Chapter Twenty-Nine
Charlie’s eyes flashed to Thad with alarm. “Uh … Thaddeus?”
He shrugged indifferently, which for him, was anything but.
Yet a satisfied twinkle flashed in his blues. “I knew you’d find a reason to argue that it was too much.”
She glanced to Tyler now who hitched his chin at Thaddeus in approval, even if, strangely, Thad didn’t acknowledge it. In fact, he wasn’t making much eye contact with his cousin.
“I, uh, first, I need to know your rate,” she recovered. “And what you need on retainer. I’m so sorry, but before I waste your time, I have to be upfront that I don’t have much to spend—”
“Before you start that old song and dance, know that I’m insisting.
” A subtle smile quirked Tyler’s mouth as he folded his arms like the hardened dad of boys that he was, and vanished as quickly, though he exchanged a cryptic look with Thad.
“You’re practically family. And before you say you already got an attorney, also know that he’s shit at his job. ”
Thaddeus leveled a knowing smirk at her. Okay, he’d told her so.
Tyler grunted. “Now that that’s outta the way, sit.”
She slipped onto the bench as Thaddeus, waiting for her to sit, joined her and tossed his Stetson on the table, straddling the bench sideways, thighs splayed around her and his thumb wedging in her waistband at her back to hang there.
“I need to know why Judge Mitchell has a pattern of favoritism regarding my ex and keeps requiring me to put my daughter in harm’s way.
” She set the file from the courthouse on the table and opened it.
“Thad found these today. He has a history of cracking down on child support—except on my ex-husband. He has a history of taking, uh, domestic violence seriously—” She looked away, pushing through the shame that always assailed her, and lifted her chin.
Don’t let him win, rallied Thaddeus in her mind as she felt him tug gently on her waist.
“Except with my ex-husband.”
Tyler reached out and picked up the stack, reading tight jawed. “He put his hands on you, Charlie?” He kept reading, not looking at her, but her nape prickled, because his attention seemed rapt on her.
Her throat knotted, to talk about something so private.
But she glanced at Daisy in the rafters, playing tic-tac-toe on the gunny sacks printed with boards with Stevie, Seth ruffling her hair as if he were trying to annoy her, even though she stared adoringly up at him instead. Chatter and machinery echoed off beams.
Why did she still cow down at mere mentions of Jason? Thad’s hand tightened on her waistband. He notched his chin toward his cousin for her to keep talking to him. I got you.
“Yes.”
Tyler’s dark eyes flicked to Thad’s, then hers. Testosterone palpitated protectively.
His jaw muscles pumped in his otherwise stony face. “How?” Tyler clipped out.
“The time I left him was the worst. I, uh, went to the police. He was arrested.”
“What came of it?” Tyler bit out as his eyes returned to the page he was holding, bouncing around it.
“He was bailed out by a company called EZ Bonds. Just … walked out.”
Thad sat forward. “That’s the same company that posted his bail on Sunday.
It’s right there, in the records I printed.
” Thad ruffled the edges of the printouts, plucking one out and slapping it on top, jabbing it.
Tyler rubbed his chin. Then clicked his pen open, making a roman numeral on a legal pad.
“Damn good work, cuz. EZ Bonds, LLC…” Tyler pulled out a laptop from a satchel beside him and opened it, scrolling. Clicked through to a website.
He jotted a note, then dropped the pen and swiveled his laptop toward them. “Wouldn’t y’all know, one Calvin Mitchell is a shareholder of EZ Bonds, LLC?”
“Goddammit.” Thad pushed to his boots, pacing a step away.
Charlie’s eyes widening. “Shouldn’t that be a conflict of interest?”
“Yes,” Tyler said, then jotted another note and set it aside, as Thad threw himself back down on the bench as quickly as he’d gotten up, eying his cousin. “Why’d you decide not to press charges?”
“There was no way I could afford my attorney fees on an undergrad budget and part-time job. Jason agreed to divorce if I dropped the charges when Judge Mitchell was assigned to our divorce case.”
Tyler flipped a page and returned to rubbing his chin, searching for something if the narrowing of his eyes meant anything.
“Mitchell’s always presidin’ when Jason’s got a problem,” Thaddeus said. “Even with all the writing on the wall showing that Jason is unfit, Mitchell won’t intervene. And I for damn sure saw the fear on that little girl’s face when he beat down Charlie’s door the other day.”
Tyler, so stoic, flipped over the next document he was looking at, considering Thad, who still wouldn’t look at him straight.
“Seems our Judge Calvin Mitchell rides the circuit like he’s jonesing for eight seconds when it comes to Jason Thompson.
Wasn’t your breach of contract suit filed in Austin? ”
Thad nodded, glancing away, but Tyler continued.
“Charlie, I’m gonna do some digging around.
Because I’m beginning to wonder if instead of just a custody case, Texas has a judicial misconduct case brewing.
And such a scandal as that needs undeniable proof before the accusation is uttered aloud.
Keep a record of every interaction you have with Jason.
Gimmie every contract you signed with your lawyer so I can get you out of that agreement.
Let’s see how this restraining order plays out.
Mitchell’s not gonna like seeing me standing there representing you. ”
“Why is that?” she asked warily.
“Your previous representation does mostly court-appointed public defending, and no offence to the profession, but they don’t have as much at stake compared to privately retained attorneys.
He kept his rates lower for you by putting less effort into digging deep.
Mitchell probably knows that. But with me?
Cutthroat.” Spoken with unwavering confidence.
“I don’t care who I’m talking to in a courtroom.
They’re getting their feet held to the fire. And, cousin? Keep your nose clean.”
“Too late for that,” Thad drawled. “I had to manhandle him off her property and ran my mouth.”
*
But when Thad stood in her driveway, his engine idling, as Daisy went inside to let Artex out, his fingers mingled with hers.
“Go in and lock the door, baby.” His phone rang.
He pulled it out, and a smile creased his face, as the image of a gorgeous woman programed to the number pulsated on the screen. He spied her looking, and conveniently turned from her as he swiped it, answering, his fingers slipping free from hers as he paced away.
“Hey.”
Her brow furrowed. He slouched his hand on his hip, glancing surreptitiously back at her, suddenly cagey.
Charlie went to check the mail instead, watching him.
He didn’t glance back again, but despite his casual posture, he seemed rigid.
Prickles tingled her arms when that languid chuckle of his that charmed ladies rumbled from his chest.
He murmured something softly to whoever was on the other line as Daisy dashed back outside and took up his hand, hanging on him so easily as if a dad returned home. He made one-word comments after that, holding her hand, but distracted, as Daisy clung to him.
Don’t read into it. Don’t project everything Jason did to hurt you on Thad. That woman, programmed into his phone, could be anyone.
She leafed through the first few envelopes and junk mailers. On top of the stack sat a mail carrier slip.
A certified letter being held at the post office until she could sign for it? Only a couple of people sent certified letters. Her lawyer and Jason’s lawyer.
She approached Thaddeus. He glanced back at her again yet ran his tongue over his lower lip contemplatively to whatever he was listening to. “Yup. I’ll be there soon.”
He tapped end before she could get close enough to hear anything else and pocketed his phone, turning toward her. “Hey, uh, I gotta get back to the farm. Delivery I wasn’t expectin’ so soon just arrived, and I gotta be there to intake it.”
“Okay…” Her furrow deepened. “Want us to bring you dinner?”
“Y’all don’t have to do that.”
“We don’t mind,” she hurried, noticing him fidget.
“Are your band friends coming over tonight?” Daisy asked. “Can, can Creed and Calix”—Jack’s sons—“bring his tablet again? Can we bring Artex this time? I bet he’d like your yard. Or maybe we can finish the chicken coop? I can bring my tools. I’ll be a really good listener.”
Thaddeus’s face crumpled at the edge of worry in Daisy’s begging.
“Everything okay?” Charlie asked, that inkling growing stronger in his silence.
He kicked up his grin and squatted down.
“Tell you what. Lemme finish my work for the day. I got somethin’ important to do first so if you come now, I’d be too busy to pay you and your momma any mind, and you’d be bored just sittin’ around.
How’s about I throw some burgers on my grill this evening and we’ll put the wire up around the frame while your momma does her lesson plans? ”
“Okay.” Daisy beamed, confidence restored even as Charlie’s worry grew.
“All right, then I’ll see you at dinner,” he said, and tousled her hair.
No … he wasn’t being cagey. He hadn’t planned for them to come over tonight.
Daisy, ever trusting, hugged him as he planted a kiss to her forehead.
But Charlie knew … when a guy acted like he was, he was hiding something.
He’d just been confronted with something that he didn’t want her to know about and had been thrown off his game, trying to handle it.
It was the same uneasiness she’d sensed in him when he’d ushered the girl off stage at the carnival, as if he’d been caught.
It was the same uneasiness she’d sensed when she’d seen those posts from those girls on his band’s social media page, right there in public forums, some from women who’d clearly slept with him.