Finally Finn (Los Rancheros #4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

answer and she
goes back to shuffling. I find pens on a side table.
    “Here. Draw me a pretty picture and we’ll
hang it up on the fridge, okay?”
    “What should we draw?” Hannah asks.
    “Draw me your favorite animal in the whole
world.”
    “Okay,” they respond in unison.
    I move down the table and sit across from a
middle-aged woman in a pantsuit that looks as uncomfortable as
hell.
    “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were
bringing children. I would have been better prepared had I known.”
I wave that away.
    “It’s fine, but I don’t know how long they’ll
stay still.”
    She eyes the kids and turns back to me,
asking hesitantly, “Are they Mr. Brennick’s . . .” My eyes
narrow.
    “I can’t say.” She obviously knows that there
are children in the picture, but her curiosity is uncomfortable
since Batty has obviously kept them away from here.
    “Right, well. I wanted to let you know how
the case was going against Brian and Patricia Dinah. They are being
wholly unresponsive, not returning calls, and not returning any
documents that are sent to them or their lawyers. We’ve taken
action in regard to the documents, sort of how a subpoena is
verified as delivered. We use an exclusive messenger service that
will hold up in court and have sufficient evidence that they at
least received the documents.”
    “Is that normal for a lawyer to turn
information away? I thought they always wanted to know as much as
possible.” The woman nods. I never did get her name.
    “It’s the first time I’ve seen this tact in a
case. It only set us back a few weeks, so you don’t need to worry
about that. They’re lack of cooperation, however, is what is
concerning.” She sighs and leans back in her leather rolly chair.
“Should they choose to be difficult, they can drag this out for
years. Have you been in contact with them at all?” I shake my
head.
    “No.”
    “That’s good. Any he said she said isn’t
going to go in your favor.”
    “What do you mean? They stole from me.”
    “You have a record of drug abuse, alcohol
addiction, several arrests, a history of violence documented by the
world. They can say anything and hardly anyone would believe you at
this point.”
    It’s amazing how easy it is to forget your
past when your present is so overwhelming. I sit back in my leather
chair and look at the girls drawing silently and think about the
damage it would cause Batty if it got out I’m taking care of his
kids. I’m not a person a lot of people want to be associated
with.
    I nod my head slightly since she seems to
require some response.
    “Alright.” She pushes a stack of papers
toward me. “These are the statements we got from your bank, your
cell phone company that paid for Mr. and Ms. Dinah’s work cell
phones showing incriminating text messages. Since the phones were
in your name, we are able to get the specific messages and not just
times and dates. This helps your case exponentially.”
    “Is there any question that they took the
money?” I ask shortly.
    She shakes her head. “No, but to get
restitution above the monetary value they stole, we have to prove
malicious intent. It’s not just skimming the books, but wiping you
out. If we prove this, it can mean you getting more than they took
to start, but to do this to a minor is an even bigger offense.”
    “Right.” My phone is vibrating in my pocket,
the girls are fidgeting in their seats looking bored and about to
bolt. I can’t blame them. “Is there anything else I need to
do?”
    The woman raises her eyebrows in surprise but
shakes her head. “No. I just needed you to sign these and warn you
to have no contact with the Dinahs.”
    “The other Dinahs,” I point out.
    “What?”
    “I’m a Dinah, too.”
    “Oh, of course.”
    I sigh and stand. “Come on, minions.”
~
    “Oh my gosh, is this your house?”
    “You live by the beach?”
    “Can we stay here forever?”
    “Can I hang up my picture on your
refrigerator instead