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Public Defense

Author: Charles
last update Last Updated: 2025-09-19 21:37:00

The Romance Writers of the Pacific Northwest monthly meeting was typically a casual affair thirty or so authors gathering at a downtown Seattle hotel conference room to discuss craft, industry trends, and upcoming releases. Emma usually attended these meetings with quiet enthusiasm, but today she felt nervous as she and Jake walked into the room together.

Word about Marcus's allegations had spread through the tight-knit romance writing community faster than Emma had anticipated. She could feel the curious glances and whispered conversations as she and Jake found seats toward the front of the room. Some faces were supportive and sympathetic, others appeared skeptical or uncomfortable.

Patricia Mills, who was serving as the evening's moderator, called the meeting to order and immediately addressed the elephant in the room.

"Before we begin our scheduled discussion about authentic character development, I think we need to address some concerns that have been raised about professi
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  • HEAT BETWEEN THE LINES    Confronting The Past

    The FBI field office in Seattle was not a place Emma had ever imagined herself visiting, but three weeks after the revelation about Marcus's criminal operation, she found herself sitting across from Special Agent Sarah Chen (no relation, despite the shared surname) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Rodriguez, preparing to give formal testimony about her experience with Marcus Fleming. "Ms. Chen, we appreciate you taking the time to provide detailed testimony about your interactions with Mr. Fleming," Agent Chen said, her professional demeanor warm but focused. "Your case appears to be the earliest documented incident in what we now understand to be a systematic pattern of intellectual property theft." Emma felt the weight of being considered the first victim in Marcus's criminal operation. "Agent Chen, when Marcus stole my work three years ago, I thought it was an isolated incident. I never imagined he would continue victimizing other writers." Agent Rodriguez consulted his note

  • HEAT BETWEEN THE LINES    The Revelation

    The day after Emma's keynote speech, she and Jake were having breakfast in their Portland hotel when Catherine Walsh called with news that would change everything about their legal case. "Emma, I need to share some developments that came to light after your speech yesterday," Catherine said, her voice carrying an excitement that Emma had never heard before. Emma put the call on speaker so Jake could hear. "Catherine, what kind of developments?" Catherine's tone was that of a lawyer who'd just been handed a game-changing piece of evidence. "Emma, after your keynote speech was livestreamed online, I received calls from three more women with information about Marcus Fleming but these aren't just harassment stories." Emma felt her pulse quicken. "Catherine, what do you mean?" Catherine's voice grew more serious. "Emma, one of the women who contacted me is Lisa Torres, a freelance editor who worked with Marcus on several projects over the past two years. She has evidence that Marcus

  • HEAT BETWEEN THE LINES    Emma's Speech

    The annual Romance Writers Conference in Portland was the largest gathering of romance authors, editors, and industry professionals on the West Coast. When the conference organizers asked Emma to give the keynote speech about "Authenticity in Writing and Life," she initially felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of the platform they were offering her. "Jake, what if I'm not ready for this?" Emma asked as they sat in their hotel room the morning of her speech, looking out at the Columbia River while Emma reviewed her notes one final time. Jake moved to sit beside Emma on the hotel bed, close enough to offer support while giving her space to process her nerves. "Emma, what are you most afraid of?" Emma set down her speech notes and considered Jake's question honestly. "I'm afraid that speaking so publicly about my experience with Marcus will overshadow the message I want to share about authentic writing and healthy professional partnerships." Jake reached for Emma's hand, grounding her

  • HEAT BETWEEN THE LINES    Industry Support

    Word of Marcus's legal threats against Emma and Jake spread through the romance writing community faster than either of them had anticipated. What surprised Emma most wasn't that people had heard about the situation, but the overwhelming support that began pouring in from authors, editors, and industry professionals she'd never even met. The first call came from bestselling author Victoria Sterling, whose name Emma recognized from numerous award lists and bestseller charts. "Emma, I hope you don't mind me calling directly. Patricia Mills gave me your number because I wanted to personally offer my support in your situation with Marcus Fleming." Emma felt honored and slightly overwhelmed that such a successful author was reaching out. "Victoria, thank you so much for calling. I have to admit, I'm surprised that news about our situation has spread so widely." Victoria's laugh was warm but determined. "Emma, news travels fast in this industry, especially when it involves someone tryi

  • HEAT BETWEEN THE LINES    Legal Advice

    Emma and Jake sat in the downtown Seattle office of Catherine Walsh, the attorney David had recommended who specialized in defamation and harassment cases. The conference room overlooked Elliott Bay, but neither Emma nor Jake was paying attention to the view as they laid out the timeline of Marcus's escalating harassment campaign. "Let me make sure I understand the chronology," Catherine said, reviewing the documents they'd brought. "Marcus Fleming initially contacted Emma requesting collaboration. When she refused, he escalated to phone harassment, then workplace confrontation, then a systematic campaign to contact industry professionals with false allegations about your professional relationship." Emma nodded, feeling both vindicated and anxious as Catherine summarized the pattern. "That's correct. And now he's threatening to sue us for defamation because we told the truth about his behavior at a professional meeting." Catherine looked up from her notes with the sharp focus of a

  • HEAT BETWEEN THE LINES    The Lawsuit

    Emma was revising the final chapters of her second novel when her phone rang with a number she didn't recognize. The voice on the other end was crisp, professional, and completely unexpected. "Ms. Chen, this is Richard Blackwood from Blackwood & Associates. I represent Marcus Fleming in a potential defamation matter involving statements you and your associates made at a recent industry event." Emma felt her stomach drop as she realized Marcus was escalating beyond harassment into legal threats. "Mr. Blackwood, what statements are you referring to?" The lawyer's tone was measured and intimidating. "Ms. Chen, my client alleges that you and Jake Morrison made false and defamatory statements about his character and professional conduct at a Romance Writers meeting. Specifically, you accused him of harassment, theft of intellectual property, and unethical business practices." Emma felt a surge of anger at Marcus's audacity. "Mr. Blackwood, every statement Jake and I made about Marcus

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