‘Come on,’ Maserov persisted, ‘what’s different about Carla? Why are you treating her differently?’
After a deep breath and a passing glance at the ceiling Betga told him. ‘Three reasons, I guess. But with respect, why should this apparent distinction in my financial relationships with various clients be any of your business?’
‘I don’t know, let’s say curiosity. Three reasons; what are they?’ asked Maserov, ploughing on undeterred.
‘Okay, first of all, I’m in love with her.’
‘You’re in love with her?’ Maserov repeated unbelievingly.
‘I know, it’s a disappointingly conventional answer.’
‘You’re in love with her?’
‘I love her romantically, platonically, diatonically, catatonically, domestically, if I had a more substantial line of credit I’d love her internationally, and perhaps most distractingly of all, I love her carnally. Don’t get me started, Maserov. I’m not proud of it. I feel compromised by these emotions, all this caring, all this longing. It’s an unusual sensation for me and, to be candid, quite out of character. Love gets in the way of things and ultimately makes you unhappier than you were when you weren’t in love.
‘I know what you’re thinking, however slowly. You’re thinking, “If this Betga, such a charming, erudite and handsome man, is in love with Carla, why does she insist on not having anything to do with him?”’
‘It’s a good question,’ offered Maserov.
‘It’s yours,’ said Betga without missing a beat. ‘I met Carla while working on a Torrent Industries file when I was still at Freely Savage. I asked her out to lunch, then for a drink, we talked on the phone a lot, initially legitimately, and one thing led to another. And then another thing led to the one thing. And before either of us knew it, we were in exactly the kind of committed exclusive romantic relationship so unrelentingly celebrated by popular culture.’
‘Until?’
‘Until she discovered it wasn’t exclusive. I mean, it was emotionally.’
‘Not sexually?’
‘No, a distinction she wasn’t prepared to recognise let alone accept.’
‘How could you fuck it up if you love her so much?’
‘Listen, Maserov, many people enjoy being judgmental. But it could have happened even to you. After Hamilton got rid of me I went to a legal recruitment agency.’
‘And?’
‘I slept with the legal recruitment agent. It’s a tight job market.’
‘And now Carla doesn’t want to have anything to do with you,’ Maserov added.
‘Although she’s remained my client.’
‘So you’re in love with her; that’s one reason you’re treating her differently to the others.’
‘Isn’t that enough?’
‘I would have said so but you mentioned three reasons. What are the other two?’
‘Okay, the second reason? Read her affidavit, her case is different to the others. I can’t talk about it now. It makes me too upset, too angry. Read her affidavit.’
‘I have read hers. I’m embarrassed that I haven’t yet read all the affidavits.’
‘Yeah,’ said Betga, stretching. ‘You probably should be.’
‘What’s the third reason?’
‘You went to her house, you saw her and the maladroit policeman, right?’
‘The older guy who lives with her, yeah.’
‘Oh, he doesn’t live with her. He’d like to live with her.’
‘Yeah, I saw them and their little girl.’
‘It’s not his little girl. Her name’s Marietta.’
‘Yeah, I saw them and Carla’s little girl. Marietta?’
‘Well, reason number three: Marietta is my daughter. She’s my little girl too.’
‘You do have a problem.’
‘Even more than you know. Marietta is my daughter but Carla disputes this. She won’t let me see her.’
‘Who does Carla claim is the father?’
‘She’s not saying, or at least, not to me.’
‘But you want to be in Marietta’s life?’
‘Of course I want to be in her life. I want to reconcile with Carla and be my daughter’s father. Don’t you want to be in your children’s lives?’
‘More than I am currently, yes.’
Betga looked over at Maserov, his new friend. ‘You are reasonable, aren’t you . . . for a desperate man. You want my clients to settle?’
‘I think they should.’
‘Okay, Maserov, here’s what I’m going to do for you. I’ll try to convince them it’s in their best interests to settle. But first you’ve got to get Eleanor to make a play date for your kids with Carla and Marietta. You go with her and you get an ice-cream stick or a lollipop or something and you give it to Marietta to suck on. Then, when Carla’s not looking, you take the item with my daughter’s saliva on it and hide it in a ziploc bag. You give it to me and I prove my paternity.’
‘I can’t do that.’
‘Of course you can.’
‘Eleanor will never agree to come.’
‘Why not?’
‘Well, first, they’ve only just met and under awkward, artificially contrived circumstances. She didn’t come willingly, let me assure you. And even if she comes,’ Maserov continued, ‘she won’t want to get involved in your family disputes and she definitely won’t want to trick Carla like that.’
‘Are you really saying she won’t want to help reunite a little girl with her father?’
‘You’re really the father?’
‘I most certainly am. Have a look at her. She looks like me. And she’s got that certain Betga style. You can’t fake that. Besides, I’m almost certain Carla hasn’t been with anybody since she found out I’d been unfaithful.’
‘How did she find out?’
‘Long story but the legal recruitment agent told her . . . over the phone. You get me some DNA for a paternity test and I’ll do what I can to have my clients settle posthaste . . . quickly even. So will you try to pitch it to her?’
‘I’ll try,’ said Maserov, not quite believing what he was agreeing to. ‘Wait a second!’ he continued hopefully after considering this for a moment. ‘I don’t need to do this. You can get a court order to compel Carla to allow a paternity test.’
‘No,’ coughed Betga, shaking his head, ‘No, no, no. I can’t do that. A court order would only infuriate her even more. We need your wife.’
‘To trick the woman you love, mother of your daughter.’
‘Exactly.’
‘I’ll see what I can do,’ said Maserov glumly.
‘That’s the Maserov I’ve come to know these last two drunken evenings! Oh, there’s one other thing. Even if we’re able to get this done, I’ll also require a face-to-face with Malcolm Torrent.’
‘What?’ said Maserov, astounded.
‘I want to meet with Malcolm Torrent.’
‘Why, what do you want to say to him?’
‘I don’t know, I haven’t figured that out yet. But I’m definitely going to need to talk to him.’