CHAPTER FOUR

Riley couldn’t help but worry as the court session unfolded.

So far, everything seemed to be going smoothly. Riley herself had testified about the kind of home she was trying to make for Jilly, and Bonnie and Arnold Flaxman had testified to Jilly’s desperate need for a stable family.

Even so, Riley felt uneasy about Jilly’s father, Albert Scarlatti.

She’d never actually seen the man before today. Judging from what Jilly had told her about him, she had pictured a grotesque ogre of a man.

But his actual appearance surprised her.

His once-black hair was heavily streaked with gray, and his dark features were, as she’d expected, ravaged from years of alcoholism. Even so, he seemed perfectly sober right now. He was dressed well but not expensively, and he was kindly and charming with everyone he talked to.

Riley also wondered about the woman sitting at Scarlatti’s side and holding his hand. She, too, looked as though she’d lived a hard life. Otherwise, her expression was difficult for Riley to read.

Who is she? Riley wondered.

All Riley knew about Scarlatti’s wife and Jilly’s mother was that she had disappeared many years ago. Scarlatti had often told Jilly that she’d probably died.

This couldn’t be her after all these years. Jilly had shown no sign of even knowing this woman. So who was she?

Now it was time for Jilly to speak.

Riley squeezed Jilly’s hand reassuringly, and the young teenager took the stand.

Jilly looked small in the big witness chair. Her eyes darted around the courtroom nervously, glancing at the judge, then making eye contact with her father.

The man smiled with what appeared to be sincere affection, but Jilly hastily averted her gaze.

Riley’s attorney, Delbert Kaul, asked Jilly how she felt about the adoption.

Riley could see Jilly’s whole body shake with emotion.

“I want it more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life,” Jilly said in an unsteady voice. “I’ve been so, so happy living with my mom—”

“You mean Ms. Paige,” Kaul said, gently interrupting.

“Well, she’s my mom now as far as I’m concerned, and that’s what I call her. And her daughter, April, is my big sister. Until I started living with them, I had no idea what it would be like—having a real family to love me and care for me.”

Jilly seemed to be bravely fighting back her tears.

Riley wasn’t sure that she was going to be able to do the same.

Then Kaul asked, “Can you tell the judge a little about what it was like living with your father?”

Jilly looked at her father.

Then she looked at the judge and said, “It was awful.”

She went on to tell the court what she had told Riley yesterday—how her father had locked her in a closet for days. Riley shuddered as she listened to the story all over again. Most of the people in the courtroom seemed to be deeply affected by it. Even her father hung his head.

When she was finished, Jilly was truly in tears.

“Until my new mom came into my life, everyone I loved ended up leaving sooner or later. They couldn’t stand living with Dad because he was so awful to them. My mother, my older brother—even my little puppy, Darby, ran away.”

Riley’s throat tightened. She remembered Jilly crying when she spoke of the puppy she’d lost so many months ago. Jilly still worried about what had become of Darby.

“Please,” she said to the judge. “Please don’t send me back to that. I’m so happy with my new family. Don’t take me away from them.”

Jilly then came back and sat next to Riley again.

Riley squeezed her hand and whispered to her, “You did really well. I’m proud of you.”

Jilly nodded and wiped away her tears.

Then Riley’s attorney, Delbert Kaul, presented the judge with all the necessary papers to finalize the adoption. He was especially emphasizing the consent form signed by Jilly’s father.

As far as Riley could tell, Kaul was doing a reasonably thorough job with the presentation. But his voice and manner were hardly inspiring, and the judge, a beefy, scowling man with small, beady eyes, didn’t seem to be at all impressed.

For a moment, Riley’s mind drifted back to the bizarre phone call she’d gotten yesterday from Morgan Farrell. Of course Riley had contacted the police in Atlanta right away. If what the woman had said was true, then surely she was in custody by now. Riley couldn’t help wondering what had really happened.

Was it really possible that the fragile woman she’d met in Atlanta had committed murder?

This is no time to think about all that, she reminded herself.

When Kaul finished his presentation, Scarlatti’s lawyer stood up.

Jolene Paget was a keen-eyed woman in her thirties whose lips seemed to be shaped in a slight but perpetual smirk.

She said to the lawyer, “My client wishes to contest this adoption.”

The judge nodded and growled, “I know he does, Ms. Paget. Your client had better have a good reason for wanting change his own decision.”

Riley immediately noticed that, unlike her own lawyer, Paget wasn’t referring to any notes. Also unlike Kaul, her voice and demeanor exuded self-confidence.

She said, “Mr. Scarlatti has very good reason, your honor. He gave his consent under duress. He was going through an especially hard time and didn’t have a job. And yes, he was drinking back then. And he was depressed.”

Paget nodded toward Brenda Fitch, who was also sitting in the courtroom, and added, “He was easy prey to pressure from social services personnel, especially this woman. Brenda Fitch threatened to bring him up on charges for entirely made-up crimes and offenses.”

Brenda let out a sharp gasp of outrage. She said to Paget, “That’s not true and you know it.”

Paget’s smirk broadened as she said, “Your honor, would you kindly tell Ms. Fitch not to interrupt?”

“Please keep quiet, Ms. Fitch,” the judge said.

Paget added, “My client also wishes to bring charges of kidnapping against Ms. Paige—with Ms. Fitch as an accessory.”

Brenda let out an audible groan of disgust, but Riley forced herself to keep quiet. She’d known all along that Paget was going to pursue this issue.

The judge said, “Ms. Paget, you’ve presented no evidence of kidnapping by anybody. As for the duress and threats you mentioned, you’ve offered no proof or evidence. You’ve said nothing to persuade me that your client’s initial consent shouldn’t still stand.”

Albert Scarlatti then got to his feet.

“May I say a few words on my own behalf, your honor?” he begged.

When the judge nodded his approval, Riley felt a new jolt of concern.

Scarlatti hung his head and spoke in a low, quiet voice.

“What Jilly told you just now about what I did to her—I know it sounds awful. And Jilly, I’m awfully sorry. But the truth is, that’s not exactly how it happened.”

Riley had to stop herself from interrupting him. She was sure that Jilly hadn’t lied about this.

Albert Scarlatti chuckled a bit sadly. A warm smile spread across his worn features.

“Jilly, surely you’ll admit that you’ve been a handful to raise. You can be a challenge, little daughter. You’ve got a temper, and you’d get completely out of control sometimes, and I just didn’t know what to do that day. The way I remember it, I was just plain desperate when I put you in that closet.”

He shrugged a little and continued, “But it wasn’t like you said. I’d never have put you through something like that for days. Not even for a few hours. I’m not saying you’re not telling the truth, just that your imagination sometimes runs away with you. And I understand that.”

Then Scarlatti turned his attention to the others in the courtroom.

He said, “A lot has happened since I lost my little Jilly. I’ve cleaned myself up. I’ve been in rehab and I go to AA regularly, and I haven’t had a drink in months. I hope never to have a drink again for the rest of my life. And I’ve got a steady job—nothing really impressive, just janitorial work, but it’s a good job, and I can give you a reference from my employer that I’m doing just fine.”

Then he touched the mysterious woman he’d been sitting next to on the shoulder.

“But there’s been another big change in my life. I met Barbara Long here, the most wonderful woman in the world, and she’s the best thing that ever happened to me. We’re engaged to be married later this month.”

The woman smiled at him with glistening eyes.

Scarlatti spoke directly to Jilly now.

“That’s right, Jilly. No more single-parent family. You’re going to have a father and a mother—a real mother after all these years.”

Riley felt like a knife had been plunged in her chest.

Jilly just said that I’m her real mom, she thought. But what could she say about that single-parent crack? Her divorce from Ryan had been final even before she found Jilly.

Scarlatti then directed his attention to Brenda Fitch.

He said, “Ms. Fitch, my lawyer just said some pretty tough things about you just now. I just want you to know that I don’t have any hard feelings. You’ve been doing your job, and I know that. I just want you to know how much I’ve changed.”

Then he looked Riley straight in the eye.

“Ms. Paige, I’ve got no hard feelings toward you either. In fact, I’m grateful for everything you did to take care of Jilly while I was trying to get myself together. I know it couldn’t have been easy for you, being single and all. And with a teenager of your own to take care of.”

Riley opened her mouth to protest, but Albert went on speaking warmly. “I know you care about her, and you needn’t worry. I’ll be a good father to Jilly from now on. And I’ll want you to keep on being a part of Jilly’s life.”

Riley was stunned. She now realized why his lawyer had threatened to bring charges of kidnapping in the first place.

It’s classic good cop, bad cop.

Jolene Paget had presented herself as a cutthroat attorney prepared to go to any lengths to win her case. She’d cleared the way for Scarlatti to come across as the nicest guy in the world.

And he was very convincing. Riley couldn’t help but wonder …

Is he really a nice guy after all?

Was he really just going through a bad stretch?

Worst of all—might she be wrong in trying to take Jilly away from him? Was she doing nothing except adding unnecessary trauma to Jilly’s life?

Finally Scarlatti looked pleadingly at the judge.

“Your honor, I beg you, please let me have my daughter back. She is my flesh and blood. You won’t regret your decision. I promise.”

A tear trickled down his cheek as he sat back down.

His lawyer stood up, looking more smug and confident than ever.

She spoke to Jilly with a tone of oily, fake sincerity.

“Jilly, I hope you understand that your father wants only what’s best for you. I know you’ve had troubles with him in the past, but tell me the truth now—isn’t that a pattern with you?”

Jilly looked puzzled.

Paget continued, “I’m sure you won’t deny that you ran away from your father, and that’s how Riley Paige found you in the first place.”

Jilly said, “I know, but that was because—”

Paget interrupted, pointing to the Flaxmans.

“And didn’t you also run away from this nice couple when they took you in?”

Jilly’s eyes widened and she nodded silently.

Riley swallowed hard. She knew what Paget was going to say next.

“And didn’t you once even run away from Ms. Paige and her family?”

Jilly nodded and hung her head miserably.

And of course it was true. Riley remembered all too well how hard it had been for Jilly to adjust to life in her home—and especially how she’d struggled with feelings of unworthiness. In an especially weak moment, Jilly had run off to another truck stop, thinking that selling her body was all she was good for.

“I’m nobody,” Jilly had told Riley when the police brought her back.

The lawyer had done her research well, but Jilly had changed so much since then. Riley was sure that those days of insecurity were over.

Still maintaining a tone of deep concern, Paget said to Jilly …

“Sooner or later, dear, you’ve got to accept the help of people who care about you. And right now, your father wants more than anything else to give you a good life. I think you owe it to him to give him a chance to do that.”

Turning to the judge, Paget added, “Your honor, I leave the matter to you.”

For the first time, the judge seemed to be genuinely moved.

He said, “Mr. Scarlatti, your eloquent comments have forced me to reconsider my decision.

Riley gasped aloud.

Is this really happening?

The judge continued, “Arizona statute is very clear on the matter of severance. The first consideration is the fitness of the parents. The second consideration is the best interests of the child. Only if the parent is deemed unfit can the second consideration be brought into question.”

He paused to think for a moment.

“Mr. Scarlatti’s unfitness has not been established here today. I think rather to the contrary, he seems to be doing everything he can to become an excellent father.”

Looking alarmed, Kaul stood up and spoke sharply.

“Your honor, I object. Mr. Scarlatti gave up his rights voluntarily, and this is completely unexpected. The agency had no reason to bring evidence to establish his unfitness.”

The judge spoke with a note of finality and rapped his gavel.

“Then I have no reason to consider anything further. Custody is granted to the father, effective immediately.”

Riley couldn’t help letting out a cry of despair.

This is real, she thought.

I’m losing Jilly.