Read Online The Fight for Kidsboro by Marshal Younger - Free Book Online

We’ll make it a double issue,” Jill said sarcastically.
    â€œThis is not The New York Times . We’re kids.”
    â€œIt’s lame, Marcy.”
    â€œIt’s not. But even if it was, so what? At least it fills up space.”
    â€œLet me explain something to you.” Jill squared her shoulders as if she was about to teach her pupil something. “There are only two ways that this newspaper makes money—people subscribe to it, and people advertise in it. Okay, right now I have 11 subscribers and one advertiser—Max and his scary insurance ads. Now if any of those people decide that your canary story is too lame for them to keep spending money on this newspaper, I’m doomed. Do you understand?”
    Marcy’s shoulders fell. “Fine. I’m leaving. Maybe somebody’ll murder me on the way home and you can have your great story.” Marcy left.
    Jill turned away from me and crumpled up the piece of paper in her hand. “Maybe we should rethink this Everybody Works thing. I didn’t know it would cause this,” she said.
    â€œYou don’t think she’ll work out eventually?” I asked.
    â€œShe’s a really good friend … but she doesn’t have a clue about the newspaper business.”
    â€œThen why’d you hire her?”
    â€œI had to. She was desperate. She didn’t want to lose her house, so she came to me. I couldn’t turn her down. She’s my friend.” She sighed, but then her eyes brightened. “I want to have another city council vote on the Everybody Works law.”
    â€œWe can’t back out on it yet. Just give it a little time. It’ll work.” Little did I know that the problems between Marcy and Jill were only the tip of the iceberg.

    â€œEverybody Works Doesn’t Work,” part two, occurred the next day when I ran into Pete and Nelson. Nelson was walking quickly, trying to get away from him, but Pete kept up the pace, jumping in front of Nelson to force him to make eye contact.
    â€œBut … how do you feel about the break-in?” Pete asked.
    â€œI don’t feel anything,” Nelson said impatiently. “It just happened. They already caught the guy. It’s over.”
    â€œBut don’t you feel emotional distress or anything?”
    â€œNo. Now go away.” Nelson insisted. I was terribly confused by this conversation.
    â€œWhat about future stress? Do you think you’ll have to go into therapy because you’ll never feel safe in your own home again?”
    â€œListen, I’m working on a spanking machine, and I won’t hesitate to make you my first guinea pig.”
    â€œWhat’s going on?” I asked.
    â€œHe’s trying to get me to sue somebody. But there’s nobody to sue,” Nelson explained.
    Pete was unmoved by my presence. “Okay, let’s forget the break-in. What about your life? Has anybody discriminated against you recently? Maybe someone defamed your character?”
    â€œI’m in middle school. Everyone defames my character.”
    Pete’s eyes lit up. “Okay, okay. Now we’re getting somewhere.”
    â€œForget it, Pete.”
    I stepped in. “Look … there’s no place for this. We can’t have lawsuits against each other.”
    â€œCan I sue the government?” Pete asked.
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWell, what else am I supposed to do? I’ve never made any money by being a lawyer. Now with this wonderful new law you’ve passed, I have to find a way to make some money or I lose my house.”
    â€œThere are better ways than this.”
    â€œI’m a lawyer, Ryan. I love the law.” I could tell he got that line from a TV show, as well as the next one. “If I do anything else, it’s like cheating on my girlfriend.”
    I rolled my eyes. Pete remained undaunted and looked at Nelson. “Now are you gonna listen to me or