a story I can bring myself to rate. I still respect the author for his writing ability, and he remains one of my favorite authors. I just wish that Maitland could at least have found a way for justice not to have lost in this one.

...very properly written and an interesting, unusual plot, but the ending simply sucks too much for a voting you might deserve. Until the last page I hoped you would still turn it around; regretably, though, you chose your own path.

Well, I guess you cannot suit everybody and I am certain you will get the voting you deserve.

This is a little guy swinging at windmills, his wife cheated, lied, schemed, broke his heart, the assholes win. Depressing.

Partially very unrealistically, but written very thrilling.

Waiting for the last 2 parts. Thanks.

As DQS said in the beginning there are four parts!

Another great story...loved the intro of Maitland! Blew me away, fell off the chair laughing.

Can't wait for the next instalment!

Thanks DQS!

C

But it sure needs more, the ending was awful.

I think it's a setup ( the exact nature of which I don't really know):

Nothing we know about Maitland suggests he'd just walk away from massive corruption. This happens just a year before WWWM and the Maitland we know is willing to risk all, including his life, for justice. Hard to see him walking away from a tape of a proposed murder.

There is more here than meets the eye (I think).

nuff said

This one clarified something I never understood. Now, the "poor little rich girl" thing has been done, but I didn't see the bits as clearly before, and in particular the way to manipulate drama queens by upping their engagement in their own drama.

The heavy (though Julian is a lightweight) is in a situation he can't deal with - fer one, he has no instinct for what it takes to deal with real money - $10 mil when $100+ is at stake? It just set him up for the end of this piece, which is his comeuppance - he is shown to be essentially small. And... "Teachers Can Conjugate All Night."? He could barely keep his job, which is a good thing since he seems to have a tendency to beat up little girls and get them pregnant...

And of course torching the cheque has a number of cute things going on in it - he shows D. that his regard for her was not based in money, something she will learn to regret - he gets to get his expression of total disdain for J.... though that is lightweight amusement... and finally, he gets to leave, since self destruction to cover ones commitment is only required once.

I look forward to the next sections - it is kinda clear most of whats going on, since in fact I think you wrote the story before (and referenced it with a walk on)... I want to see it all in one place, and I want to see how the anonymice deal with it!

Thanks again,

Green-something

(plot holes? maybe - I don't remember Matt, and I think he will be a player - my guess is savior/next lover, Mort's commitment to the process makes no sense - he has a greater duty to D. than her father? And, I want to see more of the meat of the protagonist in the wrap-up... what kind of guy is he really?)

that's forty-five minutes of my life I'll never get back. I feel totally cheated after reading all that. A whole lot of build-up, for a whole lot of nothing. When's the last time you saw a movie where, just when the hero had the villain cornered and at his mercy, he merely smacked the bad guy across the face and left?

But then again I don't know why I expected anything different from Mr. Steele. He's got a penchant for these M. Night Shyamalan-like "twists", and they're just as dumb and nonsensical in these stories as they are in M. Night's movies. I think this will be the last DQS1 story I ever read, 'cause there's really no point anymore.

But the end of part 2, didn't make any sense! Why would you throw 10 million away? As soon as the shithead gets access to her money, he's going to have Michael disappear. The only way for Michael to stay alive is to have the asshole killed first. Once the asshole is shark bait, how is he supposed to get revenge on the cheating cunt without the money to start his own company and bankrupt hers. It just doesn't add up. Makes him look like a total loser!

Would have rather seen him split the 10 million between a Woman's shelter and the FOP. That would put Jules on his toes....

You bring all these characters in to this showdown. Only to have him win and burn 10 million dollars. Why? The lover was going to put a hit on him. What kind of women did he marry. So bizarre and now he leaves the country knowing he was a marked man. The twists and turns are crazy . Does it. Make any sense? Does he set up Gutman for a fall.

He burned the check because it was never about the money to him!

Well, DQS, another top flight story, well crafted & unusual, I really liked the use of Maitland from WWWM. I don't understand some of the Anon;s comments how they didn't like or understand why Michael burnt the cheque ( correct spelling ), but that's part of the beauty of this ending, giving the 2 cheaters the proverbial finger in the best manner. Well done. 5 * * * * *

first,

no one liked the end of chapter one either.

so give it a rest until we get the whole story.

second,

maitland is the weak character, not the husband.

i can't believe maitland went as far as he did without being 100% sure he could go to trial and convict.

he is going to have to do some fast talking to his boss.

the husband just ''out maneuvered" a multi-million dollar law firm with 15 lawyers sitting at the table.

they brought him in for a ''conversation'' as a way to learn what he knew.

and he beat them, hands down. he got his money, 10 million.

there is nothing weak about that.

there is also nothing weak about dumping a cheating wife.

which he also did.

third,

a check is a promise of money,

not the actual money.

if you win the lottery and your house burns, with the check, before you get to the bank,

you have not lost the money.

he can still prove the money was never paid.

they can prove he received the check,

but not the actual money.

i doubt that is how it will be played in this story, but that is the way it is.

if DQS really wanted the money gone,

giving to a charity would have been more final.

but WAY less dramatic.

the other shoe is about to drop.

what about the stock options daddy offered son-in-law????

or what ever.

plus, he still loves her.???????

anything could happen.

oh yeah,

what about the asshole bf, didn't he ''conspire to commit murder'' on the tape.

just because she did not agree, does that mean he's not guilty????????????

i'm just glad i didn't have to wait for 2 weeks for this chapter.

thanks,

JCE.

Ending is stupid.

A great first chapter but a little disappointed in the 2nd. A little long and drawn out. A waste of using Maitland. Drug it out a bit much. Could have been done in 2 or 3 pages. Burning the check reminds me of the scene in the movies where the hero is walking away from the big, grand explosion. Not realistic as anybody would like to see his handywork. Too much effort to get the 10 mill, so get it and have a great life. No making a point is worth burning up 10 million.

He demonstrated that the gauntlet of lawyers, poised to win at any cost, would not prevail. His resources stretched way beyond what the investigators assumed were his meager finances. Burning the check did not destroy the money- just puts it in Limbo for a while. By the time Deirdre gets it back, I'll bet there won't be a Guttman. Our hero Is fighting on his terms as his own man. He knows when to break bone and when to pull back- for his own sense of fair play.

What I really enjoy about the damaged women in DQS stories is that when they finally get it, when they finally realize what they gave up, it changes them for the better. I can't stand cuck stories. They make me physically ill trying to imagine that kind of pain. These men don't bend over and take it. They take action in ways, that for some of the female "villains" at least, creates something better, stronger, and more sustainable. Respect has to finally show up and in a big way to save any relationship. Revenge only destroys. Sometimes people do "wake up" and it is life changing. Sometimes they don't. Nothing you can do. Que sera, sera. Find someone better.

Guttman didn't win. Deirdre's wealth is tightly controlled. If he tries that shit with her handler's, he'll be the one to disappear regardless of what she wants. She will require a strong hand. Our hero just has to decide if she is worth it. Right now...it doesn't look good for her. I bet in the space of two more chapters, McArthy will discover something that has him reevaluating.

DC

But I did read HDK's observations and felt the story is not, up to this point, worth it. Hopefully it gets better towards the end; if so, I will read it. The author has proven himself to be an exceptional writer, so that's not the problem.

Mystery and frustratingly weak characters doing stupid things are not my kind of reading. Have no problem with supremely smart but evil characters doing heinous things, however... Hopefully the story becomes the latter rather than the former. Again, if so, I will read it in one sitting, as I like long, developed stories...

I like your stuff, but this is not your brightest moment. The husband turns out to be an idiot, the wife a moronic slut, while the boyfiend, attorneys, security guards/cops and misc. employees are so unbelievably stupid that they defy definition. A better title might have been "The Waste of Time Ch. 02:". Out of respect for your previous work I did not give it a rating. Thanks for the effort and I look forward to your next story.

DQS,

I just knew Maitland would show up, fantastic. I love that dinky dicked, pudgy, balding tuff as nails DA. He is one hell of a character in a really good story. I'd like to see Maitland star in a Hollywood film.

However, I'm a little irritated with you, DQS - you just disappeared from everywhere; but welcome back. Can't wait for chapter 3.

5x5x5

A bank cheque is money, not just the promise. Its a guarantee of cleared funds and payment. No way would he have had a regular cheque at this time.

I just don't get why Maitland wasted all that time and resources to stage a performance.

And DQS still hasn't shown a single sign of why he would marry this woman or care.

How is that possible when that was her plan to begin with? Remember? Pass out and pull a train. Of course, that doesn't absolve him of guilt; and we are reminded that no matter how interesting the plot is; who cares! I'm looking for the finale where they all loose.

Everyone in this story is a piece of shit. Even Maitland was subpar. Really lame ending.

What was DQS1 thinking? In my wildest dreams I could not have “fucked-up” a character worst than he/she did with Michael McCarthy. He/she took him from a no-nonsense oil roughneck/explorer to a dim wit cuckold who lacked pride and self respect. Harsh words...damning criticism...YES but I mean it. Let's review the facts:

Micheal burned-up tons of “political capital” by using William Maitland and Dallas Edwards in this 'get back my ego/pride' charade. Was there a crime? Were there criminals involved? William Maitland walked away empty handed. I doubt if William Maitland or Dallas Edwards would ever take even a phone call from Michael McCarthy after this aborted fiasco.

Micheal burned-up tons of “financial capital”...ten millions dollars to be specific. What did he gain by sitting smug and arrogant smoking a Cuban phallus (sorry for the pun) and burning up a check for ten millions dollars? Didn't he realize that after a pre-determined amount of time when the check was no cashed that the bank would return the funds to the original account? Then Julian Gutman would get what he wanted and our “anti-hero” would be out not only the ten million dollars but even the offer of a quarter of a million dollars. In effect Michael McCarthy walked out of that room poorer then when he walked into it...there would be NO financial settlement (reward) in the divorce for him.

Micheal burned up tons of “personal capital” when he first used his own funds to hire Dr. Teller and Mr. Earl Wilson to provide expert testimony to support his claim that his wife was faking her amnesia. Then he just let all that expert testimony go to waste and evaporate. These two men were highly respected professionals and the way that Micheal 'used' them was an insult to their professional integrity. After Dr. Teller witnessed Micheal burning up that check for ten million dollars he probably thought that Micheal needed professional psychiatry help more than his wife needed it. Even though Earl Wilson was paid for his investigative work, Micheal basically burned-up those hard-to-find facts and so Earl Wilson was not a happy man.

Finally Micheal left that conference room and “rode off into the sunset on his trusty steed” with his renewed ego/pride in tact! Whoa! ! Micheal couldn't ride off into the sunset because poor Micheal didn't even own a fuckin' horse…and Julian Gutman was still sitting at the table with his shit-eating-grin knowing he got the wife and ALL her millions.

Too bad Michael that you didn't have an author who could make you into a “real hero”.

P.S. The reason I'm submitting this comment as Anonymous is the fact that after my last criticism of a DQS1 story, he/she came after me with both guns blazing...enough said.

This is another very intriguing story from DQS. I got a bit lost in some of the oral wrestling matches during the meeting and had to think through some of the subtle facets of the duels. I assume the next two installments will clarify what was done and why. One surprise is Bill Maitland. He must have stopped going to the gym since he had been getting pretty buff for a while.

Carry on Daniel!

Tiny Tim

Mike the modern day WILDCATTER and gambler was on a plane leaving the country.

Hmmm, maybe a followup would have Mike as the future oil tycoon and the eventual owner of OIL with some kind of take over for pennies on the dollar that left DeDe with a fraction of her previous wealth and also a single mom once her husband ran away when there was no money.

And of course Mike would keep the name OIL for respect of his former FIL and to keep the company going as one of his holdings.

Just a thought.

Even with plot holes, the writing and the ambitious outline Q is laying out makes him one of the best, if not the best writer here. (There are several very good writers on Lit., although they do not post often enough!) We have a very capable man that has been traveling the world. His ex-wife's lawyers think he keeps all of his small savings in US banks, like any idiot would do. That would be second only to marrying the skank he was saddled with, in the struggle for dumbest move of the century. Our hero had no money worries (Besides, burning a cashier check will not necessarily preclude him from getting the money. He should have a receipt as well. If he loses the check, he can get it replaced. I can't count the number of times I've misplaced ten million bucks.) Now we have an angry, dangerous, capable, and perhaps wealthy man wandering around the planet. We all know that his skanky wife will be needing him soon and he'll step up to the plate, leading us readers to wonder just how dumb this fucker really is! On his worst day, Q vastly raises the quality of writing in Lit. Just read through today's offerings in LW.

After all is a wimp tale, he never should married this slut,he first isa macho and became a wimp.

UNREALISTIC he left with nothing what a dummy