Chapter 5 - The Cease and Desist

The law firm of Harrison, Croft & Vance occupied the top floor of the tallest glass tower downtown.

Richard Harrison, a towering man in his sixties with silver hair and eyes like polished slate, read through the printed Facebook post and the accompanying online comments with a expression of calm, practiced disdain.

"Defamation per se," Harrison announced, setting the paper down on his glass desk. "Accusing an individual of marital infidelity and questioning the legitimacy of a minor child in a public forum, combined with clear financial malice following a business dispute... this is a textbook civil libel suit, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling."

"I don't just want them to take it down, Richard," Thomas said, sitting forward, his hands clenched into tight fists. "I want them completely legally incapacitated. I want emergency restraining orders, a full public retraction, and an immediate freeze on any social media assets used to slander my daughter."

Harrison picked up a golden fountain pen, tapping it gently against his desk pad. "We can file an emergency ex parte injunction for defamation involving a minor within three hours. However, civil suits take time. If we want to hit them immediately where it hurts, we hit their enablers."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Who owns the house your sister-in-law lives in?" Harrison asked Thomas.

"My mother owns the title, but the land is encumbered by a secondary commercial loan issued by my company three years ago," Thomas explained. "They defaulted on the interest payments six months ago, but I never enforced the default clause."

Harrison smiled—a cold, predatory smile. "Enforce it today. Issue an immediate Notice of Default and Intention to Foreclose on the guest house. Simultaneously, we serve Melanie and Sharon with formal Litigation Hold notices and Cease & Desist orders delivered personally by court process servers."

"Delivered where?" Thomas asked.

"Where will it cause the maximum public embarrassment?" Harrison countered smoothly.

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Thomas looked at me, a dark, decisive look in his eyes. "Sharon is hosting the annual Saint Luke’s Auxiliary Luncheon at the Country Club at one o'clock today."

Harrison clicked his pen shut. "Process servers will be there at 1:15."