Chapter 19: Action at Meadowood

Chapter 19: Action at Meadowood

The Meadowood meeting was ending on a high note of excitement, just as lawyer Freemantle had planned that it should. The meeting was about to move on to the airport.

‘I don’t want to hear any excuses,’ Elliott Freemantle said. ‘Don’t give me any stories about dinner being ready or the children being left alone. If your car is stuck in the snow, come with someone else. I’m going to the airport in order to help you people to get some justice.’

He paused, as a plane passed over with a noise like thunder.

‘Good heavens! It’s time someone did!’

Everyone laughed and cheered at this.

‘I want all of you to come with me. Now I’ll ask you just one question: Are you coming?’

‘Yes!’ they shouted. ‘Yes!’

Elliott then told them that to take the airport to court was not enough. They also needed to have the attention and support of the public.

‘How do we get that attention and support?’ he asked, and then answered his own question: ‘We get it by telling people all about our problem. We must interest the newspapers, radio and television, in any way that we can. We must give them a good story!’

The three reporters who were present smiled at this.

‘Do as I tell you,’ Elliott directed the people. ‘Perhaps we’ll cause a little trouble at the airport. I hear that they’re rather busy tonight. But we must be careful not to break any laws.’

They were all ready to go. Elliott Freemantle looked at the papers that they had signed, and calculated that he had made about ten thousand dollars for himself from this evening’s work. Not bad. The money was always the most important thing to him.

He did not know exactly what was going to happen at the airport, but he guessed that there would be plenty of action and excitement. He would keep these people satisfied and they would pay him well for this entertainment.

He noticed that one of the reporters was on the phone to his office. Good! Now it was time to leave for the airport.