Chapter 16

Charlotte Stowe was warm and gracious. Her kiss of greeting showed Boland her devotion and concern. At Boland's insistence, she sat calmly in the room with him and Joe Cake while he told everything that had happened.

There were times when he had to look away from Charlotte, particularly when he confessed to relations with Anabelle Riordan and Polly Lieber.

"Well," Cake said, "you were honest with me and I appreciate it. Now I'll be honest with you. We can subpoena all your patients. I think the record will show you had a pretty good record of success, particularly with Ralph Hooten and Charlotte, here. But I wouldn't plan on practicing anymore. I think we can get you off, possibly with a suspended sentence or a fine. Our defense will be simple, that you were honest, acted in good faith and did the best you could."

Sipping the coffee Charlotte poured into his cup, Boland was surprised how relieved he felt, now that everything was out in the open. "Joe," he said, "since you're representing me in this matter, how about taking all my money? There's another item I want to get started on. Two in fact. One is a divorce for me. My wife and I are hopeless. You've got all the grounds you'll need. Incompatibility, adultery, mental cruelty. If that isn't enough, I'll add abandonment to the list. I'm through with her."

"What about the baby?" Charlotte asked.

"I was sort of hoping you'd take an interest in that. You see, I'm going to get that baby. I'm also going to get Joe to recommend a lawyer for you. You're going to get a divorce from Mr. Stowe. Then, between us, we're going to start out flat broke, with three kids and me trying to get a teaching credential in this state."

Joe Cake snapped his fingers. "If you're serious about this, Ed, I thing I know a way to make sure you get your teaching credential-a bona fide one."

"I know what you're going to suggest. I'll do it, but I want no bargains. I'll cooperate with Stan Gillmore. I'll do anything I can for him, particularly if it helps raise the standards for people who try to do what I did. But if there's going to be any juice from him, any leniency, any help at all, I don't want it as a bribe for cooperating, I want it to come from him."

"It'll mean Grand Jury appearances and publicity," Joe Cake said. "And if you file for divorce now and Charlotte does, you'll have more publicity than an astronaut."

"Your game for that, Mrs. Stowe?"

Charlotte crossed to him and slid her arm about his waist. "Perfectly game, Mr. Boland, sir."

Joe Cake reached for the phone. "I'll try to get Gilmore at home. We might as well get started right away, while you're still in the mood."

Charlotte coughed politely. "Could you sort of arrange this to give Ed and I about an hour alone together, Joe?" She smiled suggestively. "Until he called me this morning, I haven't seen Ed for quite some time. Considering I've just been proposed to and subjected to a life of rather limited means for a time, I'd like a chance to be alone with him."

Joe Cake smiled. "I think I understand. You want someone to make sure the kids don't get in the way?"

"Oh," Charlotte said, "I want them to."

Both Cake and Boland looked surprised. "Yes, they're going to have to live with it for sometime, they may as well get used to it now."

"Now wait a minute, Charlie," Boland said. "I thought I was the one who carried things too far."

"You still do, dear," she said. "We'll have to do something about that nasty mind of yours.

What I had in mind was showing you my specialty. I'm going to cook you and my two kidlets a nutritious, filling meal on two bucks worth of groceries. As to anything that may happen after Mr. Gilmore and the people from the district attorney's office leave, you'll be quite correct in assuming I want privacy. You'll be very, very correct."

Boland felt calmer and more free than he had in years. It was almost too good to be true, hearing Charlotte talk this way. The thought of caring for her, her two boys and the child Lilly would have was staggering. The complications and difficulties would be legion. "Charlie, you're sure about all this? It's going to be hell; I want you to know that."

"I know, dear," she said. "It will be hell, a very merry Hell."