“Claire, you know why he’s doing this. He’s going to hold me to ransom. If I don’t agree to counselling, he’ll fight me until I’m either too broke to pay any more legal fees or I’m in hospital.”
I felt my back tense and I bit my lips together, knowing that what I was going to suggest wasn’t in our plan. “Carrie, can you tell Mr Lacey that Ms Worthington does not wish to stay married to him. She would like to negotiate on amicable terms the division of assets in a way that is fair to both of them. If he persists with trying to extend their relationship, Ms Worthington will have no choice than to take further legal advice about his conduct while they were married.” It was a threat, a battle cry to let him know that we could play dirty too and weren’t about to be scared away.
Carrie nodded. “I’ll relay that information. Ms Worthington, are you happy with that?”
Katie nodded, meeting my eyes and visibly discarding the fear she’d shown before. “I am. I could add more to that but it wouldn’t be as professional.”
Carrie gave a brief smile and headed out of the room. Just over a minute later there was a loud bang and heavy footsteps before our door opened and Dean Lacey strode in, his hands in his pockets and his face reddened with temper. I prayed he was on his way to a heart attack, knowing that would make Katie’s life a hell of lot simpler.
He moved to the the table at which we were sat and placed his hands down, staring at Katie. “You don’t want to make threats. You don’t want to try to divorce me because you won’t succeed.” His voice was surprisingly calm. “Take your little lawyer back to her firm and come home and be the wife you agreed.”
Katie stood up. “No,” she said quietly. “I’m getting a divorce, Dean, and if you are going to make it difficult for me then I will go to the police. Let’s try this again. One of the houses and my savings and earnings during the time I was with you. And you let me move on.”
Lacey shook his head. “You’re not squeaky clean either and if you try to make me look like the villain, the media will think otherwise. Think very carefully before you say anything. This mediation’s over and I’ll see you in front of a judge. With the pre-nup.” He narrowed his eyes and almost bared his teeth. “That you signed.” He looked at me. “Nothing to say, Ms Callaghan?”
I shook my head, noticing Carrie appearing behind him, looking concerned.
“It’ll keep for your lawyers. I suggest that you conduct all your conversation through them from now on. There’s no reason for you to have any contact with Ms Worthington.” It was a well-practiced line unfortunately. Too many couples split, too many children didn’t have their parents under one roof. The complexity of people meant that no relationship was ever infallible and I wondered how Killian and I would’ve survived if I had told him I was pregnant.
“She’s my wife,” Lacey said. He was calm, his voice quiet and any temper was suppressed.
“She’s your estranged wife,” I said. “She has made a choice. You should respect that choice if you’re able to.”
“What are you trying to imply?”
“There’s no implication,” I stood up. “Given it’s been made clear to your lawyers that my client wishes to divorce you, you have still asked for marriage counselling. You’re still referring to her as your wife. That suggests you have either been misguided by your lawyer or you haven’t respected your ex-wife’s wishes.”
He was silent, his eyes fixed on me, trying to intimidate. Fortunately, I’d grown up in a law office and around my father’s clients and adversaries. I wasn’t intimidated easily, not by men like Dean Lacey. “I know your father. Grant, it is, isn’t it? A good man with a good reputation.”
“Thank you, Mr Lacey. It was good to meet you. Please ensure all communication goes through your lawyers to myself.” I gave him a broad smile and headed to the door, ushering Katie out first, half expecting him to grab me or make a threat, but there was nothing until I was almost out of the room.
“I believe Grant’s cottage was burgled. I am very sorry about that. I hope it didn’t cause you too much distress,” he said, again his voice level.
I turned around. “Thank you for your concern. It was a locally known thief who was interested in jewellery. Luckily family friends were in the house so he was caught.” I didn’t let him hear the anger I felt or see the knowledge I had that it was him. Instead, I shuffled out of the room and down the corridors to where Killian and Denico were waiting, looking like businessmen themselves in suits and polished shoes. Dean Lacey’s lawyers were present too, casting half glances my way. I recognised one of them, Niall Underwood who had worked at Callaghan Green as a paralegal a few years back. He’d left for a pay rise and to specialise in family law, as at the time we didn’t have any vacancies in my department. “Hi Niall,” I said, keeping it pleasant. “It’s good to see you. How are you doing?”
He gave me a smile, genuine and sweet. “Good. I’m one year qualified now. Assisting on this case. It should be interesting,” he said, keeping his voice suitably low.
“It should,” I agreed. “You’ll learn a lot.” I figured we both would.
Outside the sun blared, the heat rising from the flags on the sidewalk. At some point we’d have a storm, although the sky promised nothing but violent blue, even the clouds has gone elsewhere to seek shade.
Killian and Denico followed me as I headed to the tube station, needing the shade, needing to escape the same air that Dean Lacey breathed. I knew Katie was explaining it to Killian as quietly as she could and putting on an expression that suggested she was talking about a meal she’d had.
I saw a familiar figure as we dropped down to the tube station at Temple, one wearing jeans and a white shirt, his height nearly matching Killian’s as well as his eyes.
“Thanks, Den,” Nick said. “I can take over from here. Go have your dirty midweek lunch.”
Denico shook his head, slapped Killian on the back and gently tapped Katie’s shoulder. “You really shouldn’t refer to me seeing my sisters like that. See you in a couple of hours, Katie.”
“Where are the twins?” I said, surprised at the change in personnel. Killian hadn’t mentioned Nick was coming over. Nick had been getting something sorted for some sheikh so he’d was meant to have been staying in Oxford.
“It’s nice to see you too, Claire.” He took my satchel and I was about to protest and then realised why he’d chosen to use those manners. It was a potential target. “The twins are at their nursery and then their grandparents are having them for a couple of nights.”
Their mother’s parents were still very involved in Kitty and Margot’s lives which was great, as well as giving Nick a break. “With extra security?”
He laughed as we jumped on a tube, the underground stiflingly hot. “It was already there. If I ever allow the twins to have a boyfriend they’ll be going out with a full army of guards and the boy will be being checked every single day.”
“Towers,” Killian said and I felt his heat behind me, closing in as the tube set off. “Towers with no door and short hair.”
