Page 112 of Left Behind

Chapter 17

Two days later, Corina Dalton received a notice from the Faulkner County Courthouse to appear before the judge to officially cede custody of her daughter. She read the letter and then threw up her hands in glee and began dancing around the apartment, shouting, “I’m free, I’m free. I’m free at last.”

This cleared the way for her job on the cruise ship and cut the last link she’d had to Clyde. It would be like before she ever met him. No Clyde. No kid.

To celebrate, she made an appointment at a hair salon to get her hair and nails done, and maybe she needed a new outfit, too. She didn’t want to look like white trash. It never occurred to her that every nuance of her existence was a symbol of that phrase.

The only downside would be having to face Wiley Pope. He had a hair-trigger temper and was as unpredictable as they come. She was a little bit afraid of him, but confident that nothing would happen in the judge’s chambers, and when it was over, she’d never have to see him again.

***

Wiley received a notice to appear on the same day and immediately contacted Ray Greeley, his lawyer in Conway, and agreed to meet outside the judge’s office before the hearing. In four days, he would officially become Ava’s legal guardian. As soon as he got the notice, he chartered a chopper to fly him to Conway on that day, then went to talk to the chief.

Sonny Warren was at his desk, gathering up notes for the morning briefing when Wiley knocked.

Sonny waved him in. “Morning, Wiley. What’s up?”

“I just received papers about the court hearing for my guardianship of Ava. I need next Monday off.”

“Done, and none too soon,” Sonny said. “I’ve held my breath, wondering what fresh hell that woman might come up with before this was made final.”

“As have I,” Wiley said. “I’ve chartered a helicopter. The hearing is at eleven a.m. I’ll be there and back in time for supper and on the job bright and early Tuesday morning.”

Sonny blinked. “Can you afford that?”

“I have friends,” Wiley said.

Sonny laughed. “Let me guess. You have a cousin somewhere.”

Keeping the family secret about being the owners of the entire town of Jubilee was nonnegotiable. Every business owner knew the land and buildings, along with a share of the profits, belonged to PCG Inc. But only family knew that PCG stood for Pope, Cauley, and Glass, and that every family member on the mountain received sizable quarterly dividends, which were banked in a different city and in a different bank.

“Something like that,” Wiley said. “Besides, Ava is worth it.”

“She’s settling in then, I take it?”

Wiley nodded. “Linnie and me and Ava make three. They’re my ride or dies. Thanks, Chief. See you in the briefing room.”

Sonny smiled to himself as he watched Wiley walk out, remembering how pretty Shirley Pope was when they were in school together, and how crushed he’d been when she married and moved away. Whatever hell she’d gone through in life, the Pope gene held true. She had raised four of the finest men he’d ever met.

***

Linette got off work before Wiley and picked Ava up and took her home.

After a short burst of chatter in which Ava told Linette everything she’d done in the day, she went outside to play on the swings.

Linette could see her through the windows as she worked, and marveled at Ava’s continuing transformation. She was gaining weight, her skin and hair looked healthy now, and the most important change of all was Ava’s manner. She didn’t hide in the shadows. She wasn’t afraid to speak up. She was learning to give hugs and kisses first, instead of tolerating the reception of them from other people. She was happy, and it showed. And for Linette, who dealt with sick and suffering children all day long, coming home to this child was like a breath of fresh air.

While she was peeling potatoes, her phone rang. She glanced down at caller ID and then quickly wiped her hands to answer.

“Mom! I’m so glad you called,” she said.

Just hearing her daughter’s voice always made Angela Elgin smile.

“Well, I’m calling to find out more about this Wiley Pope. Your texts are full of him and Ava.”

“He’s fabulous. She’s adorable. I love them so much. How’s Dad?”

Angela laughed. “Did you just change the subject?”

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