Chapter 34
Laurie Dupree – November 26, 2007 Monday
Laurie picked up the woman and her daughter at the airport bright and early. Penny had three suitcases and her daughter, Sarah, had a small bag over her shoulder. Laurie leapt up to help. "Hi!"
"We should rent a car."
"No, no. Mr. Sharpson is sending a car to the house for you two. I can get you there and he'll have one of the agency men drop the car by."
"Is Mrs. Pierce going to be by?" Penny asked as they loaded up in Laurie's beat-up sedan.
"Oh, no. She's rather busy. And she's Evans now." Laurie smiled broadly. "She married her high school sweetheart just before Thanksgiving."
"Right. I met him." Penny shook her head. "It's been a long year."
"For real." Laurie nodded and got them loaded up and watched how her daughter kept her distance. "Do I need a mask?"
"No. It's just cold but if you have to cough, do it in your elbow." Penny modeled with her arm.
"Mom." Sarah groaned. "It's fine… just keep your germs to yourself. I'll survive the ride. I have a compromised immune system but it's really not that bad right now. Just precautions."
"I sent a housekeeper through to sanitize the side of the house that you two will sleep in. No one has used it in years and I certainly didn't when I lived there. The babies have colds and the babiest baby has an ear infection. Daddy dearest is delirious, and he was turning down help, but the doctor ordered him to have help."
"Good. I like the sound of that." Penny looked at Laurie. "Were you the receptionist at Mr. Pierce's old job?"
"Oh, no. I'm a former client." Laurie shook her head. "Well, former client of Mr. Pierce's but current employee of Mrs. Evans. Also patient… of Dr. Evans's um… benefactor?"
"Did she get her degree?"
"She's almost there. She's doing an independent study through Dr. Skaarsten's alma mater and then it'll be official."
"Wow. How she's doing all that with those three little ones?" Penny tsked.
"Lots of help." Laurie smiled at them.
"Look at that." Sarah peered out the window. "Your boss just… has an empty lodge in Vermont?"
"Family property from what I understand." Laurie nodded. "You guys let me know anything you need, and I will get it for you. Weather's been steady but... you know. Snow."
"Grocery store." Penny held up a list from her pocket.
"The fridges are filled. You make me a list and I will go for anything else you need. Alex is not keen on letting the boys out of his sight."
"Where is the mother?" Penny asked with her hand on the door.
"I'm not sure. Liz didn't say anything but… I have gleaned that we aren't supposed to let her have the boys. I have pictures on my phone, so you'll know who she is." Laurie took a breath and didn't know if she was allowed to say that Liz had probably sent some of the men to watch out.
"Did Mrs. Evans send Mr. Kinney?" Penny asked, gently.
"Mr. Kinney died on Halloween night. Mr. Sharpson will probably have the men who bring the car stick around. Not… in the way."
"Of course, I'm used to them." She nodded. "Well, let's get in out of the cold. Just give me half an hour to get Sarah settled."
"Mom." She groaned.
"Lots of creature comforts here." Laurie told them as she led the way. The other side of the lodge smelled clean and almost clinical. She gave them keys and wrote phone numbers on a white board by the fridge then she went over to the Whitman side where Alex was starting to succumb to his cold. Laurie ordered him to the shower while she fed the boys. Chuck ran around in socked feet and threw stuffed animals everywhere. Bobby was looking kind of groggy and Freddie was very whiny but looking better.
Laurie put on some soothing music and got a blanket on the floor so they could picnic with nuggets and fresh veggies. Freddie ate banana mush half-heartedly. Laurie stroked his little face. She tried some chicken mush. Not much better. By the time she got him to take a bottle and doze, Penny was washing up in the kitchen and tackling the mess in there. She wrangled Chuck into an activity. She put Bobby to nap and got Freddie a sponge bath before Alex made it back downstairs. Penny hit him with a pair of socks and a sweater she'd found in the laundry. "Wear them. You're no good to us half-dead. I'm Penny. Mrs. Evans has sent me to sort you out. I was a nurse in my previous life. You rest, this is what I do."
"You're bossy. I can see why Liz likes you." Alex took the socks and the sweater.
"She said I reminded her of her some mothers she knew once." Penny handed him a mug of broth.
"I could use some mothering. So, could they." Alex gestured to his kids.
"I'm heading out." Laurie stood. "Make the lists and send me a text. I'll stop by."
"You have a day job?" Penny asked.
"Sometimes." Laurie nodded and left them to it. She took her old sedan to her apartment. She had a one bedroom in a four-unit house. She had gotten to know her neighbors fairly well. Too cold out just now for anyone to be hanging around though. She texted Liz that Penny was in the lodge and texted Mr. Sharpson, as well. He texted back that the men were due in an hour with the car. Did she know where they could stay? Laurie laughed and called around to see who had rooms or rentals close to the lodge. It was late in the season; most luxury locations were full or reserved but she got them a fixer-upper close to the lodge and near the main road. She figured Mr. Sharpson would like that.
Then she got an email from Todd. Said he handled the grunt work. She responded that she was only responding to direct requests and she was not after his job. She had enough to worry about. Laurie cleaned up her kitchen and looked at the clock. She wasn't expected at the diner for another six hours for the evening shift. She kicked off her shoes and picked up the book she'd been reading. Riding the rollercoaster was not the best title for this book. She tossed it back on the coffee table. She built a cabin out of toothpicks.
Then she still had two hours to her shift. She changed. Did her hair. Checked her email. Then she went to work, an hour early. She got there and… it was slow and… she was sent home. She stole a pie on her way out. She drove it out to the lodge and delivered it with a bright smile and a stack of library books for Mr. Whitman and for Sarah. Penny disinfected the covers and took them to her. Alex thanked her for the books while the toys were clanging, and the boys were chattering. She sat to drink some tea with him while Penny got the boys fussed over.
Alex breathed. "Thank you."
"I'm not doing much."
"It's a lot. Thank you." Alex sipped his tea. "Could I trouble you to pick up some things at the Post Office for me?"
"Sure. First thing tomorrow."
"Thank you." He found the receipts and printed them out. "It's a PO box."
"How'd you get a PO box setup?"
"Don't ask."
"Gotcha. I got this."
"Tell me something about your grandfather." Alex pressed. His face was a strange mix of genuine interest and suspicion.
"Um…" Laurie smiled into her cup. "I remember… that he used to smell great. Like cigars and whiskey. My parents died when I was a kid. Grandpa… everyone thought he was crazy. I know now that he… wasn't entirely."
"When did he die?"
"1993. I asked Auntie Jo to start the process of having him exhumed to find out what exactly he died of. He was old but… I always thought there was something else that happened to him. I mean… after he died… it was a very big surprise that I inherited the bulk of his estate and my aunt and uncle… they weren't too happy, and I know they did something to me to… trigger my issues and have me put away. God… I was in that place for a decade." She took a deep breath and pushed most of the memories away. "Grandpa took me in and without him, I would have never known what possibilities were in the world. My folks just never talked about anything that wasn't… reasonable. I want for him to have some justice."
"I'm glad that someone was able to help you."
"Me, too. So… I know that you and… Daniel weren't… but he was my knight. Such an outdated thing to say but he really put himself on the line to get me out of there and get me help. Auntie Jo said something like… it was his audition for her. To show that he wanted in the family that had left the… Trust, I guess." She shrugged. "It sounds important when she talks about it. She hooked me up with her lawyer and um… things are looking good. I just… need a better job. I have to get my GED for that. I'm almost there."
Alex sat there and breathed for a long moment. Laurie started to get uncomfortable with the intensity of his stare. "Agent Pierce was a bad man. He had my parents murdered. Then he abducted my best friend and married her. He never let her go home. Barely let her talk to her family and he did it because he felt like it was his duty to defend the country from aliens and it was his due because he loved her, and it never occurred to him that she didn't love him back."
Laurie felt chills run over her body. "I'm…"
"I'm glad that you never had to see that side of his person. Not for his sake. I don't care about him. You seem like a truly good person and I will help you in whatever way I can because I don't want his shadow to fall on you." He took a breath. "You said that you met Michael. He's a person I would defend with my life. He won't ever need me to but that's how much I love him, and I love his wife. I'm not hateful but I never really got to mourn my parents. A lot happened all at once. Now my wife… is someone I don't know. She does things in a… um… fugue state and so, we're hiding from her. She is Michael's family. Liz's husband is her actual brother but even he would defend her. So…"
"I understand."
"You may have joined the family of clone donors, but you've also joined the alien family. Be careful, Laurie. Stay good."
Laurie nodded and cleaned up their tea. She left and the chill stayed with her. She didn't want to do it, but she called Todd. "How's it going?"
"Great."
"Doesn't sound great." She laughed.
"My family. I hate my mother's family… except Auntie Jo."
Laurie listened to him talk about his mother's family. They weren't a big family, but they were loud, apparently. They didn't like his fiancée and that was a first because everyone loved her. Laurie waited for a break. "Hey, um… I was. Um… talking to Liz's friend and he… um… said that Daniel was… um…"
"Sweetie, I liked Mr. Pierce. I really did but he did have a scary side to him. I don't know what he did for the FBI but none of it was good. That trial was a farce. I've watched it but having met him, doing his errands and seeing how he was with his family and how he was on the job… it was all lies."
"So…"
"If Alex Whitman hates Mr. Pierce. It was for a good reason. You got his nurturing family side. I got it most of the time, too but… I've seen some of the minor rages and they were fucking scary."
"Did… Liz know?"
"She knew more than the rest of us, I think. There was sometimes a tone… before he died. There's definitely one now." He cleared his throat. "Slightly… changing the subject, Auntie Jo needs more blood."
"I hate needle sticks."
"She thinks all the bad stuff is out and the good stuff shouldn't affect what she sees, much. She hopes to get a… full profile."
"Okay. When?"
"She's coming out. She'll be using the Pittsburgh lab again."
"Okay."
"My office is on top of it, now. Literally right above it."
"Wow."
"Yeah, lots of changes."
"Fantastic."
November 28, 2007 Wednesday
Laurie dropped her bag on the condo floor and turned around and walked out. She got in the rental car and drove to the building in the middle of nothing. It looked nicer than it had the last time she was there. There was human life on the ground floor. Inside looked amazing. Todd was on the phone, but he motioned to the next door and motioned with his hand to someone with hair.
The next door pushed open easily and the space was full of stations but no real offices. It was a little weird. A tall woman with a scar on her neck was standing with a file. She looked up. "Hi, Laurie Dupree?"
"That's me."
"Marisol Guzman." She held her hand out. "I'll take you downstairs to Dr. Skaarsten."
"Fantastic." Laurie made a face.
"Needles, yeah." She nodded and led the way through the office to a hallway with a private elevator.
"Wow, renovations really… wow." Laurie nodded. Then downstairs, which had not been renovated. "I hate this place."
"It's creepy." Marisol nodded. "Boss didn't say what it used to be… but um… I've been around the world. I know what it looks like."
"Frankenstein's laboratory?"
"Only on its best of days."
Laurie headed to the little lab down the stairs and Jolene was waiting. "Hopefully the last time."
"Good." Laurie endured. "What's up with the… analysis?"
"Getting some… strange readings and I wanted to make sure that I understand what I'm looking at." Jolene stated vaguely, which was not like her. She was a much more precise person.
"Okay."
Laurie let her take the blood and sat with a book while she sipped orange juice and ate cookies she suspected came from Jolene's kitchen. Marisol worked at a station upstairs. Laurie could hear the tapping of the keys. Jolene was setting some equipment to work. "I thought you were going to fly that home."
"Liz set up quite the laboratory down here and she hardly uses it. I think it will all do just fine."
"So, what's going on with the readings?"
"Just… finding some repetitions in places there shouldn't be." She waved her off. "I'll know more in a few days. Why don't you go back to the condo and rest?"
"Okay." Laurie nodded. She took her book with her back upstairs. She waved off Marisol's company up the elevator, and Todd's need for conversation, and went to a park. She read on the park bench until her ass froze and then took herself to get a hot meal before hitting the grocery store and going to the condo. It was nice in summer, but winter was not so inviting. She gathered all the blankets and made a nest in front of the fireplace. When she turned on the tablet, she could see everything Alex and the kids were watching, reading and listening to in her history. She wanted that someday. Kids and a husband and her own house. She could do without all the money if she needed to but… she just wanted the best parts of her childhood from the other side.
Meds in, she settled for a bath and bed. She ate cheese and bread like a heathen… or a rat. She missed the dry cold of the desert. Snow was nice to look at but… she wasn't used to it yet. She opened the tablet again and saw that the boys had Alex watching Toy Story over and over. She laughed and cleared her throat before she called the house. She chatted with Alex for a bit. He vented and she laughed. She talked about getting needles in her arm for the afternoon and he made a sound that make her think of his face. Then she had to remind herself that she was a property manager and employee of his friend and not just some girl he knew. He was married.
Laurie said goodnight and tried to sleep. She'd been in that facility since she was 16. She didn't really know how to flirt or meet people. She'd have to ask Todd for some tips.
Early the next morning found her walking the neighborhood, thinking about her dad. She couldn't remember if he'd had the bad dreams her grandpa had, or she had. Maybe that was the meds and having read the nightmare that was his journal. A car found her, and she rode it to the lab. She had breakfast with Todd while he chattered about the wedding plans. They were eloping, then not eloping and he was tired of planning it.
"I'm so sorry." Jolene walked out of the back. "I think I have everything I need. I just want to take some vitals and we'll make sure you have your meds for your trip back to Vermont."
"Yes, Auntie Jo." Todd helped Laurie gather her things and they put a cooler full of meds in the car to go to the airport. Slapped a permit on the side of the cooler for security.
Laurie was home by dinner, and she didn't want to eat alone. She stowed her meds and picked up some pastries and headed to the lodge. Alex ate the fresh bread with his tomato soup. "It's bread. Not crack, Alex."
"Have you tried the bread? I'm pretty sure there's crack in here." Alex made a face at her.
"Where are the boys?"
"We triangulated a nap pattern to put them all down at once. Penny is magic. I know why Liz loves Penny." Alex told her.
"It's just… targeted energy expenditures." Penny told them. "I'm really surprised you hadn't gotten it down with your previous nanny."
"Nannies…" Alex repeated the word. "Plural and in LA. They kept eloping with movie producers or directors, graduating, getting series pick-ups. Never enough time with one to… do the math properly. I have had two nights of sleep and sometimes, I nap with them. I'm catching up. There's hardly any laundry."
"Laundry for boys is dumb. Just… set them loose in diapers and let them be boys. They just sweat and fart anyway. Just wipe them down a few times a day and they'll be fine."
Laurie laughed at that. Penny was great. "I thought they were sick and needed to be bundled."
"This is a well-insulated house. They can be okay with socks as long as it's warm inside. They're getting better. Freddie's ear isn't so red and Bobby has barely slowed down. Chuck is got it now, some sniffles but he's older. He'll be fine." She looked Laurie over. "How was your trip?"
"I have so many holes." Laurie rubbed her arm. "I blew a vein twice."
"Oh, honey. Next time, have her send a kit and I'll do it. I'm an expert at drawing blood." Penny hopped up and was pouring hot chocolate a moment later. She took the last cup next door and was back a bit later.
"I think something's wrong." Laurie admitted out loud for the first time since Jo had started with her vagueness. "I think she's afraid to tell me but… I think something's really wrong."
"She didn't say?"
"She took more blood so she could be sure. Whatever that is. I already have… a history of paranoid schizophrenia and even if that's not what I have… exactly anymore, it will always be in my history. I got bad blood. I get weird blood infections and adverse effects from the most popularly used medications… I'm probably infertile to a degree and… the house that I own is… inhabited by evil people who are supposed to be my family."
"Liz is taking care of it and she will. Karma… will come for your evil aunt and uncle."
"Know what the lawyer said? That if I had more family with equal claim… then it would easier but because I've been committed… past the age of 18 that it's less likely to get a judge to sympathize." She shrugged. "I'm an only child. Mom and Dad just… never had more kids and I was… 10 when they died so… that's it."
"Well, whatever I can do, I will. I have… friends in… strange places." Alex told her and got up to get more bread.
"Shame Mr. Pierce couldn't get that all solved before he passed." Penny tsked.
"He was just getting started." Laurie sighed. "Liz promised though."
"She is good at promises." Alex whispered to his soup. "I was mad at her for a long time. Real mad. She knew what he did, and she married him and had his kids. Liz and I were friends since we were 9 and… despite that, she kept every promise she made to me. And now… she's hosting me in probably her best property because she knows that I need to be away from my wife. She's probably also going to be the one that deals with my wife."
"What did she do?" Penny asked softly.
"She's having dissociative episodes." Laurie filled in. "This is about safety for the kids."
"How long do they last?"
"Couple of days at a time. It was getting worse and…" Alex sniffed. "Is there a bar?"
"Inside that… globe thing. It's got a lock on it. Key is… um…" Laurie tapped her head. "In the desk over there. I hid it from myself. Some of that stuff is probably well-aged."
"Who was the last person to inhabit before you?" Alex asked as he poured himself a scotch.
"Um…" She tried to remember anything that had been told to her. "Maybe… Mr. Morton and his wife."
"Wow, a while then." Alex tossed it back and then locked it back up. "That was… good."
"Burns?" Penny asked.
"A bit." Alex nodded. "I don't drink much. Wife has alcohol allergies. Solidarity."
"I never met Mr. Morton but he certainly made an impression on little Nate. He loved him some Geepipaw." Penny sipped her hot chocolate. "It was probably the toys."
"Most likely the toys. That kid likes toys." Alex nodded. "His favorite uncle is… Uncle Michael and that's because Uncle Michael got him a truck that had a dump truck feature and Uncle Alex only got him a truck that made noises."
"He sounds like a character. Usually when I see him, he's… dancing on Liz's nerves." Laurie thought about that goofy kid and his cute little face.
"He is good at that." Penny nodded. "I think it's hilarious but Liz in a snit, oh… good times. So far removed from the young woman I met."
"Liz in a snit." Alex nodded. "She hates it when her plans don't go her away. When she was trying to date her now-husband, she would arrange these meetings and they would not go off the way she planned, and she would rant for hours about it."
"Oh, no."
"Conniving little snot and none of it went her way. It was kind of great to see her have to struggle with something for once."
"OH, she was one of those kids." Penny laughed. "I can see that."
"Mom?" Sara's voice floated over from the door.
"Honey?"
"Can I some more?"
"Of course, you can. I'll be right over." Penny rose from the table. "The boys will be up soon. Today is nugget day. Remember?"
"I'll get them going." Laurie offered.
"Thanks." Alex got up and got some green things to put on plates.
"Nugget day?"
"It was how we got them to take their meds. Six doses and then we could have chicken nuggets." Alex sighed. "I got Chuck to agree and then it got easier with Bobby. Bobby wants what Chuck has. Freddie… that loveable little barnacle."
"I want to eat him up."
"Daddy!"
"That's my cue."
Laurie helped with cooling and doling out nuggets and carrots and peas. She watched Alex spend time with each boy, kisses and airplane nuggets and shark carrots. Freddie ate his mush with his head on Alex's shoulder. Laurie cleaned up the kitchen and Penny made it back over as she was loading the dishwasher.
"So sorry." Penny sighed. "I got the hot chocolate made and then the treatment was all wonky. And then she threw up."
"It's okay."
"I'm sorry you had to stay. I'm sure you had better things to do."
"I didn't." Laurie made a face. "I came here so that I didn't have to stare at my walls alone."
"You're such a lovely woman, you don't have friends?"
"Spent the last decade in and out of institutions. Trying to remember to make a friend that is more than a wave in the grocery store or… "hey how you doing? Great. See you later."" Laurie shrugged. "I should go though."
"Oh, we're up to nothing. You are not interrupting."
"I have to… interrupt myself." Laurie gathered her cup for the sink. "I might catch a case of some… deep… soulful staring and… I can't."
"Oh honey."
"It'll pass. He just… does a good job of making a case for his gender." Laurie put on her jacket. "I have something to aspire to."
"That's always good. Say the word, and I will catch you a husband."
"Hmm… maybe we should do that before I fix my inheritance. Make sure he loves me for me." Laurie bounced out the door and drove her shitty sedan to her apartment. It was warm and she had a great blanket she'd gotten from a nurse at the rehab. Comfy sweats, she put on a kid's movie she hadn't seen in years and made popcorn and her own hot chocolate.
It was a nice quiet night and when the snow started falling again, she watched it until she fell asleep on her little couch. No dreams about abductions or evil relatives. Just sleep and nowhere to be the next day.
December 2, 2007 Sunday
They were bundled up. Three pairs of sockets in snug boots. Two shirts under the sweaters and jackets. Gloves and hats. Laurie held Chuck's hand while they walked in the snow and he oohed and ahed. He was so cute. Then she went and traded him for Bobby. Snowflakes got caught in his eyelashes. Then Laurie was inside with the older boys while Alex showed snow to Freddie. Freddie didn't really care but Alex was having a good time. Penny clucked and got the boys out of their coats. "No pictures."
"Alex… didn't want to rub it in, later." Laurie raised her eyebrows.
"He's such a good young man." Penny turned and stirred the stew. "I got stew on for the grownups and there's nuggets and peas for the kiddos. I'm taking Sara for a tour of Woodstock."
"It's lovely." Laurie promised. She watched through the window as Sara took herself to the car with a huge coat and a blanket to get in the rental car that the firm had dropped off. Penny scooted out a moment later. They got on their way and Laurie got the boys some cookies and milk in sippy cups. Alex came in a bit later and hung out with Freddie next to the fire until they were both warm. Alex put on a movie and the boys were happy to listen to the movie while they zoomed trucks and bounced plush animals.
Alex tried one limb at a time to get footsie jammies on each of them but in the end, Chuck had only the bottom half of his on, Bobby had one arm out and Freddie only had the top half on. "I give up. They're warm, they're happy and not so much miserable anymore."
"What do you do for work?"
"Shady internet stuff." Alex shrugged. "That wasn't my intention, but things got sketchy a few years ago… before they happened. It's evolved so… strangely. I can keep them in applesauce and milk with a few hours work a night."
"That's it?"
"I take a nap with them during the day. They go down at like… eight? Then I work til midnight, maybe a bit longer. Two, sometimes. I get in about four hours of sleep before they start tearing the house down. It works but… I have to have… help, you know? Cause then the clients are calling during the day cause they're awake and they have questions."
"Wow. You got it rigged."
"Only works if I have help. Either… my wife or a nanny."
"You just… parent?"
"Trial and error. Lots of that. I don't know… I never thought of myself as a dad. That I would have kids was… a thought. But suddenly Chuck was here and… luckily, I wasn't worried about bills and I could just focus on his needs. So… then I wound in the work stuff. It worked itself out. Love my boys."
"They obviously love you."
"I am the source of food and hugs and toys." Alex caught Chuck as he made a break for it. "Heya kiddo."
"Daddy."
"Hi. Where you going?"
"Nowhere." Chuck had a sneaky little smile on his face.
"The cookies are gone. The snacks are put away. It's play time." Alex told him. Laurie watched Chuck whine for a bit but then snuggle into Alex, who started rocking, just a bit. Chuck was in Nap Town before long. Laurie watched littler two while Alex carried him up to his bed. When her phone rang, she frowned. She didn't know enough people to get a call on a Sunday.
"Hello?"
"Is this… Laurie Dupree?" An unfamiliar voice came over the phone.
"Yes."
"Um… I have to tell you that something's happened. Dr. Skaarsten is… she was… we think it was a stroke. She's unconscious but we called because she had some files on her desk. We have the results of your DNA test."
"I don't understand. What DNA test? Dr. Skaarsten was doing a blood analysis for my meds."
"Oh, well. She ordered a DNA test done against some sample we had on file. I don't know when Dr. Skaarsten will be able to go over these so… I called so you could have the results."
"What did she find?" Laurie took a breath and held it.
"You have a brother."
"What?"
"A half-brother if what I'm reading is right."
"Who?"
"That part I don't know. She didn't label her samples for… just anyone. As soon as I know more, I will call."
"Who are you?"
"Serena Caplan. I'm working with Drs. Skaarsten and Parker on their special projects."
"Oh. What does this mean?"
"Dr. Skaarsten didn't leave any instructions. I'm flying blind here."
"Okay. Thank you." Laurie stared at her phone. Alex came back and stared at her.
"Something wrong?"
"I don't know. Dr. Skaarsten is unconscious and I have a half-brother somewhere. That's it."
"What happened to the doc?"
"They don't know. I'll… talk to Todd later. They'll probably tell him more, he's actual family."
December 6, 2007 Thursday
The lawyer's office was busy. Laurie kind of liked New York. No one paid attention to anything and no one would know she had a dark past just from walking past her. It was… freeing. The guy she was waiting on was kind of… gross but she'd been assured he was good at what he did. He returned with a woman who looked like she knew what she was doing and that was a great relief.
"Dr. Skaarsten forwarded the results of her test to my office. We offered the details to the opposing counsel. They've asked for your demands."
Laurie had no idea what was going on. "Could you walk me through what's going on? I got a weird phone call on Sunday and Dr. Skaarsten hasn't called or… no one has called about her. I don't know what's going on."
"Well, it would seem that your grandfather's will left most of the estate to you, as your father's only living child. Then you had some trouble, and your aunt and uncle were left as… custodians. Given all the evidence we provided as to how they were able to arrange your stay in the institution, they are not happy." She held her hand out and the sleazy dude laid a folder in her hands. "This details your stays in all the facilities. Dr. Skaarsten did comprehensive mapping to prove that you were drugged in your first four stays, all as a minor. Normally any custodial matters are cleared up by the time a person becomes an adult. So, voiding all diagnoses prior to adulthood, their custodial decision-making had to be reviewed by a judge. Everything is… frozen at the moment. They're really not happy." The woman cracked a bit of a smile.
"Okay, so…"
"Well, the last report showed another heir. Your father had a son."
"Who?"
"Identity is being held for now, I do happen to know that he is deceased and therefore… unable to collect but, having heirs himself, the inheritance will be divided. Some. So, once I am released to reveal your brother's identity, you get to choose if you are going to contest. Redistribution will hinge on that."
"I'm really not concerned with a specific amount. I want the house. The house is mine. Whatever funds I need to take care of the house." Laurie took a breath. "I… can you tell me if my half-brother is older or younger?"
"Hmm." She opened the folder and had a look. "Older. By a fair bit. If I had to math it, I'd say a by-blow of some teenage shenanigans." The lawyer made a note. "Okay. House. I assume you're speaking of the main house. I will… detail the items I think you should ask for… to start. I am having a bit of trouble reaching your brother's family so… as soon as that is done, we'll know more."
"You…" Laurie frowned at her hands. "Do you think… did my brother know my dad?"
"There's a good chance he never even knew there was a paternity dispute. From what I understand, there was some elopement and estrangement on the mother's part. They only had what she said, and she pointed the finger to someone else."
"Do you think his wife… will ask?"
"Probably not for herself but she's got kids."
"I have nieces and nephews?" Laurie thought that over for a moment. "What would happen if we presented a united front?"
"We could shave your uncle and aunt's portion a good deal."
"Do it. Whatever you have to do to convince her it's worth it."
"You got it." The lawyer looked to the man and he walked out whistling. "He'll get it done."
TBC
