Page 33 of Big Bad Wolfe

Dallas dropped a kiss on top of his wife’s head. “I do believe pregnancy has made her extra rowdy.”

Zane arched a deliberate brow. “I didn’t think that was humanly possible.” He again took the chair beside Jillian as Dallas swung one over from against the wall to sit beside him.

“Okay, Mia,” Zane asked. “What’s our plan of attack?”

His pulse stumbled when his friend and attorney’s suddenly somber gaze leveled on him. During the fourteen months since they’d closed the Montoya case, he’d become familiar with that resolute expression. It never boded well.

Mia’s gaze moved to the hopeful woman sitting next to Zane. “I’m very sorry, Jillian, I have to be perfectly honest with you. I’m afraid your case isn’t looking positive.”

Beside him, Jillian stiffened.

“I’ve read all the documentation.” Mia rested folded hands on top of the file. “Casey’s aunt and uncle have a very strong argument.”

Jillian gulped. “But Zane’s hisfather.With his help, I stand a decent chance of keeping Casey, right?”

“The court looks at the best interests of the child.” Mia frowned. “From the judge’s point of view, Richard is also Casey’s blood relative. He’s a well-respected surgeon, pillar of the community, and has a lot of influence … and powerful friends in high places. He earns more than adequate income to raise Casey and provide for his education, and has excellent health insurance through the hospital. He and his wife have been married ten years and she doesn’t work outside the home. They’ve had contact with the child since birth, and have already been granted regular visitation. They appear to provide an ideal, stable family environment.”

“Casey’s not my son by blood, but heismy son,” Jillian insisted. “I’ve been there since his birth, too. I loved him the moment I saw him.”

Mia’s direct gaze didn’t waver. “Yes, but when the judge compares Richard and Brooke with you, he’ll see a young woman whose modest salary as assistant director at a childcare center is dependent on grants, donations, and the taxpayers passing a school levy every two or three years. You have no spouse, and are not biologically related to the child.” She paused. “Furthermore, the Stuarts are claiming your involvement in the gang diversion program endangers you, and by default, Casey as well. They want to enroll him in an exclusive private school, where the ‘safety and quality of his education won’t be compromised by attending classes mixed in with disadvantaged children.’”

“That’sbullshit,”Zane gritted.

“That’s typical legal maneuvering. Knowing the attorney they’ve hired, it’s going to get really ugly. We’ll fight them with all we’ve got.” Mia set her jaw. “But I’m sorry, Jillian, I have serious doubts we can win.”

All the color drained from Jillian’s face. “I can’t—” She cleared the wobble from her voice. “I can’t lose him. Especially not to Richard and Brooke. They’d be horrible parents!”

Zane had read Jillian’s meticulously documented instances of the Stuart’s stinging verbal attacks on the child … with increasing horror … before he’d faxed them to Mia. He hadn’t met the couple yet, but already despised them. He scowled. “Deb named Jillian as the kid’s guardian in her will, and I’m his biological parent. I’ll testify that Jillian should retain custody. I’ll sign over all my rights and transfer full, permanent custody over to her.”

“Wills are not binding where guardianships are concerned. The court will take Deb’s wishes into account, but again, they’ll make the final decision based on the child’s best interests. While relatives, especially biological parents, usually take precedence, the fact that Zane has never been involved in his son’s life weighs heavily against him.”

“But Deb didn’t even tell Zane about him!” Jillian cried.

“And the judge could bring questions about Zane’s character into play as to why she didn’t.”

Dallas leaned forward. “Knowing Wolfe since college, I can vouch for his character. So will his supervisory agent. If they won’t give Jillian custody, let’s go after it for Zane.”

“The judge will consider Zane’s mitigating circumstances and references. However …” As Mia picked up a pen and tapped the table, uneasiness wormed in Zane’s gut. If the indomitable woman in front of them couldn’t win the case, nobody could.

“Zane is a virtual stranger to Casey,” she continued. “He works long hours and travels frequently. As a single father, he’d have to arrange for secure, dependable childcare. His job is demanding, and worse, life-threatening. If anything happened to Zane, Casey would be back to square one, with his life even more disrupted than before.”

Zane leaned forward. “All right, I’ll take custody, and hire Jillian to care for Casey. His guardian would be his full-time caretaker. Problem solved.”

Mia’s pen beat a rapid tattoo. “We can try. But the judge will view that as a suitable, but temporary solution. What if Jillian gets tired of her position and decides to move on, or marries and has children of her own? The child welfare authorities will look at the long-term consequences of these disruptions to Casey’s life versus the constancy the Stuarts can provide.”

Jillian started to speak and Mia held up her hand. “I know, you have no intention of leaving him. However, again, legally, the best of intentions aren’t enough.”

Jillian blinked rapidly. “You saw the documentation I provided showing that Richard and Brooke are verbally abusive to Casey. Especially Richard. I’ve tried to stop him, both through personal and legal channels, but I can’t get anywhere.”

“I realize verbal abuse is as horrible and damaging as physical abuse.” Dark emotion shadowed Mia’s features as she flashed Zane an empathetic look. Dallas didn’t keep anything from his wife, and Zane knew she’d heard the whole ugly story. He was okay with it, because he also knew she’d zealously protect his privacy. “Believe me, my heart goes out to all three of you. But you have no witnesses, and it’s a case of your word against Richard and Brooke’s.”

Zane gripped the arms of his chair so tightly his knuckles stung. “Dallas and I will collect irrefutable evidence.”

“Damned straight,” Dallas said. “Count me in.”

Mia’s teeth worried her lower lip. “Unfortunately, verbal abuse is nearly impossible to define, or prove, within the court system. It’s even tougher to convince a judge to forego custody on those grounds. Unless they’re physically harming Casey, that won’t be a convincing argument.”

Zane’s throat constricted, as torn and shredded inside as if he’d swallowed razor blades. Continual, relentless criticism sliced open wounds that took far longer to heal than physical blows.

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