“Per the conditions of the trust that Grandpa Steele set up, at age 14, Madison is to start receiving an annual report on the contents of the trust fund. The letter to Florida was the first report on its current value. It’s worth over two million dollars.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. It’s had fourteen years to grow, and the trust fund manager invested it very well. It’s projected to be worth close to three million dollars by the time Madison turns eighteen and has access to it.”
“How is that high impact information to sway a judge?” Hank asked astutely.
Reno grinned. “The high impact bit is the fact that Lorraine filed a lawsuit to regain custody of Madison from her parents the day after the letter arrived at her home. The date the letter arrived is also the exact date Lorraine’s texts to Madi abruptly shifted from angry, accusing, and occasionally threatening to sweet as pie, missing her baby, and loving her SO much.”
Hank stared at him for a long time. “Will something like that really sway a judge?”
“Absolutely. Judges are a lot of things, but they’re rarely naïve. They’ll see the connection between finding out her kid’s inheriting a big wad of cash and Lorraine’s sudden desire to sweet talk her kid and regain custody.”
“What if Lorraine’s parents take her side in the custody hearing and say Lorraine’s trying to get clean and had an honest change a heart?”
“They haven’t spoken with their own daughter in seven years except for a single phone call to tell Lorraine that Madison had shown up on their doorstep in the middle of the night and was safe with them. I’m not worried about them lying on Lorraine’s behalf.”
Hank looked unconvinced.
“Even if they try, I’ll break down their lies in cross examination. It’ll help that you and Madi can both testify that Lorraine’s been estranged from her parents for years and had no contact at all with them. Didn’t you bring Madison up to Bozeman every summer for a visit without Lorraine for a while, there, when you two were still married?”
“I did. Lorraine’s folks didn’t want to see her, but they did want to know their grandchild.”
“Like I said. Your case is a slam dunk, Hank. I want you to remember this conversation the night before the custody hearing when you’re awake at two AM., convinced you’re going to lose her.”
Hank set another tile. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. That’ll be nine-hundred-dollars,” Reno said dry as dust.
Hank burst out laughing. “Sheesh. Good thing I’m getting the family rate.”
“That is the family rate. I charged big corporations fourteen-hundred-dollars per hour.”
“Yowza. I went into the wrong profession!”
“No you didn’t. You’re a healer through and through. You fix everyone you meet.”
Hank sat back on his heels, looking at the row of tiles he’d just set. He nudged one tile slightly. “Madison wants to pick the paint color for her room before I paint it, so that’s one project off my list to finish before she gets here.”
“She won’t care if everything’s not perfect or completely finished. She’ll be pleased as punch that you’ve built her an entire bathroom of her own. Oh, and Grace wanted me to tell you she’s looking forward to meeting Madison.”
“You’ll be here Friday night, then?”
“With Grace and Lily.” Reno confirmed. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
“Madison wants to know what kind of woman landed you.”
Reno smiled. “The best kind of woman landed me.”
Hank shot him a look clocking that Reno considered himself landed. But all he said was, “Pass me the bag of spacers.”
Reno handed over the spacers.
“How’s the knee?”
“Better.”
“How much better?”
