Total pages in book: 67
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 254(@250wpm)___ 212(@300wpm)
He looks back up at me and his eyes look a little bright. Damn, is he going to break so easily that he's going to all down and cry in front of us? “How …” he starts, and then has to break off. “How did you get this?”
“That’s not the question you should be asking, shithead. The question is what do I want in exchange for not using these against you.”
Dane clears his throat. “What do you want?”
“There’s the slimy lawyer. Always willing to sell-out and broker the deal,” I laugh shaking my head. Then I take the second folder in my hand, opening it and placing it on top. “There are two sets of papers that require your signature. The first is a Property and Settlement Agreement for your divorce. Sign it so that Eagle can file it with the court and my girl can be shed of you.”
“Let me guess, I’ll be agreeing to everything she asked for in the divorce,” he splutters, sounding disgusted.
“Well, no,” I reply as if I don’t have a care in the world. “Basically, you are giving Daphne twenty-two thousand, which was the market value of her van when you took it from her.”
“I sold the damn for seven grand. I’ll give her seven, but why would I pay her more than I made off of it?”
“Because I have a file which would mean you could very well die in prison. It’s not the safest place, but hey, even if you got the minimum, you’d be much older and gray if you survived and eventually got out. Plus, new charges will only bring the ones you just got arrested for, back up. Things wouldn’t be good for you in any of those scenarios. So, she gets physical custody, I get visitation, we sell the house, and I give her twenty-two grand for her piece of shit van? Do I have that right?”
“Not quite. Custody is not addressed in this agreement. We’ll get to that. Here, you’ll pay her twenty-two grand, you’ll also agree that the two of you will keep what is yours and in your possession at the moment. You will get to keep your retirement account, because my daughter said she didn’t want it, since you’ve been together a while, but only legally married for four. It’s not like she’d get a lot. However, there is a property evaluation of the home, and you will pay her exactly half of that.”
I get to enjoy the way his eyes almost pop out of his head. “She wants me to pay her three hundred thousand? The place is falling down around her!”
“It’s in a great neighborhood. Has over thirty-eight-hundred square foot, and other than needing a roof, is in terrific shape. If you think about it, since we have proof that you’ve embezzled much more than that, Daphne is being gracious.”
“This is highway robbery,” he growls, as I hand him a pen.
“You should know all about that. Oh, there’s also a clause in there that you will not contest this agreement or the divorce. That your signature is binding and a bunch of other legal crap.”
“Whatever. At least with this I’ll be done with the bitch.”
“Funny, that was almost word for word what my daughter said. Almost. Now, to the most important document. You will be signing over parental right and custody to your wife. Now, here’s where my daughter has a brain of her own. I wanted her to demand that you were removed from the birth certificate. Instead, there’s an adoption agreement in here. You will agree that Pez will adopt Cammie, however you will remain on the birth certificate. You will also agree not to contact Cammie or Daphne unless they seek you out. If at any time Daphne wants to talk to you, then it will be in a public place, with Daphne, one of her parents—if not both—and you. At no time will Serena or any spouse or girlfriend you have in the future be part of the equation. If Daphne would like a relationship with her brother or sister in the future or any of your future children, that will be her decision, and arrangements will need to be agreed upon at the time.”
“Stupid bitch thinks she has it all figured out,” he mutters, but before he can sign the paper, I grab him by the collar of his dingy-orange, prison jumpsuit.
“Listen here asshole. You need to learn to be respectful about my daughter in my presence or anyone, because if you’re not and I find out about it, what you signed here today will not save you. The only reason Daphne is keeping your name on Cammie’s birth certificate and the option for her to meet with you in the future if she chooses to, is for Cammie. She doesn’t want her daughter to wake up one day and have someone plant a story in her head that it’s because of her mother that her father never had anything to do with her. Now, you will sign these fucking papers if you don’t want me to turn in the other cases against you, but know this motherfucker, I have taped recordings, video evidence, printed records, bank records, and computer files on your ass. If you cause my daughter an ounce more of trouble, I will nail you to the wall by your tiny dick. I’m told embezzlement is a crime that has a statute, but lucky for me, bribery and federal corruption do not. So don’t fuck with me. Do you understand?”