Book Two: Chapter Twenty


    “Be seated,” the bailiff instructed after Judge Matthews took his seat.


    “Let’s see,” the judge said, “Custody hearing. Mister Emerson Carlisle versus Miss Avalynn (Carlisle)


    Carter.”


    The judge looked up from his paperwork. On one side of the room sat Emerson Carlisle, respectable


    and sessful businessman on the other a petite young woman and three ten-year-olds. The woman


    looked haunted and nervous but the trio behind her was ready for battle. They didn’t spare the


    opposing party a single nce sitting up straight waiting for it to begin.


    Usually custody battles were between Human Services and the parents if they proved ipetent.


    Sometimes it was a battle between family members, most often the parents. Generally one would


    expect a father to be on his daughter’s side to support her through these hearings rather than being the


    opposing party.


    Ava took a deep breath trying to calm her racing heart. They had prepared two weeks for this hearing.


    Tracy insisted on a number of odd requests but Ava put her full trust in her friend andplied with


    everything asked of her. Now she was truly thankful for the new wardrobe. Though she was still thin,


    she didn’t look shabby. Despite her worry she had been sleeping better and eating regr meals under


    Ss’s and Duncan’s careful watch.


    “Mister Carlisle you im your daughter is an ipetent mother and that her children are in danger if


    they stay with her,” Judge Matthews said. “Present your case.”


    Emerson’swyer stood casting a nce at Ava. She met his gaze reluctantly and saw something she


    could almost ssify as pity. Though she couldn’t remember his name she did recall he had been her


    father’s counsel for decades. He was as familiar with her and her sister as any uncle or aunt, perhaps


    more so given her actual rtives lived on the other side of the country.


    Ava wondered if he tried to dissuade her father from this course of action. Even if he did she doubted


    he held his opinion for long. Her father wouldn’t hesitate to trade him for anotherwyer if he refused to


    “Yes, your honor. It is our belief that it is dangerous for the children to remain in Miss Carlisle’s care.


    They will be much better off under their grandfather’s care who has the means to insure a privileged


    life.”


    “Objection,” Tracy stood, “since when does privilege equate to happiness or good? My client has raised


    three kids on her own without assistance. They have never missed a single medical appointment. They


    have all suggested and approved shots and boosters. They also maintain straight A’s in school. Exactly


    where is my client’s abilities as a mothercking?”


    “She has been living under an assumed name…”


    “You mean a legally changed name,” Tracy corrected. “For less than a hundred dors anyone can do


    it.”


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Her father’swyer stared hard at Tracy clearly annoyed by her interruptions but there also seemed a


    note of approval. It was almost as if he was d she was refuting him so readily. Lawyers didn’t like to


    lose but maybe he didn’t really want to win this time. Or maybe Ava was reading too much into his look.


    “Get on with it!” Emerson grumbled.


    His harsh tone made Ava flinch. There was no mercy in his demeanor and though she avoided meeting


    his gaze she felt it boring into her. Why? Didn’t he have a shred of sympathy and love for his daughter?


    Did she really mean nothing to him?


    “What a grouch,” Theo muttered ring at his grandfather. Neither he nor his brother had any difficulty


    meeting his gaze or throwing their own daggers in his direction. “Keep your eyes off our sister, pervert.”


    Emerson stiffened at Theo’s bold usation drawing the attention of the judge as well as everyone


    else in the courtroom. He felt his face warm under the scrutiny of the recorder, bailiff, judge and


    mother and she would look like a doll when she yed for his associates just like Ava used to.


    “Young man that is not appropriatenguage in the courtroom,” Judge Matthews gently admonished.


    “Then tell him to turn around and stop leering over here,” Theo retorted. “He keeps looking at Lexi like


    she’s a piece of meat. It’s creepy.”


    The judge cleared his throat hiding a smile. It was good to see brothers so eager to protect their sister.


    Sibling rivalry wasn’t umon especially in homes with limited resources but the triplets maintained


    close bonds. They were truly a united front.


    “Youngdy, Miss Alexis, are you ufortable?” the judge asked.


    “Lexi…and I’m fine. The geezer can look all he wants. He’ll get nothing from me.”


    Emerson leapt to his feet sputtering with rage, “How dare you talk to me like that!”


    “And who are you?” Alexis asked. “Mom raised us for ten years and you haven’t so much as sent a


    postcard let alone support. The only reason you’re even interested in us now is because you think I’ll


    be your personal trained monkey. But you can forget it. I won’t be ying anything for you.”


    “Order!” the judge rapped his gavel. “Mister Carlisle, sit down and refrain from engaging with the


    defense. Kids if you feel ufortable please let me know. Counsel continue.”


    Emerson’swyer cleared his throat and took a breath before continuing,” Your honor, Miss Carlisle has


    undoubtedly done the best she could but a small, cramped apartment surrounded by drug dealers is


    hardly an appropriate setting for three impressionable children.”


    “So it’s a crime to be poor now?” Tracy argued. “There are hundreds of thousands of kids living in


    households below the poverty line. Their parents struggle to put food on the table, shoes on their feet


    and clothes on their backs. There are days they go hungry save for their school lunch. Is your client


    going to take all of them under his roof as well? My client has used every avable means at her


    disposal to provide for her children.


    “Her apartment is clean, pest and vermin free. She makes use of food pantries and subsidized


    programs to help her meet her children’s needs. Not once in any of their appointments has any doctor


    or nurse noted anything but the kid’s excellent health and care. Sure they don’t have luxuries but all of


    their needs are met.”


    With a sigh Emerson’swyer hesitated before making his final argument, “Your honor, it hase to


    our attention that there is drug use in the home. Such an environment is uneptable for children.”


    “W-what?” Ava stuttered. Drugs? Were they serious?


    “I have here a police report. Acting on an anonymous tip they raided Miss Carlisle’s apartment and


    found several drugs present in ratherrge quantities,” thewyer offered a paper to the judge. “It is


    uneptable for a mother to expose her children to such things.”


    His gaze slid to Ava seeing she had be ashen, pale and listless with the usation. He spared


    her a moment of pity but she didn’t see it. How was it even possible? Did her father really…


    “It’s okay mom,” Alexis and her bothers immediately swarmed around her hugging her.


    Theo scowled at their self-righteous grandfather now looking rather smug. If he thought he could get


    away with framing their mother like this he had another thinging. No amount of money would save


    him.


    “I hope you have more than a piece of paper, Counselor,” Tracy said solemnly. “These are serious


    usations and I hope you are prepared for the consequences.”


    Emerson’swyer hesitated meeting her deadly stare. There was no surprise in her gaze almost as if


    she expected this situation. Ava had all but broken down but those around her defiantly red at him. If


    the boys were a little older he might actually have feared for his life.


    “Y-yes. Officer Tyson is here to give his testimony.”


    A man in civilian clothes stood. After being sworn in he was seated in the witness stand and Emerson’s


    “State your name for the court please.”


    “Tyson Smith.”


    “And your upation.”


    “I’m a sergeant. I am part of the Drug Enforcement Administration of New York.”


    “And how long have you been a part of the DEA.”


    “Ten years.”


    “Have you gone on many raids?”


    “Yes. More than I can count.”


    “Have you raided homes with children present?”


    “Unfortunately yes. It’s moremon than you think. Nothing will keep an addict from their next high.”


    Ava shuddered as the officer’s gaze swept over her. Was he actually using her of endangering her


    children like that? Alexis’s grip on her hand tightened infort.


    “Would you exin to the court how you came to raid Miss Carlisle’s apartment?”


    “An anonymous tip stated they saw Miss Carlisle buying drugs outside her apartment. They also


    informed us there were children present. We had a representative for Social Services apany us as


    we always do when children as suspected to be present. When we got there no one was home but we


    did find evidence of drugs and drug use.”


    “Thank you.” Emerson’swyer nodded returning to his client. Emerson looked particrly pleased.


    “Miss Lamont would you like to cross examine the witness?”


    Tracy stood up, “Officer Tyson. You said you have taken part in several raids. Safe to say you have


    seen it all?”


    “Well there are always a few surprises but I’ve seen a fair amount.”


    “Exactly what drugs were found in Miss Carter’s apartment?”


    “Marijuana, Ecstasy and Cocaine.”


    “And that variety didn’t seem odd?”


    “…Well. A little. Drug addicts tend to be loyal to their particr high. They don’t often mix opposing


    effects, but is has been known to happen.”


    “And where were the drugs found?”


    “Ah…the marijuana was found in the used bedroom, the Ecstasy in the bathroom and the cocaine


    was in the kitchen, actually on the kitchen table.”


    “And you found nothing unusual about this?”


    “Objection, your honor,” Emerson’swyer stood. “Counsel is leading the witness.”


    “I’m asking an officer with ten years experience his thoughts on a raid he conducted. How is that


    leading, your honor?”


    “Overruled. Officer?”


    The officer cleared his throat, “Well to be honest. Yes it was odd.”


    “How so?”


    “Well…drug addicts tend to be secretive especially around children. They don’t like to show their


    children that side of themselves. It’s like they are ashamed of their actions even though they can’t stop


    themselves. They hide drugs and paraphernalia in ces their children aren’t likely to go, like in their


    bedroom. It’s unusual to find drugs in the open or public areas of the home.”


    “So why leave one drug out in the open but hide another?”


    “That’s the thing. Some addicts do their drugs openly in front of their children and leave it out in the


    open all the time. In Miss Carter’s apartment we found it both ways which never urs.”


    “Never?”


    “Never in the ten years I have been part of the DEA.”


    “That is very interesting.”


    “And that wasn’t the only oddity.”


    “No?”


    “The proportions were off.”


    “What do you mean?”


    “Well there was over thirty Ecstasy pills and well over five grams of cocaine but only two joints. That’s


    not typical for a user.”


    “So the proportion of drugs and cement in the apartment was not typical of what you would normally


    see. Is that what you are saying?”


    “Yes.”


    “Given the irregrities in the raid what is the likelihood the evidence was nted?”


    “Ob-objection, your honor!”


    “Withdrawn,” Tracy shrugged returning to her seat. She shot Emerson a disgusted look. Though he


    tried to maintain a superior air her questioning had chipped away at his confidence. “Your honor, I’d like


    to call my own witness concerning this raid.”


    Emerson choked back a protest. He stared at her wondering how it was she had prepared for this


    usation which was meant to be a surprise.


    “Very well. You may step down Officer Tyson. Your witness, Counselor?”


    “Doctor Emily Schrodin.”