“No problem, Mr. Skkye.”
Aaron
“What’s up, boss?” Heidi asked.
“Tell me you have something, anything, I just need direction.”
“I do. You are meeting with an attorney named Jameson Lane at the offices of Tuttle and Lane at six o’clock, and you are paying double the normal hourly rate for the late time.”
“Of course I am.”
“I’ll text you directions,” Heidi stated.
I took a long, slow breath, trying to assure myself that this would all work out. “Thanks, Heidi, remind me to give you a bonus.”
“Oh, I will, don’t worry.” She disconnected, and I continued on my way to find Karen.
Opening the door to the conference room, I found her bent over stacks of papers and a file folder opened with Ireland’s name written along the top.
“So, how did everything go with Ireland?” Karen asked as she shuffled papers together.
“Great, we had a little heart-to-heart; she’s really worried about what is going to happen to her.”
Karen reached forward and patted my hand. “Don’t take it as her being self-centered, this is normal. Children need boundaries, and they need to know that they belong. All of that has just been ripped from her and she doesn’t know what is going to happen. She’s establishing where she belongs.”
“Oh, I could never think that beautiful girl was self-centered. She is curious and worried, that’s all.”
“Anything else?”
“My assistant set up a meeting for me with an attorney for this evening at six. I’m going to leave since it’s already after five and then go back to my hotel. What time do visiting hours begin tomorrow?”
“Nine. I’ll be here. I’ve sent papers to the judge who has been assigned to this case. I’m hoping that he will look at it even though it’s the weekend and not wait until Monday. I hate the thought of Ireland going into foster care when you’re here.”
“No, let me watch her,” I demanded.
“It doesn’t work like that, just know I’m trying, okay?”
I nodded, but I wasn’t happy about it.
As I made my way back out to the parking lot, I contemplated going to find the judge myself since he was probably just on some golf course. After a second, I dismissed it. Pissing off the person who had total control over where my daughter went was a terrible idea.
I’d let my attorney do it.
I got into my car and followed the GPS directions to the attorney’s office.
It was a brick building that looked just like the buildings to its left and right. It had a dark brown roof and dark wood fascia. The whole thing looked like something from That 70s Show. I parked along the curb.
Getting out of my car, I heard a gasp from a guy walking to his car but ignored him as I walked up the small flight of steps and opened the door, which was also dark brown—shocking.
A brunette, a man-eating brunette in a dress that was almost too sexy for work, waved for me to join her as she stood from a table in a glass-walled conference room. As I neared, she immediately began speaking. “Mr. Skkye, I’m Jameson Lane. Have a seat.”
She pointed to a chair opposite her. “I’m so glad you could make it; this will give me the weekend to do some research and get my ducks in a row. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble.”
“None at all. Let’s get started, we have a lot to go over.”
“First, I need you to sign these.” She slid a attorney-client privilege information act form in front of me along with a contract. “Your assistant has already received a copy of both as well.”
I snagged my phone and sent a text to Heidi. I trusted no one when it came to contracts.
Me: The legal contract for this attorney?
Heidi: Dan read over it, standard protocol nothing hidden. Sign.
I put my phone away relieved that Heidi had gotten Dan, the team’s contract attorney, to review it for me on such short notice. I signed both and then handed them back over, waiting for what was next.
“First thing I’m going to do is contact Judge Lacy’s chambers and see what paperwork he may have had on file. Being who he was, I’m sure he had a final will and testament, and his assistant probably knows where that is. I’ll also get in contact with Judge Martin Cree, he’ll be the one to oversee this case; we need to get an immediate ruling for temporary guardianship under extenuating circumstances.”
“What do I need to do?” I asked, totally blown away by this woman’s plan of action.
“Right now, nothing.”
“How long do you think it will take for the judge to rule on temporary guardianship?”
“It’s Friday so he’ll be going to Petroleum Club with his wife.” Petroleum Club was a members only restaurant, and you could only get a membership if you were willing to pay thousands of dollars for it. When I was a teenager, the assholes in school would talk about eating there, as if they had dined in New York. “But tomorrow, he will be on the green, so I’ll catch him around the eighteenth hole.”
“That’s it?” I asked.
“That’s it. Just wait for my call, telling you that you can take the child—”
“Ireland.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Jameson was perplexed.
“You said child; her name is Ireland.”
“Oh, yes. I’ll let you know when you can take custodial guardianship of Ireland. But be ready, I’m sure we will have to meet the judge on Monday or Tuesday.”
“No problem.” I rose and extended a hand. We shook, and I let out a sigh of relief. This was all going to be okay. I had just gotten into my car when my phone rang.
Assuming it was Heidi, I answered. “Yes?”
“What the fuck happened? Where are you? I went by your house and your
