“Why?”
“You require more work than I anticipated. We’re going to need to go to forty thousand a month.”
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Cory’s stomach dropped. “What? That’s crazy.”
“I reached out to your divorce attorney. Gold and I go way back. I’ve helped him with several thorny cases. Your case is a tough one, but that’s my specialty.”
“You talking about the custody suit?”
“That and the hang-up in selling a house in Connecticut. I have a couple of ideas on how to resolve these issues in your favor.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“I believe magicians handle it the right way; they never explain how they do what they do.”
“I don’t know about this. You have to tell me what you’re going to do.”
“You want joint custody, don’t you?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Well, then you’re going to have to trust me on this.”
“If I agree, how long do I have to keep paying the higher amount?”
“Until your kids turn eighteen.”
“What? That’s ridiculous.”
“You think so? If you want to take the chance you’ll lose your kids forever—that’s your call.”
“But come on, Tommy’s only a year old. I’m not paying for seventeen years.”
“You love your kids?”
“Absolutely.”
“You’re making a ton of money, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so, but—”
“There’s no buts. I’m sending over a supplemental invoice. Get it paid.”
The line went dead, and Cory sat on the bed. Who was Tower, and what the hell was going on? Was this just another form of blackmail?
It couldn’t be, he thought, because he was getting something for the money. It was overpriced, but people with money always paid more than the going rate. Plus, he was going to get joint custody.
How was Tower going to do it? He’d threatened Bonner, but the extortionist had committed a crime. Linda couldn’t be intimidated. Maybe Tower was bluffing. But did Cory want to find out?
“Cory? You okay?”
He opened the door. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Good. An email from Tower just came in. It’s a supplemental bill, for twenty thousand dollars. What’s that all about?”
“Uh, he’s going to help out on the custody case.”
“He does family law?”
“Oh yeah, he and Gold go way back.”
“So, I can tell Baffa to pay it?”
Cory walked to the bar area and took out a bottle of bourbon. “Yeah, as soon as possible. And get me some Pappy. This stuff is like rubbing alcohol.”
“Will do. But don’t overdo it, you have a big show tonight.”
He carried the drink back to the bedroom. “I have to make another call.”
Cory dialed his divorce attorney. “Mr. Gold, it’s Cory Lupinski.”
“How are you?”
“Good. Listen, I was told you and Barney Tower know each other a long time.”
“Well, you could say that. We’ve, uh, both been around a while.”
“Tower said he was going to help out on the custody battle. What’s he doing on it?”
“I, uh, received a call from him, and, yeah, he wanted to be a part of it.”
“He sounded confident we’d win. But you said we were going to have trouble. What can he do that you can’t?”
“Mr. Tower is, uh, very persuasive.”
“He’s not going to talk Linda into agreeing to joint custody. What’s he going to do?”
“Mr. Tower is, shall we say, unconventional?”
“That’s the second time I heard that. What the hell does that mean?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t go into it. I have a client waiting for me.”
Cory knocked back the drink and walked into the living room. Tracy was at the dining table, talking on the phone. Cory slipped past her and filled his drink up without her seeing.
When she hung up, he asked, “What does unconventional mean?”
“Something that breaks the norm.”
“I know, but what does it mean when talking about a person?”
“That they do things differently. You know, a lot of high achievers are considered unconventional. If they did the same things as everybody else, they wouldn’t have gotten where they did.”
“So, it’s a good thing?”
“Yeah, sure. It’s responsible for a lot of progress.”
Cory Googled “unconventional.” A dictionary stated that unconventional people were seen as geniuses, giving him comfort. Another site mentioned something that made him think twice. It said the best thing about being unconventional is the lack of limitations you place on yourself.
Did that mean someone would pursue a goal without regard to the moral and legal boundaries, as he had done with Jay Bird’s music? Or was it meant to set aside your fears and hang-ups to go after what you wanted?
Cory scrolled through other definitions, settling on the idea that being different was a positive. If there was a downside to the method of getting joint custody, he’d deal with it somehow.
* * *
Cory watched the time on his phone. As soon as it turned 5 p.m., he hit the video call button. On the second ring, a feed of his daughter filled his iPad.
“Hi, Daddy.”
“How you doing, sunshine?”
“Good. Where are you?”
“We’re in Cincinnati.”
“Where’s that?”
“Think about it. The same state where Mommy went to college.”
“Ohio?”
“Yep. In a couple of hours, we’re going to be playing at the Heritage Bank Arena. How’s Tommy and Mommy?”
“Good. Tommy, come here.” Ava disappeared from the screen for a second. “See Daddy?”
Ava positioned her little brotherfor the camera. “Hey, guy, Daddy loves you. I’ll see you in a couple of days.”
“Da, da.”
Cory’s eyes moistened. “Man, he grew like crazy in just two weeks.”
“He wrote all over the couch with crayons. Mommy was so mad.”
“Don’t tattle, Ava. Remember when you scribbled all over the kitchen walls with a Magic Marker?”
“I did?”
“Yep. Everybody makes mistakes. Just keep an eye on him when he’s playing with crayons. How is school?”
“Good, I got an A on my spelling test. Mr. Diamond said I was the best speller in the class.”
“Wow. You’re way smarter than me.”
“Than I. You’re supposed to say I, not me.”
“You’re right. Sorry. How are you doing with math?”
“Okay, I’m really trying.”
“That’s super. Hey, did you like the pictures from the hospital in Dallas?”
“Yeah, I posted them all over.”
“You’re not putting any personal information out there, are you?”
“No. I never do that, and no pictures of me or Tommy either.”
“Good.”
Cory heard Linda say, “Let me speak to Daddy for a minute.”
“Hi, Linda. How are you?”
“Okay. You?”
“Really good. I’m taking care of myself, and the tour is going better than I could imagine.”
“Good. I’m proud that you’re doing things for sick children. It really makes a difference and sets a good example for the kids.”
“Thanks, I really enjoy it. It was a little scary at first, but now, besides being with my own family, there’s no place I’d rather be.”
“I, uh, I wanted to let you know that I’m okay with selling the house.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Go ahead, I won’t stop you.”
Cory was afraid to ask why she changed her mind. He wanted to ask her about the custody issue, but Ava was right there.
Chapter Sixty
C
ory got off the phone feeling like he should head to Vegas. When he told Baffa about selling the house, his manager said he’d just heard from the Realtor, who did a market analysis. The agent said they had someone with a high level of interest in the property.
He wondered whether Tower was involved in that before discounting the idea. Did Tower even have anything to do with Linda agreeing to sell it? He was going to be making good money, so the house was less of a concern. If he couldn’t get back with Linda, he had to have joint custody.
The custody hearing was only a week away. Whatever Tower was going to do, it had to happen fast. It seemed crazy, but Cory wondered if the lawyer might find a way to threaten Linda. If he did, that would end any chance of getting back with her. He began pacing the hotel suite. Walking by the bar, he wanted a drink. He stopped but turned around, resisting the urge.
Cory thought bribing a judge was a perfect solution. It would appear he had nothing to do with it. But was that really possible? What was Tower going to do? Cory went to the bar, poured a drink and downed it. He punched in Tower’s number and was passed to the attorney.
“Mr. Tower, I’ve been thinking about the custody case. How are you going to, uh, fix things?”
“As I stated previously, revealing my methods would diminish the uniqueness of my approach.”
“But if Linda is going to be threatened or harmed in any way, I don’t want to go forward with it. Is that what you were going to do?”
“What kind of a man do you think I am?”
“I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that I don’t want her to get scared or hurt.”
“Mr. Lupinski, you watch too much TV.”
“So, it’s going to be okay, then?”
“Absolutely, I’ve got it under control.”
“Okay.”
“You’re back in the city in a couple of days?”
“Yeah, in two days. I made sure I would be there for the hearing. It’s going to be busy. We’re playing Giants Stadium and the Garden. I hope the media gives me a break with the court date. I don’t want my kids in the spotlight.”
“Put your mind at ease. Chances are, there won’t even be a hearing.”
“How can that be? Gold said it was on the court’s calendar.”
“Leave it to me.”
* * *
Cory opened the show with "Tropical Storm." The Madison Square Garden crowd went wild, and when the song ended, he said, “Thank you, thank you. It’s great to be back in the city. You know, I was born here and can’t imagine living anywhere else. It’s the greatest city in the world, and you’re the best fans on the planet.”
When the applause died down, he said, “Truth is, I said the same thing a night ago in Dallas.”
The crowd groaned.
“Just kidding. Playing the Garden is always special, but tonight it’s super special as we welcome Donny Blake back to the band. Donny and I go way back to grammar school. Take a bow, Donny.”
The audience erupted and Cory said, “Okay, Donny, give us some funk and lead us into ‘Neon Nights.’”
After two encores, Cory and the band left the stage. Donny said, “Man, that was a lot of fun. It’s great to be back.”
“Trust me, brother, I’m happy as hell you’re here.”
“The band’s tight and relaxed.”
“Don’t jinx me, man, things are going good, and I have the custody thing with Linda tomorrow.”
“Sorry, man. It must be rough. I can’t believe she’s actually trying to do something like that.”
Cory shrugged.
“Don’t worry, I can’t see the court taking your kids away.
“I am worried. She’s claiming I’m a danger to them.”
“What?”
“You know, the knife thing with Stein, and the shooting . . .”
“How you gonna fight against that?”
“I have a new lawyer, Barney Tower, he’s expensive as hell, but he’s a wizard or something. He’s the one who straightened out the Bonner thing.”
“Sounds like the right guy.”
“I hope so. I’m going to jump in the shower. I’ll see you at the party.”
In the dressing room, Cory turned his phone on. There was a voice mail from Tower. “Mr. Lupinski, this is Barney Tower. I’m pleased to inform you that the hearing has been canceled. I don’t expect it to be rescheduled and consider this matter settled.”
Cory looked at the phone and listened again. How did Tower do it? Did that mean he had joint custody? He called Tower. It went to voice mail. He left a message.
The news was better than expected, but he was uneasy. What had the lawyer done to pull this off? How was Linda taking it? He didn’t want to solve one problem by creating another. He wanted to call her but was afraid. He decided to text:
Hi Linda, how are you and the kids? I heard the hearing was canceled.
Yes.
I’m surprised but happy. What happened?
My attorney no longer wants to represent me.
He was relieved Linda wasn’t the one who backed out. It meant Tower had gotten to her lawyer, not her.
Oh. Are you going to get another lawyer?
I’ve tried two already. But they won’t take the case.
Cory wondered how Tower was able to influence other attorneys.
You’ll find one but maybe we can work things out. I’m still doing well.
That’s good. I have to put the kids to bed.
Give them a kiss for me.
Relief washed over him, not only was he going to have his kids back, but if her lawyer had quit, it meant the divorce proceedings were probably stalled. The best part was Linda had no idea his lawyer had fixed things for him.
Mind racing, he jumped in the shower, wondering if Tower could somehow get the legal separation killed. He didn’t know what to do, but there was an opportunity to get his family back together.
Chapter Sixty-One
Cory wanted to ask Tower for help. It seemed to him the unconventional lawyer could fix anything. But he was worried about Linda finding out. He was also concerned about how much it was going to cost.
Mental tug-of-war underway, Cory wished he had someone to talk it over with. There was no one he could trust. If anyone found out, any chance of reconciliation would be stomped out. This was almost as important a secret as his theft of Jay Bird’s music.
Considering the secretive nature of the issue brought Dr. Bruno to mind. Anything he said to her was protected by law. Plus, she was about as easy a person to talk to as he ever met. Cory called the doctor and made an appointment.
* * *
Dr. Bruno was wearing a tan pantsuit. The lighter color threw Cory off, but he took it as an optimistic sign.
Sitting down, he said, “I know I told you I was done, but I could use your help.”
“It’s nice to see you. You’re always welcome, no matter what you say or how a session goes.”
“Thanks.”
“How are you doing?”
“Actually, even better than the last time I saw you. The tour is going great, and the custody hearing thing never happened.”
“Wonderful. What would you like to discuss?”
“It’s Linda. I’d really like another chance to patch things up between us. I know I screwed things up, and it was all my fault, but things are different now. We can get back to where we were when we first met.”
“You met as teenagers, right?”
“Yeah, like senior year in high school.”
“I understand the desire to go back in time. I’m guilty of that myself, but the two of you are very different people today. Life experiences change us. Becoming a parent alone alters a person’s perceptions, reordering life’s priorities.”
“No, I get all that. I meant getting back as a couple.”
“But you realize that while some needs and desires remain the same, others become more prominent. As an example, the children are central at this time in her life, but your
career demands significant traveling. Understanding and addressing that so her concerns are alleviated is critical.”
“You think she’s worried about that?”
“It was an example. You can ask her, but it’s better if you can show an understanding before she has to tell you.”
“It’s hard to talk to her. She doesn’t give me much room.”
“She’s protecting herself. You caused her pain, and she’s afraid to open up and get hurt again.”
“I think getting back into couple’s therapy would help.”
“Yes, it could.”
“Can you ask her to come back?”
“Sorry. It would be more powerful if you discussed it with her.”
“But she trusts you.”
“I understand, but she must trust you to have any chance at reconciliation.”
“I guess so. Do you have any suggestions for me? Or should I get a flak jacket?”
Bruno smiled. “You have to be yourself. When you suggest it, be genuine. If she’s resistant, don’t push her. If she feels forced into going, feelings of resentment could impede progress.”
“Okay. I’m going to see the kids later. I’ll ask her then.”
“Good. How are you doing with the drinking?”
“Real good.”
“Excellent. That’s going to be an important component for her.”
* * *
Cory stepped off the elevator into Linda’s apartment. Ava came running. “Daddy!”
Cory hugged her. “Hiya, sunshine. Boy, did you grow a couple of inches since I went on tour?”
Ava smiled. “I’m five feet one inch now.”
“A giant. A super, pretty one.”
Holding Tommy, Linda came into the foyer. “Hi.”
“How are you?” Cory took his son. “Hey, little man.” He inhaled the smell of his son’s hair as the child pawed his face.
“You’re getting so big.”
“Put him down, Dad. Let me show you how he walks.”
Standing behind her brother, Ava held both his hands and Tommy plodded into the living room.
“Wow, I can’t believe he’s walking.”
“He’s a handful. Getting into everything.”
“You need help?”
“I’m okay.”
“Look, I’d really like another shot at us. We’re made for each other.”
Cory's Dilemma Page 21