Chapter Nine

October 30th

Waiting to hear something from whatever lawyer Calla hired was excruciating. Thank God Colleen moved back in the house and they had been able to patch up their relationship. Daniel hadn’t had a drink in weeks and they’d stared making Nick’s old room into a nursery for the baby.

Nick and Annie were moving in next week, they were taking over the basement. A newlywed couple needed room and privacy. Annie’s mother, who still legally owned the trailer, showed up and kicked them out. Daniel thought that was among the best news ever and immediately put forth the idea that they should move into the big house with him and Colleen. Now Daniel wouldn’t be alone anymore maybe then he could stop feeling like he was going crazy and climbing the walls. The house was big enough for all of them and that had always been Callas’ ultimate dream….a big old stone house in Scotland where their kids and their grandkids and their great-grandkids could come and stay. Where they would make love every summer night in the garden by the wishing well.

It was still a damn good dream as far as he was concerned.

In that time he’d had the kids call and her e-mail her but Calla didn’t answer them. They got her voice mail but she didn’t seem to be checking it anymore. The last Colleen heard from her Mother was just over a month ago, she said she was back in Switzerland for a short visit but was on to Germany soon and that she wanted to see Colleen as soon as she got back to the States. Calla was very upset at the news Daniel struck their daughter and said Colleen could come to New York to live with and Hartley. Although Daniel and the kids doubted she’d cleared that with Hartley first.

Sitting at his desk and staring at the onyx tablet he expected Davy to say something but he didn’t. Daniel hadn’t checked his e-mail in days so he thought, what the hell, he didn’t have anything better to do.

His mouth dropped open when he saw the old e-mail from Calla sitting in the box just waiting for him to discover it. It wasn’t very long, she was always very good at saying the most important and intimate things in just a few words.

My Dearest Daniel
Your package arrived. I haven’t read it yet but whatever you want I’ll give it to you. I’m so sorry about everything. I wish I could take it back and do it over again. I hope one day you’ll forgive me. I’ll always love you.
Kitty

She wants to come home.

The phone next to him started to ring. Mr. Gruskin’s secretary informed him that a response arrived from Callestah and that Mr. Gruskin would like him to come to the office as soon as possible. Daniel didn’t like the tone of her voice, asked what was wrong but she just asked what time he could come in. Daniel hung up and left for the lawyer’s office.

“Now, Daniel, we expected a response,” Mr. Gruskin started, “your wife intends to file a counter suit.” Mr. Gruskin in his grandfatherly yet lawyerly like way explained the paperwork which arrived this morning. Andrew Hartley was denying Daniel’s claim of Alienation of Affection by claiming Daniel left his wife, emotionally if not physically, years ago and therefore had no reasonable expectation that her affections would remain with him. Callestah was denying any adultery, her countersuit claimed she had not sexual intercourse with Andrew Hartley or any other male since leaving her husband. It further claimed she had not abandoned him and the family dwelling but that he made life so intolerable for her that he forced her out.

Well, that pretty much shot down any plans he had for reconciliation. Still part of him was glad to see her denying the adultery charge but that mostly because he knew already knew that, in large part, it wasn’t true.

“But this is why I had you come in so quickly, Daniel.” Mr. Gruskin got up from his comfortable overstuffed leather chair and sat next to Daniel, he laid the papers for the countersuit on the desk so Daniel could see them. “Tell me if I’m wrong but I think that’s blood.” He pointed to the dark stains on the stark white paper. “Now maybe she had a paper cut, or maybe it’s not hers, but any judge will look at that and wonder….”

“If she signed it under duress.” Daniel said and picked up the papers. “Can I take these with me, I want to see if the lab at the base can determine if this is Callas’ blood.”

“I was hoping you’d say that.” Mr. Gruskin agreed. “You get me that report when it comes back.”

“I will.”

On the Base Adams rushed the sample through the lab. It was Callas’ blood, it was from her nose and they could tell that by the amount of excretion which was in it. At first Daniel wondered if Hartley smacked her to get her to sign the papers. Calla might defend herself but she’d never charge him with Emotional Abandonment and Mental Cruelty not unless someone put her up to it. The alarming thing about the blood sample was the amount of cocaine found in it. There were fresh crystals and the blood could mean that her brain was hemorrhaging. The small scraping of blood also revealed much higher levels of heroin in her system than previously.

“She’s killing herself,” Daniel intoned sadly.

“And he’s helping her.” Adams agreed. “I’m sorry, Daniel,” Adams was saying, “I’ve been unsuccessful in obtaining her records from her follow up appointment with the clinic.”

“Why?”

“She left them with strict instructions not to bill the insurance company or you, she’s paying for it all out of pocket when her paintings sell. So they won’t give me any information since there’s no chance you’ll be paying.” He grimaced. “However I did get Dr. Munsch on the phone for just a moment he was very concerned about her health,” he looked down at the desk and then up again at Daniel, “she flat lined again,”

Daniel’s mouth dropped open.

“From what I could gather the grafts on her back began to degrade and they had to remove them. During the procedure she flat lined. Her health is failing, Daniel, dramatically. Dr. Munsch told me that he told Hartley is he didn’t get her into rehab soon he thought she’d die.”

When her paintings sell

Dies their work goes up in value and

Son Of A Bitch! Little Limey fucking bastard!

Shut up, I’ve still got a set you know?

She got the papers she’s never going to listen to me now.

Davy let out a long low sigh. Nope, Danny, she ain’t. But, ah, now, I know someone she might lis’en to.

Who?

End of Chapter Nine
Tarnished Heroes: Broadway is Dark Tonight--Daniel's Story
Continue to
Chapter Ten