Part 24 (2/2)
”Great, Dan. And you?”
”I was fine until I got a certain call.” He remained collegial. ”What's going on here?”
”That depends on who called.”
There was a snort. ”You know my client list. What's the most high-profile case you ever hope to try?”
”Well, there is one that's come down the pike, but I have no desire to try it. We're hoping for a settlement that is quiet and quick. If this is the case you're referring to, then you and I need to meet. Cell phones aren't safe.”
”Cell phones aren't safe?” Collegiality dissolved. ”Try false accusations. Do you know how many of these calls he gets?”
”Where there's smoke...”
”Be real, Hugh. Do you know who you're dealing with?”
”I do.”
”Then you know what he stands for. An accusation like the one you made in your letter won't go over well.”
”That's not my concern. My concern is my client.”
”So's mine, and my client doesn't like being threatened.”
”Neither do I,” Hugh said. ”Look, Dan. The situation here is urgent. Either you and I meet tomorrow, or I file papers in court. My client has nothing to lose. Does yours?” They both knew he did. ”There's a quiet solution to this. It starts with a meeting in my office. Tomorrow morning. Name a time.”
”I'm not free until next week.”
”Then your client called the wrong lawyer. Anything beyond Friday, and we file.”
”Come on, Hugh. It's never really urgent with these women.”
It was the old get-in-line ploy, which infuriated Hugh. ”It is this time. We're talking about a child's health crisis. If you can't help me out, a judge will.”
”Health crisis? Tell me more.”
”Not here. In my office. If not tomorrow morning, then Friday.” He could give an inch, but only that. ”Name a time.”
”I would have to do it early morning-say, seven. I hear you have a new baby. That could be hard for you.”
”Seven a.m. Friday. I'll be at the door to let you in.”
Dana slept a good part of the way home. She felt better as they got out of the car, and when Hugh suggested he watch the baby while she drove over to talk with Ellie Jo, she took him up on the offer. Confronting her grandmother-asking again about the Joseph family tree-would be easier without distractions.
She was taking Lizzie in to feed her before leaving when David came across the yard. He wore a ragged tee s.h.i.+rt and shorts, both liberally spattered with paint.
”We're making Ali's room green,” he explained. ”She's inside, covered with paint, but she made me come out as soon as she saw the car. She ran out of yarn making the second scarf. The poor doll is so wrapped up you can barely see her face, but Ali wants the scarf even longer. She was sure you'd have more. I'm trying to please her so she'll please me. She says she's not going back to New York.”
”Mm. She told me that, too,” said Dana.
”Did she explain why?” David asked. ”She loves Susan. I don't know what the problem is.”
”Have you asked?”
”Ali? Sure. She says she just wants to live with me, and then she looks outside and says it's the ocean, then she looks at your house and says she likes your baby, then she looks at me and says she feels bad that I'm living alone and we'd have so much fun if she lived here all the time.” He ran a hand over his bald head. It was the only part of him that wasn't covered with green. ”Susan says Ali was fine when she left New York. The fiance seems nice enough. Susan says he's good with Ali. She thinks it's just the idea of change.”
”Sharing her mom?” Hugh asked.
”And moving. His place is only a couple of blocks away, but he got her into an exclusive new school. It's pretty chi-chi.”
”Chi-chi rich?”
”Chi-chi white.”
Dana had a thought. ”She keeps that doll-the one she calls Cocoa-hidden. Now you're saying she is wrapping her up so you can't see her face. Think she's sending a message?”
David's eyes were worried. ”Like she doesn't want to be the only African American at the school?” He put a hand on the top of his head. ”Makes sense, doesn't it? Okay. I'll ask Susan.” He turned and strode off.
Dana had barely parked in The St.i.tchery's lot when Tara ran out, wanting to know about Albany. Dana filled her in on the basics, but had no desire to elaborate. She was still on emotional overload where Father Jack was concerned.
Tara didn't press. She had two other more immediate matters to discuss.
The first she pulled from her pocket and pa.s.sed to Dana. It was a check with the names of Oliver and Corinne James at the top, written two weeks earlier in Corinne's elegant script. The amount was forty-eight dollars and change, payment for one knitting book and the single skein of cashmere Corinne was using to knit her beret.
”I was helping Ellie Jo with the bookkeeping and found this in an envelope from the bank,” Tara explained.
”Bounced?” Dana asked in surprise. Corinne was wealthy.
”One of us will have to ask her about it. Coward that I am, I'm leaving that to you. I know how much you love Corinne,” she drawled.
”Was she in today?”
”Yeah, but she didn't stay long.”
”She never does lately. Something's up with her.”
Tara took Dana's hand. ”More to the point, something's up with Ellie Jo. She doesn't seem right. I've been content to blame it on her foot, but Saundra noticed it, too. Have you?”
”She seemed distracted?” asked Dana.
”That, too, but I was more concerned by her lack of balance. She was barely over here today. Maybe she's noticing something herself and doesn't want people to see. Or else she really is feeling ill. Saundra's at the house with her now.”
Heart pounding, Dana pa.s.sed back Corinne's check. ”I'm there.” She half-ran along the stone path, up the back stairs, across the porch, and into the kitchen. The two women were at the table having tea. They seemed perfectly at ease until Ellie Jo asked, ”What happened in Albany?”
Dana hesitated. After coming here specifically to report to Ellie Jo, she didn't want to talk about it at all.
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