“Frank, what are you doing?” Chief Dolan asked.
“I’m saving the city money,” Frank responded. “This whole thing is a waste of time and critically needed funds. Nothing is going to happen; I can guarantee it.”
“You can guarantee it?” Chief Dolan replied.
“I can guarantee it,” Frank reaffirmed. “Look, everyone in the city is going to be long dead and buried before anything happens to Dolphin Beach. Everything you and Willa are doing is a waste of time. The city can’t afford to be doing this, and look at what it’s doing to our tourists. Not only are you spending money we don’t have, you’re costing every business in town customers by disrupting our tourism and businesses with this farce of a tsunami scare. It’s irresponsible, Dolan. It’s criminally irresponsible.”
Willa stood on the sidelines and fumed. By agreement with Chief Dolan, she was letting Dolan handle any confrontation with Frank.
“You can’t block the street, Frank. Clear out now or I’ll have to arrest you,” Chief Dolan said in a loud voice, “and everyone else who blocks the street,” he said, shouting at the crowd holding signs. “Clear the street, NOW.”
Willa grew more anxious as Frank stood directly in front of Chief Dolan and stared directly into his eyes.
“Okay, Frank, have it your own way,” Chief Dolan replied as he took out his handcuffs and arrested Frank. Willa glanced at the two young deputies as they arrived. She wrung her hands together as another person took Frank’s place in the center of the street. When he was arrested, another man stepped up. As he was arrested and placed in handcuffs, no one else took his place in the street. Willa breathed a deep sigh of relief. The crowd parted and the people of Dolphin Beach continued their trek, with the crowd shouting, “Hell no. We won’t go. Hell no. We won’t go.” She watched nervously as the people of Dolphin Beach and some of the tourists followed the blue arrows up the hill and to the picnic the City of Dolphin Beach had provided.
Willa could feel the heat in her face. She shook slightly and stared at the street in front of where she was standing. “This was a disaster,” she said quietly.
“Actually, it wasn’t,” Jason said.
She hadn’t realized Jason had been there. “How can this not be a disaster?” she asked.
“I’ve been counting people,” Jason replied. “Even with the confrontation, you’ve got two out of three people following the evacuation route. This is a success.”
“Well, it doesn’t feel like a success,” Willa replied. “It still feels like a disaster.”
“Come on,” Jason replied. “Let’s go to the picnic.” He took her by the hand and headed up the hill.
At the picnic, Willa’s daughter and granddaughter quickly cornered her. Chelsea was wearing a flowered dress and Dakota wore her faded black jeans and black top decorated with silver beads and shiny threads in a swirling design.
“Gramma, is Dolphin Beach really in danger?” Dakota asked. She looked very worried.
“Tell her everything is fine, mom,” Chelsea interjected. “She doesn’t need to be obsessing over this, too.”
“I’m not obsessing.”
“Yes, you are,” Chelsea replied. “Tell her there’s nothing to this earthquake thing, mom.”
“If there was nothing to it, why would the city hold a practice run?” Dakota asked, defiantly placing her fists on her hips.
“It’s just something cities do, that’s all. Mom, tell her there’s nothing to worry about.”
“All my friends say Dolphin Beach is going to die,” Dakota replied in an accusatory tone.
“Nobody is going to die,” Chelsea insisted. “Tell her, mom.”
“I can’t take this,” Dakota said, placing her hands on the sides of her head. “Nobody is listening to me. I can’t take this anymore. Everybody’s going to die. I can’t stand it.” She turned and stalked off.
“Now see what you’ve gone and done?” Chelsea said to Willa with anger in her voice as she turned and followed Dakota.
“Family?” Jason asked.
“What gave it away?” Willa replied. She looked over at Jason. “A lot of people are scared by this. Dakota isn’t the only one.”
“I know,” Jason said. “I am, too.”
After the picnic had concluded, Willa entered the police station. She looked at Frank and his two minions sitting in the one and only jail cell.
“You can let them go,” she said to Chief Dolan.
“Nope,” Chief Dolan said, sitting at his desk with a broad smile on his face.
“What do you mean ‘no’,” Willa asked.
“Disturbing the peace, blocking public access; these are criminal offenses.”
“But don’t you have discretion in things like this?” she asked.
“Sure,” Chief Dolan replied. “My discretion is whether to arrest someone or not. Once I arrest them, it’s up to the magistrate.”
“Chief, this can’t be that serious. This is a very minor thing,” Willa said.
“Well,” Chief Dolan replied, “you’re partially right, it is a minor thing, but it’s also serious. These people are charged with a misdemeanor, which means it is punishable by one year in jail or less. Felonies are punishable by more than one year in jail. That’s the law.”
“I can’t believe these people are going to spend time in jail for this,” Willa replied.
Chief Dolan stood and escorted Willa to the door, opened it, and motioned for her to exit. She reluctantly complied. Chief Dolan then stepped outside with her.
“Look,” he said quietly, “Frank was partially right. This is costing the city money, or at least it was.”
“What do you mean ‘was’?” Willa asked.
Chief Dolan smiled. “Frank and his two followers will spend the night in jail. They deserve that for interfering with a proper city function. Tomorrow they will go before the Magistrate where they will be given a choice: a fine, or thirty days in jail. Frank may not like it, but he and his two friends are paying for Dolphin Beach’s picnic.”
At nine o’clock on Monday morning, Willa ventured over to the court room in the other half of the City Offices. Handcuffed, Frank and his two followers were ushered into the court room by Chief Dolan. Frank’s face was red from the anger he was experiencing.
“You can’t do this,” Frank shouted. “This is un-American.”
“Mr. Gillis,” the Magistrate calmly replied. “Let me remind you that you are in a court of law and proper decorum is required. Chief, you can remove the cuffs. What are the charges?”
“Disturbing the peace and interfering with a proper function of the city.” The Chief removed the cuffs. Frank rubbed his wrists, glaring at the Magistrate.
“Mr. Gillis, how do you plead?”
“Not guilty.” Frank shouted.
“Mr. Gillis, a last warning about maintaining decorum in the court.”
The Magistrate looked at the next person in line. “And how do you plead?”
The man lowered his head and looked at the floor. “Guilty, your honor,” he replied quietly.
“Guilty?” the magistrate asked. You’re going to have to speak up.
“Yes, guilty,” the man replied.
“Two hundred dollar fine,” the magistrate said. “Pay at the City Clerk’s office. You are dismissed.” The magistrate looked at the remaining man who watched his friend leave.
“Guilty,” the man replied. “Two hundred dollars?” the man asked. The Magistrate nodded. The man turned and left. Willa had to smile. Chief Dolan understood people better than she did. This was working.
The magistrate looked back at Frank. “Trial will commence on the matter of City of Dolphin Beach versus Frank Gillis. Mr. Gillis, you have the right to have counsel present and advise you of your rights. Do you understand those rights?”