mother’s troubles. However, all that changed once news broke of her disqualification.
L ITTLE M ISS S CHEMING S TAR , was one of the kinder headlines. Her controversial stripping of the crown even made national papers. They called her trailer trash, mocked her mother’s addictions and said that she had brought shame upon Avalon. She then disappeared off the radar, her name only reappearing once she was connected to Brandon. Considering she was made a local hate figure, people must have wondered what Brandon saw in her. She was stunningly beautiful, but having the reputation that he did, he must have been able to have any girl he wanted.
Aiden sat there pondering on it all. He realised that he needed to press Brandy further for answers. He felt relieved that thus far she had told him the truth. It was always so much easier to represent a client when you felt that you could trust them.
Seated in his car, before he started the engine to travel back to Avalon, Aiden fished out his mobile phone. He called Eastham to inform them that he would be visiting Brandy again the following day. Then he called Betty to tell her that he wouldn’t be in until the afternoon –Edmond was also working away from the office. Finally, he dialled Avalon Pine from the number he had sourced on the internet moments earlier, and a pleasant woman informed him that Clyde White would be on site all day. Aiden turned the key in the ignition and set off to pay Brandon’s father a visit.
Avalon Pine was located on the outskirts of town. Aiden parked in the designated customer lot and walked over to what he presumed were the offices; a long log cabin with the company logo emblazoned on the side. Inside the wooden structure it was blissfully cool, thanks to half a dozen fans whirring away. It was an insanely hot day; Aiden was thankful that his car had air conditioning. In Chicago, air conditioning came as standard wherever you went, but in Avalon, things were different. Only the well-to-do could afford such a commodity; most people made do with electric fans scattered around the place, as was the case with the offices at Avalon Pine.
A heavily made-up young blonde woman was seated behind an ample desk filing away at her nails. She greeted him with the fakest smile he had ever seen, her lips a most unnatural shade of fluorescent pink.
‘I’m looking for Clyde White,’ he told her.
‘Is Mr. White expecting you?’ she asked insincerely, obviously not really caring what answer he gave.
‘No, but if he has five minutes I’d really like to talk to him. It is regarding the trial of Brandy White.’ The false lashes framing her eyes widened in interest. She was suddenly much more attentive, realising that she was witnessing some potential high-level gossip.
‘Please, take a seat and I’ll call him, Mr…?’
‘Connelly.’ Aiden settled himself down on a pine bench in the lobby area, watching as her lacquered nails furiously clicked numbers into the phone on her desk.
‘Mr. White, sorry to disturb you, I have a Mr. Connelly here to see you.’
Aiden was too far away to be able to hear Clyde’s response. The receptionist lowered her tone.
‘I think it is something to do with Brandon, he must be a lawyer or something.’ More silence as she nodded whilst her boss responded. At last she put the phone down and flashed her Barbie smile at Aiden once again.
‘He says that you can go right through. His office is just across the lumber yard, you can’t miss it.’ Aiden thanked her and stepped back out into his heat. He was beginning to thoroughly regret wearing a suit.
Avalon Pine was clearly a successful business. The lumber yard was bustling, as various burly men in T-shirts and jeans carried huge planks of wood here and there. Aiden could make out what appeared to be a warehouse; the huge open doors revealed garden sheds in various stages of production. Across the large yard was another pine log cabin, identical to the one he had just
L ITTLE M ISS S CHEMING S TAR , was one of the kinder headlines. Her controversial stripping of the crown even made national papers. They called her trailer trash, mocked her mother’s addictions and said that she had brought shame upon Avalon. She then disappeared off the radar, her name only reappearing once she was connected to Brandon. Considering she was made a local hate figure, people must have wondered what Brandon saw in her. She was stunningly beautiful, but having the reputation that he did, he must have been able to have any girl he wanted.
Aiden sat there pondering on it all. He realised that he needed to press Brandy further for answers. He felt relieved that thus far she had told him the truth. It was always so much easier to represent a client when you felt that you could trust them.
Seated in his car, before he started the engine to travel back to Avalon, Aiden fished out his mobile phone. He called Eastham to inform them that he would be visiting Brandy again the following day. Then he called Betty to tell her that he wouldn’t be in until the afternoon –Edmond was also working away from the office. Finally, he dialled Avalon Pine from the number he had sourced on the internet moments earlier, and a pleasant woman informed him that Clyde White would be on site all day. Aiden turned the key in the ignition and set off to pay Brandon’s father a visit.
Avalon Pine was located on the outskirts of town. Aiden parked in the designated customer lot and walked over to what he presumed were the offices; a long log cabin with the company logo emblazoned on the side. Inside the wooden structure it was blissfully cool, thanks to half a dozen fans whirring away. It was an insanely hot day; Aiden was thankful that his car had air conditioning. In Chicago, air conditioning came as standard wherever you went, but in Avalon, things were different. Only the well-to-do could afford such a commodity; most people made do with electric fans scattered around the place, as was the case with the offices at Avalon Pine.
A heavily made-up young blonde woman was seated behind an ample desk filing away at her nails. She greeted him with the fakest smile he had ever seen, her lips a most unnatural shade of fluorescent pink.
‘I’m looking for Clyde White,’ he told her.
‘Is Mr. White expecting you?’ she asked insincerely, obviously not really caring what answer he gave.
‘No, but if he has five minutes I’d really like to talk to him. It is regarding the trial of Brandy White.’ The false lashes framing her eyes widened in interest. She was suddenly much more attentive, realising that she was witnessing some potential high-level gossip.
‘Please, take a seat and I’ll call him, Mr…?’
‘Connelly.’ Aiden settled himself down on a pine bench in the lobby area, watching as her lacquered nails furiously clicked numbers into the phone on her desk.
‘Mr. White, sorry to disturb you, I have a Mr. Connelly here to see you.’
Aiden was too far away to be able to hear Clyde’s response. The receptionist lowered her tone.
‘I think it is something to do with Brandon, he must be a lawyer or something.’ More silence as she nodded whilst her boss responded. At last she put the phone down and flashed her Barbie smile at Aiden once again.
‘He says that you can go right through. His office is just across the lumber yard, you can’t miss it.’ Aiden thanked her and stepped back out into his heat. He was beginning to thoroughly regret wearing a suit.
Avalon Pine was clearly a successful business. The lumber yard was bustling, as various burly men in T-shirts and jeans carried huge planks of wood here and there. Aiden could make out what appeared to be a warehouse; the huge open doors revealed garden sheds in various stages of production. Across the large yard was another pine log cabin, identical to the one he had just
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