The Abduction by John Grisham Page B

It was obvious from her reaction that her weight had presented many complicated issues over the years. It was something she had battled, and lost badly. Being heavy was an extremely sensitive topic for Judy, one she wrestled with every day.
    “You’re fat,” Pete reminded her, for the third time.
    Judge Yeck, who was desperately fighting the natural reaction to burst out laughing, jumped in and said, “Okay. Is it safe to assume that your other witnesses are willing to say pretty much the same thing?” The women nodded. Several seemed to be cowering, almost hiding, as if they had lost some of their enthusiasm. At that moment, it would take enormous courage to say harmful things about Pete. What would he blurt out about them, and their bodies?
    “Anything else?” Judge Yeck asked.
    Kate Spangler said, “Judge, you’ve got to do something. This bird is costing us our business. We’ve already lost money. This simply isn’t fair.”
    “What do you want me to do?”
    “I don’t care what you do. Can you put him to sleep or something?”
    “You want me to kill him?”
    “Halt! Halt!” Pete screamed.
    “Maybe you could clip his wings,” Judy Cross chimed in.
    “Halt! Halt!” Pete continued, then he resorted to Creole and unleashed a furious string of harsh words at the two women. When he finished, Judge Yeck glanced at Anton and asked, “What did he say?”
    Anton’s grandparents were chuckling and covering their mouths.
    “Really bad stuff,” Anton replied. “He doesn’t like those two women.”
    “Got that.” The judge raised his hands again and asked for calm. Pete got the message. “Mr. Boone.”
    Theo said, “Well, Judge, I think it might be helpful if my friend Anton gave you some background on Pete.”
    “Please do so.”
    Anton cleared his throat, and began nervously. “Yes, sir. Pete is fifty years old. He was given to my father when he was a little boy in Haiti, a gift from his father, so Pete has been in the family for a long time. When my grandparents came to this country a few years ago, Pete came, too. African gray parrots are some of the smartest animals in the world. As you can see, he knows a lot of words. He understands what others are saying. He can even imitate the voices of humans.”
    Pete was watching Anton as he spoke, the voice so familiar. He began saying, “Andy, Andy, Andy.”
    “I’m here, Pete,” Anton said.
    “Andy, Andy.”
    A pause, then Anton continued, “Parrots like to have a fixed routine each day, and they require at least an hour out of their cages. Every day at four o’clock, Pete gets out, and we thought he was just hanging around the backyard. I guess not. The stables are about a mile away, and he must have found the place. We’re very sorry about this, but please don’t hurt Pete.”
    “Thank you,” Judge Yeck said. “Now, Mr. Blaze, what am I supposed to do?”
    “Your Honor, it’s obvious that the owners cannot control this bird, and it’s their duty to do so. One compromise might be that the court orders the owners to have its wings clipped. I’ve checked with two veterinarians and one wildlife specialist, and they’ve told me that such a procedure is not unusual, nor is it painful or expensive.”
    At full volume, Pete yelled, “You’re stupid.”
    There was laughter as Blaze’s face turned red. Judge Yeck said, “Okay that’s enough. Get him out of here. Pete, sorry old boy, but you must leave the room.” The bailiff snatched the birdcage and took him away. As the door closed, Pete was cursing mightily in Creole.
    When the room was quiet again, Judge Yeck said, “Mr. Boone, what’s your suggestion?”
    With no hesitation, Theo said, “Probation, Your Honor. Give us one more chance. My friends here will find a way to control Pete and keep him away from the stables. I don’t think they realize what he’s been doing, or the problems he’s created. They are very sorry for all this.”
    “And if he does it again?”
    “Then a