Chapter 44

Authors Note: It's getting harder and harder to update as I'm getting deeper and deeper into the subject.

Michael Jackson is innocent.

VII

"I told you that entire family was crooked!" Shayla finally said after sitting back and listening as I explained to her what had happened with Evan. "What? He was mad because you kept saying no to that stupid wannabe movie?"

"I guess so."

"Why would he all of a sudden accuse you of something like that?"

"I told you before he asked me that sick question, he asked me to loan him ten million dollars. I told him 'no' and he came up with that."

"So, it's about that stupid film. Ten million dollars for that crap?! He done lost his mind! And then for him to flip everything Jordie told him about what happened with June?! Oh, that man is sick. You made sure they're banned forever this time, right?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"We need to change our numbers before he tries to call again."

"Already on it."

Shayla shook her head in disbelief. "I told you so. I told you something was wrong with this family. I told you there was something about their energy that I did not like. I told you they were opportunists, but damn, ten million dollars? Do they think we're stupid?!" Here she goes with this 'I told you so' mess. She was right and it's okay that she was right, but she can hold off with this crap. "I hope this actually makes you forget about this family once and for all. No matter what Jordie claims he's got going on, we want no parts of it. Him, his sister, his brother, daddy, stepdaddy. I don't care who it is. We're not helping them with anything, Michael."

I looked at her. "You think I want to help them after this?"

"You better not. You be so quick to forgive."

"I'm done, Shayla. You don't accuse someone of pedophilia. That's just..." I shook my head. "Of all the things I've been accused of, pedophilia is the sickest of them all. Evan sees I'm married. He sees I'm with you all the time. When he first contacted me, he was the one who told me that June was ridiculous for concocting that lie. Now he's running with that same lie because I don't like that stupid screenplay?" I asked no one in particular. My wife and I did a lot for this family. We helped them when needed, took them on trips, gave them free rein of our entire ranch and this is the thanks my wife and I get? I just want to help people, but it seems that there are people you just can't or shouldn't help. The Chandlers just so happen to be one of those people.

VII

A month had gone by without us having contact with the Chandlers. I helped Shayla prepare for the many photoshoots and interviews we have planned. Excited isn't the word when we talk about interviews. She's so determined to tell our story once and for all. Shoot, I may as well let her do all the talking since the world hears from me so much.

After that month had gone by, somehow and someway, someone from the Chandler clan found a way to contact us. I guess I should have changed the number for the Century City hideout, but it slipped my mind with all the preparing. Whatever they had to talk to us about was urgent. No matter how many times I said no, Dave insisted, in fact, pleaded that this was something Shayla and I needed to know. Apparently, it wasn't good news, so it was imperative that Shayla and I knew.

"I can't believe you actually agreed to meet with him after everything his entire family put us through. I guess when you say you're done with something, you're really not." Shayla crossed her arms.

I understood her anger, but am I supposed to ignore important "bad news?" "He said it was important, Shayla. If I keep saying no and Dave keeps telling me it's an emergency, what do you want me to do?" I asked her.

"Call the police. He probably just wants some more money." She rolled her eyes.

"No," I shook my head. "It didn't sound anything like that. Dave has never asked for anything. It was all June, remember?"

She scoffed, "you said the same thing about Evan and look what he did."

"Can you not?"

"No, because that's the reality. Evan and June accused you of something so disgusting and instead of being done with this family as you said, we're steady running back to them because they said they need us. So, no, I will not, because I told you so before. Don't be surprised if these weirdos do or say anything else stupid." Okay. I'm done having this conversation. We're going to meet Dave at his office, listen to what he has to say and go. For all I know, it better be an apology.

We pulled in behind Dave's building and knocked on the door three times as he had asked. Shayla was so over it and I know she's upset with me for even being here and dragging her along with me. Dave said it was urgent that she and I both hear what he had to say, so she really didn't have a choice.

Dave opened the door and smiled, "come on in. You can go ahead and sit in front of my desk there." I followed in behind Shayla and pulled her chair out for her before sitting down. Dave locked the front door to his office and sat down. "I know it's been a while since I've seen you all. How have you been?" He looked between my wife and me.

"We've been good. Trying to get back to our normal lives. You called because you had something urgent to tell us?" I inquired. I didn't want to be here longer than I had to, and I know Shayla doesn't want to be here any longer either.

"Right." Dave cleared his throat and moved a recorder to the middle of his desk. "Evan called me."

"And?" Shayla asked. The tone in her voice told Dave that his phone call with Evan was of no concern to her.

"And," he looked at Shayla. "He told me what happened."

"And you know it's not true, right?" I asked him.

"This is what we're here for? What's so important about this blatant lie, Dave?" Shayla asked the question we both wanted to be answered.

"I asked Jordie if anything inappropriate happened between the two of you and he told me no. So, I know what Evan said wasn't true. In fact, I'm sure June started this whole thing only for Evan to latch onto that same lie."

"Why would they even accuse my husband of something like that?"

Dave sighed, "I'm sorry, Shayla. Um. I wanted you all to hear something. It's rather disturbing. It's the reason why I called you all here. I've been talking to Evan for a while and I wanted you all to know that whatever Evan has planned is not only going to hurt Jordie, it's going to hurt you all too. I don't know what Evan has up his sleeve, but it isn't anything good."

I sighed. "He's trying to extort me. You know that, right? I'll have my people work it out."

Dave pressed play on his recorder and all of a sudden, we heard Evan's voice echo throughout the room. "Michael has to be there."

"You think Michael is a bad guy?" Dave asked him. I looked up at Dave who only looked back at me with the saddest eyes. He isn't in on whatever Evan is conjuring up. I can tell.

"Michael?" Evan asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh, he's evil."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because I have evidence to prove it. You'll believe it when you hear it too."

"What is it?"

"I'll tell you once I get everything sorted out, but if I go through with this, I win big time. There's no way I can lose."

"What do you mean 'win?'"

"I'll get everything I wanted, and Michael and his little wife will be destroyed forever. Tours, canceled. Future albums and book deals canceled."

"Huh?"

"That's a fact."

"How does this help-"

"Michael's career will be over."

"How does this help Jordie?"

"Michael's career will be over."

"But how will this help Jordie? That's my concern."

"That's irrelevant to me."

"Okay... But the bottom line is, Jordie-"

"The bottom line to me is that Michael is harming him, and I can prove that. I will prove it." Dave stopped the recording.

I nodded. I wonder if Evan even heard himself. Dave was inquiring how this elaborate "plan" of Evan's is going to help Jordie and he doesn't even care. "After I've been nothing but good to him and his family, this is what he has to say about me? Done took y'all all over the country at no expense to you, got you gifts out of the kindness of my heart, allow you back and forth in my life and into my home... And this is how he talks about me? Yeah, I'll have my people take care of it, but you tell him I said, 'go to hell.'" Shayla was unusually quiet. "You alright, babe?"

She cleared her throat. "He's not going to stop until he gets what he wants, Michael."

"So, what are you saying? Give him the ten million?"

"No. If he goes through with what I think he's going to go through with, we have to sue him. We have to take him to court. This is extortion. We both know it is. It's extortion based on a boldfaced lie. We can't let him go through with this." Shayla is right.

"I'm sorry, Michael and Shayla. I've tried talking him against it, but he's adamant about this." Dave put his recorder away.

"It's not your fault, Dave. Thank you for making us aware of this. Now we have to get our ducks in a row because we can't allow this to go any further than Evan wants it to go." Shayla informed me.

"I know." My mind was racing with what we had to do.

"You need to call Anthony. We need to tell him what's going on so he can sort this out..." As Shayla continued to tell me things I already knew, all I could think about was how we would combat this. It's not a problem because we're fighting a whole lie, but this is something I've never had to fight before. Every other case against me, I just let my people handle it, but this one... I have to be involved with this one all the way. This one is too serious of a matter to just let my lawyer handle alone.