Part 4 (2/2)
”I tried!” she cried. ”I can't get through.” There was a pause, then a desperate ”How am I supposed to do that? He won't take my calls!” When she continued, her voice was lower, though still easily heard. ”There's this first surgery and he's stuck in a body cast for six weeks. And they keep talking about growth plates, which'll mean more operations. I don't have the money for that.” She paused. ”Do you have insurance? It isn't just me.” She added with a sob, ”I didn't ask for that car to hit him, Mama. I was right there in the yard. The car came out of nowhere and swerved onto the sidewalk.”
Hugh was intrigued despite himself.
”I just told you,” she argued. ”He won't take my calls, and I know he's in Was.h.i.+ngton. He was on the news the other night talking about some big Senate vote. He just doesn't want to admit Jay is his.”
Hugh smiled. He knew congressmen. He knew power brokers of other ilks as well. As a group, they were arrogant SOBs.
”I didn't plan on getting pregnant either,” the girl continued, ”but I didn't do it alone. Doesn't he have a responsibility to help?”
Yes, he did, Hugh thought silently. If a man sired a child, he did have a responsibility.
There were a few diminis.h.i.+ng sobs, then, ”Mama? Please don't hang up. Mama?”
Not his business, Hugh told himself. Especially not now.
Tossing the last of his coffee into the bushes, he rose from the bench. Rather than heading back into the hospital, though, he rounded the hedge and entered the garden.
The woman was doubled over on a bench similar to the one he had been sitting on. He could see denim legs, the back of a slim-fitting tee s.h.i.+rt, and an unruly ma.s.s of auburn hair. A pair of stubbed cigarette b.u.t.ts lay in front of her sneakers.
”Excuse me?” he said.
Startled, she lifted her head. Her left eye strayed, but her right held his. Both were red.
Gently, he said, ”I was sitting on the other side of the bushes and overheard your call. I may be able to help.”
She wiped her eyes with fingers that shook. ”By hitting on me?”
He smiled. ”No. I'm married. My wife just had a baby. But I'm a lawyer. It sounds to me like you have a father who is denying paternity of his child.”
”You had no right to listen in on my call.”
”You weren't exactly whispering. That father does have a legal responsibility. I know. I've handled paternity cases.”
She gave him a dismissive once-over. ”You don't look like a lawyer.”
”Like I said, my wife just had a baby. Literally. We've been up all night. I don't look like this when I'm going to court.”
She choked out a humorless laugh. ”If I can't pay my boy's medical bills, how can I pay a lawyer?”
”When I find a worthy case, I don't charge.”
”Oh, yeah.” She stood. She was tall-five nine, he guessed-and that one direct eye leveled him a cynical look. ”Right.” She stuffed her phone in the small pocket at the front of her jeans and turned to retrieve a worn canvas pouch.
Taking his wallet from his own jeans, he pulled out a business card.
She didn't take it.
Undaunted, he said, ”I know Was.h.i.+ngton. I have a large network of contacts there.”
”Not for this. You can't help.”
”He's that high?”
She didn't confirm or deny. Nor did she turn and run.
”How old is your son?” he asked.
She raised her chin. ”Four.”
”Hit by a car?”
”Yes. Two days ago. His spine is messed up. And his leg.”
”Is the father a senator?”
Staring at him, she put the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
”And he won't take your calls?” Hugh persisted. ”I can get through to him.”
”Yeah. Right. If he won't talk to me, why would he talk to a lawyer?” She said the word like lawyers were sc.u.m.
”He'll be frightened of the publicity if he doesn't,” he said. ”Bring a lawyer into the picture, and he'll want things settled quickly and quietly. Trust me. I know these guys. They think they can do anything they want while they're out there on the campaign trail.”
”He wasn't campaigning. He was hunting.”
”Around here?”
”In New Hamps.h.i.+re. He had dinner at the restaurant where I work. I waited on him.”
Hugh could picture it. Neither the mess of her hair, nor her pallor, nor that wandering eye could hide the fact that she was very attractive. ”Is that where he's from-New Hamps.h.i.+re?”
”No. He was someone's guest.”
”Are you from New Hamps.h.i.+re?” If so, the case would be out of his jurisdiction.
”Ma.s.sachusetts,” she said. ”Just over the line.”
It was a go. ”Can you prove you were together?”
”No.”
”Did anyone see you?” When she didn't reply, he added a goading ”And you're sure it happened the way you say?”
”I took the motel room,” she snapped. ”The clerk saw me. But I don't know if he saw the man I was with.” She looked down to rummage in her bag.
”Did you talk with him after that night?”
<script>