The Big Bad Wolf

CHAPTER 72

“HI THERE. I missed you,” I said, and smiled. “And I’m sorry.”



Five minutes after Jamilla hung up, I called her back to try and make amends.

“You should be sorry, you poop. Glad to see your famous antennae are still working all right,”

she said.

“Not so hard to figure out. The crucial evidence was right before my eyes. That was the

shortest phone talk we’ve ever had. Probably the most uncomfortable and frustrating too. I

had one of my famous feelings about it.”



“So what’s the matter, Boy Scout? Is it the job or is it something else? Is it me, Alex? You can

tell me if it is. I have to warn you, though, I carry a gun.”



I laughed at her joke. Then I took a breath and let it out slowly. “Christine Johnson is back in

town. It gets worse from there. She came for Little Alex. She wants to take him away, to get

custody, probably take him to Seattle.”



I heard a sharp intake of breath, then, “Oh, Alex, that’s terrible. Terrible. Did you talk to her

about it?”



“I sure did. I was at her lawyer’s this afternoon. Christine finds it hard to be tough; her lawyer

doesn’t.”



“Alex, has Christine seen the two of you together? How you are with him? You’re like that old

movie Kramer vs. Kramer. Dustin Hoffman and that cute little boy.”



“No, she hasn’t really watched us together, but I’ve seen her with Alex. He turned on the

charm. Welcomed her back without any recriminations. Little traitor.”



Jamilla was angry now. “Little Alex would. Always the perfect gentleman. Like his father.”



“That, plus she is his mother. The two of them have a history, Jam. It’s complicated.”



“No, it isn’t. Not for me, not for anybody with a brain. She left him, Alex. Separated herself

by three thousand miles. Stayed away for a year. What’s to say she won’t do it again? So

what are you going to do now?”



That was the big question, wasn’t it?

“What do you think? What would you do?”



Jam sniffed out a laugh. “Oh, you know me , I’d fight her like hell.”



I finally smiled. “That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to fight Christine like hell.”