Secrets & Surprises: Exposed, Accepted & Acted Upon

Chapter 76

At Janes Desk

Sachiko: Beth Williams was not my husband's girlfriend.

Jane: Then who was she? You wanted to adopt Beth's baby?

Sam: Before we go any further, we need assurances that-

Sachiko: We met her on an internet adoption site. It's kind of an informal place where pregnant women can connect with people who want to become parents.

Jane: Beth didn't have a computer.

Sam: She used the one at the library. We've been trying for years to adopt or even be foster parents, but when you have a felony on your record no one wants you, even if you've got ten years sober, and completely turned your life around.

Jane: Did Ethan know that Beth wanted to give up the baby?

Sam: We met the both of them over coffee. They were getting divorced, I don't think either one of them wanted to become a single parent.

Jane: Why'd she choose you?

Sachiko: She said she liked my e-mails.

Jane: And you offered them money too, right? How much?

Lawyer: Don't answer that.

Jane: And that's why you weren't talking. Because baby buying is illegal.

Lawyer: It was only $15,000 and was to cover maternity expenses. It's totally legal.

Jane: Depends on the contract. Which you sent Beth in the mail.

Sachiko: And she IM'd us yesterday that she'd signed it.

Sam: And that Ethan would too, as soon as he got home. We never heard from her again.

Jane: Maybe you did. Maybe she told you that they had changed their minds, and you weren't getting the baby.

Lawyer: See? What'd I tell you? Is my client under arrest?

Jane: It would be better for you--

Lawyer: OK, let's get the hell out of here. Come on. Good luck.

Jane: Is there anything else you could -

Lawyer: Come on.

Sachiko: Dale Peterson. Beth and I were IM' ing one day and, she said she had a boyfriend named Dale Peterson.

Jill: Dale Peterson from San Ramon. I'll start hunting him down, but I'm gonna need Computer hard drives from Beth's library, I'll draw up a subpoena, and track down our resident geek.

Jane: Here we go. Somebody at the library logged in to pacificbaby.net. Talk about creepy.

Frankie: Any old pervert could log on here and say he's an adoptive couple.
Find some vulnerable pregnant woman and, invite her to some who knows.
This job is bad for my head.

Jane: Sam Johannes chatted with "bw20." Beth Williams, 20 years old. This is from 9:30 last night.
Bw20 says : "We'll bring you the contract first thing tomorrow." I can't tell you how happy this makes us."

Jill: So Sam the man and Sachiko were telling the truth.

Jane: Wait a minute. Why didn't beth tell her good friend Melanie, that she's putting her baby up for adoption?

Frankie: She probably felt weird about giving up the baby when Melanie had just lost her. You know, salt in the wound.

Jane: Wait a minute. Is there anything from what's his name? Dale Peterson?