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Royce(63)

By:Kathi S. Barton


Leah had been a beautiful pregnant woman. Her face glowed with happiness, much like Kasey’s had. The other one was of Leah holding her daughter when Kasey had been around seventeen and had just graduated from high school. Jay had said that Kasey should have graduated the year before, but she’d thought herself in love with this boy and wanted to wait for him. Turned out he had only wanted her mind and not her heart.

“It’s beautiful. Oh, Royce, it’s so beautiful.” She ran her fingers over the blue bootie and then looked up at him when the frame was blank. “For Lee, I guess?”

“Yes. I did have them put this one there.” He showed her the one of the sonogram before he’d been born that showed he was a male. “But I wanted to get one of him, the one that I just took, put on there too.”

She pulled him down for a kiss and everything was right in the world for him. They gave them Lee back while they waited in recovery. The nurse asked and was granted permission to go and get the families. The room filled quickly with women cooing over the baby and the men slapping him on the back.

Yes, Royce thought, life was perfect.





Chapter 22



The trial continued on without Royce and Kasey until the ninth day. The day she was going to tell her side of the story. She wasn’t thrilled about her time away from her son, but since Annamarie was keeping him for them, she felt marginally better. She was sworn in and asked to say her name.

“Kasey Marie Hunter.” The room erupted in laughter when she had to stutter over her name twice. “I’ve only been married a short while, Your Honor, and I don’t have to say it often.”

“Don’t you worry about it, Mrs. Hunter. When you’ve been married awhile, you’ll remember it right quick.” He glared at White when he snickered. “You’d best be on your best behavior. I’ve had about all I can take from you this week.”

Kasey had heard how White had jumped from his seat to try and get to one of the other women who’d come to tell what had happened. A swift wrap on the head from the judge’s gavel had stopped his forward motion enough that the bailiff was able to get him into cuffs and out of the room. Connie McIntosh had finished her horrific tale to just the judge and the jury and Curtis as the judge had thrown everyone else out. White had been pissed to find out that she’d had a baby by him.

But the DNA had come back positive, well, ninety-nine point seven percent positive. White, it seemed, had taken exception to the other point three percent. He said that the test had been rigged.

“She can’t be here. It’s a conflict of interest or something like that. She’s got the family tied up all in a neat bow to try and frame me,” White shouted. His lawyer had been “fired” three days before. “I don’t think she should be allowed to try and take me down with her being married to the man who is accusing me.”

The judge hit his gavel on the desk and made her jump. He apologized to her and looked over at Curtis. Both men were grinning. “Counselor, do you have any objection to me changing this proceeding right now?” Kasey wasn’t sure, but she thought that they’d hoped this would happen. “I don’t want the Hunter Corporation to come under fire for this. What do you say we change things up a bit?”

“I’m all for it, Your Honor. I would like to be a part of this if Mr. White doesn’t mind. I would really hate to be simply dismissed out of turn.” They both turned to White and the judge asked him if he cared.

“If it means that I won’t be tried by the Hunters, then okay. I guess. Would it mean that Shelia here doesn’t get to say her part to anyone?”

“Nope, Shelia can’t say a word against you. Not now, not ever.” When Kasey started to say she wasn’t Shelia, she saw Curtis shake his head slightly. He continued speaking to White. “Shelia will agree to whatever is necessary to get this moving in the right direction.”

“Well then let’s have at it. I would like to get myself home soon. Not that you all haven’t been really accommodating, but I have to find myself a job and all. Bills to pay, you know.” White nodded again as he continued. “Yeah, the faster we do this, the better I’d like it.”

Kasey noticed that when a folder was brought to the judge and Curtis was given a copy that White sat up in his chair straighter. He kept looking at her and grinning like a fool, but she simply sat there. When she’d tried to move back to her seat, she was told to wait. So wait she’d done.

“All right then, Mrs. Hunter, continue with your side of the story.” She looked at Curtis, who nodded at her when the judge had given her permission. Before she could speak, White jumped up.