ODDS OF LOVE - SEASON THIRTEEN

Episode 156

Spencer woke up to find himself alone  with his manual wheelchair beside their bed. He was hit by the renewed realization that his father was missing. That he had left for Virginia to visit his own mother and never came back home again. And he thought he knew who was behind it.

With a sternness to his face he reached for first his glasses which he put on swiftly and then his cell phone. He dialed quickly and decisively one number he had always dreaded calling even as a young man in college.

It rang several times and then was answered.

" Good morning, Spencer," His mother Doris Arnett said sharply over the line from her and her husband Reilly's bedroom as she lounged in their king sized silk sheeted bed with a wicker tray upon her lap. She lifted up a long stemmed crystal glass full of mimosa and took a small sip as her blue eyes glinted coldly. " Whatever do you want?"

On the wall mounted flat screen 4K television the news was talking about the disappearance of former lawyer Andrew Norland. Her lips curved into a very satisfied smile. Good, she thought. The bastard deserved it for ever daring to leave her.

Spencer gritted his teeth and shot out tersely," Where is my father? What did you do to him ? "

Doris laughed rudely. " I'm beginning to doubt your intelligence. Why on earth would I do anything to your silly father? I'm married to a United States senator for the great state of Wisconsin. Reilly is considering running for the GOP nomination for president in the next election in 2028. He'll easily win and I'll be first lady. What would it possibly benefit me to harm him? "

" What did it benefit you to hire a hitman to try to kill my husband? "

Doris sighed and took a bite of a cream covered strawberry. " That's a bold lie. The man who attempted to kill that person you call your husband is in prison for life for that and other crimes. I was never charged with anything concerning it. If you continue to speak ill on my good name I shall be forced to sue you for libel and defamation of character. I will repeat myself just once. I know nothing about Andrew leaving you once more. Maybe he is under a bridge with a bottle of cheap wine. Isn't that what all drunks do? "

She laughed huskily even as she hung up on him.

                ----------

" With your father's disappearance," Bernard Arnett said firmly over the phone," I will arrange that all your open cases be parcelled out to other judges for the time being. I shall also place you on immediate family leave until he is located. "

Richard widened his eyes in great surprise. He wasn't expecting this. Hanging Judge Arnett did not usually take a personal interest in any of his judges that he supervised. Why was he even calling him ? , he wondered as he sat at the kitchen table next to Nigel. Was the man setting him up for something? If so then what exactly?

" Why do you care ? "

The old man was silent for so long that Richard was beginning to think that the call had dropped. Then he spoke again , saying," Because you are my grandson. Your father is my son. And , I believe you are better served finding your father right now. "

Richard was literally speechless as his mind fought to absorb those words. Those incredible they could not be true words. His hand trembled as he lowered the phone slightly from his ear.

Nigel saw his husband's reaction and instantly grew alarmed.

" Richard? Are you bloody alright? ," he asked. He got no response. Just his husband's glassy eyed stare at him.

Nigel immediately took the phone from him and demanded to know who was on the line.

Bernard barked out ," Chief Judge Bernard Arnett. Who exactly are you? And where is Judge Norland ? Put him back on the phone at once ! "

Nigel didn't particularly care for the very pompous sounding twat on the other end of the phone so he forced as much posh into his voice as could. In fact he channeled up his oldest brother Alexi. " This is Nigel Hawthorne - Cyrus Norland. The son of Nicholas Volkouv. The husband of Judge Richard Norland who currently appears to have exited  the planet. What did you just say to him if I may inquire? "

Bernard laughed harshly. " I merely informed him that I am his grandfather and that his father is my son. So you're the one who bewitched him into a homosexual relationship. Hmmm. You sound like you have spirit and a brain. I like that. I believe he might have chosen well although I don't go in for your type of situations. "

At his words Nigel widened his one working eye and joined his husband in the land of speechlessness.