again.â
âHer daddy isâ?â
âA bouncer at one of the clubs I danced in.â
Charlene took a breath. âMeredithâ¦I have to ask you this question. Are you, or have you ever been involved in prostitution?â
âNo, maâam! I mean, I ainât gonna sit here andpretend I didnât ever find one of the gentlemen attractiveâ¦and I been known to accept a gift if the giver is a nice sortâ¦but I didnât ever sell anything to anybody!â
Pam and Charlene exchanged looks.
âIf thereâs a custody dispute, your ex-husband will very probably say you were a prostitute.â
âHe canât prove nothing like that.â
âNo arrest record?â
âI didnât say I wasnât ever arrestedâ¦but I ainât never been a prostitute.â
âWhat were you arrested for?â
âI was holding for someone one time. He must have seen an undercover cop in the bar and passed off to me.â She shook her head. âI ainât the smartest girl in town, Ms. Dugan, but I ainât ever done wrong on purpose.â
âDid you do time?â
âNo, I got probationâ¦and I donât do drugs, either.â
âOkay, letâs fast-forward. Did your ex-husband tell you why he wants custody of Josie?â
She shrugged. âHeâs married now, has a daughter of his own, and he says he wants to give Josie a nice home.â
The room was silent for a moment. Two of the three people present were seriously wondering if this might not be a good idea.
âAndâ¦did you talk about visitation? Joint custody? Any compromise?â
âNo, we did not,â she said emphatically. âBecauseright after I said no he got me with a left hook to the jaw and liked to have knocked me out. So I took my girls to a shelter and got me one of themâ¦you knowâ¦protection things.â
âTemporary restraining order?â
âYes. Told him to stay away. Then I moved where I thought he wouldnât find me. Ms. Dugan, he gave me custody and divorced us and never sent us no money or visited Josieâ¦. He canât have her now!â
âWell, Meredith, Iâm not going to mislead you. This is not going to be a slam dunk.â
âI reckon Jake mustâve known that much because he wanted me to see you. He says youâre the best lawyer there is.â
âIsnât that nice of Jake,â Charlene said, and though she smiled, she had strong homicidal urges toward her thoughtful ex-husband.
Â
Speaking of the devil himself, Jake was sitting outside Charleneâs office, waiting, when the door opened. Meredith flew right into his arms, hugging him. âJake, youâre right about Ms. Dugan. Sheâs just about the nicest person I ever met.â
âI told you so, didnât I?â
âI have to visit the ladiesâ,â she said. âThen we can go.â
âThis way, Meredith,â Pam said, leading her down the hall toward the community ladiesâ room. Charlene and Jake were left alone.
Jake stood. âSheâs something, isnât she?â he asked, wiping at a stubborn spot on his pant leg. âI appreciatethis, Charlie. It looks kind of bad for her and the kid, doesnât it?â
Charlene shook her head. âYou really tossed me a winner this time, Jake. The girl doesnât stand a chance.â
âIf anyone can help her, you can.â
âEvery time you bring in one of these âfavors,â sheâs worse off than the one before.â
âCharlie, you might be the first break this kidâs had in her life.â
âWell, remind her to call me to set up another appointment.â
âWill do. Give it your best shot, will you, Charlie? Sheâs a good kid. Sheâs had a lot of bad luck, you know?â
âI always give it my best shot, Jake.â
When he was gone and Pam returned, Charlene was waiting for
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