Due Diligence: Saved By the Bell - From Volume 11 Issue 5 of CI Times

In our last edition of CI Times, Due was shocked with Crystal’s behavior. How could Crystal resort back to methamphetamines after they have both been clean for so long? Due watches as Crystal begins to smoke the drug, and he thinks to himself, maybe a little won’t hurt? All of a sudden the phone rings and Due’s coworker at Clean Cut Clippings, Patty Larceny is on the phone with some good news. Patty Larceny has been working hard to keep Due’s lawn care business going while Due has been preoccupied with pending criminal charges. Patty explains to Due that she was able to get the contract with the park extended for another year. Due was relieved to discover that he had completed enough community service hours to keep the contract at the park for another year despite being let go from Clean Slate Disaster Relief. After receiving the good news, Due decides that he needs to keep his distance from Crystal, who was currently getting high on meth. Due decides to get a hotel for the night to keep away from the drugs and the temptation. Due does not want to ruin this second opportunity to keep his lawn care business running successfully.

The next step for Due was to get the pending criminal charges dropping involving Ray Robinson’s truck. Hot Rod had posted Due’s $20,000 bail and Hot Rod wanted to make sure that he was able to get his money back. Hot Rod decides to have a long talk with his father Ray Robinson about the whole situation involving his truck. After the two of them have a long heart to heart, Hot Rod is able to convince his father that the whole incident was just a misunderstanding and that Due had done nothing illegal. Hot Rod apologizes for loaning his truck to Due without his father’s permission and vows to never do that again. Now that Hot Rod and Ray Robinson are supporting Due’s innocence, the next step was to get the criminal charges cleared up with the court.

After Hot Rod’s conversation with his father, he gives Due a call to give him the good news. Due is delighted by this news and calls his attorney to seek some advice. Due’s attorney says that they will issue a subpoena to have Ray Robinson testify at the court case. Due’s court case has been scheduled for Monday, September 29, 2014. As long as Ray Robinson is able to convince the judge that this was all just a misunderstanding, Due should be clear of all pending charges against him. A couple days later Ray Robinson is served with the subpoena to appear and testify at Due’s court case. Due is both nervous and excited, and is getting very impatient waiting for the court date to arrive.

Finally, the day of the court case has arrived. Due is wearing his best suit and is hoping to walk out of the courthouse a free man. Hot Rod and his father are sitting in the back of the courtroom also hoping to have this all over as soon as possible. Ray Robinson is called to the stand and Due’s lawyer begins to question him. Ray Robinson states that Due was driving his truck without his knowledge but also stresses that his son, Hot Rod had given Due permission to borrow the truck. Ray Robinson did not think it was fair for Due to pay the consequences for his son’s lack of communication.

After hearing all that Ray Robinson had to say, the judge could now see that this was all just a misunderstanding. The judge then decides to dismiss all charges against Due.

Due is now a free man but what will he do with this freedom? Will he be able to save his lawn care business or will he face more contract issues with the park? Will Due be able to get back on track with his community service hours or has the damage already been done?

SEE THE FULL CI TIMES ISSUE FROM SEPTEMBER 2014 HERE!