The Zoo Crew (Zoo Crew series Book 1)

by Dustin Stevens

  He held a tweed clad arm towards the door. Motioned for everyone to step outside.

  If he noticed the icy tension in the room, he didn't show it in the least.

  Chapter Nine

  Themis.

  Otherwise known as Lady Justice.

  Descended down from Hellenic mythology, always seen holding the Scales of Justice. On one side truth, the other fairness. In most depictions she is seen wearing a blindfold to symbolize objectivity.

  However the scales balance is how the verdict is read.

  Rather noble, in a philosophical sort of way.

  Hokey as hell when painted on the wall of a Judge's chambers.

  Either way, the painting was the first thing requested by the Honorable Minot Tanner when he took office thirteen years before. From then on, Lady Justice, in all her robed glory, oversaw every case he handled.

  The room was completely packed, as adoption cases often were. Most of the time the items that come across the docket were for theft, vandalism, driving under the influence. Property line disputes, nuisance cases, public disturbances.

  It is rare that a court has cause for celebration. When it does, the people turn out in droves to be a part of the festivities.

  The chambers were arranged in a simple design. Bookcases lined either side wall. The rear was covered with Themis. The front housed the main entry with long wooden benches on either side.

  In the middle of the room was an oversized desk of polished cherry. The bare wood gleamed under the fluorescent lights. Everything had been spit-shined for the occasion.

  Behind the desk sat Judge Tanner himself, a large man with silver hair parted to the side and oiled in place.

  On the other side of the desk was a row of chairs holding the guests of honor. Starting at the right were the new adoptive parents, Hank and Janet Wright. In Janet's arms was an infant boy not more than four or five months in age.

  Beside them sat Missoula County Chief of Children's Services Patricia Harken. To her left was the attorney handling the case for the family, Riley Bennett.

  Scads of fold-out chairs had been set up behind them, every one filled with eager family and friends. Many of the dabbed at the corners of their eyes. Many of the men fidgeted in place.

  All of them smiled.

  Making up the rear of the room were the two benches. On one side was a handful of court employees. On the other, a handful of law students and their professor as special guests to witness the proceedings.

  "Unlike most of the hearings I preside over," Judge Tanner began, "this one is far less formal. Not only are we tucked away here in my chambers to maintain confidentiality, but the actual business portion of the morning will take just a few minutes. After that you are all invited to stay and take as many pictures with myself, with each other, with Lady Justice behind me as you'd like."

  The room all leaned forward and nodded.

  "Okay," he continued. "Today I call this special hearing in order to confirm the adoption of infant Caleb to prospective parents Hank and Janet Wright."

  He turned to Harken. "Ms. Harken, as Chief of Children's Services for the County of Missoula, have the Wright's completed all necessary paperwork for this proceeding here today?"

  Harken, dressed in a light grey skirt suit with pink undershirt nodded. "They have Your Honor."

  "And they have completed the full application process? Including a thorough background check and active site assessment by your office?"

  "They have."

  "And it is the belief of your office that they are fit and able parents? And that taking custody of young Caleb will be in the best interests of the child?"

  "Without reservation, it is."

  "Thank you," Judge Tanner said. "Mr. Bennett, you are the supervising attorney for the Wright's, are you not?"

  "I am, Your Honor," Bennett replied. Out of habit he started to rise when speaking. Caught himself and dropped back into his chair.

  "And the Wright's have met all legal pre-requisites to becoming the adoptive parents of Caleb?"

  "They have, Your Honor." Bennett's face and skin appeared to be nudging fifty, though his hair was still as black as the Armani suit he wore.

  "Very well," Judge Tanner said. "And Mr. and Mrs. Wright, you have been made aware by Ms. Harken, Mr. Bennett, of all requirements that come with adopting a child? Legal, moral, parental?"

  Both parents murmured in the affirmative.

  "And it is still your desire to become the legally adoptive parents of this child?"

  Both smiled and nodded with vigor.

  "Very well," Judge Tanner said, "then it is with great pride and much joy that I declare you to be the new legal guardians of Caleb Wright. May the court wish you and your entire family the best of luck moving forward."

  He stood and reached across the desk to shake the new parent's hands. He then worked his way across, getting Bennett and Harken as well.

  Behind them, the extended Wright family stood and bunched around Hank and Janet. Women cried. Men slapped each other on the back.

  After the initial euphoria of the moment, the scene settled into a marathon of picture taking. The Judge and the infant. The new parents and the infant. The Judge, the new parents and the infant.

  For his part, Judge Tanner smiled and let the family take as many pictures as they wished. When they were done with him, he stepped to the side and allowed the family to use his desk and the mural behind it.

  He waved goodbye to his friend Professor Jon Lauer from the law school as he and his students departed. Nodded to the other staff members as they trickled back to their offices.

  After a full half-hour, the family, thanking him profusely, drifted off to continue their celebration elsewhere.

  What remained was just him, Harken, and Bennett.

  "Should we make the call now, or would you like me to do it later?" Judge Tanner asked.

  "Go ahead. Put it on speakerphone," Bennett replied. "They want to hear from all of us anyway."

  Judge Tanner shrugged and pulled his cell-phone from the desk. This was a call he never made from his office line.

  Par for the course, it took only two rings for the line to be snatched up. "How did it go?"

  Same thin, nasal, female voice they always heard. None of them cared if they ever heard it again. They just knew when they did, things got done.

  Or else.

  "Went off without a hitch," Judge Tanner said.

  "Are Harken and Bennett there with you?"

  "Yes," Harken replied.

  "Right here," Bennett added.

  "Any problems on your ends?"

  "None," Harken said.

  "Not a one," Bennett said.

  The line went dead. Judge Tanner looked at his cohorts and shrugged. Closed the phone.

  "All things considered, that wasn't so bad," he said.

  "I've had worse," Bennett said.

  "We all have," Harken agreed.

  Judge Tanner nodded. "Any idea when the next one might occur?"

  "There was a new delivery yesterday," Harken said. "My office will be taking custody tomorrow. Give it a few months and we'll be ready."

  "Word is another is due a few weeks from now," Bennett said. "They need to slow these down or were going to have to start going elsewhere. How many adoptions can a town like Missoula have in a given year?"

  Judge Tanner nodded in agreement. "Is there a buyer lined up for the new one yet?"

  "Oh yes," Bennett said. "And they were rushed to the top of the list. Deep pockets. Just missed out on little Caleb here this morning."

  Judge Tanner shook his head. Every bit of goodwill the hearing had generated within him was already gone.

  A sour taste filled his mouth.

  "Alright everyone, I guess that's it for us here today. Keep me posted about when the next one is scheduled or if there is anything else I can do to help."

  Harken and Bennett both nodded their assent and disappeared without another word.

 
; Chapter Ten

  Coffee.

  The front end to a pair of beverages that most lawyers never go a day without consuming. The second one takes various forms, but always serves as the polar opposite.

  One brings them up. The other pulls them down.

  Professor Lauer led his clinic group from the judge's chambers and down to the lower level of the courthouse. At the far end, tucked just inside the exit door, was a small lunch counter serving sandwiches, sodas, and the almighty brown energy source of attorneys the world over.

  "Can I get you guys anything?" he asked, ordered a large black.

  Greg opted for a medium cappuccino. Wyatt went with a latte.

  In all the time Drake had known them, he never knew either one to turn down anything free.

  Ava declined anything. He did the same.

  Drinks in hand, Professor Lauer wove out from the bowels of the courthouse to the front lawn. He took the four of them to a picnic table under a towering oak tree. Waited as they settled in around it.

  Overhead the sun was a golden hue, beating down on them. The temperature hovered at an even sixty-five degrees. A slight breeze blew through town, pushing west out of the Hellgate Canyon.

  Despite the weather, the air around the table was still frosty. Ava was pissed. Greg and Wyatt were both petrified.

  Drake was indifferent.

  "Alright," Lauer said, standing at the end of the table, cup in hand. He was a small man, with a very thin thatch of sandy brown hair combed to the side. He stood just a few inches above five feet tall. "Very sorry for the rush this morning, but I had some things to get done before the hearing.

  "Speaking of which, the reason I dragged you all over here today was three-fold. First, to start you off with a few free clinic hours. You might not think you'll need them, and the odds are you won't, but it's better to have too many than not enough.

  "Second, I wanted to give you a little taste of the courthouse. I'm not sure if you guys have been down here before, so I wanted to get your feet wet without actually having to do anything.

  "Third, and most important, I wanted to start the semester off on a high point. After practicing law for over twenty years, I can attest that there are times when this job is nothing short of soul crushing. That's why when you have a chance to get a win, to see something positive like the hearing this morning, you take it."

  Across the table, Greg and Wyatt both sipped their drinks. Everyone remained silent.

  Lauer took a long pull on his own coffee and said, "Alright, with that, I guess, welcome to clinic. As you all know, we are the Missoula Legal Services division. We provide representation to the poor and indigent people of Missoula free of charge.

  "The office is located downtown on Pinckney Street and you will all be required to maintain office hours at some point each week. To be honest though, the place is a dump and if I were you I would work in the clinic office at the Law School as much as possible.

  "Most of what you'll see pass through will be basic stuff. Landlord disagreements. Welfare disputes. Maybe a minor in possession.

  "Nothing too strenuous.

  "My role here is more of a mentor, not necessarily a guide. When something comes in, use each other, use the school resources. If questions linger, then come to me. The whole idea of the program is to provide practical application to all the theory you've been learning the last two years.

  "If you want a babysitter, there are plenty of other clinics that specialize in hand holding. No hard feelings."

  He paused and waited for any response. The statement was not made in anger. Was not issued as a challenge. As an adjunct professor, Lauer had a very full plate. This was just how he operated.

  It was the reason Drake, Greg, and Wyatt had signed up with him in the first place.

  "Alright then," Lauer said. "Consider our first clinic meeting adjourned. I have to run back inside to speak to a few people, but you guys work out an office hours schedule starting on Monday. I'll see you all soon."

  He raised his cup in a farewell salute and disappeared back inside. The second he was gone, Ava rose and walked off.

  She didn't even look at the rest of the table, let alone speak to them.

  Greg and Wyatt still looked petrified as the remaining three stood to leave. Nobody said anything as they circled the building back to Wyatt's car.

  "How much do you think she heard this morning?" Greg asked.

  "I'd say she pretty well already answered that," Drake replied.

  "Do you really think none of us have a chance with her?" Wyatt asked.

  Drake looked at the duo and snorted. Said nothing.

  The three walked on in silence. They moved on to the main walkway past a row of metal benches.

  As they did, a blonde girl a couple of years younger stood fidgeting in front of them. She bit her bottom lip several times before asking, "Is one of you Drake Bell?"

  Her voice no more than a whisper.

  The mortification melted fell away from Greg and Wyatt. They exchanged sly glances and Greg tossed his head to Drake. "Right there's the man you're looking for."

  The girl gave a timid smile. "Hi."

  Drake narrowed his eyes. Twisted his head a bit to the side. "Hi?"

  "Can we talk?"

  Wyatt reached out and rapped Drake on the arm. "We've got class at eleven, so we're going to head back. See you over there later?"

  Campus was over a dozen blocks away and Drake was wearing in a suit. The last thing he wanted to do was walk back to get his truck.

  At the same time, he didn’t seem to have another option. "Sure."

  He waited for Greg and Wyatt to depart and asked, "I'm very sorry, but do I know you?"

  The girl glanced quickly around. "Do you mind if we walk and talk?"

  The question took Drake by surprise. "Uh, okay?"

  In silence, they started down the main path. They walked out to Broadway Avenue, cut across a few side streets, came out along the banks of the Clark Fork River.

  This time of year, the spring run-off was long gone. The river moved in an easy flow, cutting the town in half from east to west.

  Drake shrugged off his suit jacket and folded it over his shoulder bag. Rolled his sleeves up to the forearm.

  "So, not to be rude," he began.

  "No," the girl said, cutting him off. "You don't know me. And after today, the odds are you'll see me rarely, if ever, again."

  "I see," Drake said. The situation was growing stranger by the minute. Still, he kept a bevy of questions locked away. "So why are we talking now then?"

  "My name is Ella Haggerty. I believe you know my cousin Beth?"

  Drake was good with faces. Better with names. Instantly he placed it in an instant.

  Senior year, biology class.

  "Yeah, she and I went to school together. She saved my hide when I missed a few classes with a concussion. How's she doing?"

  Ella shook her head. "She asked me to come find you."

  Drake started to say something, but stopped short. It had taken a moment for the words to register. "Wait, find me? She has my email. Why didn’t she just drop me a line?"

  "That’s not what I meant," Ella said.

  Drake paused. "She didn't ask you to find her friend Drake. She asked you to find the third year law student Drake."

  Ella nodded. "Yeah. I went to the law school this morning and asked around. They said you were in court. You'd be the tall one in a suit."

  "Still, why didn’t she do it? Is she okay?" Drake asked.

  Ella kept her head turned towards the water. Below, a pair of kayakers floated by. On the opposite bank a man lobbed tennis balls into the water for his golden retriever to fetch.

  "No," Ella whispered. She didn't look at Drake, but he could tell her eyes were glassy.

  "What's going on?"

  Ella shook her head. "It's not my story to tell. She just told me to track you down and ask if you would meet with her."

  Drake exhaled. "And you ca
n't tell me any more than that? Just that she's not okay and would like to meet?"

  A pair of bicyclers passed them on the right. After that came a jogger pushing a baby stroller along the asphalt river walk path.

  "I'm sorry," Ella said. "I can't say more because if you decide not to meet with her..."

  She let her voice trail off.

  "What?" Drake asked. "What happens if I don't meet with her?"

  "I don't know," Ella whispered. A crack was obvious in her voice.

  They came to the Madison Street Bridge and Ella stopped. She turned and faced Drake, sniffled. "Listen, I understand how this looks and sounds. I do. But she wouldn't be asking and I wouldn't be here unless it was important."

  Drake's mouth dropped open. He said nothing.

  "Are you familiar with the website GoGriz.com?"

  Drake made a confused face. "Yeah?"

  "There's a fan discussion page on there with a thread entitled 'Too early for Cat/Griz tickets?' All you have to do is respond yes or no."

  The information settled in on Drake. "And if I say yes?"

  "Instructions for how to meet will be posted to look like a ticket exchange."

  "And if I say no?"

  Ella again shook her head. "I honestly don't know."

  Drake nodded. Grunted. "Again, why all the clandestine measures? Doesn't she have a phone?"

  "If you meet with her, she'll explain everything. If you don't, it's better you know as little as possible," Ella said.

  In one quick step she moved to Drake's side, rose to her toes, kissed him on the cheek. Just as fast she was gone, striding back towards downtown.

  Drake watched her go for a moment. Shook his head and crossed the bridge towards campus.

  Chapter Eleven

  Caddis fly.

  No more than a quarter inch in length, they spend their first several months living in or adjacent to water.

  Once full grown, they look like tiny moths. Wings tented on their backs. Hair-like antennae extended out in front of them.

  Most people have never even heard of a caddis fly.

  To a fly-fisherman, they are a Godsend.

  Trout, of all forms, gobble caddis flies up starting at the first hatch in June. Keep eating them clear through the first frost in late September.