The Family Court room was tucked away in a corner of the courthouse and had little of the formal court appearance in the layout. There were seats along the rear for the plaintiff that was himself, the defendant Chloe and supporters, benches for the two groups' lawyers and the judge's podium at the front. No witness statements were held and neither Chloe nor himself were asked or indeed allowed to speak during the hearing. If they disagreed to any points made by the opposing lawyer they had to refer the matter to their own lawyer to present it to the judge. This did annoy David for, in his opinion his lawyer was far too lenient on Chloe's lawyer whereas he would have protested vigorously at her reasons for wanting the family trust to remain.
Chloe and Jeff were already sitting across the back seats from where his current partner was seated. Nicole Wilks was a real beauty in his eyes, blonde with the figure of a film star and only twenty-five. Sure, they'd had a few hints of trouble after she had shifted in with him but they were sorted now that she knew that her place was to obey him and provide the comforts of life. He actually liked naive women who were good in bed but never encroached on the other aspects of his life.
He had actually invited her to accompany him to the final result, as he wanted to show Chloe that he could attract sexy younger women fifteen years younger than himself.
Nicole glanced up. "I thought you'd be late so came in myself. Was that okay?"
"Sure," David replied as he sat down beside her. "I got held up in the traffic."
Nicole glanced sideways. "Is that your ex and son over there?" she asked.
"Yeah. Stupid bitch!"
"Your son looks quite a hulk and she looks younger than I thought by the way you talked about her. Looks quite up-market, actually"
"I guess," David retorted. "Gone to seed in the last few years, though."
"All rise!" interrupted the clerk.
Everyone stood, the door at the front opened and the crusty looking judge, who would be sixty-five if he was a day and dressed in an ordinary suit, walked across to the podium. He sat down and everyone in the room did likewise. Not once though, did he glance at those seated along the back seats.
The lawyers stood and said their clients and themselves were present and awaiting his judgement. Further introductions were not necessary for the judge had already met them when the arguments for the plaintive and defendant were brought before him earlier in the week.
A hush settled over the room as the judge glanced down at the somewhat old-fashioned paper document before him. After the usual preamble about the case the judge looked up and for the first time fixed his eyes on David before glancing across at Chloe and Jeff.
"My ruling is set out detail in a fifty five page document that will be distributed to the people concerned but I am about to give an oral summary of my ruling. Due to the animosity involved by the plaintiff in this case, I have made several rulings that might normally be left to the parties concerned to agree to through their lawyers..." He spent several moments outlining various aspects of laws involving disputes as such as this one before stopping and glancing up at David's lawyer.
"The purpose of this case was for the trust to be dissolved so your client could claim fifty percent of the assets in the separation agreement against Chloe Sutton, was it not?"
"Yes, Your Honour and may I..."
The judge frowned. "No Mr Parsons you may not add any other comment. I have heard it all in full detail. Now is the time for you to listen to my ruling. Understand?"
"Yes, Your Honour." The lawyer grimaced.
"The first important fact about this case that has influenced me in my ruling is that Jeff Sutton who was an infant when the trust was formed, turned eighteen three weeks ago and is therefore an adult in this country. This made a significant change to my ruling. There are three adults involved in the outcome if the trust is dissolved."
The judge stopped as if he wanted the words to sink in before continuing.
"I have ruled that subject to the conditions I shall be imposing, the Sutton Family Trust can be dissolved..."
David grinned at Nicole but noticed that she was frowning. "What is it?" he whispered.
"There's more," she whispered. "I don't think you're going to like what is being said."
David turned and stared at the judge who was staring directly at him before he switched his eyes to Ashley Parsons.
"Please tell your client to keep quiet or I shall ask for him to be removed from this courtroom," he said.
"I apologise Your Honour," Parsons said. "I am sure no offence was intended."
The judge nodded. "I shall continue," he continued. "The assets included in the dissolved trust shall be divided evenly between the three adults involved with one third going to the plaintiff, one third to Chloe Sutton and the remaining third to Jeff Sutton, their son. Furthermore. I have ruled on how the property and assets of the dissolved trust will be divided up. It is fully detailed in my written document."
"What?" David stood up and almost screamed. "I only get one third of everything!"
"Hush up!" Ashley Parsons spat. "Don't aggravate him any more."
The judge ignored the outburst and continued. "My oral summary of my ruling is that the properties owned by the trust shall be divided in the following manner. Mrs Chloe Sutton is allocated the family home at..." Here he gave Chloe's address. "The apartment owned by the trust where David Sutton is in resident becomes his property and the properties consisting of three apartments and a freehold house in Mount Albert is allocated to Mr Jeff Sutton. All cash in the trust and other assets shall be divided by three and distributed to the three parties concerned after mortgages, rates and other expenses are deducted. Again full details are itemised in my written ruling. An exception to this is the mortgage taken out by Mr David Sutton when he purchased a commercial property after becoming separated from Mrs Sutton. He shall be held responsible for repaying this mortgage for I rule that it was not a part of the original trust. Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen, my ruling has been made."
Everyone stood as the judge left the room.
David fumed. "The bastard," he swore and glowered at his lawyer. "Can we appeal his ruling?"
"You can." Ashley Parsons replied. "I would advise caution, though. It will be expensive and the chances of it succeeding are remote. This judge is experienced and very thorough so I doubt if he can be picked up on any mismanagement of the law that would be necessary to win a case."
"We'll see," David muttered.
When he stood up he glanced across at Chloe who was now also standing. She turned and he gasped for she had the swollen stomach of someone in the advanced stages of pregnancy. But how could that be, they'd been separated since the beginning of the year?" He trembled in rage and burst into a cold sweat. The slut! How dare she! My God, he was not going to stand for this. No wife of his, separated or otherwise was going to sleep around and produce a bastard child.
Someone clutched his arm. It was Nicole. "David, what is it?" she gasped. "You look terrible. What's happening to you? I know the judgement went against us but..."
"Oh you silly bitch. Look at her, will you!" he snarled.
Nicole glanced across the room. "Oh hell. Chloe's pregnant. Are you the father?"
"No," spat David. "That's impossible!" He flung her arm aside and strutted out of the courtroom while still shaking in fury.
AFTER THREE HOURS OF solid drinking at his local pub, David staggered out into the car park. In his drunken state he almost collapsed behind the wheel of his car. He stared out the window, started the engine and reversed back, just missing another car in the process.
"The bitch," he snarled as he roared out onto the road and headed home. "I'll teach the bitch!"
Home! Where the hell was home! Of course he knew where it was so why the hell was he going the wrong way? He did a u-turn, swore at a car that tooted at him and headed across the city.
Half an hour later he staggered into the darkened building. The stupid bitch didn't even have the
courtesy to leave the veranda light on. It was about time she bucked up her ideas! He staggered up the hallway, flung the bedroom door open and turned on the light.
The woman awoke and sat up bleary eyed. "You're drunk, David. What are you doing here?" she said with a nervous stammer in her voice. "Why don't you go and sleep it off on the couch. I could get you a coffee if you wish."
She slid out of bed and grabbed a nightgown.
"I don't want a coffee, you stupid bitch," He blinked and in his mind he saw the pregnant Chloe with that grotesque stomach, pulling her nightgown on. The cow didn't even attempt to cover herself.
"David," she howled. "Please leave. We'll talk about everything in the morning."
"Who was he?" David snarled.
"What are you talking about?
"You know!"
He stepped forward and slapped her across the face. She staggered back, screamed and fell on the bed. He reached forward, grabbed her arm, hauled her off the bed and slapped her again. This time she landed on the floor and knelt there whimpering with blood pouring from her nose.
Stupid cow! He kicked her in the ribs and grabbed her by the hair to haul her back up to her feet. She staggered, flung her arm out and managed to poke him in an eye with her fingers. God, that hurt! He let her go and staggered back. He blinked and rubbed his eyes. Now where was the bitch! She was across the room beside the bed, desperately looking for something in the bedside drawer.
She swung around and he gulped for a small revolver was in her hand. She was shaking but had it pointed directly at him. "Stay back, David. Just stay back!"
Even in his drunken state he realised that it wasn't a pregnant Chloe standing there, but who was it? He shook his head and tried to recall. He swallowed and stepped forward.
"Not another step!" she screamed.
How dare she! She needed to show him respect. My God, he'd deal with her then go and find his wife. No doubt this slut was protecting her.
He knew who it was now; he'll have his way with her before going to find his adulteress wife. He charged forward, noticed her terrified eyes and grinned. He liked struggling women!
It was almost a popping sound rather than a bang! Pain followed... pain in his throat. He was flung back with blood pouring out onto his shirt. He attempted to shout but couldn't!
The room around spun, he heard a second bang, this time it was definitely a bang, loud and piercing followed by more pain and blood. He could see her face; those wide eyes just staring and her mouth wide open in a silent scream. He had to reach her! He staggered forward but fell forward as darkness engulfed him.
TERRI COX WAS USED to a hard life from childhood, two partners who turned violent and now the seemly fantastic affair with David Sutton had turned sour not long after she had shifted into this pleasant house in Mount Albert, one of the middle class areas in Auckland.
She glanced at the corpse on the blood stained carpet. Her first bullet must have hit him in the throat and the second in the chest. She had never fired a gun in self-defence before but had kept it loaded after David had turned violent three weeks back. As soon as he had arrived back drunk, she realised he was in one of his moods, he'd ramble on about one of his ex partners or wife and the abuse would turn to violence that usually ended in what amounted to rape. In the morning he'd be back to normal with the encounter ignored... until the next time.
She had thought of walking out on him but the house and other perks were the best that she'd had in years. The thought of going back to a grotty little apartment and resigning from the secretary's position in the firm didn't appeal.
Now this!
Panicky thoughts went through her mind from burning the house down to simply calling the police. She had never liked the cops with childhood memories of cringing behind a door as they interviewed her sobbing mother after yet another domestic. Nothing ever came of it with warnings issued but that was it... again, until the next time.
She changed out of her blood-splattered pyjamas, slammed the bedroom door shut and attempted, unsuccessfully to sleep in the spare bedroom. At five thirty she dressed and went though to have something to eat. By six thirty she decided that the only person she really trusted in her life was her elder sister Yolanda.
"Where's his car?" Yolanda replied over the iPhone after Terri gave a sobbing account of what had happened.
"In the driveway, I guess."
"Right. If I remember correctly there's a hedge between the drive and your neighbour's place. Are they likely to have heard your gun go off?"
"I've no idea but doubt it. I don't have much to do with them. There's a couple of women students but others seem to come and go. They're pretty quiet, actually." Terri began sobbing again. "I can't just go to the cops, they won't believe anything I say. You remember what they were like when we were kids?"
"I know. Look we need to get rid of his car and worry about the body later. Have you got some gloves to wear?"
"I guess but why?"
"Fingerprints, Terri. You don't want your fingerprints on his car."
The car was parked in the driveway. It took sheer courage but making sure she had her gloves on, she went through the corpse's jacket and found the keys. A little after eight Terri found a place to park David's BMW at a mall across town. It was busy area with cars coming and going most of the day so the chances were that the BMW would not standout for hours. She had called Yolanda earlier on her mobile and her sister arrived to pick her up a few moments later.
"Just go to work as normal and say nothing," Yolanda advised as they sat in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the motorway a quarter an hour later. "It's Friday so we have the entire weekend to dispose of David Sutton's body."
"But he won't be at work!" Terri said.
"You aren't his personal secretary, are you?" Yolanda asked.
"No, there's a group of us who do things for several managers." She grimaced. "It's really just a typist keyboard pool but the salary is good."
"And do the others know you were having an affair with him and that he owned the house you're living in?"
Terri shrugged. "Doubt it. He insisted on keeping it quiet and he practically ignored me at work."
"So just be ignorant if anybody asks you anything and for God's sake, stop the bawling. It's a dead give away."
Terri glanced across at Yolanda. She sounded exactly the same as she did a decade before, that sometimes bossy big sister but really her only friend. The three years age difference seemed so much then but now... She wiped her tears away and nodded. "Thanks Yolanda, you've always been here for me."
"Yeah, so don't stuff it up," her sister replied.
TERRI STAYED THE NIGHT with Yolanda who had her own apartment not too far away. The thought of the corpse in the house terrified her but it was dawn, a little after five in the morning when they drove back there. Their plan was somewhat vague but after much discussion was the best they could come up with.
Terri brought a wheelbarrow in from the attached garage and wheeled it into the bedroom. She heaved a sigh when she found that Yolanda had already wrapped the corpse up in a blanket so only the legs were sticking out. It was as heavy as expected, probably around a hundred kilograms but more unexpected was that it had become entirely stiff; Yolanda called it rigor mortis so the limbs couldn't be moved.
"Lift him on the wheelbarrow," she said. "Luckily his arms weren't sticking out."
Terri felt ill but followed her sister's directions and pushed the wheelbarrow out, around and up the hallway to the internal garage door. It took a bit of manoeuvring but between them they managed to get the body in the back of her sister's quite large Hyundai SUV. It would never have fitted into her own smaller car that was now parked on the street. Yolanda dragged the wheelbarrow in over the corpse and muttered. "We'll need it at the other end."
Back in the bedroom, there were blood stains on the carpet and a little splattered on the walls and blankets but it wasn't too bad.
"Come on," Yolanda said. "Well deal wit
h this later. Just throw your blankets and sheets over the stains so if anyone glances in the window it'll just look like an unmade bed."
"Why not pull the curtains?"
"Do you normally have them pulled during the day?"
Terri shook her head.
"That's the reason. We don't want the house to look any different than usual."
It was almost eight by the time they reached the Waitakere Ranges to the northwest of the city. This was a hilly bush clad area with quite remote west coast beaches. The road they were on became narrow and windy with little traffic as the trampers and other tourists weren't due to arrive in large numbers for several hours. Those around were the more serious trampers who were probably about to start two or three day hikes to bush huts where nights were spent.
Yolanda though turned off Forest Hill Road up a small gravel road that was unmarked except for a small sign that advised that this was a private road only suitable for four wheeled drive vehicles.
"This is a 4x4 so we can handle it," she said.
The road twisted up the side of a bush-clad hill before dropping down into a valley, across an ancient one-way bridge and up another hill. The view across at the Tasman Sea was spectacular but the road was so narrow that ferns and shrubbery brushed the Hyundai as they drove by.
Terri was worried. "I hope you know where you're going," she said. "There's not even room to turn around if the road fizzles out."
"Almost there." Yolanda sounded confident but she always did even when they were kids and in trouble yet again with their parents.
Five minutes later the road came to an end with a circle of gravel beneath massive trees. At least there was room to turn around!
Blossoms in the Wind Page 7
