Page 14

FOURTEEN

Fools, both of them.

As I wanted to set an example of what a loving family might look like, upon entering the courtroom, I headed for my sister, kissed her cheek, and exchanged hugs with her husband. That the Californian picked up on my game without needing a cue pleased me.

I suspected he wanted to handle the matter personally, but for whatever reason, the parents involved trusted me over him.

Fools, both of them.

Olivia sat behind them with Edward and Madelyn, who did her best to pretend she was a statue and didn’t exist. Terry’s wife glanced in the direction of the man and woman seated before the judge, and if looks could kill, both would have been dead within an instant.

I wondered what horrible things the parents had said about each other and their child.

The bailiff let me into the front of the courtroom so I could approach the judge. “Your Honor,” I greeted. “What seems to be the issue?”

“Your Royal Highness,” the judge, an older man with a rather weary expression, rose to his feet and offered a bow. I returned his gesture with a slight nod, hating how my station demanded others respect me for no other reason than the circumstances of my birth. “I’m Derren Mason. Henders vs. Henders is a custody battle between a married but separated couple. Mrs. Henders has been accused of drug trafficking, manufacturing drugs, and violating her parole. Mr. Henders has been found guilty of six counts of assault, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of murder. We need to decide the custody situation. There are two daughters, aged eight and two. Mr. Henders prefers the input of a single male official, and Mrs. Henders prefers a mother. They have agreed to accept your verdict on the situation due to your status as an empath.”

While I felt the entire fiasco was madness, I nodded to indicate my understanding of the situation, turning to face the rest of the courtroom. I spotted the children sitting off to the side with the bailiff.

I headed over, crouched so I was at eye level with the oldest of the girls, who had a bruised cheek, which she attempted to hide with her dirty blonde hair. Without a word, I dug out the comb I kept in my suit jacket and went to work fixing the tangled mess. She regarded me with wide eyes and sat still while I made her presentable. I did the same for her sister, but once I was done, the little girl held up her arms to be picked up.

Complying, I rose and settled her on my hip. “What’s your name?”

“Baby,” the toddler replied.

I glanced over at my sister in time to witness her flinch. Ethan caught her hand, lifted it to his mouth, and gave her a little kiss.

One day, we might heal from our past—one day.

“And your name?” I asked the older of the girls.

“May.”

“I’m Ian. Can you come with me so I can ask you a few questions?”

May’s gaze dipped to the floor, but she nodded and rose to her feet, following me to the witness stand. I had her sit in the seat while I carried her sister. The silence in the courthouse thickened, and I wondered if anyone dared to breathe.

“Do we have a truth sensor with us?”

“I am one,” the judge announced.

“We will not be making the children undergo any oaths. May, Baby, please tell the truth. The nice judge will have to tell me if you speak a lie, okay?”

“No lie!” Baby chirped.

I regarded the young child I held with interest. I’d met many smart children, but I couldn’t tell if the toddler’s ready acknowledgment of what I asked for her was normal.

“I’ll tell the truth,” May whispered.

Despite the softness of her voice, I had no doubt everyone could hear her.

As the judge had given me the reins for the case, I regarded the older girl with a solemn expression. “May, do you understand why we’re here?”

Her answer would frame how I handled everything else—and hopefully establish that I couldn’t care less about the happiness of two parents who couldn’t figure out how to put their children above themselves. I could understand Mrs. Henders a little better.

Children cost money, and drugs could make a lot of money.

However, an imprisoned man couldn’t bruise his daughter’s face.

She nodded. “Mommy hit us, and the nice lady next door told the police.”

I glanced at the judge, who answered my silent question with a nod.

“Why did your mommy hit you?” I bounced Baby on my hip, and the little girl giggled before resting her head against me. “Take your time, May. You’re not in any trouble, but I need to understand why the nice lady next door called the police.”

For a long moment, May stared at me, and her eyes gradually widened. “The nice lady next door doesn’t like my mommy because Mommy gets mad, especially when she has supper with what she makes downstairs.”

Drugs were a problem in every kingdom around the world, and not a day went by where I didn’t hear about the consequences of drug using. I wondered if May understood what her mother had been cooking downstairs. I could guess, judging from the visible bruises, she feared what happened when her mother got mad.

“She’s telling the truth,” the judge confirmed.

“Thank you, Your Honor. Do you know who the nice lady next door is?”

Judge Mason gestured to a woman seated in the courtroom, who sat off to the side by herself. “Her name is Alison Freewright, a widow aged forty-three. She lives two doors down from the Henders family and has made numerous reports of suspicious activity. Mrs. Henders was arrested yesterday, and upon discovery of the bruises on both children, the custody hearing was set for today.”

“And Baby’s name?”

“Her birth certificate lists her as Danielle.”

I foresaw needing to calm my sister down as soon as we escaped the courthouse. It would take time—and therapy—to teach Baby her birth name, which would complicate matters. I gave Baby another bounce, smiling at how she found the gesture to be funny, and gave her a few moments to settle and relax before asking, “Does anything hurt, Baby?”

The little girl pointed at her arm, which was hidden under her shirt. “Boo-boo hurts.”

I set the child on the ledge in front of her sister, and after explaining I wanted to see her boo-boo, asked if she minded if I took her shirt off. With admirable dexterity, she handled the work for me, and I discovered she wore a tank top underneath her long-sleeved blouse. A mottling of bruises covered everything from her shoulders and down to her forearms, ranging in color from dark blue and purple to the yellow-green of old injuries.

A few of the bruises came bundled with scrapes and cuts.

The urge to eradicate both parents stirred, but I quenched it. Taking deep breaths to remain calm. I asked her to hold her arm out for me, as I had no doubt any touch hurt. I kissed my fingertips before touching the bruising on her arm where she pointed. “We’ll make sure that gets all better,” I promised.

May’s eyes widened and teared up, although she said nothing.

My next two questions would be the deciding factors. “Did your mommy cause all those bruises, Baby?”

Baby shook her head, and she pointed at her father before she pointed at her left arm. “He squeezes really hard and twists. It hurts.”

“Your Honor?”

“She’s telling the truth.”

“I’ve heard everything I need to. I’ve come to my decision,” I announced before helping Baby put her long-sleeved shirt back on and apologizing for making her boo-boos hurt more. Once I had her clothing situated, I picked her up and settled her back on my hip, waiting for her to get a good hold on me before turning. I regarded the parents with my most displeased expression. “Neither one of you are fit to have custody. The court will handle your trial per the law, Mrs. Henders, but New York will be claiming custody over both children. They will be placed with a suitable household, but for the time being, they will be put into the care of the Royal Family. Visitation will be determined by the children, and you will not be permitted to have custody over either child again. As we have truth verified statements of physical violence from both children, should you opt to have another child, you will be monitored on a weekly basis for any evidence of abuse. Should abuse be uncovered, you will lose custody immediately. I recommend you invest in birth control, and if you cannot afford it, simply speak to a court clerk so you can be given assistance. All future trials involving either of you will be done with verification of the truth, and confirmed guilt will result in the loss of custody. You may attempt to appeal this decision, but you will verify the truth of the entire situation through a mediation team from Montana.”

Invoking Montana as part of my judgment would make certain that there was no doubt regarding their status as unfit to raise children—and His Royal Majesty would become involved through Daphne.

Daphne, who remained in the back of the courtroom, cleared her throat. Once I turned to face her, she said, “The Royal Family of Montana will handle this case personally should this judgment be appealed.”

“Your Royal Highness,” Judge Mason greeted. “Thank you for simplifying this matter for us.”

According to the Vampire of Montana’s expression, she wanted nothing more than to exsanguinate both parents and leave dried husks in her wake. “And yes, Ian, I can confirm that the children told the truth and nothing but the truth.”

I wondered what else her magic had whispered to her while I’d done my best to keep the questioning as kind as possible for the children. “Your Honor, please list me as the current custodian for both children. I wish for them to have access to the royal physicians, and this is the most effective method of handling the situation. I am certain we of the Royal Family of New York can handle this situation with the grace and dignity these children deserve.”

“I will have the paperwork drawn up immediately.” The judge picked up his gavel and gave it a solid whack. “Bailiff, please see that the Henders are put into proper protective custody. I want them both to stand trial for their crimes. Your Royal Highness, we will handle the extended questioning session for both children behind closed doors. We will schedule a date and time upon the opening of the case. Thank you for your timely handling of this matter.”

Sometimes, it amazed me how little a judge could do, even one with the ability to sense the truth. In good news, neither parent had opted for a jury trial, which allowed me to be judge and jury when requested. As both parents had elected to use me to decide the case, they had little recourse.

The Royal Family of Montana would not try the case in their favor, not with Daphne having witnessed the evidence of abuse.

“You’re welcome. While New York has among the more lenient abuse rules in the Royal States, this crosses every line in our laws, and it will not be tolerated.”

I waited for the bailiff and a second officer of the law to escort the Henders out of the courthouse before turning my attention to the woman who had called the police. “Thank you for reaching out, ma’am. You’ve made a big difference for these little girls.”

The woman stood, clasped her hands in front of her, and bowed in my direction. “Thank you for doing the right thing, Your Royal Highness.”

I nodded to acknowledge her before turning back to the judge. “Please clear the courthouse so we can finish handling some matters for my sister and her husband, and then we’ll get out of your hair.”

“Yes, I have their documentation for verification here and ready to go. The process won’t take more than twenty minutes,” the judge assured me. “Go get those poor girls seated. We couldn’t take custody without this hearing, and I suspect they both had a rough night.”

I would need to begin processing some law changes so that victims, like the little girls, would be better protected. “Thank you for clearing your docket to handle this promptly. I’ll start looking into how to improve this process.”

“Excellent.” As requested, the judge cleared the courtroom, taking care to indicate who could stay.

I went over to my sister and sat next to Ethan with May beside me and Baby on my lap. “We’re going to need to hire two good nannies, and they’ll need to be willing to come to California, Rachel. Olivia? Can I borrow you tonight?”

“Of course. I’ll help you get the babies settled, and if they need a quiet place outside of the palace, they’re both welcome to come to our place. I’ll make sure there are bedrooms opened for them in the next few days.”

I smiled at the woman. “Thank you.”

My sister worked on her phone, glowering at the screen. “I can start working on finding nannies tonight. One of the aides is perfect for this type of work, but she is already done for the day, so I’ll email her with my instructions so she can get the ball rolling on it tomorrow. California has a good nanny, and I’m sure she’ll come out of retirement to help out with the girls while you’re there. I’m assuming you’re going to take them with you.”

I nodded, waiting for the toddler to settle down. I worried the judge’s comment about their night to be accurate, as Baby snuggled close, closed her eyes, and did her best to take a nap.

“Baby beats Your Highness,” my sister grumbled. “How are you going to teach her her name?”

I shrugged. “I’m going to let her decide what name she wants, and if she doesn’t want to be a Danielle, she can stay Baby, or she can pick something else.” Turning my head, I offered May a smile. “That applies to you as well. If you don’t like being May, you can pick a new name. Your name is yours, and if you don’t like May, you don’t have to stay May. If you like May, you can keep it.”

“I like May because of the pretty flowers,” she replied in a solemn tone.

“I’ll make sure you can see all the pretty flowers you want,” I promised.

Some oaths were easier to keep than others, and California’s palace grounds had flowers aplenty.

Much like her sister, May leaned against me, and after a few minutes, she chased after sleep.

I understood exhaustion too well, and I recognized how both children had held on, maintaining their parents’ expectations in order to avoid being hit yet again. While we waited, I wondered how I might be able to do everything my parents had not.

In some ways, breaking the cycle of abuse would be simple enough. As long as I did everything my parents hadn’t, the girls would be fine. Some things I couldn’t afford to be gentle about, but I didn’t need to strike a little girl to discipline her.

There was a fine line between correction and abuse, and I meant to stay on the right side of it.

Rachel turned in her seat to regard Madelyn, and she heaved a sigh. “In good news, Ian will be easy to locate. He’ll either be working with the horses or playing with the children. You’ll have to break his heart to make him work, but just display some basic disapproval. That should get him cooperating. If you don’t like children, now is a good time to let us know.”

“I like children. Do you have a list of criteria for royal nannies? I would like to help with their selection if possible.”

“We do, and we’ll discuss that after we finish up here. Hopefully, California will be able to help when you’re there, and by the time you’re back, we should have the suite set up for the girls. Your thoughts on the suite, Ian?”

“Use a pair with connecting doors, that way they can see each other at their whim. We’ll remove the locks from the connecting doors to start with, that way they won’t feel trapped.”

I knew all about feeling trapped, and if I had anything to say about it, both girls would be running around the palace and treating it like it was an actual home for them rather than a prison.

With luck, the little girls would whet my sister’s appetite, resulting in the place being filled with pitter-pattering feet and laughter.

“That sounds like a good plan. Ethan? Do you want to handle that? I’ll work with Madelyn about the nanny. We’ll delay going to California by a day. That’ll give us time to get the horse transport plane.” Rachel focused on Daphne and waved. “Get over here, woman. I need to steal your plane.”

Laughing, Daphne joined us, and she took the seat beside Olivia. “I already offered to transport Thunder personally.”

“Thunder?” Madelyn asked.

Right. Madelyn hadn’t been briefed about the trip to the junkyard. Bracing for serious disapproval, I went about explaining how we had encountered some unexpected guests at my place, and Thunder had been an odd gift from a European monarch likely wishing for an audience and some assistance with a problem.

Madelyn’s eyes widened. “Are you all right?”

“It’s been a rough day, but I’m doing better than expected,” I confessed. “I wasn’t expecting this part of our outing to involve kids, but I couldn’t let either one of those bastards keep custody.”

“Definitely not with the extent of bruising on Baby,” my sister agreed, careful to keep her voice low. “I’ve seen that level of bruising before.”

She had. On me.

“We’re going to need therapy,” I muttered.

Rachel nodded. “We’re going to be on our death beds, old and wrinkly, and our therapists are going to be trying to work with us one last time.”

The mental image of that happening amused me enough I chuckled. “First one to graduate therapy is owed a horse.”

“You’re on. Ethan, you get to referee it and confirm the victor.”

“Why are you dragging me into this?” my Californian friend complained. “I can’t win no matter which one of you wins.”

“I solemnly swear I will not seek vengeance should my brother outclass me for once in his life,” Rachel swore.

I scowled. “That was New York mean, and I shouldn’t be praising you for that, but I must. Well done, Rachel. But know I’m going to bust ass to win this competition. You have many horses. I have one.”

“Please don’t squabble in the courthouse,” Ethan requested. “If you need to work out your nerves, you can do so on the mud run, just without injury this time.”

I eyed Terry, who had taken a guard position nearby. “Are the safety improvements installed?”

“They were installed today, so if you would like another chance at defeating the run, you may do so. While the course isn’t necessarily appropriate for the children, there are sections of it they can play on as well.”

“Then it’s settled. I’ll finish marrying you off to the Californian, and then we’ll go home and play in the mud. After today, I feel we could both use the exercise and outlet for our nerves.” I did my best to make myself comfortable with a little girl sleeping on my lap. “I’ll even let you decide if we’re going to be competitive. We’ll have three free passes for any obstacles we can’t cross alone.”

“I wish to be competitive, but we better give ourselves five free passes. The course is long, and we’re not going to make it to the end as it is. Ethan doesn’t think he can make it to the end with his dignity intact.”

“I watched the test run footage of the RPS doing it during the longer waits here, and it’s a slaughter. Some of the RPS agents can’t make it all the way through,” the king confirmed. “Even with five free passes, if you make it to the end, I’ll be impressed.”

I regarded my sister, who narrowed her eyes and nodded.

Judging from Terry’s pained sigh, he understood our fate: we would make it to the end of the course come hell or high water.

“You’re going down, little sister.”

“We’ll see about that. And once I win, you will give me your jerky and confirm I am the better of us.”

My brother-in-law snickered and shook his head. “You better contact Dr. Stanton, Terry. We’re going to need her by the time these two are done.”