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"We will adjourn this hearing for today," Judge McKensie said, "and resume at nine-thirty tomorrow morning." He rapped his gavel and stood up. The moment he did so, the crowd broke into an uproar. The town gossips had so much news to chatter over telephone lines and at one another's houses. They couldn't believe their good luck.
"By this time tomorrow Drake will be back in your home," Camden Lakewood said. I looked across the room to see Fanny and Wendell Burton hurry out a side door. When I looked at the crowd, I saw many people smiling our way. Even Loretta Stonewall seemed to have gotten over her crisis and was happily accepting the sympathy of friends.
"I'll call you later this afternoon and we'll decide on a time to go over the testimony you will give tomorrow," Camden said. "That should really lock it up," he added.
"You did a wonderful job," Logan told him and they shook hands before we started out.
The heavy snowfall had lightened considerably while we were in the hearing. Sunlight even peeped through some thin clouds, making the world look dazzling because of the way it reflected off the snow. Logan put his arm around me as we headed for our car.
"Well," he said, "the worst is over."
"I hope so," I said. "For Drake's sake more than my own."
"Looks like you were right to get Mr. Lakewood. Quality and experience shows." We got into the car and started off. As we pulled away, I looked back and saw Fanny talking to Randall. She was gesturing wildly, small puffs of her breath popping out of her mouth like the smoke from the chimney of Old Smokey, our Willies cabin coal stove.
"Once something evil starts to rollin', it's hard to slow it down," Granny used to say. Evil is like a boulder rolling down a hill, picking up speed and power with every turn. If you don't stop it at the start, you can only stand back and wait until it's run out of steam. Had the evil that tossed the Casteel children all about this world run out of steam? I could only hope that the actions we had taken in the courtroom today would help slow it down.
That night, when Logan and I went to bed, he took me in his arms and kissed me.
"I was so worried about you today," he said.
He stroked my hair softly and kissed me again. "We're going to come through this stronger than ever. You'll see. Nervous about tomorrow?"
"I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't."
"I'll be right beside you every minute just the way you were for me. Just look my way if you get upset."
"Oh, Logan, you do love me just the way you used to love me when we were young in Winnerow, don't you?" The smile left his face and he looked as serious as ever.
"More, because I've learned just how precious and important you are to me. Then it was just a schoolboy's infatuation. Now it's a man's mature love. I need you, Heaven; I'm no one without you."
"Oh, Logan," I said. He kissed my first tear the moment it appeared on my cheek and then he hugged and kissed me more passionately until we both wanted each other. Because I was pregnant, our lovemaking was gentle, but nevertheless full of fire. Our sexual ecstasy took us far away from the pain and the torment of the moment. We traveled to a world without tears where we could love each other purely and wholly without fear of the darkness or of the light. His lips ,on my breasts, his mouth against mine, his body pressed to my body drove away the memories of unhappiness. I-rushed to him eagerly, like a desert wanderer longing for an oasis.
"Heaven, my Heaven," he whispered. "There will be many moments like this. I'll always be here for you, always."
My tears were now tears of happiness and hope. We were like two schoolchildren discovering each other and discovering just how wonderful love between a man and a woman could become. Afterward, we fell asleep in each other's arms, quietly drifting in the warmth that followed.
When the phone rang, it jarred me out of sleep. Even so, I was reluctant to awaken as it rang again and again. Finally Logan awoke, too. He reached over for the receiver and brought it to his ear.
"Hello," he said, his voice cracking with the effort. For a long while he only listened. Then he said, "I understand. Come right over," he added and hung up.
"What is it? Who was that?" I asked quickly. I saw from the expression on his face that he had heard bad news.
"It was Mr. Lakewood," he said. "He's coming right over to speak to us. He said he has some information that will--" He swallowed as if the words had choked in his throat.
"That will what? What, Logan?"
He turned to me slowly, his face a mask of shock and despair.
"Will most definitely give Fanny complete custody of Drake," he said.
EIGHTEEN?
What Money Can Buy
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OUR BUTLER GERALD ANNOUNCED
