Part 4 (1/2)
Leah fairly bounced in, like a kid on Christmas morning. Sandford followed, trying-but not very hard-to conceal a self-satisfied smirk.
”Do you have the papers?” I asked, injecting a quaver into my voice.
”Of course.” Sandford slid them across the table to me.
For a few minutes, I stared down at the pages that would relinquish my custody rights to Savannah. I inhaled deeply.
”I know this is tough,” Leah said, her voice stuffed with gloating sarcasm. ”But it's for the best, Paige. It really is.”
Another couple minutes of staring at the pages, replete with tortured sighs. Then I said, ”I can't do this.”
”Yes, you can,” Sandford said.
”No, really, I can't.” I shoved the papers back to him, with a grin to mirror his. ”I'm not giving her up.”
”What?” Leah said.
”Oh, it was a clever plan, I'll give you that. Threaten me with exposure and make sure the Elders hear about it. If I don't cave, they'll force me. Well, you underestimated the Coven. With their support, I'm fighting this pet.i.tion.”
The look on their faces was a memory to cherish forever.
”And what does Margaret Levine say about this?” Leah asked.
”You want to know?” I asked. I lifted the phone. ”Call her. I'm sure you have the number. Call all the Elders. Ask them if they support me.”
”This is bulls.h.i.+t.” Leah aimed a glare at Sandford, as if it was his fault.
”No,” I said. ”It's not bulls.h.i.+t. I a.s.sure you, I understand that this is a serious legal matter and, as such, I'm treating it very seriously. To that end, I've hired legal representation.”
I walked to the door and waved in Cary, who'd been waiting in the hall.
”I believe you've met Mr. Cary,” I said.
Their jaws dropped. Okay, they didn't actually drop, like in the cartoons, but you get the idea.
”But he's a-” Leah began before stopping herself.
”A d.a.m.n fine lawyer,” I said. ”And I'm so glad he's agreed to represent me.”
”Thank you, Paige.” Cary's smile held a bit more personal warmth than I liked, but I was too happy to care. ”Now, let's get straight to the heart of the matter. About the DNA test. May I a.s.sume your client is willing to submit to one immediately?”
Sandford blanched. ”Our-my client is a. . . a very busy man. His business interests make it quite impossible to leave Los Angeles at the moment.”
”Otherwise he'd be here now,” I said. ”Hmmm, doesn't that seem odd? He's so interested in gaining custody of his daughter, but can't find a few days to fly out and meet her.”
”He could provide the sample in California,” Cary said. ”Our firm may be small, but we have contacts in San Francisco. I'm sure they'd be happy to oversee the testing.”
”My client does not wish to submit to DNA testing.”
”No DNA, no case,” Cary said.
Sandford glared at me.
”Checkmate,” I said. And grinned.
When Sandford and Leah left, Cary turned to me and smiled.
”That went well, don't you think?”
I grinned. ”Better than well. It was perfect. Thank you so much.”
”With any luck, it's all over. I can't imagine them pursuing the case without DNA.” He checked his watch. ”Do you have time for coffee? We can discuss the final details before my next appointment.”
”Details? But if it's over. . . ?”
”We hope it is, but we need to cover every contingency, Paige. I'll let Lacey know we're leaving.”
Chapter 6.
Shot Down Cary and I walked to Melinda's bakery on State Street. Even by my jaded big-city standards, Melinda's was a first-rate bakery. The coffee alone almost made living in EastFalls bearable. And the scones? If I ever persuaded the Elders to let us move, I'd be making weekly runs to EastFalls for Melinda's raisin scones.
I would have preferred a window table, but Cary selected one near the back. Admittedly, even the main street of EastFalls has little to offer in the way of people-watching and, since we were discussing confidential legal matters, I understood why Cary picked a more private seating arrangement.
When we sat down, he pointed at my scone. ”I'm glad to see you're not one of those girls who's always on a diet. I like women who aren't afraid to look like women.”
”Uh-huh.”
”The girls these days, dieting until they're so thin you can't tell if they're a boy or a girl. You're different. You always look so-” His gaze dropped to my chest. ”-put together. It's so nice to see a young woman who still wears skirts and dresses.”
”So you think they'll drop the case?”
Cary added three creamers to his coffee and stirred it before answering.
”Reasonably certain,” he said. ”There are a few more things I need to do.”
”Like what?”
”Paperwork. Even in the simplest case, there's always paperwork.” He sipped his coffee. ”Now, I suppose you want to hear how much this is going to cost you.”
I smiled. ”Well, I can't say I want to hear it, but I should. Do you have an estimate?”
He pulled out his legal pad, ripped off the top sheet and started tallying figures on a clean page. As the list grew, my eyes widened. When he wrote a total at the bottom, I choked on a mouthful of coffee.
”Is that-Please tell me there's a decimal missing,” I said.