The Advocate - 01 - The Advocate

by Teresa Burrell

  “That’s Dogwog,” Gaylord said. “Alexis has had him since she was about two years old. She saw it in a store one day and fell in love with it. She wouldn’t let go when we tried to put it back on the shelf. She didn’t cry; she just held on real tight, and she looked so cute we didn’t have the heart to tell her no. She has slept with him ever since. I know she misses having him with her now, but she feared losing him at Jordan. The social worker who brought her in told her to leave him behind because sometimes things get lost there.”

  Gaylord watched Marla carry Dogwog with her as she continued around the room, opening and closing doors and drawers. Three little dresses, two pink and one green, with the tags still on them hung in the closet. “Did you just buy these?”

  “I picked them up yesterday afternoon. I thought it would be a nice surprise for her when she came home. Pink is Alexis’ favorite color so I bought her two pink ones. Do you think she’ll like them?”

  “They’re lovely. I’m sure she’ll be pleased.”

  Marla opened the chest of drawers containing Alexis’ things: her socks in pairs and hooked together at the top with the tip of one sock folded over the other, four pairs of underwear, and some undershirts carefully folded. Marla picked up a photo from the top of the chest of drawers.

  “That handsome, well-dressed couple are my parents on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They renewed their vows in the white gazebo in our backyard. Alexis loves that photo. She’s very close to her grandparents,” Gaylord said.

  “Nice looking couple. Where are they now?”

  “They’re in Atlanta. They wouldn’t live anywhere else.”

  “They’re not traveling or anything?”

  “No, I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, I’ve left them several messages, but I haven’t heard back from them. I thought maybe they were out of town. When did you last speak to them?”

  “Just a couple of days ago.”

  “Do they know what’s going on here?”

  “No, I haven’t told them, and if possible, I’d just as soon they didn’t know. When I know how things are going to work out, I’ll tell them everything. Otherwise, they’ll just worry.”

  “I understand,” Marla said.

  Gaylord, frustrated with the whole process and unsure if she meant she wouldn’t say anything to his parents or if she was just placating him, forced a smile.

  Next to the photo lay Alexis’ bright pink scrapbook with the words, “Alexis Murdock, My Pride and Joy.” Gaylord’s attorney had taken the book to show Marla, so she must have been familiar with the contents. Nevertheless, she picked it up and thumbed through the pages, glancing at Alexis’ photos and awards over the years.

  “I started the album the day I learned of Elizabeth’s pregnancy. We were so excited,” Gaylord said, thinking back to when Alexis was young. “Alexis has always been a very good girl, even as a baby. She didn’t cry or fuss much, and she’s sharp as a tack. We tease each other a lot, and she often gets the best of me. I miss her so much. It sure will be nice to have her home.”

  “I understand,” she said.

  “Do you really? Do you have any idea what I’m going through? What Alexis is going through? We haven’t been apart, even for one night, since her mother disappeared. This can’t be easy on her. And it’s killing me.”

  Marla looked at him and nodded her head. She continued her inspection of the house. Gaylord had made sure there was nothing there that might be dangerous for a ten-year-old. He’d stocked the bathroom with ample toiletries, and the kitchen had plenty of food in the refrigerator and cabinets, as his attorney had instructed him to do. He had only a few dishes and minimum silverware in the cupboard and drawers, but a stack of paper plates and plasticware provided a temporary solution.

  When Marla had completed her tour, she said, “That’s it. I’m finished here.”

  “How did I do? Is everything alright?”

  “I don’t see any major problems with your home, but your attorney will receive a copy of the report with my recommendations prior to the next hearing.” She thanked Murdock for his time and left.

  Murdock felt comfortable the evaluation had gone well, but he wouldn’t relax until he had both of his girls home. He had tried to be patient, but he couldn’t understand why they were still not with him. Counting on his visit with Alexis today to be his last supervised contact, he left forty-five minutes early for a ten-minute drive to see her.

  Kathy, one of the attendants, recognized him when he walked in. “Good afternoon, Mr. Murdock. How are you today?” He knew his cordial and polite manner made him a favorite at Jordan Receiving Home. He had witnessed several attacks on attendants from intoxicated or high parents. He didn’t fit the usual mold; he even dressed and smelled better than the rest.

  “Just fine, Kathy,” he responded after a quick glance at her nametag without her noticing. He had acquired this trait as a teenager by watching his Uncle Steve, who used it to hit on waitresses and store employees. Murdock had perfected it in college and in the many sales jobs thereafter. “How about you? Are you having a good day?”

  The technique worked on Kathy; she appeared pleased he remembered her name. “Yes, everything’s going well today. I’m glad they decided to let you see Jamie. He needs to see you. His mother doesn’t come here often, and as far as Jamie’s concerned, you’re his father. Please wait in Room Four, and I’ll go get the children.”

  When Kathy, Alexis, and Jamie walked into the room, Murdock picked Jamie up and swung him around. Jamie giggled with delight. Alexis walked over to her father, smiled, and gave him a hug. “Hello, Father,” she said.

  “Hi, sweetheart. How are you?”

  “Fine.”

  “What did you do today?”

  “We had a project to do for Thanksgiving. We made turkeys out of paper plates and we got to paint the tails. Trevor spilled some paint on the floor, and some of the kids stepped in it and tracked it all over. The teacher got real mad so we had to put the paint away and use construction paper to finish the turkeys. Some of them turned out real good, though. I got done early so I got to help some of the little ones finish theirs.” Alexis continued on about the events of the day.

  Gaylord turned to Kathy, who remained in the room, but had stood back by the wall. “Is there any way you can give us a little privacy? I’m not going to hurt my children,” he said.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Murdock, but the court order is for supervised visitation, which means you’re not to be left alone, not even for a moment. Even your conversation is supposed to be monitored. It makes no sense to me. I certainly don’t believe you’re any threat to your children, but I could lose my job if I don’t follow the rules. I’m really sorry.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I wouldn’t want you to lose your job. I shouldn’t have even asked.” He smiled at her and opened the sliding glass door leading to the grassy square. The sun was shining and the clear sky a beautiful shade of blue, the seventy-four degree temperature inviting. “Do you mind if we go outside? It’s really a nice day.”

  “Good idea,” Kathy responded. “We could all use some fresh air.”

  Mr. Murdock, Alexis, and Jamie walked out into the square. Jamie ran to the sandbox. Kathy lagged behind, seemingly giving them a little privacy.

  Alexis and her father kept chatting about everyday things, such as her schoolwork, the disasters and scandals at Jordan, and Jamie’s behavior. As soon as Murdock thought Kathy out of earshot, he lowered his voice and said to Alexis, “Are you sure you’re doing okay here?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Everything’s really okay,” she answered.

  “Have they been asking you a lot of questions?”

  “No, not many.”

  “Remember, the Murdocks don’t talk to strangers,” he said. “Family must stick together. It’s only family you can really trust. Do you understand?”

  “They don’t seem like strangers, Father. Some of them are really nice to me.”<
br />
  “I know, sweetheart, but they aren’t family. Sometimes people aren’t what they seem. Just be careful.”

  As Kathy moved closer, Gaylord spoke up. “It shouldn’t be long now, sweetheart. I know you’re anxious, but you’ll just have to be patient until Monday. The judge will likely send you home then.”

  He turned to Kathy and said, “I know I’m not supposed to talk about when she’ll come home, but she keeps asking, and it’s hard to see her so sad.”

  Kathy looked at Alexis. As the tears welled up in her eyes, Alexis turned to Jamie and tossed him a ball in the sandbox.

  Murdock continued, “She kept asking over and over when she could come home. She hasn’t been away from me since her mother left us. I know it’s hard on her, and although I didn’t want to get her hopes up, I’m quite certain the judge will send her home on Monday. Sometimes, I just don’t know what to say. I hope I didn’t do the wrong thing.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine. Kids bounce back pretty fast, and she’s exceptional.”

  “Thanks, Kathy. I’m trying so hard to be a good father. I know I’ve made mistakes, and if I had made better choices, we wouldn’t be in this situation, but I didn’t know Peggy used drugs until she was already pregnant with my child.”

  Gaylord could see Kathy was pleased he confided in her. “I don’t really know much about the case, other than the allegations of domestic violence. I know Peggy used drugs because Haley was born positive. I also know you tested clean on all your drug screens because they make sure we have those records here for visitation purposes.”

  “That’s all true, except I’ve never hurt Peggy. I would never hurt her. When I came home that day, I could see she was high, and I got really upset. She put the children at risk, and who knows what damage she caused Haley. We argued, she came at me with a soup ladle, and when I tried to stop her, she fell and hit her head on the coffee table. You can ask Alexis.”

  “No need; I believe you. I can’t imagine your hurting anyone.”

  Murdock reached down and gently picked up Kathy’s hand, placing his other hand on top, cupping it between his. “How very sweet of you. It’s nice to know someone believes in me. This process has been very hard, and I have no one I can talk to about it. Thanks for listening.”

  Kathy’s eyes fluttered when he touched her hand. Murdock saw her reaction and gazed into her eyes. She kept eye contact until she started to blush and turned away. Tongue-tied, she managed to blurt something out sounding more like a grunt than a word. “Sure.”

  Murdock smiled, showing his beautiful, white teeth, and Kathy sighed. She suddenly let go of his hand. Upon release, she took a deep breath and regained her composure. Murdock had charmed her, and he knew it. He saw her look at the clock. “Looks like it’s time to go,” he said. “I don’t want you getting in trouble for extending my visit beyond the allotted time.”

  “Thank you,” Kathy responded meekly.

  When they reached the lobby, Murdock hugged both Jamie and Alexis and said his goodbyes. He stood there and watched them go through the door. Kathy turned toward him just before she closed the door, the surprise evident on her face when she saw him still watching them. She turned back, but before she did, Murdock smiled and winked.

  13

  Sunday morning, although awake, Sabre wasn’t anxious to leave her soft, comfortable bed. She lay there, taking in the early morning sun streaming through her bedroom windows; it cast a yellow glow over the room. A ray of sunshine hit upon a corner of a metal picture frame on her dresser, sending off a sparkle that seemed to make Ron speak from his photo. “I’m here with you,” Sabre’s mind heard him say. She smiled.

  Sabre reached into her nightstand drawer and retrieved her little red notebook. She read through her list as she always did, and added an entry to the end, followed by the date. She’d begun dating each entry at about age twelve, so she’d be able to look back and see how long it took to accomplish each dream. It also put things like Marry Victor Spanoli in perspective. After all, she’d wanted to marry Victor. By the time she reached the ripe old age of twelve, she could see how silly it was.

  Skydive, she wrote. Sabre had been thinking about it a long time, but she wasn’t sure if she had the nerve. Last night, as she looked through some Christmas boxes, she came across a card from her friend Nancy, flying through the air, holding a banner that read, “Joy to the World.” Looking at the card, Sabre had decided the time had come. Now it was written in the book; she had to do it. She’d made a commitment … a commitment to Ron’s memory.

  Sabre meandered downstairs, made herself a pot of coffee, and poured it into her favorite mug, a gift from Ron. On the side of the mug, it read, “Know how you can be proud of me all the time? Lower your expectations.” Still in her pajamas, she took her coffee out on the veranda and sat down. She admired the beautiful magnolia tree and the dark green grass covering the hillside in front of her condo. She lingered there for as long as she dared and then went upstairs to clean up and start her day.

  The work at the office could wait, so she drove to the bay and took a nice, long walk. Reflecting on the events of the past week, she thought about what she had to accomplish today. The most pressing thing was to prepare for this week’s hearings. Still conflicted about the Murdock case, she planned to take another stab at reaching Ruby Sterling.

  Sabre walked from one end of the bay to the other and back again, watching the seagulls flying overhead. One swooped down and grabbed a piece of chicken off a hot grill. People yelled and swung at him as off it flew. By this time of the year, most of the tourists were gone, leaving the beaches and the boardwalk for the locals. The smell of the salty air and the aroma from the few remaining barbeques filled her nostrils. It all had such a calming effect on her that she walked six miles before she realized it and decided she needed to get to her office.

  Generally going to the office on Sunday was a treat because no one else showed up, allowing her to work without interruption. Today she halfway hoped Dave or Jack had decided to work. When she arrived, the parking lot and alley were empty, so no one was working upstairs, either.

  She began with her cases for the morning calendar. Elaine had pulled each file and put the appropriate, colored hearing form in the front for her. She picked up the Stevens case and read the report. She represented John Stevens, a kid in the Marine Corps, who allegedly shook his eight-month-old baby so hard it caused brain damage. The baby also had a fractured femur and broken ribs. Stevens, still denying the allegations, agreed to submit on the report. He participated in all the programs recommended by the social worker, and had moved out of the home. The maternal grandmother had flown out from North Carolina to stay with the mother and help with the baby. Sabre was pleased the case had settled. She knew it would have been a tough trial with little chance of winning.

  Sabre worked through the other nine cases, leaving the Murdock file for last. At five o’clock, darkness setting in, she counted the time difference on her fingers. It would be eight o’clock in Atlanta. She picked up the phone to call Ruby Sterling, but stopped when she heard a faint knock on her front door. Sabre walked quietly down the hallway and peeked through the peephole. She could just barely see the little figure standing there. When she opened the door, Alexis strutted in. Sabre peered around outside for a car or an adult who might be with her, but saw none.

  “Alexis, how did you get here?”

  “I walked,” she said proudly.

  “Does anyone know where you are?”

  “Nope.”

  “What are you doing here? Not that I’m not glad to see you; I am. But why did you sneak out and walk all the way over here? And how did you find your way?”

  “I watched when we went by your office last week. Remember, on our way to McDonald’s?”

  “And you remembered?”

  “Yeah. It wasn’t hard. I just watched the buildings and stuff.”

  “So why did you come here?”

  “I wanted to see you
.”

  Sabre reached down and put a hand on each arm and looked directly into Alexis’ eyes. “Are you all right? What’s the matter?”

  “Nothing, really. I just wanted to see you.” She shrugged.

  “I need to call Jordan and let them know you’re with me.”

  “Will they make me go back?”

  “Did something happen there? Did someone hurt you?”

  “No. Everything’s fine. I like living there. I just don’t want to go back yet.”

  “Alexis, I need to let them know you’re okay. I’m sure they have people out looking for you. They may have even called the police. We don’t want people spending their time trying to find you when you’re safe with me. I’ll call Marla and let her know, and you can stay with me until you’re ready to go back. Okay?”

  “Okay.” She nodded.

  Sabre called Marla on her cell phone. “Marla, it’s Sabre.”

  “Sabre, I was just about to call you. Alexis is missing from Jordan Receiving Home.”

  “Marla, it’s okay. She’s with me. She snuck out and came to my office.”

  Marla sighed. “Thank God. I was so worried. You sure she’s okay?”

  “Yes, she’s fine.”

  “Why did she do it, do you know?”

  “Not yet, but I’m going to keep her with me for awhile and see what I can find out. Will you let them know at Jordan?”