Barbara Dunlop - Christmas Secrets

“ That’s how Roth spent his day?” she asked Destiny.

Destiny pushed a sheaf of papers across the table. “I don’t know how they did it, but they got an emergency court date. The custody hearing starts at nine tomorrow morning.”

“I thought we’d have weeks to get ready.” Amber gave the paperwork a passing glance, but she trusted Destiny’s assessment.

“We have hours to get ready.”

“Can we do it?”

“Not as well as I’d like. But we can work hard tonight. And Roth’s side is under the same deadline.”

Amber’s cell phone rang.

“Remember,” said Destiny, “the fundamentals remain the same. Coco’s codicil is legal and valid. They have to prove you’re not a fit guardian.”

Amber didn’t recognize the calling number. “Hello?”

“Amber, it’s Cole.”

She glanced to Destiny, feeling a small spike of guilt about last night. “Hi, Cole.”

Destiny’s interest obviously perked up.

“I need to talk to you about something.”

“Is it Zachary?”

“No, no. He’s fine. At least, he was fine when I left him with Isabel this afternoon. Can you meet me for dinner?”

She wished she could. “I’m afraid not. Destiny and I are going to be busy.”

There was silence on his end. “It’s kind of important.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Maybe later?”

“Tonight’s not going to be good. We’ll be working really late.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes.” She hesitated. “No.” She knew she shouldn’t share, since she barely knew him. But she felt like she owed him an explanation. “It’s actually not okay. Roth’s convinced the judge to hold an emergency hearing tomorrow morning. He’s going after custody.”

“Tomorrow morning?”

“He’s going to use my decision on the Boonsome 300s as proof I’m unfit to control Coast Eagle.”

“He’ll lose, Amber.”

“I hope so.” Her stomach was already beginning to cramp up.

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Ask me out again in a few days?”

Destiny’s brows went up.

“Happy to,” he answered. Then his tone changed. “I really wish I could see you now. Even for a short time.”

“That would be nice. But we’re pretty much pulling an all-nighter here. I’m about to call Isabel and arrange for her to stay over.”

“I could stay at your place, wait for you there.”

“Not necessary.” She wasn’t going to let herself presume any more on Cole’s good graces. He didn’t come to Atlanta to be a babysitter.

He was quiet again. Then he blew out a breath. “Okay. A couple of days, then.”

“Thanks.”

“Nothing to thank me for. Good luck.”

“Thanks for that.” She’d take every scrap of luck she could get. “Bye, Cole.”

“Bye.”

She pressed the end button and set down the phone.

Destiny spoke. “We’re going to take thirty seconds of our valuable time here, and you’re going to tell me what’s going on with Cole. Then I’m putting it completely out of my mind until after the hearing.” She glanced at her watch. “Go.”

“I like him. He likes me. We went skating last night, then we drank killer hot chocolate. We went back to my place, slept together, which was pretty killer, too. Then he stayed over, went out for bagels and then all hell broke loose. He wanted to see me again tonight, but…” She spread her arms.

“Holy cow,” said Destiny in obvious awe. “We are definitely going to talk more about this. But right now we’ve got a whole lot of work to do.”

Cole and Luca slipped into the back of the courtroom. Word had obviously gotten out about the hearing, because the room was packed with reporters and onlookers. He couldn’t help but feel bad for Amber. It was stressful enough to have Zachary’s custody on the line without an audience of one hundred.

Predictably, Roth’s side attacked Coco. They started by disparaging her motivations in marrying an older, wealthy man, then they called witness after witness, painting an unflattering picture of her intellect. Cole knew from conversations with Amber that Coco was emotional and sometimes erratic, but the witnesses made her sound unstable, unprincipled, even dishonest.

Luca tipped his head closer to Cole. “How much do you think is true?”

“She did marry a billionaire nearly three times her age. And I don’t think she was a rocket scientist.”

Cole imagined a lot of what was being said about Coco’s temper and her behavior at parties was accurate. Then again, if she’d been at a frat party like most nineteen-year-olds, instead of at a posh charity function or the opening of an art museum, nobody would have raised an eyebrow.

“Doesn’t mean she wasn’t a good mother,” said Luca.

“And it doesn’t mean her wishes shouldn’t be respected.” Nothing Cole had heard so far would indicate mental incompetence on the part of Coco.

Roth took the stand, and the gallery’s attention seemed to heighten. Cole guessed most people here knew the pivotal players in the drama.

Roth’s own lawyer questioned him first.

“Did you and Samuel Henderson ever discuss his future plans for Coast Eagle Airlines?” the lawyer asked.

“Extensively and on many occasions,” Roth answered.

“Did he ask your advice?”

“Yes, he did.”

“To your knowledge, did he ever ask his wife, Coco Henderson’s, advice on Coast Eagle Airlines?”

Roth smirked. “Never.”

“You’re certain?”

“Positive.”

“Objection,” said Destiny.

“Sustained,” said the judge.

“I’ll rephrase,” said the lawyer. “Did Samuel ever say anything directly to you regarding his opinion of his wife’s advice on Coast Eagle?”

“He told me she knew nothing about business. He said he never discussed it with her.”

The lawyer gave a satisfied nod. “Did Samuel Henderson indicate to you that he wanted his son to one day take over the business?”

“Yes. Samuel loved his son deeply. I’ve never seen him so happy as when Zachary was born. He talked about keeping the airline in the family for another generation. It was his fondest wish that Coast Eagle be protected and preserved for his son.”

Destiny rose again. “Objection. The witness is not in a position to know Samuel Henderson’s fondest wish.”

“That’s what he said to me,” said Roth.

“Overruled,” said the judge.

“Did Samuel ever speak to you about his wife having any kind of a hand in running Coast Eagle Airlines in the event of his death?”

“He did,” said Roth, and an odd expression flicked in his eyes.

Cole found himself doubting Roth’s honesty on the question.

Roth answered, “He said the only people he trusted with Coast Eagle and with his son were Dryden Dunsmore and me. He said someone needed to control Coco because she had the decision-making ability of a twelve-year-old.”

“He said that directly to you? Those were his words?”

“Yes. And they’re supported by his will, which included both Dryden and I in guardianship or controlling positions in Coast Eagle.”

“A little too convenient,” Cole whispered to Luca.

“I can’t tell if the judge is buying it or not.”

Destiny cross-examined but wasn’t able to poke holes in Roth’s story. Cole and Luca slipped out at the lunch break, picking a restaurant several blocks away to avoid being seen by Amber or Destiny. By late afternoon, Amber was the only witness left.

Roth’s lawyer started with Amber’s competence at Coast Eagle. It went as expected. There was no getting around her lack of experience, but Cole thought she held her own, particularly on yesterday’s decision to ground the Boonsome jets. Yes, it was a financial loss, but risking passenger lives was too dangerous.