Max wasn't stupid. Looking at Harris and Martin, and rembering the sleazy gestures that Martin, dressed as that despicable bear, had made, he quickly ca to a conclusion, "You're framing ?"
He said in a stern voice, "This is extortion, kid, and you're in trouble!"
"You hit soone and want to shirk responsibility?" Martin certainly wouldn't admit it, instead, he picked up his cellphone, dialed the digits 911, and asked Harris solemnly, "Do you need to call the police for you?"
There was no longer a trace of gentleness in Max's deanor, "You've ssed with the wrong person, you're as good as dead!"
Martin seed not to have heard, talking to himself, "Drunk driving causing serious injury, I rember there was a case in the community, that poor sap lost all his money, and then was sentenced... how many years was it?"
Max stepped back, leaning against the car.
Martin muttered, "There's a ready-made example today, it won't be long before we'll know."
Harris was very cooperative, exultant, "Drunk driving, oh my goodness, this is fantastic! The chances of making a killing are a hundred percent!" He ad-libbed, "That videotape, you must sell it to ! I'll pay a thousand US dollars!"
Max glared at Martin as if he were looking at a venomous snake.
Martin said, "Mr. Max, you're an excellent husband, a loving father, with a beautiful wife and adorable children. They must think of you as their pillar and hero, I admire you greatly, and we simply cannot let you get involved in a criminal case."
"You son of a bitch!" Max cursed, "You're too shaless to be human!"
Martin wasn't provoked by his anger, "I'm a concerned citizen. If I report and hand over the videotape, I might receive a Marietta Honor Citizen dal."
Max's defenses were breaking down, "Don't talk so highly of yourself, vermin from the slums! I know you're doing this for money, na your price and give the videotape."
People have to take responsibility for what they say, and Martin decided to raise the stakes on the spot, "Five thousand US dollars."
"Kid, have you lost your mind?" Max pointed at him and said, "The fines for reporting to the police, it's just five thousand US dollars!"
Seeing no refusal, but a quibble over the amount, Martin sensed Max was on the verge of defeat and raised the price again, "My new boss has a freelance journalist friend. As soon as I report, the three TV stations following Atlanta's social life will quickly receive a copy."
He pointed at Harris, "I don't know the law, but I wonder, Mr. Max, besides the fine, will you also need to pay bail, and pay for a lawyer? The ATL Legal Aid Association's free attorneys, you'll have to wait for months, oh."
Steam was practically coming out of Max's head.
Martin pressed his advantage, "You could also go to jail, and if the sentence is a bit longer, will your beautiful wife divorce you? Will she take your money and find a new boyfriend? Sounds pretty good, actually, soone to protect your wife, raise your children..."
"Enough! Shut your damn mouth!" Max kicked the wheel of the Cadillac in frustration, "Martin Davis, you're so vile, you're unworthy to be human!"
He took out a pen and a checkbook from the car, "Three thousand US dollars! Only three thousand US dollars! If you ask for a penny more, I'll fight you to the death! And bring that damn tape back."
Martin needed to give Elena ti to duplicate the videotape, took three one-thousand US dollar checks, and said, "I'm a pauper, I've never seen a large check before, you'll have to accompany to the bank for the transfer. Once the transfer is complete, the tape is yours. There's a Bank of Arica branch nearby."
Max said viciously, "Don't play any tricks!"
Martin responded, "Honesty and integrity are my principles in life."
They passed an intersection, and not a kiloter further, there was a bank branch. Harris got up, ignoring his bicycle, and followed Martin on foot.
Max moved the broken bicycle, got in his car, and followed them.
With the large check in hand, Harris even forgot about the pain from his broken arm, he couldn't help saying, "How did I do? If it were shown at a film festival, I'd have an eighty percent chance of winning best actor."
Martin bluntly dismissed him, "Way too exaggerated, it's all surface-level." He took out his cellphone and called Elena, "No problems with the video, right? Good! After it's over, send the original tape over, Bank of Arica."
Upon reaching the Bank of Arica branch, Martin and Harris each opened an account. Halfway through, Martin stepped out briefly and ca back with the cara.
After the check was transferred, in the waiting area of the branch, Max watched the video recorded on the cara's small LCD screen, roughly viewing the footage. He then pulled out the tape and stuffed it into his bag.
The video just so happened to record the mont the bicycle ca into the fra and was hit by the Cadillac.
The angle was clearly chosen deliberately.
Max asked, "Is there a copy burned?"
Martin snatched back the cara and said in surprise, "Can this thing still record?"
Max stared at him, seeing nothing out of the ordinary, and stood up, "Don't let see you guys again."
Martin replied, "Don't worry, I don't want to see you either."
Max left the Bank of Arica branch, got into his car, and slamd his hand on the steering wheel, "Shit!"
Those two bastards, he'd make them pay sooner or later.
The Cadillac started up and turned into a quiet side street, where Max got out, pulled the tape out of the cassette, and, using a lighter, set it on fire until it turned to ash.
From tomorrow on, he would hire a driver temporarily just to avoid a second incident.
Given that bastard's shalessness, he would absolutely do it again.
Martin and Harris each took so change and also applied for credit cards, then headed out and got in the car.
Elena asked, "Don't your legs and arms hurt anymore?"
Martin closed the passenger side door and said, "I've found that it's being broke that makes the legs hurt. With money, damn it, the whole body feels good."
Harris, slouched in the back seat, his excitent worn off, urged, "Hurry and take to the hospital, I'm dying of pain here."
Elena started the car, "You're such an idiot, getting hit by a car can't kill you, this little injury won't be the death of you."
They passed the accident scene, and the bicycle was gone.
The three of them didn't care at all, that junk bike that rattled everywhere except the bell, in their eyes, it had already beco dog shit.
With money now, they could treat Harris's arm without having to go to Bill the vet.
Suddenly, Elena had an idea, "It's not easy to break an arm, should we do it again? There are plenty of drug addicts out there."
Harris protested, "The chances of dying are ninety-nine percent!"
Martin had already thought it through, "Max has a happy family, with children in pairs; he doesn't want to beco a criminal. What if we run into so hot-tempered old guy next ti? What if he blows Harris's pig head off with a shot?"
Elena focused on driving, no longer speaking.
When they arrived at the hospital, Martin accompanied Harris for the dical treatnt, while Elena went to return the car and the Teddy bear.
Martin asked, "Whose car?"
Elena replied, "Monica's, she's a nice person."
Martin whispered, "Rember to fill it up."
Elena looked at him for a while, "Did your idiot brain finally get a clue from the fall?"
When Martin saw Harris coming out of the CT room, he hurried over.
Harris's condition wasn't too bad; he didn't need surgery for tal screws or plates. After the doctor reset the bone and put on a cast, all that was left was to take dication and rest.
Coming out of the hospital, Elena, who had just co back, suggested, "Let's celebrate tonight."
"Celebrate an idiot breaking his arm, I'm in!" Martin was generous, "It's on , let's go buy beer!"
Harris, with his arm in a sling, followed, "I want funnel cake and a Monte Cristo sandwich!"
Elena was very happy, "The poor sod's rarely treating, I want shandy and oxtail rice!"
The three of them went on a big shopping trip at the roadside restaurant and convenience store, planning to go back and party hard.
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