then wished that she had checked caller ID.
“That was libel!” Mr. Murdock exploded. “That lump on the sidewalk was a stone!”
“Our photographer assured us he saw Barkley do it,” Andi said defensively.
“Your photographer is a liar!” Mr. Murdock bellowed and let loose a stream of swear words that caused Andi to cringe. She had never heard anybody use such language before.
It took tremendous effort to keep her voice steady.
“We’ll consult with our legal advisor and get back to you,” she said.
Then she hung up the phone and burst into tears.
Andi was truly scared. What legal advisor could she consult? It certainly couldn’t be her parents. If they thought their children were in trouble, they wouldn’t leave the country, and now that Andi had adjusted to the idea, she wanted them to go. They were wonderful parents and deserved a special celebration. She didn’t know of many families where the parents had been married for fifteen years to the same people they started out with.
She had even adjusted to the thought of three weeks with Aunt Alice — as long as she could make frequent visits to Bebe and Friday.
Now, as she thought of Aunt Alice, it suddenly occurred to her that she might be a possible resource. As a former private investigator, she must know about the law. Maybe she could serve as a legal advisor.
Andi wiped her eyes and dialed her great-aunt’s phone number. As always, it took her some time to get to the phone.
“Hello,” she said, puffing a little as if she had raced in from the yard. Andi could picture her plopping down in the chair next to the telephone table with her garden shears still clutched in one pudgy hand.
“It’s Andi, Aunt Alice,” Andi told her. “I’ve got a question for you. A professional question, just between the two of us. Would that be all right?”
“Of course, dear,” Aunt Alice said readily. “Off the record it will be.” And then she surprised Andi by saying the last thing she expected to hear. “I imagine Mr. Murdock is threatening to sue
The Bow-Wow News.
Am I correct?”
Andi gasped. “How did you know?”
“I was sure he would when I saw his expression in the picture,” Aunt Alice said. “Also, I’ve met thatman at various social functions, and he doesn’t have an easygoing nature. So, your question is, does he have grounds for a lawsuit?”
“Yes,” Andi said faintly.
“Not if the photo was taken on public property and won’t be used for commercial purposes,” Aunt Alice said. “In other words, you are free to print it in your paper, but you can’t sell it to people to use in advertisements. Does that help?”
“It helps a lot,” Andi said. “As a matter of fact, a pet store wants to advertise pooper-scoopers. Their ad is scheduled for our next issue. Should we tell them we can’t print it?”
“You can print it,” said Aunt Alice. “Advertisements are how publications make money. Just don’t link the ad to the picture of Mr. Murdock. Especially if you start selling your paper off the Internet, which I imagine is what you’ll do next.”
“We hadn’t thought about that,” Andi said. “But thank you.”
“Anytime, dear,” Aunt Alice said placidly.
By the time Andi hung up the phone, she was feeling much better.
“I can’t believe you actually called Aunt Alice!” Bruce exclaimed when Andi described what hadhappened. “Do you think she’ll blab to Mom and Dad?”
“I’m certain she won’t,” Andi told him. “Our consultation was off the record. She was wonderful, Bruce! It was like she was a whole different person! This must have been what she was like when she was a detective and was working on kidnappings and murders.”
“Have you called Mr. Murdock back yet?” Bruce asked her.
“No,” Andi said. “I just can’t. Will you please call him? If he yells more rude things at me, I’m afraid I’ll cry, and that’s so unprofessional.”
“Okay, I’ll do it,” Bruce agreed
“That was libel!” Mr. Murdock exploded. “That lump on the sidewalk was a stone!”
“Our photographer assured us he saw Barkley do it,” Andi said defensively.
“Your photographer is a liar!” Mr. Murdock bellowed and let loose a stream of swear words that caused Andi to cringe. She had never heard anybody use such language before.
It took tremendous effort to keep her voice steady.
“We’ll consult with our legal advisor and get back to you,” she said.
Then she hung up the phone and burst into tears.
Andi was truly scared. What legal advisor could she consult? It certainly couldn’t be her parents. If they thought their children were in trouble, they wouldn’t leave the country, and now that Andi had adjusted to the idea, she wanted them to go. They were wonderful parents and deserved a special celebration. She didn’t know of many families where the parents had been married for fifteen years to the same people they started out with.
She had even adjusted to the thought of three weeks with Aunt Alice — as long as she could make frequent visits to Bebe and Friday.
Now, as she thought of Aunt Alice, it suddenly occurred to her that she might be a possible resource. As a former private investigator, she must know about the law. Maybe she could serve as a legal advisor.
Andi wiped her eyes and dialed her great-aunt’s phone number. As always, it took her some time to get to the phone.
“Hello,” she said, puffing a little as if she had raced in from the yard. Andi could picture her plopping down in the chair next to the telephone table with her garden shears still clutched in one pudgy hand.
“It’s Andi, Aunt Alice,” Andi told her. “I’ve got a question for you. A professional question, just between the two of us. Would that be all right?”
“Of course, dear,” Aunt Alice said readily. “Off the record it will be.” And then she surprised Andi by saying the last thing she expected to hear. “I imagine Mr. Murdock is threatening to sue
The Bow-Wow News.
Am I correct?”
Andi gasped. “How did you know?”
“I was sure he would when I saw his expression in the picture,” Aunt Alice said. “Also, I’ve met thatman at various social functions, and he doesn’t have an easygoing nature. So, your question is, does he have grounds for a lawsuit?”
“Yes,” Andi said faintly.
“Not if the photo was taken on public property and won’t be used for commercial purposes,” Aunt Alice said. “In other words, you are free to print it in your paper, but you can’t sell it to people to use in advertisements. Does that help?”
“It helps a lot,” Andi said. “As a matter of fact, a pet store wants to advertise pooper-scoopers. Their ad is scheduled for our next issue. Should we tell them we can’t print it?”
“You can print it,” said Aunt Alice. “Advertisements are how publications make money. Just don’t link the ad to the picture of Mr. Murdock. Especially if you start selling your paper off the Internet, which I imagine is what you’ll do next.”
“We hadn’t thought about that,” Andi said. “But thank you.”
“Anytime, dear,” Aunt Alice said placidly.
By the time Andi hung up the phone, she was feeling much better.
“I can’t believe you actually called Aunt Alice!” Bruce exclaimed when Andi described what hadhappened. “Do you think she’ll blab to Mom and Dad?”
“I’m certain she won’t,” Andi told him. “Our consultation was off the record. She was wonderful, Bruce! It was like she was a whole different person! This must have been what she was like when she was a detective and was working on kidnappings and murders.”
“Have you called Mr. Murdock back yet?” Bruce asked her.
“No,” Andi said. “I just can’t. Will you please call him? If he yells more rude things at me, I’m afraid I’ll cry, and that’s so unprofessional.”
“Okay, I’ll do it,” Bruce agreed
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