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“Not that kind of client. A law case.”
“I thought you’d given up your law practice?”
“Not completely, but I’ve cut way back. I take on mostly pro bono cases, when I take one. This one’s a custody case.” His cell phone rang. Frowning, he pulled it out of his pocket. “Excuse me,” he said, walking away as he answered.
Laurel couldn’t distinguish his words but his tone was very soothing and supportive, so she assumed he was talking to his client. After a few minutes, he ended the call.
“We’d better hurry if we don’t want to be late for our reservation,” Zack said.
“Is Baron’s that crowded?”
“On the weekends it is. Not as much during the week.”
Baron’s Steakhouse was the quintessential western-style restaurant with wooden chairs and tables, red leather seats and booths of the same red leather. There was a beautiful mahogany bar running the length of the main room. Pictures of times past, particularly of the Kelly family, adorned the walls. Baron’s was well known for its delicious food as well as the romantic ambience.
Once seated at the restaurant and having ordered drinks, Laurel asked Zack about his case. “I know you can’t discuss it specifically, but is the custody case you’re working on difficult?”
“I’m hoping it won’t be, but you can’t always tell.”
“Have you had some hard ones?”
“The hardest I ever had was one in which the father wanted custody. The courts tend to be more sympathetic to the mother. Often with good reason.”
“But not in that case.”
“No. The mother was a real piece of work. She only wanted the kids—there were two of them—so she could demand child support. The children were terrified of her and begged the dad to let them live with him.”
“Did you win?”
“Yes, thank God.”
Their drinks arrived and Zack waited until the server had left to continue. “The mother had visitation but she only saw the kids a couple of times in the six months before she died. Wrapped her car around a tree while driving drunk. Luckily the kids weren’t with her.”
“That’s scary to think they might have been.”
“The father was really broken up about her death. He kept saying she wasn’t the woman he married. That the alcohol did it to her.”
“You don’t sound like you believe that.”
He shrugged. “All I know is what I saw and her kids’ reactions to her. She wasn’t a nice person, by any stretch. Could she have been once? I don’t know.”
“Sometimes people change. Or maybe they drop the act. Anyway, it’s hard to believe that someone you once loved can change that dramatically.”
Not being stupid, Zack figured out who she was talking about and patted her hand comfortingly. “I’m sure it would be.”
“I can’t imagine anything worse than losing custody of my children. Especially to my ex. But then, he won’t pay child support, much less ask for custody. Not to mention, it’s hard to award a person custody when they’ve disappeared.”
“I can’t imagine any court not awarding you custody. You’re a really good mother.”
“Thanks.” She tried, even though she felt like she fell down on the job a lot.
The waitress came by to see if they wanted more drinks.
“Do you want another drink?” Zack asked.
“Not now, but with dinner.”
They ordered dinner and wine to be served with it. After the waitress left Zack said, “I wouldn’t have taken the case if I didn’t believe the father was the best parent to have custody. I hope you know that.”
