CHAPTER ONE
Manhattan
The other attorney leaned forward and fixed Finn Rafferty with a look meant to remind him which one of them had Harvard Law on his side.
"Our own report on outstanding paternity claims against your client came in yesterday," Hampton Sloan IV said in the clipped and highly enunciated way of those to the manor born.
Finn, whose own background was more blue collar than blue blood, leaned back in his chair and fixed Sloan with a look meant to tell him that he already knew the answer.
"And—?" he prompted. These Ivy League types had a real jones for making you beg.
"To my surprise, the names on your list are no longer an issue."
'Tell me something I don't know.' This wasn't the first time (and it probably wouldn't be the last) that he had been down this road. "No surprise to me. Those names have been vetted more than once."
He had to hand it to aging preppies with roman numerals after their names. Being wrong didn't even register on Sloan's patrician features. Finn, however, was having a tough time keeping "told you so" from registering on his.
"Glad it all checked out." He gathered up the signed documents scattered across the top of the cherrywood desk. "Mr. Stiles will countersign and then we can consider the prenup a done deal."
The smile on Sloan's face should have tipped Finn off but he was already planning his escape route from the city. "As I said, Mr. Rafferty, the original list you provided checked out, but our investigators turned up one more name that seems to have escaped notice."
"We didn't withhold any names, if that's what you're implying. The list was complete and current."
"It would seem your investigators didn't go back quite far enough. Mr. Rafferty." Sloan slid a crisp manila folder across the desk. "I think you'll find this very interesting."
Finn, who had been hoping to hit the road before rush hour started, looked down at the folder. "'Maitland,'" he said, reading the label. "What's this?"
"Read the summary page, counselor." It was never a good sign when the other side's attorney looked that amused.
He flipped open the folder. The summary page was on top of the paper-clipped stack. "Where did this come from?"
"Like I said, our investigators are very thorough."
"We're talking Tommy Stiles, the man who actually wants to know if he has other kids out there."
"Then he should be exceedingly happy if this turns out to be a DNA match."
continue . . .
Excerpted by DearReader.com from
Just Desserts by Barbara Bretton
Published by the Penguin Group;
Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright © 2008 by Barbara
Bretton.