Read Online Eyes of a Child by Richard North Patterson - Free Book Online

Ter. At some other time, when your thing with Chris has calmed down a little, I’m sure we can work this out in Elena’s best interests. Just give me a three-month trial period, that’s all.’
    Keene removed his glasses, placed one stem beside his mouth. ‘I missed something,’ he said to Richie. ‘This “thing with Chris” . . .’
    â€˜It’s hard for me to face – traumatic, actually.’ Richie took a deep breath, gazing at the floor. ‘Terri’s having an affair with her boss. Christopher Paget. Since it started, it seems I can’t do anything right. He’s good-looking and rich – everything Terri wishes I was. I simply can’t compete.’
    Keene watched him. ‘That’s a little out of my realm,’ he said gently.
    Richie glanced up quickly. ‘Look, I know I need to seprate my feelings about that from my positive feelings about Terri as a mom.’ His voice grew stronger. ‘The only thing is, I can’t help but think it’s affecting her judgment about Elena. The last thing that little girl needs is to be suddenly forced to rely on a distracted mother with a demanding job and a new boyfriend who isn’t the dad that Elena’s grown up loving.’
    â€˜ That ,’ Terri answered, ‘is not true. Chris and I are friends, and I may be seeing him. But I wasn’t during our marriage –’
    â€˜We are married,’ Richie broke in. ‘Two weeks ago, we were living together. We’ve never even seen a marriage counselor. So don’t tell me that Christopher Paget has nothing to do with the hell we’re putting Elena through.’
    â€˜All that Chris has to do with Elena,’ Terri shot back, ‘is that he’s given me shorter hours so that I can raise her. Which is far more help than you’ve ever given me.’
    Richie flushed. In the silence, Keene looked glumly at them both. ‘Our time is up,’ he said finally. ‘Unfortunately, absent some change, I’m going to have to make a recommendation to the court that someone won’t like. Maybe both of you.’
    That was it. A quick handshake, a neutral word of encouragement, and she and Richie were in the hall.
    Terri felt suddenly empty; Elena’s future, she thought in wonderment, might just have been decided.
    Richie clutched her arm. ‘You said a lot of crap in there, Terri. Nothing but lies. But it won’t get you a thing. Because you’ve got no idea of how to reach people.’ His voice grew quiet with contempt. ‘Which is why you’re going to lose her. Big time.’
    She turned to face him. ‘You said I was attacking your whole life. There’s just one thing I forgot to mention.’ She moved close, staring up into his face. ‘You’re a shitty lover, Richie. I mean really, really bad.’
    He reddened and then mananged a faint, superior smile. ‘And there’s something I forgot to mention – something I picked up from a lawyer I’ve been consulting.’ He almost whispered now. ‘Alec Keene’s wife just left him. For a lawyer. See you in court, Ter.’

Chapter 7
    For security reasons – chiefly the potential for disappointed fathers to run amok with guns – the family court was housed in the Municipal Court building, a bleak and dingy building whose cramped entryway housed a guard and a metal detector. As an urban criminal lawyer, Terri was inured to such surroundings; passing through the metal detector with her lawyer – a pert, red-haired divorce specialist named Janet Flaherty, whom Terri had found through Chris – Terri the mother had felt a rising dread.
    A cheery voice spoke out behind her. ‘“Abandon all hope,”’ it quoted, ‘“ye who enter here.”’
    Turning, Terri saw Richie’s too bright smile. Part of him, she realized with amazement, enjoyed the attention he