Catalyst (26 page)

"Is he now?" Renee grinned. "But what can we do about
it?"

"Go and look for my jacket."

Renee chuckled but looked into Lem's eyes and
realized he was serious.

****

CHAPTER
23

Clarence Squartrili, the plaintiff's lawyer, pulled
his jacket around his oversized stomach, glanced sideways at Renee
and addressed the bench. "We believe Miss Bonnett should disqualify
herself from this hearing since she is fostering Linda Wycherley
and has a vested interest in the outcome, Your Honor."

Judge Johan Koberstein scratched his chin and looked
down from his bench over small circular glasses like a principal at
a school assembly. He glanced briefly at a report in his hand and
across the room at Renee.

"Your response, Miss Bonnett."

"It is true Linda has been placed under our care but
I fail to see how this can prejudice this sitting, Your Honor,"
Renee began. "This is not a civil trial but a hearing to ascertain
whether or not my client should be returned to her parents' care.
Our position is that she should not be but whether she continues to
be placed in our care is a different issue."

"I don't entirely agree, Miss Bonnett," Judge
Koberstein commented, "However, I'll make a note of your
comment."

He turned to the nervous girl sitting beside Renee.
Linda was dressed in a modest navy blue skirt and jacket with a
white blouse that made her look younger than her years. "Miss
Bonnett is the person you want to represent you, Linda?"

"Yes, Your Honor," Linda replied in a clear voice. "I
want nobody else."

"What is your age, Linda?"

"I was seventeen two days ago, Your Honor."

"Indeed," the man replied. "And I guess you received
gifts for your birthday?"

"Yes."

"What did you receive?"

"I object to this question." Clarence Squartrili
stood and shouted. "It is entirely irrelevant."

The judge turned. "You will sit down Mr. Squartrili.
May I remind you this is not a trial but a hearing. You do not have
to impress a jury here, young man."

Renee suppressed a grin. Squartrili was forty-five if
he was a day and was known throughout the profession as Slimy
Clarie for his devious methods.

The judge turned back to Linda and raised his
eyebrows for her to continue.

"Mainly clothes, Your Honor," she said. "Renee and
Lem bought me a portable CD player and three CDs. My boyfriend gave
me a prepay cellphone."

"What did your parents buy you, Linda?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" the judge repeated.

He turned his gaze across the room to where the
Wycherleys stood. Linda's father was a small insignificant looking
man with receding hair. He wore a conservative black suit with a
white shirt and dark tie. The cut of his clothes, though crisp and
tidy, looked quaintly old-fashioned with wide lapels from a bygone
era. Lydia Wycherley was a large woman, dressed in a calf-length
skirt, while a light blue scarf covered her hair.

"My clients don't believe in birthdays or Christmas
gifts, Your Honor," Clarence Squartrili interrupted. "It is against
their religious beliefs."

"But you do?" the judge asked Linda.

The girl flushed. "Yes, Your Honor. I have rejected
my parents' narrow-minded religious views."

"Object." Clarence Squartrili interrupted. "Miss
Wycherley is giving an opinion, not stating a fact."

"Mr Squartrili," the judge replied in an ice-cold
voice. "I have allowed half a day for this hearing, not a week.
Your constant interruptions before the opening statements have been
made are irritating." He turned to the nervous girl. "He does have
a valid point, Linda. You should not give an opinion in your answer
unless specifically asked for one."

Linda nodded and cast her gaze at the floor.

"Thank you," Judge Koberstein said. "You can make
your opening statement Mr. Squartrili."

The lawyer stood and waited a moment before starting.
"This is a continuance of the original court order, Your Honor. The
court made Linda Wycherley a state ward and allowed her to have an
abortion against her parents' wishes. That happened and though they
strongly disagreed to this taking place, Vadimere and Lydia
Wycherley believe in forgiveness. They have forgiven Linda and want
her to return to the family home under their care."

The lawyer's deep voice continued with explanations
for the Wycherley's religious and social beliefs and he noted that
Linda's pregnancy was not the result of her promiscuous habits,
something not known in the original hearing.

Renee glanced at Suzanne Norwood who was assisting
her. The man had done his research well. When her turn came to make
a statement, she stood so she could see and be seen by Linda's
parents.

"In our country, Your Honor, we pride ourselves on
freedom and the right of individuals to observe their religious
beliefs without discrimination. The Wycherley family has every
right to practice their faith in any way they wish and that is how
it should be." She stopped and her blue eyes bore into Vadimere
Wycherley until the man glanced away. "We also believe that minors
need to be cared for and protected. Their parents or caregivers
have the right to pass their values and believes onto their
children. When these children reach adulthood they can continue or
reject these beliefs as they wish. Linda is seventeen, so is still
a minor. She, therefore, still has to be cared for by an adult. We
do not contest any of these points. We do not contest her parents'
religious beliefs. We do not contest their right to pass these
beliefs onto their children…"

She stopped again and gazed around the silent room
before continuing in almost a whisper. "However, parents do not
have the right to break the state's and country's laws when they
are caring for their children. We will show that Vadimere and Lydia
Wycherley overstepped these rights and therefore, should not be
allowed to have their daughter returned to their custody. We shall
further present evidence of how Linda has blossomed since being
removed from their influence. One example." Renee stopped again and
smiled at the girl. "She is just seventeen but has graduated from
high school in the equivalent of her junior year. Not only that but
she topped her graduating class and has been accepted into
Washington State University in the academic year commencing in
September."

****

Two hours later, Clarence had completed his case.
Linda had been reduced to tears and made to look like a wayward
slut who had run wild and rejected her parents, slept with any boy
available and indeed, didn't know who the youth was who impregnated
her.

Renee was equally ruthless in her cross-examination.
However, Clarence Squartrili emerged from a sordid and harrowing
experience with a confident smirk on his face. "So, Your Honor," he
concluded. "Even after that and the abortion, Vadimere and Lydia
are prepared to forgive their daughter and take her back into the
family home with her three younger brothers."

Renee began by calling Linda to the stand. "You are
wearing suitable attire beneath your blouse, I believe, Linda?"

"Yes," the girl replied. She had been briefed on what
would be asked and was ready.

Clarence Squartrili half rose but saw Judge
Koberstein's frown and refrained from making an objection.

"Please remove your jacket and hold up your blouse,
so the judge can see your back, Linda," Renee said in a kind
voice.

The girl exposed her tanned back to show three faded
welts across it. "Where did the scars come from Linda?"

"My father thrashed me with a switch," Linda
answered. Tears appeared again in her eyes.

"How old were you at the time?"

"Nine or ten. I don't quite remember."

"Was this for flirting with boys, Linda?"

"No," Linda whispered. "It was before I knew anything
about boys and sex."

"What was it for, Linda?"

"I went to the local park and played on a swing with
Daniel, my brother."

In spite of himself, Johan Koberstein jerked up,
asked Linda to explain the circumstances in minute detail and
examined the girl's wounds with renewed interest.

"That was six years ago, Linda?" he asked in a hushed
voice.

"Yes, Your Honor."

"And you still have the scars?" It was a rhetorical
question but Renee could see she had gained sympathy from the
judge.

"Did you do this, Mr. Wycherley?" the judge asked
Linda' s father in a harsh voice.

"It is possible, Your Honor," Vadimere Wycherley
muttered. "We did have to discipline Linda at times."

"A thrashing that leaves scar tissue six years later
because your daughter played on a swing at a park?" Koberstein's
mannerism portrayed disgust. He turned to Linda. "You can place
your jacket back on and return to the witness stand, Linda."

"There are more serious accusations against Vadimere
Wycherley," Renee added. "I would, however, like to approach the
bench to discuss them."

"Why can't it be heard in the open hearing, Miss
Bonnett?" Johan Koberstein was the neutral judge again.

"Because of the delicate nature of the evidence, I
would like you to decide on the suitability of presenting it
openly, Your Honor."

"Comment, Mr. Clarence Squartrili?"

The plaintiff's lawyer frowned at Renee but her
expression was unreadable. "As long as I can be present, I don't
object, Your Honor."

"Very well. We'll meet in my chambers. This court is
adjourned for twenty minutes."

****

"Okay, what have you got in your little bag, Renee?"
Clarence growled when the three were together in the small
office.

"I have evidence to support my statement," Renee
replied. "We invoked the privacy act, so Linda could gain access to
her old medical records."

"Go on," the judge said grimly.

Renee took out a photocopy of a medical record and
laid it on the judge's table. "This record was hushed up and I
believe a large sum of money was paid to have it destroyed.
Luckily, a junior doctor in the clinic sneaked a photocopy of the
report and filed it under Linda's name."

"What is it?" Clarence Squartrili asked.

"Sperm taken from the pubic hair of my client when
she was fourteen was examined. She was a suspected rape victim at
the time and indeed she was."

"Continue," Judge Johan Koberstein stated. His mouth
was a thin line and eyes were like steel.

"The sperm is from her father," Renee said.

"Oh hell," Clarence Squartrili replied. He turned to
her with new respect in his eyes. "How did you get this,
Renee?"

"I have contacts," Renee replied without a trace of a
smile.

"You were correct in asking for this closed session,
Renee," the judge added. "Tell me, if we took matters further could
your client go through the anguish of being a witness in a criminal
trial?"

"We discussed it, Your Honor. She is prepared to
testify against her father if it came to trial."

The judge glowered at Clarence. "Comment, Mr.
Squartrili."

"If everything Miss Bonnett says is true, I will
recommend this case is closed with Linda Wycherley remaining a
state ward in her present foster home. Can I have time to study
these documents?"

"After I have read them," the judge retorted. "We'll
reconvene at three this afternoon. Meanwhile, Clarence, please
advise Mr. Vadimere Wycherley of his rights. If what Miss Bonnett
has stated bares out and I believe it will, I shall be issuing a
bench warrant for his arrest on the charges of sexual violation of
a minor and incest."

The reconvened court session lasted two minutes and
the three o'clock session was also brief.

"Linda Wycherley," the judge said. "You are to remain
a state ward until your eighteenth birthday and placed under the
continuing foster care of Miss Renee Bonnett and Mr. Lem Erksberg.
Do you have any comments?"

Linda stood with her body shaking. "There is one
request, Your Honor," she whispered.

"And that is?"

"My mother, Your Honor. I believe she was a victim as
much as I was. Can she visit me if she wants to?"

The judge looked across the room to where a
devastated Lydia Wycherley stood with her face a picture of
torment. Clarence Squartrili had told her everything and her
husband had been arrested.

"Do you wish to have contact with Linda, Mrs.
Wycherley?"

"Yes, Your Honor," the woman sobbed.

"So be it," the judge declared. "You can have
visitation rights but only when one of Linda's guardians or an
adult they nominate is present. You are not to approach her in a
public place and must give two days notice whenever you wish to
visit. When in contact, you will not discuss religious beliefs or
influence her on moral issues. If these conditions are not met, the
right to see your daughter will be withdrawn. Do you understand the
conditions, Mrs. Wycherley?"

"Yes," Lydia whispered and she looked at Linda. "I'm
sorry, Love," she sobbed and surrounded by several women dressed
with scarves on their hair, left the courtroom

"This hearing is closed," Judge Johan Koberstein
ordered.

Linda turned into Renee's arms before she moved on to
Courtney, Ken and Lem, all in court to support her.

"Oh my God." She sobbed. "Thank you, Renee."

"Come on. We can go home."

"My home, too," Linda whispered.

"Yes, Linda," Lem added. "As long as you want, it is
your home, too."

Arm in arm, the five walked from the courtroom into a
warm Seattle summer's day, climbed into a pearl white Cadillac and
headed out the car lot. AS they drove away, Renee noticed a frail,
handcuffed Vadimere Wycherley being hustled into a parked police
wagon.

****

Linda never had the trauma of being a witness against
her father, for at a lower court hearing the next day, he pleaded
guilty to the charges filed against him and was remanded in custody
to a higher court hearing a month later for sentencing.