Chapter 14

About ten o'clock the sheriff was considering going for his exercise session when the dispatcher buzzed him. "Yes?" he snapped.
"Judge is on the phone," the dispatcher half giggled. "Wants to talk to you."
The sheriff picked up the phone. "Yes your honor!" he acknowledged.
"Don't your honor me!" the judge growled. "Get over to my office. The snowmobile people showed up this morning but The Spiritists simply sent a note saying that their demands are well known and they will not negotiate with thieves! I'm issuing a court order for their leader to appear in my chambers immediately! I want you to take it up there and serve it. And if the bastards won't come, handcuff them, and bring them by force! But they WILL come and they WILL negotiate."
"Be right there!" the sheriff answered. When he hung up the phone he muttered "This is going to be GOOD!"
He picked up the order and drove up to the resort. The security guards met him at the door. "Judge's orders, boys!" he announced. "Your boss lady has to be in his office, post hasste! Make way, boys! Don't give me any trouble today. I CAN throw your asses in jail THIS time!"
Attorney Longbow appeared. "May I see that order sheriff?" he snapped. The sheriff obliged. The lawyer scanned it and nodded. "Like it or not, gentlemen," he remarked, "it is a legal court order. The sheriff is obliged to serve it. Let him proceed."
The security guards looked angry but one of them snapped "Follow me!" and led the sheriff through the facility to The Speaker's office. The sheriff admired the way they had fixed the old shelter up.
Phil sat at her desk doing paperwork. "Yes?" she asked. "What is the meaning of this intrusion?"
The sheriff explained he had a judge's order for her to appear and she was to accompany him immediately."
"And if I do NOT?" Phil asked.
"Then I will handcuff you," the sheriff said, "and take you there by force."
Phil smiled mischievously. "NO!" she answered. "I won't go!"
The sheriff took out his handcuffs and said "Stand up!"
"No!" Phil answered.
The sheriff lifted her up, laid her on the desk and handcuffed her. "Oooh!" she went.
"Get up!" the sheriff ordered.
"Um um!" his prisoner answered.
The sheriff picked her up and hoisted her onto his shoulder and snapped to the guard "Open the door!"
He quickly did so. He carried Phil through the building, laid her on the back of his car, opened the back door and put her in. Dozens of people watched with concern. He drove to the courthouse radioing ahead for a bailiff to be at the entrance. The process was repeated to get Phil to the judge's office. When he finally pushed her in the chair she just looked up and grinned.
"Who in the blazes is THIS?" the judge asked.
"The person you told me to bring here," the sheriff answered, "the leader of the Spiritist community."
The judge stared in disbelief. "How old are you, young woman?" the judge asked.
Phil would not respond. "Young woman!" the judge repeated, "How old are you?"
Phil turned and stared out the window. "I believe I have heard from a reliable source," the sheriff put in, "that the young lady is approximately sixteen."
"Then she cannot represent these people," the judge snapped, "she's under age."
The door opened and Longbow entered. "Your honor!" he snapped, "we strongly protest the manner in which our religious leader has been treated!"
"Sir!" the judge answered, "Having learned the age of this young person I find her totally unacceptle to take part in these negotiations. I insist some adult take her place, IMMEDIATEY!"
"SIR!" the lawyer snapped, "The First Speaker, the overall leader of our religion, has put this person in charge of our colony. She is the one who speaks for us AND for HIM! Only HE can remove her from her position. I can give you a phone number to which you can send a fax if you have any complaints about her. But I will tell you here and now...there is not one person on the mountain that will not follow this young woman's instructions TO THE DEATH! You negotiate with HER or you negotiate with NO ONE!"
"Right now," the judge screamed, "she's not negotiating, she's not even communicating! Will you advise her this is a legal hearing and she is obliged to follow my wishes? I'm sure she has no conception of the law."
Longbow laughed. "Sir!" he remarked, "this young lady has passed the bar exams in three states, INCLUDING this one! She knows your laws very well, but like most of us, she has nothing but contempt for them because they are such a joke!"
The judge stared at Phil in disbelief. "Is there any hope," he asked, "that we could make a reasonable attempt to find an agreeable solution here acceptable to all parties?"
"None!" the lawyer answered. "We do not negotiate with thieves!"
"Your honor," Dinsmore snapped, 'I am getting awfully tired of them insulting my associates and I. WE ARE NOT THIEVES!"

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