Who Framed Tony Ferrari?
an excerpt

I knew the trouble had begun at least a year before, well before the Judge’s Thursday morning ruling in favor of the Valley Yellow Pages on their motion to involuntarily liquidate my law practice.
But that Saturday morning, after my friend Bob called and told me I’d better look in the paper and read the headline for May 2nd in the business section of the Modesto Bee, my instincts told me that the trouble had really arrived now. And, it also told me that no good could come from this story -- no good for me or for anyone around me.
The headline read:

“LAWYER DISAPPEARS - CLIENT FUNDS MISSING”

The name of the lawyer in the story was Tony Ferrari. And, unfortunately, I am Tony Ferrari!
But there was one very glaring problem with the story. Today, Tony Ferrari was right there in my office, sitting at my desk, just like every other day. And as near as I could tell, I hadn’t disappeared and the clients' money was safe and sound in the trust account.
So, who could be behind this? A disgruntled client or former employee? One of the companies or insurance carriers I'd held responsible for damages and taken to the mat? I couldn't think of anyone. I enjoyed good standing in the professional community and seemed to be respected on or off the bench, when I filled in for the local judges on vacation.
The only angry entities I knew of were creditors who hadn't gotten paid yet due to slow cash flow inherent in plaintiff's litigation - you know, either chicken or feathers as Grandma Ferrari would say. But that didn't make any sense, because they'd just take me to court, like the Valley Yellow Pages did.
I just wasn't sure who would do as extreme and unconsciounable a thing as this.
But one thing I was sure of. A false newspaper article on the front page of the business section rang a loud, loud alarm bell in these parts, especially if a lawyer was involved.
And, once this bell had been rung, it wouldn't easily be unrung. But I didn't even know the half of what lay ahead that day . . .