Chapter Twenty-Three

October, Two Months Later

Jarrod, Nate Springer, Nick, and Maris sat in Mr. Peterson's attorney's office waiting for him. Maris was visibly nervous as Nick was stoic. Jarrod eyed them both and reminded them that calmness and rationality would rule the day. Nate kept grimacing and making a soft whistle with his sighs.

Maris had had a terrible row with Mr. Peterson and JD when they confronted her a few weeks before. A servant had reported reading letters from Nick and saw her wearing his ring. They had planned to tell him together during Thanksgiving break and lay out their case. The confrontation was ugly and they threatened to lock her away for insanity.

They forbade her to remarry and told her she had no legal right. Nate had told her otherwise and she sent a telegram for Jarrod to come to San Francisco.

"You and Nick won't face him alone. Nate and I will be by your side."

A thin-faced clerk opened the door and ushered them in. Mr. Peterson was sitting angrily behind the desk. Another attorney stood over his shoulder. The clerk took his place across the room.

"Maris? Have you come to your senses? Must you bring legal representation?"

She sat a bit straighter, "Jarrod is to be family. I asked him to come."

He sighed, "So Barkley?" and he pulled out a checkbook ledger, "Maris, I hate to do this, but you have pushed me too far."

He stared straight at Nick and then Jarrod, "How much? I hate negotiating for my Maris so I shall cut to the chase. One million. I offer you one million dollars and I will sign the check for walking out and leaving the Autonberrys alone."

"Are you kidding me? What the hell!" Nick blurted out.

"I am not authorized to go any higher but I can take back a proposal. Maris, this is what we have warned you about. JD and I have protected you from such unscrupulous sorts but here we are. I hope you learn a lesson and be glad your father is able to extract you from such."

Tears ran down her face unheeded.

"I don't want a damn penny. We don't need you or your money. Or your approval." Nick let out a string of expletives.

Nate shook his head, "So much for being calm and rational."

Jarrod's eyes flared with pure hate and he took his courtroom voice, "We are here out of courtesy. Maris will marry my brother and leave all her worldly possessions behind. We will sign them away."

"She will not. Her father signed a prenuptial agreement. I drafted it myself. She loses everything if she remarries."

"I am willing to do that," she said with a quivering voice.

"I want a copy of that document," Jarrod demanded.

Mr. Peterson ignored his request, "Maris, don't force my hand. Tell the Barkley's to leave."

"No," she spat out.

"I question your sanity." Mr Peterson voiced patronizingly.

Nate put a hand on Nick expecting him to go across the table.

"We will leave alright with my fiancée." Nick taunted.

"No. You won't."

Jarrod narrowed his eyes, "Slavery is illegal. You can't stop us."

"Yes, I can."

They all turned to look at the elderly attorney and he slid a document to Nate. He picked it up, read the first page and turned white.

"Maris? Is this your signature? Under your father's?"

She looked at the page, "Yes. I was fifteen. That's my handwriting."

Nate looked at the document one more time, "I need to confer with my client. I want a copy."

"I would assume so. It's in your hand, Send Maris back in when the Barkleys leave and all will be forgiven."

Nick started to say something and Nate stopped him.

They walked into a separate conference room.

"Maris, sit down. Are you sure you signed this?"

"Yes, look at the curls in the middle of the s. I still do that."

He took the document and began to read. Jarrod's face dropped and Nick began to pace.

"Maris, you gave guardianship of your heirs to JD in case of death or remarriage."

"No, I didn't,"

"This paper says otherwise."

"He can't take my son."

"The law says he can."

Jarrod grabbed the paper and read it again. He ran his fingers through his hair in despair.

"Jarrod, please say he can't. James David is my son."

"Oh hell, Jarrod, you and Nate are scaring her. Tell her. Lawyer up and fix it."

"Nick, Maris—-we may have to go to court. This document appears to be legitimate."

"No," she sobbed and put her head on Nick's shoulder.

Jarrod and Nate gave them privacy and walked across the room.

"Have you ever seen such a thing?"

"No. It's positively feudal."

"Can we fight it?

"I have no idea," Nate responded.

Nick was possessively holding her and daring Nate and Jarrod with his eyes to tell him differently.

"Maris, we need to take legal action but at this time if you remarry, James David belongs to his grandfather."

"No, it can't be. It can't."

"Nick, take Maris to the hotel. Jarrod, you go to Judge Turner and see what he says, family law and inheritance is his specialty. Let me privately have another go at Peterson."

Nick started to argue but Maris was becoming weak from all her tears and the shock.

"We will be at the Palace"

Jarrod grabbed his coat and headed out first, "Maybe I can get an injunction or an order or at least an opinion. Something, Nick. "

Nate went back into the office. Mr Peterson followed.

"Where is Maris?"

"Gone to the hotel."

"She had better cut the strings with Barkley or she loses her son. I think a sanatorium is in order. No natural mother abandons her son."

Nate shook his head in disgust.

They argued for over an hour to no avail. He had committal papers drawn up and already signed by a physician. Nate tore them up in his face. Mr Peterson stormed out in anger.

Jarrod returned with a preliminary opinion that the prenuptial would stand in a court of law.

"How do we tell Nick and Maris?"

"Jarrod, my first step is to become her conservator. I am going to my office to draw it up. She doesn't leave Nick's side until I get a judge to sign off on it. Those sanitarium threats scare the hell out of me; some quack has already signed them."

"Me too"

—-&—-

"James David, we need to talk," the Headmaster said, meeting him at his English class.

"Yes sir," worried that he had somehow found out about Pinecrest Underground.

"Mr. Peterson is waiting in my office to visit with you."

—&—