She patted the poodle’s head and said, “So you’re the New York attorney. I heard you’re very good in a courtroom.”
“Thank you,” Matthew said, not sure how to respond to her. He had a feeling Francine Townsend was close to the edge.
“Are you going to make the Townsends’ little problem go away?” She leaned in close and whispered, “Makes you wonder, doesn’t it? Why would Mother Townsend be so generous to C. J. Doe? Could it be she was trying to bail her son’s ass out of a jam one more time?”
Francine knew how to be a proper lady. Having attended the best schools, she could walk, talk and choose which fork to use at the dinner table with the best of them. But evidently she had learned some language in less reputable places, too.
“Rob, your wife’s making a fool of herself,” Martha said.
Francine swung around and fixed her eyes on the older woman. “Well, Aunt Martha, dear, if anyone can recognize a fool, you can. Look at the way you fawn over your sister’s husband.”
“That’s enough, Francine,” Rob ordered.
Francine turned to face him. “I want my children home for the summer, Rob.”
“The kids are staying in boarding school,” he replied.
“You’re making a sissy out of Robbie, and our daughter’s becoming so wild no one can do anything with her. They need discipline, not a free rein like you give them.”
“Rob,” she pleaded, a note of desperation entering her voice.
Rob ignored her plea. “Go get cleaned up, for God’s sake. You look like the hired help.”
At Rob’s criticism Matthew saw a flash of unmistakable pain on her face again, but she quickly masked it. “I want my children home,” she stated angrily.
“They’re staying in school.”
“We’ll see about that,” she replied, and turned toward the door. “Nice to have met you, Mr. Sloan,” she called over her shoulder.
As the door closed, Rob apologized. “My wife’s been having a rough time since the kids went away to school.”
“Ha,” Martha retorted.
Rob shot her a quelling glance and then focused his attention on Matthew. “Now, Matthew, I hope you have some good news for us.”
Matthew shoved his hands into his pockets. How could Rob treat his wife so heartlessly? Couldn’t he see she was hurting? Dealing with the Townsends was going to be harder than he’d imagined—for more than one reason. He brought his thoughts back to Rob’s question. “No, I don’t.”
Rob’s eyes narrowed. “Why not? Surely she didn’t turn down a million dollars.”
“Afraid so.”
Rob walked around the desk and sat down, a patently false smile on his face. “Damn, she’s smarter than I figured.”
Matthew frowned. “What do you mean?”
“She’s holding out for more money,” Rob replied. “Okay, we can play that game. Offer her two million.”
Matthew held up his hands. “Wait a minute. She’s not after more money.”
Rob spared him a dark glance. “Then what the hell does she want from us?”
“She’s made a counteroffer.”
“A counteroffer,” Rob said with a laugh. “What does she have to offer us?”
Matthew took in the skeptical faces. Slowly he answered, “She will release her claim on both the land and the money on one condition.”
A tense pause followed his words, and Matthew could almost hear the frantic heartbeats in the room. They had a right to be anxious, he thought. C. J. Doe was about to rock their world.
Finally Rob asked, “And what would this condition be?”
Matthew glanced from Rob to John Townsend. In his best courtroom voice he said, “That you and your father take paternity tests.”
Martha gasped and Rob brought his fist down hard on the desk. “No way, Matthew. No way in hell is that ever going to happen.”
“She has agreed that if it does, if you both get tested, she will relinquish any claim on the Townsend estate.”
“She’s thought of everything, hasn’t she?” Rob muttered. “But we refuse to give credence to those stupid rumors she obviously believes.”
“Well, it’s the only way you’re going to get the land back without going to court.”
“Everybody has a price. Offer her three million.”
Matthew gave a frustrated sigh. “Money means nothing to her, I’ve told you that. You can offer her ten million and she’d still turn it down. She only wants to know who she is.”
“She is not a Townsend.” Fists clenched, Rob got angrily to his feet. “She—”
“The girl must be crazy,” Martha broke in. “John is in no condition to go through such stress. He’s recovering from a stroke.” She sat next to John Townsend’s wheelchair and rubbed his arm affectionately.
Matthew shrugged. “It’s a simple blood test. As your lawyer I have to say it’s a good offer.”
“You’re not suggesting we do this?” Rob bellowed.
“No, it’s your decision, but it’s the only offer you’ll get from C. J. Doe.”
Rob tapped long fingers against the desk for a moment, then said, “Offer her three million. Money has a way of changing people’s minds.”
“No!” John Townsend shouted.
Everyone looked at him. The single word was the first he’d spoken during the whole meeting. His blue eyes blazed with a strength of old, and he looked like the powerful John Townsend who could melt a man in his boots with just one word. Even though his legs were weak, Matthew had a feeling John’s mind was as sharp as ever.
“Dad, what are you saying?”
“I’m saying we’re going to take the blood tests.”
“What?”
“Use your head, son. What’s the use of throwing money away when we can end this with a simple test?”
“But, Dad…”
Matthew could see the doubt in Rob’s eyes and there was doubt in John’s eyes, too, but unlike his son he was willing to gamble that C. J. wasn’t a Townsend.
John gazed up at Matthew, his expression fierce. “Let’s get one thing straight, Sloan,” he said. “I want this done discreetly. I don’t want any publicity—in the newspapers, TV or magazines—anywhere.”
“I don’t think she’ll have a problem with that.”
“And even if one of the tests is positive, she will not expect anything from this family.”
Matthew watched the fire in the man’s eyes and had to ask. “If she is a Townsend, can you turn your back on her?”
“In a heartbeat, sir,” he said without hesitation.
Matthew got a glimpse of the ruthlessness that had made this man so powerful. “I see. Okay. I’ll set everything up.”
Martha clutched John’s arm. “You don’t have to do this.”
He