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Authors: Barbara Venkataraman
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having."
Chapter 23
My euphoria lasted all day and I wanted to share the news with someone. I thought about calling Aunt Peg, but then decided not to. She's so pragmatic, I was afraid she'd start asking tough questions like, how did I know my dad wanted to hear from me? Not everyone would welcome the news of a grown daughter from a past life. And, did I really want to learn the details of his tragic life? And what if he needed help that I couldn't give him? Wouldn't I feel worse than I did before? So, I didn't call her. I called Duke instead.
"Hey Duke, how's it going? "
" Couldn't be better, Darlin'. The world is spinning, the sun is shining and I have a hot date tonight. How about you? We ready to roll with my new favorite client?"
"Yes, we are. I'll e-mail you a summary and the contact info for Becca. I also have some news."
" Hope its good news. I wouldn't want you to kill my buzz."
"Be serious, Duke, nothing could kill your buzz!" I laughed.
"You got me there." He chuckled.
"So, here's my big news, I'm close to finding my dad! He's living in Nicaragua and Grace is working on getting his ad dress for me. Isn't that great?"
"That's terrific, Jamie. I'm very ha ppy for you," Duke said, dully.
"Then why don't you sound happy?" I asked, puzzled by his reaction.
" I guess you figured Grace could help you more than I could. No problem."
Poor Duke! I'd hurt his pride. I can be so dense, sometimes. How was I going to fix this?
" But it was your lead that made it happen, Duke. Grace took a chance and called a friend at the Cuban Consulate who was able to track down my dad--but only because you did the groundwork. That's why I'm calling you first.
"You really called me first? " I could hear his smile through the phone.
"Of course! I couldn't have found him without you. You're the best!"
" Yeah, I am, aren't I? Keep me posted on that. I want to be the first one to shake the old man's hand."
"You just want t o hit him up for Cuban cigars."
"What's wrong with that?" He laughed. " Congrats, Jamie, I mean it. Now, how about a little background on Becca Solomon?"
I filled him in on everything , including the upcoming appointment with the State Attorney, but I asked him to hold off talking to Becca until after the funeral on Saturday, and he agreed.
After our call, I e-mailed Duke the signed retainer from Becca, as well as other information he needed. It didn't take long, since I'd already given him a summary over the phone. When I was through, I pulled out the file for one of my other cases because, believe it or not, I had more than one client, and there was a hearing scheduled for the next day that I needed to prepare for. It was a relief to focus on something mundane and forget about Becca Solomon for a while.
Chapter 24
Wednesday passed uneventfully. My hearing went smoothly, my client was granted the relief he was seeking and I felt good about being a family lawyer. Hey , it happens. And then Thursday arrived and it was time to meet with Becca. I was relieved to see she was dressed appropriately in a charcoal gray suit and that she seemed to be sharp and with it. I couldn't have handled it if she turned zombie on me again.
"How are you feeling, Becca?" I asked, once we were seated at my small conference table.
"I'm okay. I want to get this over with." She was bouncing her leg under the table. Her nervous energy had to escape somehow.
" Me too." I smiled, reassuringly. "You need to prepare yourself for this, mentally, because it's going to be tough, I won't lie to you. The state attorney will ask you lots of questions--about Joe, your relationship, your sleeping pill prescription, anything he can think of. And he's going to try to rattle you into an emotional outburst."
She looked panicky. "What do I do?"
"That's the easy part. After you provide
Chapter 23
My euphoria lasted all day and I wanted to share the news with someone. I thought about calling Aunt Peg, but then decided not to. She's so pragmatic, I was afraid she'd start asking tough questions like, how did I know my dad wanted to hear from me? Not everyone would welcome the news of a grown daughter from a past life. And, did I really want to learn the details of his tragic life? And what if he needed help that I couldn't give him? Wouldn't I feel worse than I did before? So, I didn't call her. I called Duke instead.
"Hey Duke, how's it going? "
" Couldn't be better, Darlin'. The world is spinning, the sun is shining and I have a hot date tonight. How about you? We ready to roll with my new favorite client?"
"Yes, we are. I'll e-mail you a summary and the contact info for Becca. I also have some news."
" Hope its good news. I wouldn't want you to kill my buzz."
"Be serious, Duke, nothing could kill your buzz!" I laughed.
"You got me there." He chuckled.
"So, here's my big news, I'm close to finding my dad! He's living in Nicaragua and Grace is working on getting his ad dress for me. Isn't that great?"
"That's terrific, Jamie. I'm very ha ppy for you," Duke said, dully.
"Then why don't you sound happy?" I asked, puzzled by his reaction.
" I guess you figured Grace could help you more than I could. No problem."
Poor Duke! I'd hurt his pride. I can be so dense, sometimes. How was I going to fix this?
" But it was your lead that made it happen, Duke. Grace took a chance and called a friend at the Cuban Consulate who was able to track down my dad--but only because you did the groundwork. That's why I'm calling you first.
"You really called me first? " I could hear his smile through the phone.
"Of course! I couldn't have found him without you. You're the best!"
" Yeah, I am, aren't I? Keep me posted on that. I want to be the first one to shake the old man's hand."
"You just want t o hit him up for Cuban cigars."
"What's wrong with that?" He laughed. " Congrats, Jamie, I mean it. Now, how about a little background on Becca Solomon?"
I filled him in on everything , including the upcoming appointment with the State Attorney, but I asked him to hold off talking to Becca until after the funeral on Saturday, and he agreed.
After our call, I e-mailed Duke the signed retainer from Becca, as well as other information he needed. It didn't take long, since I'd already given him a summary over the phone. When I was through, I pulled out the file for one of my other cases because, believe it or not, I had more than one client, and there was a hearing scheduled for the next day that I needed to prepare for. It was a relief to focus on something mundane and forget about Becca Solomon for a while.
Chapter 24
Wednesday passed uneventfully. My hearing went smoothly, my client was granted the relief he was seeking and I felt good about being a family lawyer. Hey , it happens. And then Thursday arrived and it was time to meet with Becca. I was relieved to see she was dressed appropriately in a charcoal gray suit and that she seemed to be sharp and with it. I couldn't have handled it if she turned zombie on me again.
"How are you feeling, Becca?" I asked, once we were seated at my small conference table.
"I'm okay. I want to get this over with." She was bouncing her leg under the table. Her nervous energy had to escape somehow.
" Me too." I smiled, reassuringly. "You need to prepare yourself for this, mentally, because it's going to be tough, I won't lie to you. The state attorney will ask you lots of questions--about Joe, your relationship, your sleeping pill prescription, anything he can think of. And he's going to try to rattle you into an emotional outburst."
She looked panicky. "What do I do?"
"That's the easy part. After you provide
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