Chapter 20
Kelly opened his front door.
"Thanks for comin' over so fast..." he said as he stood aside to let Otis in.
After Mrs. Hillford had gone...and he and Alyssa had caught their breath...Kelly had gotten on the phone to Otis...Brian Zvonecek...who had gotten on the phone with his cousin Greg...a lawyer.
"You said it was an emergency." Otis told him.
Alyssa came out of the kitchen and gave Otis a big hug.
"We're gonna get this figured out..." he told her.
Lyssa nodded as she stepped back...and a moment later her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Then Otis introduced his cousin.
"Lieutenant...Alyssa...this is my cousin Grigoriy Zvonecek." He said.
"Greg..." the cousin interjected quickly.
Kelly extended his hand...and Greg returned the firm handshake.
"Thanks for coming..." Kelly said again.
"I just hope I can help." Greg replied. "Why don't we sit down and get to work?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alyssa brought drinks and they all took seats around the dining room table.
Greg reached into his messenger bag and grabbed a yellow legal pad and a pen. He also took out his phone and set it to record.
"My handwriting's terrible...most of the time I can't even read it." he explained. "Our babushka said I should have been a doctor."
Apparently he was expecting a laugh or something...but he didn't get it.
After an awkward moment of silence he uncapped his pen and held it poised above the paper.
"Okay...let's get started." Greg said.
Kelly took a deep breath.
"We took in a foster child...almost three months ago. Her name's Lexi...and she's ten and a half months old now. Her mom's in jail...for killing Lexi's brother."
"She set her own house on fire..." Otis cut in. "And the kid was inside."
Greg looked up from his notes...the color completely drained from his face.
"You're serious..." he said.
"Yeah..." Otis told him. "We were there."
"Anyway..." Alyssa said, steering the conversation back to the business at hand. "Lexi's case manager showed up here today and announced that the mother was petitioning the court to allow her visitation with Lexi. She was saying that once it was approved...like it's already a done deal...she'll be taking Lexi to 26th and Cal once a week..."
Kelly's blood boiled just hearing the words again.
"We wanna know if there's anything we can do to stop it." he said. "Even if that woman deserved to be a mother...we don't want Lexi goin' to a place like that."
"Well...I don't blame you." Greg agreed.
"So, do we have any options?" Alyssa asked. "It's only been a short time...but we love Lexi...the same as any of our kids. It's like she's been here from day one. And everything about what that woman was saying just feels wrong."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Before anyone could say another word the door to the four seasons room opened and Nicole came in carrying a crying Lexi.
"What's the matter?" Alyssa asked, as she came into the dining room.
"Nothing, Aunt Lyssa...she just needs her diaper changed." Nicole answered. "And she didn't wanna come out of her bouncer..."
Lyssa smiled as she started to get up to take care of the baby...but Kelly stopped her.
"I got it." he said.
He got up from the table and took Lexi from his niece.
He swung her into his arms and headed for the stairs.
"C'mon Sweetie..." he said to her. "You'll feel a lot better once you get some dry pants..."
Then he caught a whiff.
"Ohhh...you'll feel better when you get clean pants. Were you eatin' fruit snacks again?"
He tickled her tummy and Lexi let out a little noise that was something between a cry and a giggle.
Kelly couldn't help but chuckle himself as he carried the baby up the stairs.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After he had cleaned and powdered her, Lexi laid her head against his shoulder when he picked her up.
"Are you tired, Sweetie?" he asked. "Did you tire yourself out?"
His response was a huge yawn.
"C'mon...let's go get a bottle...and take a little rest..."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Everyone was waiting when he came down. Maggie was sitting in Otis's lap munching on a cookie...and making a mess. Andy and Jesse were chattering away about their basketball camp...and Cousin Greg was looking a little shell-shocked as he struggled to follow the conversation.
After grabbing a bottle from the fridge Kelly came back to the table.
"Okay guys..." he said as he sat down. "Mom and I need to talk to Uncle Otis and his cousin...so I need you to go in the playroom and keep an eye on Maggie."
"But I still eatin' my cookie..." Maggie protested.
"You can finish it in the playroom." Kelly told her.
Otis set her down on the floor...
"I'll be in to play with you in a few minutes." he promised. "Just let us finish our meeting..."
The three kids reluctantly shuffled out to the four seasons room.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lexi's eyes were already at half-mast and she had barely started her bottle.
"So, where are we?" Kelly asked.
"Well...I can file a motion to block the mom's petition." Greg said. "It would help if there were more supporting documentation..."
"I talked to a neighbor." Kelly told him. "Guy named Wayne Hewitt. He lives across the street from where the mom lived. He's the one who called 911."
"And what can he tell us?"
Kelly shrugged.
"How the woman was acting that night. She was totally calm...she didn't even tell him Mason was in the house...at least that's what he told me."
He stopped and looked down at the little girl sleeping in his arms.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"When we pulled up on the scene...actually the neighbor was the first person I saw. He was fighting and trying to run into that house. It took four men to hold him back."
Alyssa moved closer to her husband and she put her arms around him...him and Lexi both.
"He was hysterical." Kelly went on. "He was saying..."he's still in there"..."he's just a little kid"..."somebody help him"..."
Otis nodded.
He had heard too. They all had.
"And where was the mother in all this?" Greg asked.
"No idea..." Kelly said quietly. "After I brought the boy out...and I knew we were to late...that he was gone...I went looking for Hewitt. But I saw her. She had her coat on...her purse. The baby was wrapped up in a pink blanket...and the car seat was already in the car."
"Did she say anything?"
Severide shook his head.
"Never said a word...not one goddamn word."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
About ten days later they sat outside the chambers of Judge William Trumbell at the Daly Center.
Kelly felt anxious as he looked at the people waiting around them in the hall...and he wished he'd gone ahead and worn a suit and tie. He felt out of place in his jeans and button down.
But who the hell wanted to be wearing a monkey suit in Chicago in the middle of July?
He squeezed Alyssa's hand.
She looked as nervous as he felt. They had so much riding on this.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Greg Zvonecek thumbed through his file...he was armed not only with Wayne Hewitt's affidavit...but affidavits from Mason Fisher's teachers as well attesting to the mother's distain for her son and his disabilities. They told how she shouted at the child...not spoke to him. How she yanked him roughly by the arm to get him out of the car and how she yelled at him when he stumbled and fell. They told about how DCFS had been called in...twice when the school called in reports of potential abuse.
He had copies of insurance claims for three separate homes Jaclyn Fisher had lived in over the past ten years...three homes all destroyed by fire.
And he had a copy of a million dollar life insurance policy she had taken out on Mason less than a month before he died.
Who the hell insures a six year old's life for a million dollars?
Greg also had copies of the three reports Brenda Hillford had filed thus far about her visits to the Severide home to check on Lexi. For all her negativity and unpleasantness as a human being, she had nothing but glowing compliments for Kelly and Alyssa's home and the way they took care of the baby in their charge.
Now all he had to do was present his case.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
When his cousin Brian had called him, he privately wasn't sure he could do anything for the Lieutenant and his wife. He mostly confined his practice to the Russian speaking community and represented recent immigrants in small civil matters. In fact, in the eleven years he'd been practicing the law he'd only actually argued maybe a dozen cases.
What Brian had described had initially sounded like it was out of his league. But after sitting down with Kelly and Alyssa...after hearing what had happened at the fire scene...and seeing them with Lexi, Greg knew he couldn't let them down.
Digging deeper into the case, interviewing the neighbor...Mason's teachers...the social worker at the school he had attended had only strengthened Greg's resolve.
Apparently Jaclyn Fisher believed that having a child with special needs was somehow a slight against her...and when she couldn't "fix" Mason she became enraged. That is until she had her "perfect" child.
Greg and Brian had another cousin, Luka...and Luka had a son named Yurik who was on the Autism Spectrum. It was a devastating diagnosis for the family...but then they got Yuri into a good program and he started getting something called ABA therapy. It was going really well...and the seven year old was thriving. But Luka and his wife worked their asses off, advocating for their son and explaining the methods of the program to the rest of the family. It was an adjustment for everyone...but Yuri was part of the family and they had to learn to engage him on terms that he could understand.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A man came rushing down the hallway wearing a suit that probably cost more than every stitch of clothing the combined group of Kelly, Lyssa, Greg and Otis had on. He glanced at a gold Rolex slapped on his wrist...no doubt the real thing...before he set a monogrammed leather briefcase down on the chair beside where Kelly was sitting. Then he reached for a phone that had so many bells and whistles on it it could prob'ly launch a missile from any silo in the country with the push of a button.
Apparently this was how the other half lived...Severide thought.
Moments later a woman in her forties wearing a light beige suit came out into the hall.
"Judge Trumbell will see you now." She said.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The man in the expensive suit with the expensive toys shoved his way past the woman...so he totally missed the look of disgust she shot at his back.
Kelly held out his hand to Alyssa as she stood up from her chair. He waited till she smoothed an imaginary wrinkle on the skirt of her dress, then he slipped his arm around her slender waist and guided her gently in front of him.
Greg and Otis brought up the rear.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The pushy one had already claimed the seat closest to the judge's desk.
Kelly let Alyssa get settled first before taking a seat to her left, and Greg took the one to her right. Otis backed unobtrusively up against the wall.
The Judge swept in and divested himself of his robe before taking a seat behind the massive antique desk.
"Okay..." he said. "Let's get down to business."
The pushy one shoved a sheaf of papers across the desk.
"Henry Frankl...representing Ms. Jaclyn Fisher, Your Honor." he said.
Frankl took a breath and started his spiel.
"My client is currently awaiting trial at the County Jail. And she wants desperately to see her daughter...her only surviving child. Unfortunately, she's not been granted bail...and there was no one to care for the child.
Kelly squeezed Lyssa's hand.
"Until my client can be released on bond...she's asking that the State grant her weekly visitation with her child, Alexis."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Grigoriy Zvonecek, Your Honor." Greg introduced himself. "My clients, Lieutenant Kelly Severide and his wife Alyssa are Lexi Fisher's foster parents...and they don't feel it is in the child's best interest to be taken into an environment like the County Jail..."
"My client's parental rights are still intact." Frankel interrupted. "It's her wish to see her child...and it's her right as a mother! These people have no right to bar her from her baby!"
"Your Honor..." Greg said. "Ms. Fisher is incarcerated...awaiting trial for the murder of her six year old son...Lexi's brother Mason."
"That hasn't been proven in a court of law!" Frankel spat as he turned to glare at the Severides. "My client is innocent of these heinous charges...and we're going to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt."
"Save it for the Criminal trial, Counselor..." Judge Trumbell warned.
"Your Honor..." Greg continued. "We have sworn affidavits from neighbors...and from Mason's teachers...attesting to Ms. Fisher's treatment of her son...Lieutenant Severide and Firefighter Brian Zvonecek can attest to her demeanor at the scene of the fire that killed her son."
Greg offered a neat file folder with color coded tabs separating each report.
"You'll also see reports from Lexi's case manager in there. She's obviously been quite please with the way the child's being taken care of."
The judge thumbed through the file before setting it down carefully in front of him.
"I want to study all of this carefully, gentlemen...before I come to any decision. Is there anything either of you want to say in summation?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Frankel jumped in right away.
"My client feels her rights as a mother are being violated here, Your Honor. She's already lost one child...it would be criminal to take her only remaining child from her. She has nothing else left in her life...except her daughter."
"She didn't lose her child!" Kelly exploded. "She burned him to death!"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
He couldn't hold his tongue any more. Just hearing this high priced mouth piece spout about her rights. What about Mason's rights? Didn't the kid have the right to get to grow up?
Alyssa crushed Kelly's hand in hers.
They couldn't afford to come off as hot-headed and accusatory. This judge might decide they were the ones being selfish and self-righteous...and grant Jaclyn Fisher's petition.
And then Lexi would be taken into a jail!
They had to appear calm...and rational...and only having Lexi's best interests at heart!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Your Honor!" Frankel raised his voice in protest. "These people are obviously biased against my client! They're poisoning Alexis against her mother...who loves her more than life itself!"
Before Kelly could say another word, Greg broke in.
"Lieutenant and Mrs. Severide care very deeply for Lexi. They love her like she's one of their own children. She's happy...she's healthy..."
He gave Kelly and Alyssa a pointed look.
"They believe taking a baby into a place like 26th and California would be detrimental to this child they've come to love so much. They are willing to send Ms. Fisher photographs and updates...they're willing to allow her to see video of her child. They are just against actually, physically taking Lexi to a dangerous place. A place where just last week there was a riot in the visitors' center."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It had been all over the news. A fight had broken out in the visitors center when a female inmate had seen her ex visiting another woman. Three people were treated for injuries...and the whole facility was on lockdown for almost eight hours.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Alyssa reached into her purse and handed Greg an envelope...which he handed to the judge.
"In fact, my clients even brought some pictures and a copy of the report from Lexi's most recent visit to the pediatrician. Mr. Frankel is welcome to give those to his client...with Your Honor's permission."
The judge glanced at the contents of the envelope...
"I'm sure Ms. Fisher will appreciate this..." he said as he handed it to the other attorney. "While I take time to carefully consider my decision."
Greg rose to his feet...and Kelly and Alyssa followed his lead.
"Thank you, for your time, Your Honor." Greg said. "We'll await your decision."
He extended his hand to Mr. Frankel...who rolled his eyes before he returned the gesture.
Greg nodded to his clients and motioned them toward the door.
They'd done all they could do. Hopefully , Kelly's knee-jerk reaction wouldn't go against them and the judge would see things their way.