Duel With the Devil, Chapter 20 of The Greatest Liar

“That sounds too good to be true.”

“It is, because you have the right, but not the duty, to go public about your testimony. ”

“No problem, I’m not telling anybody. I might sell a few more copies of The Greatest Liar and spend the rest of my brief life hiding from the former Liar in Chief’s homicidal supporters

“The problem is that you have the duty under the NDAs to notify his lawyers if you testify.”

“That’s like a death warrant. Can we fight the subpoena?”

“Sure, but your odds aren’t good. And you’ll call attention to yourself.”

“Can I just go home to Lugano and ignore it?”

“If you abscond to Switzerland, they’ll serve the subpoena under the Hague Convention, and the DA could ask for extradition. Those proceedings would disclose your name and the “oh so racy” facts. And you’ll probably lose because in the 2010’s the Swiss extradited a bunch of bankers to New York for aiding tax evasion”

“Can we negotiate?”

“Let’s try. The Nevada NDA prohibits you from testifying without exhausting all legal remedies to avoid testifying, and the Swiss NDA requires you to give notice. I’ll ask the New York DA to request a Court order prohibiting you from fighting the DA under the Nevada NDA and from giving notice under the Swiss NDA, to prevent witness tampering or intimidation.”

Too Perfect
My high school classmate and one time lover Thad Jones was waiting for me at the Bar Milano with an open but untouched bottle of Dom Perignon. He nodded to the bar man, who brought two frosted glasses and expertly poured. Thad clinked my glass and started a toast.

“Sorry Thad, me first. ‘To you, my savior on Prom Night and at the Stoner Park Reunion.’”

“To you, for opening my eyes to the splendors of your gender, which I would never have discovered if not for you.”

“I probably wouldn’t be here if not for you.”

“And I’m glad I was there, because here you are, more beautiful than ever.”

Dom’s tart but soft flavors and delicate bubbles teased my lips, tongue and throat, priming them for more flavorful finishes.