“I’m not telling you a thing until you sit down and shut up!” Fletcher yelled. “Have a seat on the couch. Now!”
She flinched and took a step back. After a short standoff, Mia did as instructed.
Fletcher opened his briefcase and pulled out the articles Vernetta had given him and handed them to her.
“Read these while I take a shower.”
“Why can’t you just tell me what—”
He raised his voice again. “Just do what I told you to do! I’ll be right back.”
When he entered the room twenty minutes later, Mia looked catatonic. Instead of joining her on the couch, Fletcher settled into an armchair across from her.
“The paternity test showed that the kid is mine. I think—and so does Vernetta—that Bliss got pregnant like the women in those articles did. She stole my sperm, probably from a discarded condom, saved it, and inseminated herself after we broke up.”
Mia appeared to be holding her breath.
“Vernetta served Bliss with a lawsuit accusing her of fraud earlier today. Unfortunately, it won’t have any bearing on my obligation to pay child support. It’s possible that I could be on the hook for payments in the neighborhood of fifty thousand dollars a month, maybe more.”
Mia gasped.
“That’s about it. Okay, your turn. Go ahead and let me have it.”
Fletcher wished he had poured himself another scotch before sitting down. He braced himself for a flood of tears and Mia’s high-pitched rant about her ruined wedding plans and how embarrassed she would be. He was going to listen to her whine for twenty minutes max. Then he’d have Lester take him to the Four Seasons. He needed a good night’s sleep.
He had nodded off when he heard Mia’s voice.
“I’m so sorry this happened.” Her tone was ultra soft. “This is not about you. It’s about me. I’m so sorry.”
Huh? Why in the hell is she apologizing to me?
Fletcher tried to sit up, but couldn’t. The scotch still had full control of his senses.
“Bliss did this to get back at me. You’re in this situation because you chose me and not her. If you hadn’t fallen in love with me, you wouldn’t be facing the possibility of having to pay that vicious little whore. I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
Mia walked around the coffee table, kneeled in front of him and threaded his fingers through hers.
“Bliss is the most conniving person I’ve ever met and she’s not going to get away with this. We’re going to fight this fight together.”
Fletcher couldn’t believe it. “You are friggin’ amazing. You know that?”
Mia cocked her head to the side. “Yep, I most certainly am.”
“We need to prepare a plan of action,” Mia said with a take-charge air. “We should start by transferring funds and selling property. But we can’t be blatant about it. The deals have to look legit. And then we have to find ways to move a significant portion of your money out of the country. My clients do it all the time and get away with it. So will we.”
Fletcher’s mouth fell open.
“I suspect we can stretch out the financial aspects of the paternity case for several months, maybe even years,” she continued. “And maybe you don’t work for a while to reduce your income. I can take a leave of absence from my firm and you can do the same. I’d love to spend a couple years in Paris or London or even Sydney doing absolutely nothing. By the time the court makes a final decision on child support, you won’t be making anywhere near what you earn now. Bliss can’t get money that you don’t have.”
Fletcher blinked and hoped like hell he wasn’t dreaming.
“And I think we should postpone the wedding until all of this is settled. If we get married, Bliss might have the nerve to come after my income.”
Fletcher kissed her, then pointed at his erection. “All those brilliant little words coming from your beautiful lips are turning me on.”
Mia kissed him back.
“I’m definitely The Man,” Fletcher murmured between kisses. “Because I was smart enough to choose you.”
“Yes, you were.” Mia stood up and started unbuttoning her blouse and shimmying her skirt down her narrow hips. Fletcher loved the stark contrast in their complexions. His sun-starved white against her sun-drenched chocolate.
Mia peered down at him wearing only a matching red bra and thong.
He caressed her thighs, then softly kissed them.
“I’d like to hear more of your game plan, baby,” Fletcher muttered. “Because I have never been more turned on in my life.”
CHAPTER 30
Girlie wasn’t good at consoling drunk, distraught clients. Empathy simply wasn’t in her repertoire.
When she arrived at the office that morning, she had five slurred messages from Bliss Fenton, each one demanding that she call her immediately. For the last five minutes now, she’d had been listening to Bliss yell into the phone and Girlie couldn’t take much more.
“As I just said, I don’t think you need to be all that worried.” Girlie’s patience was just about tapped out. “Give me some time to research the case law in this area. This is just a move on McClain’s part to intimidate you. We’re not falling for it.”
Her new client still sounded like a drunken basket case. She must’ve drank her dinner last night and breakfast this morning.
“I’m really counting on you to make this thing go away,” Bliss cried. “This is harassment.”
Bliss had repeated the same words at least three times in the last two minutes.
“What I want you to do is get some sleep and let me worry about the case, okay?”
She herded Bliss off the phone and took some time to go through the lawsuit, which she had downloaded from the L.A. Superior Court website. Vernetta had apparently grown a pair since they last went head-to-head. This lawsuit was something Girlie would have filed. She had to give Vernetta her props.
The allegations in the complaint were complete crap. At least she hoped they were. Any victory would be strictly on paper. This wasn’t about money. It was about intimidation. And Girlie Cortez did not scare easily.
The claim that Bliss had stolen Fletcher’s sperm did indeed concern her. That might actually constitute fraud. It had not crossed her mind to ask Bliss for a blow-by-blow explanation of exactly how she got pregnant. She figured it happened the good old-fashioned way. She would invite Bliss down to her office in the next day or so and get the real story.
In the interim, she might as well have a little fun. Girlie picked up the phone and dialed Vernetta’s office.
“Hello, counselor. I just wanted to let you know I’ve taken a look at that bogus lawsuit you filed.”
“We’ll let a jury determine how bogus it is.” Vernetta chuckled derisively.
“I guess this means the paternity test proved Fletcher is Harmony’s father. I’d appreciate it if you’d send me a copy of the results.”
Vernetta didn’t respond, but that didn’t stop Girlie.
“It’s a shame that a man as rich as your client has to stoop so low to get out of paying child support.”
“He’s not trying to get out of paying child support, he—” Vernetta stopped mid-sentence. “Why don’t we just let the case play itself out in court and see what a jury decides.”
“This case won’t get before a jury because it’s nothing but an intimidation tactic. I’ll get it knocked out on motion.”
“Is there a reason for this call? Otherwise I’m a little busy, while you obviously are not. Must be hard rebuilding a law practice after having your license suspended for unethical conduct.”
That stung, but Girlie shook it off.
“My practice is doing just fine. And after I win this case, it’ll be bigger and better.”
“Like I said, is there a reason for this call? I don’t have
time for chit-chatting.”
“I just wanted to let you know I’ll be filing Bliss’ answer right away. We want to move on to the discovery phase as soon as possible. It’s important that the real facts come out. Not this fairytale you wrote in this complaint.”
“We’d like it to move along too,” Vernetta replied. “Maybe we can pick some dates for your client’s deposition right now. How about a week from Monday for Ms. Fenton’s deposition and two days after that for Mr. McClain’s?”
“Sounds like that might work,” Girlie replied, without checking her calendar. Of course she didn’t have any other active cases. “But let me confirm with my client.”
“You do that.” Vernetta hung up.
Girlie loved it. She hadn’t felt this invigorated in a long time. There was nothing like a contentious legal battle to get her juices flowing.
And this time around, the case wasn’t going to end in disgrace. She was going to bring the high-and-mighty Vernetta Henderson down a peg or two. And Vernetta’s wealthy client Fletcher McClain was going to take an even bigger hit.
CHAPTER 31
Special loved undercover work. It made her feel like a super hero. Sitting behind the wheel of Eli’s van, she fantasized about having her own TV show. Babe Undercover. She’d even be willing to perform her own stunts.
The van’s plumbing company logo had been removed and replaced with a Lulu’s Catering Company emblem. Special had been trailing Bliss Fenton for the last half hour, from her townhouse and now onto the Santa Monica Freeway east to the Harbor Freeway north. When Bliss, transitioned to the far right lane and exited at 9th Street, Special presumed she was headed to downtown Los Angeles.
Working for Fletcher McClain was demanding more and more of her time. She didn’t mind using her vacation days for surveillance work. For the few hours of work she’d be doing today, she’d earn almost twice what she made at Verizon.
Bliss entered the underground parking structure of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel on Figueroa Street and Special followed. She was about to balk at the parking fee—$3 for every fifteen minutes—then remembered that Fletcher McClain was picking up the tab. Maybe she would treat herself to lunch at his expense.
Special maneuvered until her van was behind Bliss’ Audi. Different attendants walked up and handed them ticket stubs at the same time.
She stumbled out of the van, anxious to make sure she didn’t lose sight of Bliss, who was already strolling through the double glass doors and into a wide hallway leading to the escalators. Bliss was wearing a bad-ass red dress with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She looked both young and hip. Despite the woman’s scandalous behavior, Special liked her flair.
Bliss took a seat at a table for two at the Lobby Court Cafe and pulled out her phone. Special sat close enough to listen.
“Hey, sweetie, I’m here.”
So Bliss was moving on to trapping baby daddy number four. Special still hadn’t gotten a lead on the father of Bliss’ middle child, Jonas. Eli had managed to access the kid’s birth certificate and to their surprise, the space where the father’s name should have been was blank. Eli agreed that there was something amiss and Special was determined to find out who the guy was.
Bliss put her phone away and started thumbing through a Neiman Marcus catalogue she’d retrieved from her purse.
Life was so unfair. Special had gone back at least seven years and couldn’t find a single job that Bliss had held. Yet all she did every day was eat out and shop. Eli had found out that Bliss’ townhouse was paid for and that she leased a new car every year. Even with no mortgage, her lifestyle was still far in excess of ten grand a month. Her new Audi and all the shopping she did would wipe that out real quick. Special figured she had a sugar daddy or two. Maybe Mystery Baby Daddy was underwriting her lifestyle.
Bliss closed her magazine and her eyes went to the bank of elevators. An attractive man in a dark gray suit glanced in Bliss’ direction. He stood near the elevator buttons, but did not push one. Instead he pulled out his phone and began pressing buttons. Seconds later, Bliss’ phone chirped. Special assumed it was a text from the man at the elevator.
After briefly checking her phone, Bliss went back to her magazine.
They have this thing choreographed down to a tee.
The man stepped onto the elevator. A couple minutes later, Bliss rose and gathered her purse.
Special would bet her last dime that Bliss was on her way to the same hotel room the guy had just headed off to. So Special jumped up and took off toward the bank of elevators, getting there just ahead of Bliss. When the elevator doors opened, Special stepped inside and so did Bliss. Special fumbled around in her purse, looking for her cell phone while Bliss hit the button for the eighteenth floor.
This wouldn’t be the last time she followed Bliss, Special didn’t want to make eye contact. She reminded herself to wear her auburn curly wig the next time she conducted a surveillance of Bliss.
When the elevator opened on the eighteenth floor, Bliss stepped off and again, Special followed.
Pausing near a sign that divided up the rooms on the floor, she muttered out loud as she fumbled through her purse. “Where’s my key?”
She still kept an eye on Bliss to see which room she was entering. Oblivious to her presence, Bliss knocked just once on room 1802. The door opened and she slipped inside.
Special thought about waiting until one or both of them left the room, but decided against it. These days, hotels had cameras everywhere. She didn’t want someone from Security asking her why she was loitering. So she returned to the lobby and waited. She found a seat that gave her a view of the bank of elevators. Her plan was to follow the guy to the parking garage and take down his license plate number so she could have one of Eli’s cop friends look him up.
For the next fifty-seven minutes, Special monitored the elevators like a hungry lion looking for fresh meat. She was lucky that there was little activity, as most guests were probably attending meetings in the hotel’s conference rooms. When she saw the man step off the elevator, Special stood up, ready to follow him to the garage. But he started walking away from the garage, toward the hotel’s east entrance, which led out onto Flower Street. Special scurried after him. She figured Bliss was still in the room. They were being extra careful not to be seen together.
Special and the man reached the traffic light at the corner of Flower and Fifth Street at the same time. He was neither tall nor short, with dark, sensual eyes. Despite a little thinning at his crown, he was still quite good-looking. Special certainly wouldn’t have kicked him out of bed.
He must’ve worked downtown and was no doubt headed back to the office. Based on his sharp suit, Special guessed that he might be a lawyer or maybe an investment banker. He walked with the air of a man who had big money. He also strutted like a man who’d just gotten laid.
They stepped shoulder-to-shoulder into the intersection. He veered to the left and entered the Citibank building on the northeast corner. Special stayed close, stepping onto the elevator along with the man and three other people.
When he exited on the seventh floor, Special got off too. He’d paid her no attention, and had his eyes glued to his phone the entire time she’d been following him. Special loved smartphones. They made people completely oblivious to their surroundings.
The man made a right off the elevator and charged into the lobby of Vinson & Schneider, LLP as if he owned the place.
“Hey, Marty,” the receptionist called out to him. He smiled and waved as he strolled past her.
Special smiled too. Piece of cake. Just that quickly, she had all the information she needed.
When the receptionist turned her way, Special cut the woman off before she could speak.
“I’m looking for the Donovan law firm.” She had snatched the name from the directory in the lobby downstairs. “I think I’m lost.�
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“Oh, that’s on the fifth floor,” the receptionist chirped.
Special thanked her and headed back to the bank of elevators. By the time one arrived, she had already called up the website of Vinson & Schneider, LLP. On the page that said Our Lawyers, she entered the first name Marty. The search turned up nothing.
Next she entered Martin and four names popped up. She clicked on the first one and looked at the photograph. Not her guy. The second Martin was also a no-go. When she hit the third Martin, there he was, the smiling face of Martin Zinzer.
Dang, I’m good!
She read through his list of accolades. Zinzer was a corporate attorney, specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Admitted to the California Bar in 1987. Listed in Elite Leading Lawyers for M&As. She entered his name in Google and found a puff piece in California Lawyer that described him as an innovative lawyer and a dedicated family man.
Yeah right.
Google Images showed a picture of Zinzer and his wife Chloé at a Bar association function. They had three kids and lived in South Pasadena.
Special shook her head. This guy had no idea of the kind of havoc his lunchtime romps with Bliss could produce in his life.
Dude, if you only knew, you’d stay the hell away from Bliss Fenton.
She couldn’t wait to share what she had found with Eli and Vernetta. Special had no doubt that Zinzer was paying Bliss for sex. She just wondered how much he was paying her and how many men Bliss had in her stable.
CHAPTER 32
Bliss has thirty days to respond to Fletcher’s fraud complaint, but I receive her answer only days later. It’s no surprise to me that Bliss has denied every allegation in the complaint. What does surprise me are the two additional documents Girlie includes.
By the time I finish reading the first one, I want to strangle Girlie. We informally agreed that Bliss’ deposition would be taken a week from Monday, and Fletcher’s two days later. But Girlie has served me with a deposition notice scheduling Fletcher’s deposition first. This is classic Girlie Cortez.
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