Heartbroken, their father had her cremated. The crazy old fool kept her ashes in an urn at the house. If that didn’t prove that he was insane, what did? Why couldn’t the man just die? After all, he was terminal, but this kid thing seemed as though it had given him a new lease on life. It was jeopardizing everything: his inheritance, his reputation and his peace of mind. This was a problem that had to be solved, a situation that had to be corrected. Perhaps what he was thinking about doing was divine revelation.
Finishing his drink in one gulp, Royce’s excitement grew. He slid down on his bunk and folded his hands behind his head. The old man planned on whisking the kid out of the country to their place in Greece. That’s where he wanted to die, then his ashes and Madeline’s were to be scattered in the ocean together. That was no surprise. After all, she had been his favorite. There had never been a place for him in his father’s life. Now, along comes this kid. Maybe the old man and the kid could die together—in an accident perhaps.
Royce laughed aloud. What a great thought! He didn’t know if it was possible, but something had to be done. If the old coot got to know this kid, he just might change his will. Forget that! He wasn’t sharing his inheritance with anybody. It was perfectly clear what had to be done. The idea that was formulating was just too delicious, and he wanted it to germinate until it blossomed into a full-fledged plan.
* * *
“Hell, no!” Carla leaped from her seat, angry and shocked by the news delivered by her friends. Sharon’s voice quivered as she spoke.
“They can’t take a child from its parents like that can they?”
Nedra’s tone was solemn. “The test says that he’s the biological parent, and he was never notified about the pregnancy. He never gave up his rights. According to what we’ve been told so far, he has a legal right to challenge the adoption.”
“But I thought that nobody knew who the father was,” Sharon countered. “His name wasn’t on the birth certificate.”
“The mother knew.” Sin’s words were laced with resentment.
“No, remember, Sash said that it’s assumed that she knew,” Nedra corrected.
Both she and Sin had understood the implication of that one word, and how important it could be in maintaining custody.
“I don’t understand this. How can the court even think about taking a child from its happy home? Let me see that letter.” Carla practically snatched it from Sin’s hand as he handed it to her.
Sharon rubbed her brow, fighting a rising headache. As a social worker, she could recall countless cases of children who were taken out of happy foster home placements and returned to unfit biological parents. To some judges, blood was the only thing that mattered.
The room was quiet as Carla’s eyes scanned the document typed on expensive linen paper. “This law firm is near San Jose.”
“Yes, Sash has heard of it,” Nedra informed them. “She says it’s a very prestigious firm.”
“I wonder if Jacob knows any of the lawyers who work there,” Carla mumbled as if talking to herself. “I’m going to call him right now.” She took her cell phone out of her purse.
“Let me see.” Sharon took the letter from Carla. Reading the signature, her eyes then slid up to the name of the law firm on the letterhead. It sounded familiar. “Winston might know something about this lawyer. I’ll ask him this evening.” She handed the letter back to Nedra who tossed it on the table in front of her.
“Jacob, call me. It’s urgent!” Carla said before disconnecting her cell phone. “His phone is off, but we’re going to get to the bottom of this. Just who does this Royce Jamison think he is?”
“The son of one of the richest real estate investors in California.” Sin’s retort was clipped. It gave only a hint of the nagging fear that had settled in his stomach from the moment that he opened the letter. “Brandon told us a little something about his father. The son is a mystery. He said that he’d check him out.”
“Good!” Carla flopped down on the sofa next to Sharon. “I hope Brandon digs up so much dirt on this Royce person that it buries him. I’m sure that he has secrets. Almost everybody does. Some people have those that can destroy them.” She crossed her arms with an air of certainty. “And I bet he’s no exception.”
Sin met his wife’s eyes. Carla was right. Nearly everyone did have a secret in his or her life, one that could destroy them and sometimes the ones they loved. He knew that very well.
* * *
“How are we going to tell them?” Sin asked as the evening shadows silhouetted his handsome face. He and Nedra sat on the balcony outside their bedroom, watching the sun set in the distant horizon. The exquisite ball of fire gradually disappearing behind the tranquil sea was magnificent. Sailboats skimmed the ocean’s surface, racing the impending nightfall to shore, while waves lapped against the sandy beach in a dance as ancient as time. It all seemed so perfect, just like his life with Nedra, but a shadow had appeared, and he wasn’t quite sure how to handle it.
“We’re going to tell them the truth,” Nedra answered his tortured inquiry. She lay on the outdoor lounger, nestled between Sin’s hard thighs, her back supported by his chest. Their fingers were entwined as their joined hands rested beneath her breast. Here on the spacious patio beyond their bedroom was their thinking place, their haven. It was here that they could observe nature, enjoy the serenity it brought them and discuss their day.
After Sharon and Carla left, he and Nedra had pulled themselves together and joined their children. Gillian was peeved at not having been included on their visit to the Plaine household and Trevor was upset because the day was nearly over and the family had engaged in no activities; as for Colin, he seemed to be lost in his own world. They had placated everyone by taking them to the Monterey Boardwalk where they watched the antics of the playful sea lions and ended the evening with a seafood dinner at one of the family’s favorite restaurants.
Everyone had come home tired but happy. Gillian had been asleep before they reached the driveway. Trevor had been tucked in a short while ago, and Colin had retreated to his room earlier not to be seen or heard from again. She and Sin were happy for the reprieve. Keeping up the façade of nonchalance had been difficult.
After the household had settled down, Nedra had called her mother, Marva Davis. She shared the day’s news with her. Preparing for a trip to Hawaii, where she and some of her friends would be staying at Pineapple Hill, the exclusive estate owned by Brandon Plaine, she offered solace to her daughter and son-in-law. She informed them that she would be coming through to visit them on her way to Hawaii. Her support was reassuring.
“Mama told us to keep the faith,” she recalled. “And that’s the best advice we could ever get.”
Sin shifted in the seat. That was good for Marva to say. It wasn’t her child that could be taken away. Nedra read his mood.
“I know that it’s not easy, baby, but I’ve been thinking. It seems to me as though this is one of those times in life that we’re being tested. Up until now, you’ve got to admit that we’ve lived a charmed life. The biggest challenge we’ve had to face is finding time for each other.” She paused to let him think about what she was saying. “We’ve been truly blessed—no money problems, three healthy children and I don’t think that we could love each other any more than we do.” She raised their jointed fingers to her lips and kissed them. “We’re in this together, baby, and we’ll do whatever we have to do to get through this.”
Sin was strengthened by her words. “You’re right. We’ll tell them Sunday.” Nedra thought of Sunday as her special day. If there were a perfect time, that would be it.
* * *
Sharon was almost dizzy with excitement. Winston had revealed to her that the law firm that was handling the custody suit against Nedra and Sin was his firm—the one with which he had recently merged. Everything would be fine now. Her friends wouldn’t losetheir child. She was so happy that she was babbling.
“I can’t believe this! It’s so p
erfect. You can get that man to drop this ridiculous lawsuit, and things can get back to normal. I’m telling you, Sin and Nedra are going out of their minds, and so are Carla and me.” She hugged him and kissed him for the umpteenth time since he informed her of the news. It wasn’t until she realized that Winston wasn’t responding that she drew away from him. She searched his face.
“What’s wrong?”
Winston held her gently at arm’s length. “Honey, I can’t interfere with that case.”
Sharon’s perfectly arched brows furrowed. “Why not? Can’t you talk to this Jamison person? He is your client.”
“No, he’s not.”
“But you said that your law firm is representing him.” Taking a step back, Sharon looked even more perplexed. Winston flashed her an indulgent smile.
“Sweetie, listen to me. By merging our law firms, my clients became their clients and vice versa. That’s what I mean by our client. Apparently, this case was theirs before the merger. I’m vaguely familiar with the attorney representing this Jamison guy because I’ve met him in passing. I’m quite familiar with Samuel Jamison. He’s a powerful man in this area and a very wealthy one. As for his son, I don’t know the guy…”
“Didn’t you review the cases before you decided to merge with that firm?”
Winston chuckled at her naivete. “It’s a large firm, baby. You can’t expect me to know every case by heart.”
“Well find out about this one and have the attorney talk to his client. That man can’t do this. He doesn’t even know the child!” Sharon’s elation was rapidly turning to alarm.
Seeing that she was getting upset, Winston took a step forward and rubbed her bare arms in comfort.
“Sharon, I can’t do that. You’re asking me to interfere in a legitimate custody case and to ask our firm’s client to back off. That is what you’re asking, isn’t it, or am I misunderstanding in some way?”
“No, there’s no misunderstanding. If you have any power at all in that law firm, I’m asking you to use it and get that man to stop this. I’m sure it won’t be the first time that somebody in a law firm has done that sort of thing.”
“Unfortunately, you’re probably right, but not in this law firm.” Winston sighed. “Sweetie, I feel for the Reasoners, but I’m sure some sort of compromise can be reached.” He gathered her to him and kissed her temple. “Just don’t worry. It will all work out.”
Sharon pulled from his grasp. “Compromise? Don’t worry about it? How can you stand there and say that? Those children are my godchildren! I love each one of them. There is no compromise, and I can’t help but worry. You may not be concerned about this, but I am!”
She was shocked by Winston’s reaction. Couldn’t he see how important this was? “Nedra and Sin could lose their child!”
There were tears in her voice. “It’s as though someone would come into your life and claim Rhonda as their own, or even our baby as theirs. Wouldn’t you do whatever you could to keep that from happening?”
“Of course I would.”
She could hear the unspoken but. “Then if you understand what’s happening from that point of view, you should do what you can to help my friends.”
Winston sighed. The woman was being unreasonable. “Honey, like I said, the firm had this case long before the merger, so it’s really out of my hands. Besides, what you’re asking me to do is unethical.”
“Helping our friends keep their child?” Sharon’s voice rose in frustration.
“No, my interfering with the legal process.” Winston kept his voice even, although he was getting annoyed.
“Oh, I see, and everybody knows how ethical lawyers are!” Her sarcasm was biting. Winston’s jaws tightened.
“Maybe not some lawyers, but this lawyer.” It was his turn to back away, but his temper was rising despite his effort at self-control. The situation was threatening to escalate. “This subject is closed.” Turning abruptly, he left the room.
Fuming, Sharon stood in the middle of the room. He wasn’t about to dismiss her as if she were some overindulged child. She was far from being the submissive little church mouse that she had been when she was with Richard, and she wasn’t going to take his attitude. She spoke loudly and clearly, making certain that her words could be heard beyond the closed oak door. “Oh no, my brother, you are very mistaken. This subject is far from being closed!”
* * *
“It looks good, Mr. Jamison. The family has been notified. The evidence is all in our favor. I don’t see any reason for anything to stop your son from gaining custody of his child.” Jonathan Wentworth of The Wentworth Law Firm conveyed the information with confidence. He was the senior partner in the firm started by his grandfather seventy years ago. Although the name remained the same, a lot had changed. The firm had been racially integrated years ago, partners had been added, branch offices had been opened and now the merger with Winston Duncan’s law firm had extended their client base beyond anything his late grandfather or father would have imagined. His grandfather’s legacy continued to thrive, and clients like Samuel Jamison brought the firm not only large retainers but lots of prestige. Pleasing clients like him brought referrals and increased revenue.
“So you don’t expect the adoptive parents to put up a fight?” The elder Jamison’s concern was minimal. Whatever objections the couple might offer would only be vocal. He would fight them with every resource he had and that was quite substantial.
“If they do decide to fight, the child will still be in your son’s custody until the case is settled.”
Jamison nodded. It was his plan to leave the country as soon as the child was handed over to Royce. Before any injunctions could be issued in an attempt to stop them, the three of them would board his plane and fly to Greece. Once there, he and the child would board his yacht and spend the next few months sailing the sea. That would give him the opportunity to get to know the child more intimately without prying eyes or gossip about the child’s race. It didn’t matter to him. He deserved this chance to establish a relationship with the child before he died. Everything was arranged. A tutor had been hired for the child. A nurse had been hired for him. His doctor and his doctor’s wife would be accompanying them on the yacht, and a helicopter was on standby if needed in case of an emergency with his health. He had spared no expense, overlooked no detail. After his death, the child would be placed in an exclusive boarding school in Switzerland. Arrangements had already been made.
Royce could go with them or go about his business. He knew that his son had no interest in being a parent. He had made that clear. The deal with his son was that he was to keep a low profile abroad if he chose not to sail with them.
The report on the Reasoner family stated that they did have financial means. They could well afford good legal representation, and it was possible that if they decided to fight, they might hire someone to gather evidence that his son was unfit for fatherhood. Unfortunately, it would be an allegation that was true. But that didn’t matter either. He had paid a small fortune to make Royce look like a choirboy and anyone would be hard pressed to prove other wise. He had left no loose ends. Samuel Jamison was determined to get to know this child, and he would let nothing stand in his way.
Chapter 11
“No!” Colin leaped from his seat, flinging the letter to the floor as if it had singed his hand. His eyes were slits. His chest heaved. Rage emanated from his young body.
Nedra glanced at Sin. He appeared composed. Colin’s reaction to the news they had delivered was predictable, but his pain was tearing her apart. She fought the tears that threatened to flow.
“Sit down, son,” Sin said calmly. “And please notice that I did say the word son, because that’s what you are, my son, your mother’s son. You and your brother, and nothing will ever change that.”
Colin stood with clenched fist that relaxed a bit. However, the fear that overwhelmed him did not subside. What was happening was a joke. That was it. This had to be a joke. It cou
ldn’t possibly be real! Cautiously, he moved back to the sofa to sit down across from his father.
“There is no way that we’re going to let anyone take one of our children out of this house,” Nedra reassured him.
Colin’s erratic breathing began to subside. He looked from one parent to the other to reconfirm that commitment. Neither of his parents had ever lied to him. Maybe this would be all right.
“We’ve got an attorney,” Nedra continued.
“Mrs. Adams-Plaine?” he asked hopefully. He knew something was up when they went over there yesterday, but never this.
“No,” his father answered. “She feels that she would be too close to the case to maintain her professionalism. She’s recommended a colleague. She says that he’s one of the best in his field.”
Colin’s eyes fell to the letter lying abandoned on the floor. “How could this happen? It’s not possible?”
“You and Trevor have different fathers, sweetheart,” Nedra explained for the second time. She was dismayed at his having found out this way.
“I don’t believe it though.” Colin had stubbornly rejected the idea since his parents broke the news. “Our biological mother would have told us.” He said it although he knew that it probably wasn’t true. There had been so many men in and out of their years with her that he couldn’t remember them all, but he knew that none of them claimed fatherhood.
“And how can he be white?” Colin’s voice rose in indignation. Neither he nor his brother looked biracial. Their Aunt Sharon was biracial and looked it, so—“It’s all a lie!”
The finality of the statement was the only defense he had against the fear. Recognizing that, Sin wouldn’t let him dwell in a world of false reality. His tone was as even as it had been from the beginning.
“Science is one of your best subjects, Colin, and you have done research on DNA. You know the accuracy of the testing, and you read the percentage the letter said for the parentage.”
Colin’s jaw tightened. He knew what he said was true. Everybody in this room knew it. His body seemed to deflate as he raised sad eyes to the two people he loved most in the world, but his moment of sadness was brief as he saw the determination on their faces. Like him, they were fighters, and he knew that they would do battle until their dying breaths for their children. He could feel his spirit lift.
Sinful Intentions Page 10