that she’d go back today if Austin smiled and crooked his finger.”
“Well, we can hope that won’t happen,” Louie said, rising with a painful grunt. He’d hurt his back a few weeks ago while preparing his vegetable garden. Of course, he’d refused any help from Gina and Elizabeth even though he would share its bounty. Next season, he would use a motorized tiller if she had to purchase it herself. “And even if he does manage to get primary custody, he’ll soon be bored and more than willing to hand Jesse back to Gina.”
Elizabeth smiled thinly. “Yes, but until he gets bored, there will be nothing and no one to protect his victims.”
They were seated in the courtroom a few minutes before ten the next day. Judge Hetherington arrived precisely on time, seated himself with an air of importance, then peered over his reading glasses to locate Gina and Austin. With a curt nod of his head, he addressed them both.
“This was a very difficult case. When the facts are as murky and uncertain as I’ve found them to be herein, I can only adjudicate with what’s given to me in testimony or in deposition. Ms. D’Angelo, I believe you love your daughter and genuinely seek what’s best for her. I also believe—” he turned his gaze on Austin “—that you, Mr. Leggett, have demonstrated a fatherly concern for Jesse, although your time and attention as a parent differs from your…ah, ex-partner’s parenting behavior, as well it should.” He studied notes in front of him silently for a few moments. “The difficulty in deciding this case lies in the accusations made by each of you about the other. In essence, the court has only the word of each of you that you are being truthful. I believe Ms. Walker is sincere in defending your character, Ms. D’Angelo. But she was not present when you and Mr. Leggett were alone behind closed doors. Therefore, her testimony must be considered hearsay. I find the same to be true of the deposition of one…ah—” he turned over several pages of a yellow pad “—Louis Christian.” Looking up, he gazed sternly at Ryan. “It would have been helpful to have a character witness for your client, Mr. Paxton. I have read the deposition of one…Marilyn Leggett Bingham, but—”
“That would be my mother, Your Honor,” Austin said, “Jesse’s grandmother.” He had begun to rise from his chair, but was halted when Ryan jerked hard on his coattail.
The judge’s gaze became a glare. “You had your chance to respond when court was in session yesterday, Mr. Leggett.”
“Sorry,” Austin mumbled, subsiding.
The judge reviewed his notes again. “Mrs. Bingham’s deposition was very favorable, as one might expect from a mother, but I am forced to point out that she is not in residence nearby and hasn’t seen the child in more than a year. Her testimony was not helpful in that context. I repeat, I find myself in a difficult situation.”
Listening, Elizabeth held her breath. In front of her, Gina sat fidgeting and looking scared. And no wonder, Elizabeth thought. Judge Hetherington clearly wasn’t convinced that they’d told the truth about Austin. Was the man going to get away scot-free?
“I’m favorably impressed by Ms. D’Angelo’s modest financial demands,” the judge continued, “as well as her intention to set aside some of it for the child’s education later. I’m granting that amount. I’m also increasing it by two thousand dollars each month to apply to rent and day-care since Ms. D’Angelo has stated she needs to seek employment and it’s unreasonable to assume that she can enjoy her friend’s hospitality indefinitely. If she does indeed find suitable employment, I’ll take another look at her financial situation.”
Gina made a soft, incoherent sound, but was sternly quashed by one look from the judge. Focusing again on his yellow pad, he studied his notes in silence, then continued. “I’m also favorably impressed by Mr. Leggett’s generosity in providing for Ms. D’Angelo and the child for the entire duration of their relationship. Without hospital records or police statements to back up the allegations of abuse, I’m powerless by law to consider that an issue here today. Consequently…” He paused, finished with his notes, and began tidying up. When the pad and all documents were neatly stacked in front of him, he reached for his gavel. “I’m granting joint and equal custody of the minor child, Jesse Elizabeth Leggett, to you both, Gina D’Angelo and Austin Leggett, and directing that you work out an amicable arrangement for sharing the responsibilities of parenting her. There’s no such thing as equal custody, of course, but you both live in the same town and that is an advantage. Since Jesse attends kindergarten, I’m directing that she live with her mother during the week and that you have visitation rights as often as you wish, Mr. Leggett. I leave it to you both to work out weekend visitation, but I’m again directing that it be each and every weekend if you so desire, Mr. Leggett. Also, you are to take turns with holidays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, whatever. If you are unable to come to an agreement, then the court will appoint someone to do it for you.” Stern-faced, he leaned forward and pointed the gavel at them. “I strongly urge you both to work this out between yourselves. I’ll expect a document from your attorneys within thirty days as to the terms and conditions. I don’t need to point out the difficulties in dividing a child’s life into two equal parts, but if you care about Jesse as much as you’ve testified to me, then I’m confident you’ll both do the right thing. Now, this hearing is adjourned.”
Crack! His gavel banged and it was over.
Five
“Can we talk, Ms. Walker?”
Ryan Paxton spoke from behind Elizabeth as she stood in line at Starbucks waiting for the cappuccino she’d ordered. She turned, startled, and found herself looking into his eyes. They were a clear, almost silver, gray. He’d un-buttoned his shirt and pulled the knot of his tie loose. But it had done nothing to detract from the classy elegance of his suit, as expensive as yesterday’s. Would anything? Dangling from one hand was his briefcase. The other was anchored by a thumb in a pocket. She wasn’t fooled by his casual air. There had been nothing casual about the way he’d gone after her and Gina on the stand yesterday. And this close, he seemed taller and more intimidating than he’d been in the courtroom.
She resisted an urge to ease back and held her ground. “I don’t know what we could possibly have to say to each other, Mr. Paxton.”
“You heard the warning Judge Hetherington gave Austin and Gina. I thought you and I might help ward off the Third World War.”
“The way I heard it, the judge assigned that task to you and Maude Kennedy.” Elizabeth glanced toward the attendant who was brewing the cappuccino. With a hiss of the machine, he completed the creation and handed it over. She took it and began walking away. Ryan followed.
“I’d still like a minute to talk about it.” With a light touch on her arm, he steered her toward an empty table. Wishing she hadn’t indulged her craving for coffee, Elizabeth allowed him to pull out a chair for her. After the session in the courtroom, she’d left Gina and Maude to begin hammering out some kind of workable agreement with Austin and Ryan, telling Gina to meet her at the coffee bar in an hour. It surprised her that Ryan had left his client unprotected with Maude Kennedy. She hoped Maude was taking advantage of his lapse in judgment.
When she was seated, he took the chair opposite. “You must be feeling pretty good about the judge’s ruling,” he said.
“What makes you say that?”
“It’s obvious, isn’t it? Gina gets the kid, the money…two thousand bucks more than she asked for. Plus, you’re off the hook. She can get an apartment and you get your privacy back.”
“Do you practice being obnoxious, Mr. Paxton? Or were you simply born that way?”
“You mean you wouldn’t mind if Gina stayed with you indefinitely?”
“I mean exactly that. Gina and Jesse are family. I love them both. They’re welcome in my home as long as they want to be there.”
He slapped his briefcase into the empty chair at the table and dropped his head back, looking at the ceiling for a moment before straightening