CHAPTER THIRTY

Dr. Frazier finished with the Bricklin and Roberts tests shortly after Tina’s session ended. She scheduled the Rorschachs with the Tullys for the next afternoon.

Reece told them that he needed to discuss the direct observation sequence with their attorneys.

Tom Tully asked, “Why?”

“Because it requires that the children spend equal time with each parent so that it’s fair for both parties.”

“Wait a minute, let me get this straight.” Tully was getting angry.

“No, this is not the place to discuss this. Why don’t you both say goodbye to your children, let Ms. Hurtado take them with her and we can discuss this in my office.”

Serena moved swiftly, squatted down and hugged her son. She whispered in his ear and stroked his head. He hugged her fiercely and kissed her cheek. She stood up and went to her daughter as Mr. Tully hugged and kissed his son. Felicia Hurtado reached out and touched Tommy’s shoulder as they waited for Tina. Serena picked Tina up, kissed her and stroked her, and with great effort separated her daughter from her and handed her to her father. She picked up her purse and fled into Reece’s office. Tommy looked past his father at his mother’s back.

Tina was starting to cry and Tom Tully looked at Reece. “How about I take her out to the car. I’ll be back in a second.”

Reece stood in his office and looked out over the top of the curtains. Tully slid Tommy into the car and then disentangled Tina from his neck and put her in the car seat. Without its straps and restraints he might never have gotten loose.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Serena Tully biting into a gloved knuckle as she watched her children pull out of the parking lot as if they had been snatched by strangers and she would only see them on the side of a milk carton.

Tully strode back into the office. “What’s this about her spending time with the kids?”

“Please close the door, Mr. Tully. Just what I said. That’s the next stage of the evaluation. It requires equal time with each of the parents. Considering that Ms. Tully has no place to be with the children, that might prove a problem.”

“I’m going to get a new place today. I’ll get one big enough for me and the children.”

“So you’re leaving Denise’s. She had enough of you, too?”

“No. I’ve got a job and I’ll have a place of my own.” Serena hurled back one lie after another.

Reece slipped back into the conversation, “That’s only part of the problem. The original order gave pendente lite custody to Mr. Tully, but didn’t specify visitation for Ms. Tully. Even in emergency situations there’s visitation. It may require supervision, but there’s visitation. I have to discuss with the attorneys how to address this so I can complete the evaluation.”

Serena calmly asked, “So even though Tom has this custody, what did you call it?”

“Pendente lite, pending litigation.”

“Even with that I’m entitled to visitation?”

“That’s correct. Possibly supervised, but visitation, yes.”

She almost blurted out, “Then why the hell didn’t my attorney get it for me?” but smothered that. She knew for certain that she was changing attorneys and just as certainly that she wanted to surprise the living hell out of Tom Tully and Albert “Mr. Effective” Garfield.

“No way, Dr. Reece. If that’s where this is going, I’m out of here. This evaluation is over. She’s not getting those kids. That’s for fucking certain. I’ll fight you on this in court.” Tully’s jaw was set, his eyes wide. A vein in his scalp throbbed like a snake under sand. He was getting up on his toes, leaning forward, coiled to strike.

Reece stared calmly into Tom Tully’s clenched face. “That’s exactly where this will be decided. I have an order from the court to conduct this evaluation as I see fit. If you or Al Garfield wants to argue about how it’s going to be done, so be it. We’ll go before the judge, let him hear both sides and he’ll decide, not you or me. Until I’m relieved by the judge, I’m in this matter.”

“Not for long, Reece. That’s a fact.” Tully snarled and left, slamming the door behind him.

Serena Tully looked at Reece. “Aren’t you afraid? I’m terrified whenever he gets angry like that.”

“That didn’t frighten me. I’m sure he could if he really wanted to. I don’t know if you’ve got a new lawyer yet, but you’d better hurry. All hell is about to break loose.”