lO His To Protect Patricia Werner 11
publishing company had gone by the boards. It just wasn t Amanda barely glanced at them. \"I have copies. I know
manageable as a single parent. With Jennifer out of school what they say. Legally， you have every right to access the
so much and needing special attention because of her u ust. However， as overseer of the trust fund， I advise
asthma， Tracy stayed home. But the money had run out. against it. This money is for Jennifer s college education，
rhere was nowhere else to turn. Thus， this morning s possibly for special schooling now. You shouldn t use it
~neeting. for living expenses.\"
Beside her， Jennifer s tutor， Carrie Lamb， sat stone- Tracy felt her stomach tighten. \"Can t you understand?
~aced. Her short， wispy black hair had a trendy cut， but Jennifer and I don t have any money.\"
ler trim， athletic body looked stiff under her houndstooth It was a horrible feeling. She still had the house， but she
aeket. Tracy knew Carrie was fond of Jennifer， but per- had to make the mortgage payments. She couldn t work
laps as a teller at the bank， she was afraid to offend her full-time because Jennifer needed her at home after school.
)oss. The authoritarian Amanda Fielding had an intimi- She had to watch like a hawk for all the early-warning
lating bearing， to say the least， signs of an asthma episode. Her fists clenched and her
To back up her arguments about her ability as guardian heart beat in quick， shallow thumps as the conversation
a access the trust funds， Tracy opened the safe-deposit broke down into an argument about the suit for custody
~ox that lay between them on the laminated wood table. Jennifer s maternal grandfather， Andrew Leigh， was inlti-
lira lifted out the heavy stainless-steel revolver that had ating. His daughter， Jennifer s own mother， had died a year
con returned to her after Scott s death， and placed it on prior to Tracy and Scott s marriage.
ae table so she could get to the papers underneath it. \"I understand your situation，\" Amanda continued. \"But
\"My God， Traey，\" said Amanda. \"Why do you have a you need to think of how it will look to a judge if you
un?\" start using the funds now. Jennifer s grandfather will use
\"It was Scott s service revolver.\" it as ammunition in court， saying you re irresponsible.\"
\"Not loaded， is it? But Andrew Leigh hardly knows Jennifer，\" Traey said
Tracy widened her brown eyes and looked up at the with vehemence. \"During the four years I ve taken care
anghty bank president. \"I don t know. I hate guns. I of her， he s only seen her six times.\"
，ouldn t oven know how to cheek.\" \"Surely he doesn t have a chance of winning custody，\"
Carrie reached for the revolver and with quick move- said Carrie， coming to her defense at last. \"Does he?\"
tents， opened the cylinder. She removed five bullets and Amanda didn t try to sugarcoat her answer. \"I m afraid
topped them into die box. so. He s a blood relative and can afford the best attor-
\"It was loaded， but not anymore，\" said Carrie with a neys.\"
treg. Tracy felt herself on the verge of tears of frustration.
Traey stared. Where had she learned to do that? Amanda didn t understand a thing. She felt a surge of re-
She retrieved the trust-fund documents from the box and sentment for Amanda s good-paying job and healthy child.
~ooted them toward Amanda. \"Here.\" It wasn t the same at all.
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