anger out on members of your own family. I taught both my
children that it's wrong to use violence against members of your own family, no
matter how much they aggravate you. As a result, I'm confident that neither of
them would ever abuse their children nor tolerate it from a spouse."
"What
were you arguing about?"
Clarissa
wrinkled her nose and shrugged. "I really cannot recall, but I'm sure it
was something trivial. One of those teenage things."
"She
misses her children very much."
"Sharon
is a good mother. There have been times when I thought she might have reacted
differently to their behavior, but they are clean and well cared for."
"I
appreciate you coming in to talk to me, Mrs. Collins. If you ever need to
contact me, please contact Doug or Alex, and they will relay a message to
me."
"When
will we know your decision?"
"By
the end of the day."
As
Clarissa left the room, Harriett made more notes and poured herself a cup of
coffee. Carrying her cup, she left the conference room via the back door. She
needed to move around, and the conference room seemed to be getting smaller and
smaller the longer she remained in it. Halfway down the hall, Alex stepped out
of her office and handed a memo to her secretary.
"How's
it going in there?" she asked when she saw Harriett.
"Okay.
I think there's only the father and brother left. Hopefully, that won't take
long. I'd like to see Sharon interact with her parents and husband
sometime."
"Does
that mean you're going to take her case?"
"Yes,"
Harriett said sipping her coffee.
"Sharon
couldn't ask for a better attorney, Harriett. Parker will be here in about an
hour."
"That's
fine. I'd like to speak to Paige, too, if possible."
"I'm
sure she will be here with Parker. She's not actually a family member yet,
though."
"You
said she had worked with Mrs. Taggart on her brother's election campaign. She
might be able to provide a different perspective on her personality."
"I'm
sure she'll be more than willing to help if she can."
"I
need to get in touch with Wayne."
"Do
you have his number? I'll call him for you."
Harriett
shook her head. "He doesn't have a phone. I'll drive to the cabin tomorrow
morning and talk to him. If you can, call my office and tell Phyllis I'll be
back Friday afternoon."
"Be
glad to and I'll let you know when Parker arrives."
"Thanks,"
Harriett said.
Returning
to the conference room, Harriett asked Eleanor to send Sharon's father in.
Davis Collins was the antithesis of his wife, a plain looking man who could
have been any man on the street, belying his financial status.
"What
kind of child was Sharon, Mr. Collins?" Harriett began after the
preliminary introductions.
"A
sweet girl. A daddy's girl, I suppose," Collins smiled.
"Did
you spend a lot of time with her when she was growing up?"
"As
much as I could, but unfortunately, I was away quite a bit on business back
then."
"What
kinds of things did you do together?"
"I
used to take her fishing and camping. She liked being outdoors even though it
made her mother furious when she came home dirty. I think Clarissa has always
been a little disappointed that Sharon was too much like me. Our personalities
are similar. We're both quiet and enjoy reading. And we both abhor parties and
pretentious people."
Collins
chuckled pleasantly. "Once Sharon asked me to run away with her during the
height of the social season. I could always use business as an excuse to avoid
those things, but Sharon sort of got stuck. Clarissa would expend a fortune on
the beauty parlor and new clothes for Sharon, but they never took. She'd jump
right back into jeans and a T-shirt the second she got the chance and then
scrub that crap off her face."
"She
didn't enjoy wearing makeup and getting dressed up then?"
"Hated
it!" Collins said expansively.
Harriett
smiled. She liked this down to earth man.
"Why
didn't Sharon just tell her mother that she didn't like those things?"
"She
wouldn't have hurt her mother's feelings like
children that it's wrong to use violence against members of your own family, no
matter how much they aggravate you. As a result, I'm confident that neither of
them would ever abuse their children nor tolerate it from a spouse."
"What
were you arguing about?"
Clarissa
wrinkled her nose and shrugged. "I really cannot recall, but I'm sure it
was something trivial. One of those teenage things."
"She
misses her children very much."
"Sharon
is a good mother. There have been times when I thought she might have reacted
differently to their behavior, but they are clean and well cared for."
"I
appreciate you coming in to talk to me, Mrs. Collins. If you ever need to
contact me, please contact Doug or Alex, and they will relay a message to
me."
"When
will we know your decision?"
"By
the end of the day."
As
Clarissa left the room, Harriett made more notes and poured herself a cup of
coffee. Carrying her cup, she left the conference room via the back door. She
needed to move around, and the conference room seemed to be getting smaller and
smaller the longer she remained in it. Halfway down the hall, Alex stepped out
of her office and handed a memo to her secretary.
"How's
it going in there?" she asked when she saw Harriett.
"Okay.
I think there's only the father and brother left. Hopefully, that won't take
long. I'd like to see Sharon interact with her parents and husband
sometime."
"Does
that mean you're going to take her case?"
"Yes,"
Harriett said sipping her coffee.
"Sharon
couldn't ask for a better attorney, Harriett. Parker will be here in about an
hour."
"That's
fine. I'd like to speak to Paige, too, if possible."
"I'm
sure she will be here with Parker. She's not actually a family member yet,
though."
"You
said she had worked with Mrs. Taggart on her brother's election campaign. She
might be able to provide a different perspective on her personality."
"I'm
sure she'll be more than willing to help if she can."
"I
need to get in touch with Wayne."
"Do
you have his number? I'll call him for you."
Harriett
shook her head. "He doesn't have a phone. I'll drive to the cabin tomorrow
morning and talk to him. If you can, call my office and tell Phyllis I'll be
back Friday afternoon."
"Be
glad to and I'll let you know when Parker arrives."
"Thanks,"
Harriett said.
Returning
to the conference room, Harriett asked Eleanor to send Sharon's father in.
Davis Collins was the antithesis of his wife, a plain looking man who could
have been any man on the street, belying his financial status.
"What
kind of child was Sharon, Mr. Collins?" Harriett began after the
preliminary introductions.
"A
sweet girl. A daddy's girl, I suppose," Collins smiled.
"Did
you spend a lot of time with her when she was growing up?"
"As
much as I could, but unfortunately, I was away quite a bit on business back
then."
"What
kinds of things did you do together?"
"I
used to take her fishing and camping. She liked being outdoors even though it
made her mother furious when she came home dirty. I think Clarissa has always
been a little disappointed that Sharon was too much like me. Our personalities
are similar. We're both quiet and enjoy reading. And we both abhor parties and
pretentious people."
Collins
chuckled pleasantly. "Once Sharon asked me to run away with her during the
height of the social season. I could always use business as an excuse to avoid
those things, but Sharon sort of got stuck. Clarissa would expend a fortune on
the beauty parlor and new clothes for Sharon, but they never took. She'd jump
right back into jeans and a T-shirt the second she got the chance and then
scrub that crap off her face."
"She
didn't enjoy wearing makeup and getting dressed up then?"
"Hated
it!" Collins said expansively.
Harriett
smiled. She liked this down to earth man.
"Why
didn't Sharon just tell her mother that she didn't like those things?"
"She
wouldn't have hurt her mother's feelings like
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