This Side of Heaven by Karen Kingsbury

Author:Karen Kingsbury
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Young Adult, Adult, Fiction
ISBN: 9781599951454
Publisher: Center Street
Published: 2008-01-01T22:00:00+00:00

Thomas felt like he needed to take a shower after just five minutes on the phone with the woman. From the tone in her voice and her hurry to find out the amount of the settlement, he could sense that Maria Cameron was just like he’d imagined her to be. She couldn’t care less about

Josh Warren—only that by some good twist of fate she’d managed to trick him into fathering her child. If she was right, anyway, and Josh really was the girl’s dad.

The paternity test would be the deciding factor, and he would set it up through a clinic in New York City. She had no insurance, so clearly Josh’s estate would be footing the bill. He allowed a heavy sigh. With the certainty in the woman’s voice, he had no choice but to give Josh’s parents a warning.

He dialed Annie’s cell phone, and when she answered, he heard the same thing he’d heard each time he’d talked to her since Josh’s death: the hollow emptiness of someone whose heart had broken, someone who would never be the same again. “Hello, Thomas. How are you?”

“Hi, Annie. I’m fine.” He wished he could tell her he was just checking in with her, and that he had no news on the lawsuit. He wished he could tell her anything but the truth. “There’s, uh, there’s some new information that’s come to light in the court case.”

She uttered a sad laugh. “It’s been three years. How could there be anything new?”

“It’s nothing for sure yet, but I wanted you to know I’m working on the case and I’ve come across a few speed bumps.” His stomach churned with the possibilities. “When I have more information I’ll call or come see you.”

“Is this about the settlement?” The word “settlement” sounded bitter on her tongue.

“Well . . .” He was still standing at the window, still looking out over downtown Denver and wondering how he could find some good news for the woman. “It’s more about Josh’s estate, how the settlement will be disbursed.”

Thomas hated being evasive, but he had no choice. He had to raise the possibility of a problem, but there was nothing to tell her, not until the paternity test results were in.

“His estate?” Annie was a smart woman. Her voice told him that she suspected the news might not be good, even if she had no idea what the details involved.

“Yes.” Thomas stood and paced to his window. How much heartache could the woman take? “I’ll tell you when I know more, Annie. I promise.”

There was a slight pause on the other end. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“My husband and I don’t care about Josh’s money, not in the way some people might care about a large settlement.” Her voice sounded strained, like she was on the verge of crying. Each word was deliberate as she continued. “But my son lost his life because of that accident, because that driver drank himself into a stupor and got behind the wheel.

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