Trial Junkies (A Thriller) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Hutch, a sullen look on his face. "I've got a bone to pick with you, Hutchinson."
    Here we go. "Oh? Why's that?"
    "I sent you a script about a year back, and you never said a word. If it sucks, it sucks, but you could at least give me the courtesy of picking up the phone and telling me."
    Matt said, "Give it a rest, Shakespeare. This little soirée isn't about you."
    "No, no," Hutch said, "that's okay." He looked at Andy. "Thing is, this is news to me. Where did you send it?"
    "To your agent, with a nice little note telling her I'm a friend of yours."
    Hutch frowned. "Do you realize how many emails my agent gets every week from so-called friends of mine? I have a two-minute conversation with a car wash attendant and we're suddenly long lost buddies."
    "So?"
    "So I never got it. And knowing my agent, it went straight into her trash folder."
    "What the hell kind of agent is that?"
    "The kind who's trying to protect him," Ronnie said, "from morons like you."
    Andy shot her a look and Hutch asked, "So do you still want me to read this thing?"
    Andy's eyes brightened. "Hell, yeah."
    Hutch hadn't known the guy was a closet writer, and was skeptical that the script would be any good. Ninety percent of the screenplays that managed to get past his agent were complete dreck. But it wouldn't kill him to take a look. "I'm thinking I might stick around for a couple days, so if you can get it to me before I leave..."
    "Are you serious?"
    "Absolutely."
    Andy stood up. "Hell, I'll go get it right now."
    "Oh, for chrissakes," Matt said, "give the guy a break. You can email it to him later."
    "I'm like six blocks from here. I'll pop it on a thumb drive and be back before you finish your first drink."
     There was a sudden desperate eagerness to Andy's demeanor that made it impossible to discourage him. Hutch had seen it a million times before—people on the outside looking for a way in. And despite his agent's love of the trash folder, he figured everyone deserved a shot. Even Andy.
    "Have at it," he said. "I'm here for the duration."
    Andy clapped a hand on his shoulder, a transformed man. "Thanks, Hutch. You're a pal." Then he was threading his way through the crowd and out the door.
    "He seems pretty chipper for a guy who just came from a funeral," Ronnie said.
    Matt shrugged. "Everyone has their own way of coping."
    "Or he's just an egocentric jackass."
    "There's that, too," Matt said, then turned to Hutch. "You do realize you just made my life a living hell."
    "Why's that?"
    "Because no matter how this turns out, I'm never gonna hear the end of it."
     

 
     
     
    — 7 —
     
    A NDY WAS LESS than a minute gone when a chorus of voices called out to them.
    Three familiar faces emerged from the crowd—Monica Clawson and Tom Brandt, with Nadine Overman pulling up the rear.
    Hutch rose from his chair and the next few seconds were filled by hugs and kisses and shaking hands. He felt a sudden warmth envelope him, his trepidation about coming here melting away with each new embrace. They all seemed genuinely glad to see him, and he felt the same.
    Back in college there had been others who had fallen in and out of their little tribe—boyfriends, girlfriends, hangers-on—but the core members were here tonight, and it reminded Hutch how much he missed those days. He didn't want to be one of those maudlin jerks who dwelled too much on the past, but tonight was different. Tonight he could allow himself to wallow a little without feeling foolish.
    When they were finally done greeting one another, chairs scraped back and everyone sat down.
    "Where was McKenna rushing off to?" Tom asked.
    "Chasing a dream," Matt murmured. "He's got a script he wants Hutch to read."
    "That's intriguing," Monica said. "Any idea what it's about?"
    "Not a clue. Today was the first I've heard about it."
    Ronnie said, "It's a thriller of some kind. Something to do with a woman trying to fight off a stalker."
    They all turned, Matt asking the obvious question. "And you