Found: One Baby

He settled more comfortably on the edge of his desk. “I want your professional advice.”

Michelle slipped into the much more comfortable lawyer mode. “I suggest you speak to Candace Wright first—since she is the person who apparently left William in your care, and Beatrix and Brice Johnson next. Find out what went wrong with the surrogate arrangement and if the Johnsons really have changed their mind, or if this is all some sort of big misunderstanding.”

Thad paused, looking none too happy about the possibility someone might want William back. “You think it’s possible the surrogate and the Johnsons somehow got their signals crossed?”

Michelle had stepped into far worse adoption quagmires. She shrugged, admitting, “It happens.”

Another pause. “Does Candace Wright have any legal rights to William?”

Good question, Michelle thought. “Only if she is the egg donor, as well, and that’s not the case in ninety-eight percent of the surrogate arrangements these days.” Thad gave her a quizzical look, prompting her to continue explaining. “When the surrogate is also the biological mother, it’s literally her child, too, in a purely physical sense, and that mutual DNA complicates how she feels about giving the baby up at birth. So these days, a donor egg, as well as donor sperm, is generally used—the surrogate is simply a host. That makes it a lot easier for the surrogate to surrender the baby at birth.”

Thad took that in. “So if that was the arrangement…” he said eventually.

“Then Candace Wright has no legal right or responsibility to the child. The egg donor would also have terminated her legal rights to the baby before implantation, just as your brother did. However, she could be in a position now to reverse that and make a claim on William if no one else wants him.” Michelle sighed. “And right now we have no idea who the egg-donor-slash-William’s-biological-mother is. But either the Johnsons or Candace Wright will probably know that.”

“How do you know so much about surrogate arrangements?”

“Two reasons.” Michelle felt a give in the lock she was still trying to undo. “It’s now an essential part of family law. And I handled a contract for a client.”

Thad’s eyes lit with renewed interest. “Did it turn out all right?”

Michelle nodded. “That one went without a hitch. But it was a different situation. The surrogate was the wife’s sister. A medical condition prevented the wife from carrying a pregnancy to term, but they were able to use the egg and sperm of the husband and wife, so it was all pretty clear.”

Silence fell. Thad looked increasingly conflicted. Michelle’s heart went out to him. This was a very tough situation.

“One way or another, I am sure William will find a very good home with loving parents.” She would see to it.

Thad nodded, his handsome face a mask of sheer male determination. “Initially, I was going to try to track down Candace Wright by phone. Now, I’m thinking our conversation should be done face-to-face.”

“I agree,” Michelle said. “And you should probably take William—and someone else with you—to witness the events. Just in case there are any questions later about what was said and by whom. It also might be a good idea to get Candace to give you a copy of her original surrogate contract, as well as an affidavit relinquishing any claim to custody, under the current conditions of William’s abandonment, if that is still her desire.”

“We couldn’t just use the letter she left on my front porch?” Thad asked hopefully.

“We’ll produce it as evidence of course, but a judge is going to want to see more than that.”

“It’ll have to go to court?”

“Eventually, yes, because we’re talking about a change in whatever custody agreement was put in place prior to William’s birth.”

Thad exhaled. “This is getting complicated.”

Michelle offered a sympathetic smile. “Surrogate arrangements always are.” People were rarely prepared for the complexities involved.

“I’m beginning to think I should take legal counsel with us.”

Michelle felt another give in the lock. Almost there.

“It’s not a bad idea.”

From the other room, they heard a whimper, then a full-throated cry. Thad disappeared. When he returned, William was snuggled against his chest, quietly looking around. Michelle could see Thad was already getting his hopes up that the baby would end up staying a member of his family. She didn’t want to see him disappointed.

“Will you go with us?” Thad asked.

Aside from Michelle’s law partner, Glenn York, there was only one family-law attorney in Summit. Tucker James was a good guy, but not one inclined to work weekends or take on matters that were unusually complex. If this situation turned out to be as messed up as it appeared, Michelle knew Thad was going to need a top-notch attorney experienced in surrogate arrangements. That would be Glenn. Unfortunately Glenn was already working all weekend on a messy divorce-and-property-settlement case that would be in deposition next week. Reluctantly Michelle volunteered. “I can help you out temporarily.”

Thad smiled his relief, putting far too much stock in her abilities. “That would be great!”

“One thing, though,” Michelle cautioned.

He waited, sandy eyebrows raised.

“No more kissing,” she said firmly.

“Agreed.” He grinned. “Unless you change your mind.”

Oh, how she wanted to, Michelle thought. It had been so long since she had felt so wanted. So long since her body had hummed with distinctly female satisfaction.

But Thad did not need to know that, she schooled herself sternly.

She looked him in the eye. “I won’t.”

He went very still. Looking disappointed, but no less determined, she noted.

“Because…?” His low voice sent shivers over her body.

Once again Michelle pushed away the desire welling up inside her. She called on her cool-as-ice courtroom demeanor. “We’re neighbors and we need to stay on good terms.”

He searched her eyes with daunting intimacy. “And you think we wouldn’t if we kissed again?”

I think I’d be devastated if I turned out to be one of your three-dates-and-it’s-over women. Hence, better safe than sorry, Michelle thought, as she gave the lock one more nudge. It opened with a click. She lifted the lid. Inside were several insurance policies on expensive camera equipment Russell Garner owned, an old driver’s license of his and a Summit High School class ring. There were no legal documents of any kind. Certainly nothing pertaining to a surrogate arrangement.

“I don’t know where else to look,” Thad said in frustration.

Michelle knew it wasn’t the end of the road for getting the information he needed. Far from it. “The attorney who prepared the documents will have copies. Maybe we can find out who that is tomorrow,” Michelle said.

Aware her reason for sticking around was gone, she stood. It was as difficult as she’d suspected it would be to leave the baby she had cared for all day. She forced herself to suppress her own deep longing for a child and look at Thad.

“What time did you want to leave tomorrow?” she asked casually.

“Seven in the morning okay with you?”

Michelle held Thad’s gaze a moment longer, then touched William’s cheek gently. “I’ll see you both then.”

MICHELLE HAD JUST changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed when the phone rang. Seeing it was Thad, she picked up the receiver and heard the loud, angry wails of an unhappy newborn.

“What’s going on?” she asked, aware William hadn’t cried that way when she’d been in charge.

More loud crying. “Help,” Thad said over the din.