Chapter 4

Brad went into his office and closed the door. He hit the speed dial on the telephone and heard the phone musically dialing the number. After two rings a voice greeted him and Brad identified himself and asked for Carl Samples, his old friend and his lawyer for many years. He was put on hold and the phone was silent for about two minutes.

"Brad how's it going?" boomed the voice of Carl Samples, with that Texas drawl. "I was wondering when you would call. Ready for a round of golf, don't you think it's a little cold for golf?"

"No Carl, I've got some "lawyering" for you to do and I need it done fast. I need you to get in touch with Judge Hermann and tell him I need a big favor."

Carl laughed, "After that pool house and patio that you put in for him gratis, I think he owes you a favor."

Brad went on to explain, in detail, the situation with Amy and told Carl that he wanted to be appointed Amy's legal guardian. He told Carl that Social Services was due at his house this afternoon and he wanted to try and avoid having Amy put in a foster home.

After a long silence Carl said, "Brad are you sure that you really want to do this? Do you realize what a chore it is raising a teenager? I've got two teenagers I'll give you if you want a teenager. Seriously, I think that the courts will frown on you supervising a seventeen year old girl."

"Just talk to Judge Hermann and ask him to appoint me temporary guardian for thirty days and then we can have a formal hearing. He might go along with it. Besides, if they put her in a foster home, they'll have to pay the foster parent and Amy's medical bills. I'll be saving the state some money."

"OK Brad, I'll see what I can do. Don't get your hopes up too high though. I'll call you back when I know more. Are you home?"

"Yes, I'll be home all afternoon. See what you can do for me Carl. This girl has led a horrible life with a drunken father that beat her and her mother whenever he thought that they needed beating. I'm afraid that if she doesn't get someone who cares how she turns out, we'll read about her in the papers one day."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Carl assured Brad that he would do everything he could to sway Judge Hermann.

Carl Samples was a born Texan who stayed in New England after graduating from law school. He and Brad had met when he was just starting his construction company and needed a lawyer to collect money that was owed to him by a large conglomerate. It was the first really big job that Brad had ever done and the conglomerate was not disputing that they owed him money; they were just giving him the runaround. After a year Brad decided to get a lawyer. He searched around for a lawyer who would work cheap and on contingency. Carl was just starting out and was struggling like Brad. At the first meeting Brad explained the situation while Carl listened. After Brad finished, Carl grinned and told him that he would be able to get much more that the conglomerate owed him. The construction company could sue for "loss of use of funds." Carl explained that even though the conglomerate was not disputing that they owed him money, the fact that they were not paying him was costing Brad money. Carl went to court and sued for the original amount and "Loss of Use of Funds." He listed loss of opportunities to bid on other projects, interest on the money owed, cost of borrowing money to pay employees, loss of income to Brad, and on and on. When the court handed down the verdict in Brad's favor, the amount was substantially larger than the amount that was owed to him. After Brad paid Carl, he still had more than the original amount that the conglomerate owed him. Carl Samples became the lawyer for The Pittson Construction Company and they became close friends as well as business acquaintances.

They were friends because Carl was a lot like Brad. He was fiercely loyal to his friends and he enjoyed helping people and felt that he had an obligation to help others. He had an office in the poorer section of town that was open every Saturday for "pro bono" work After his firm had gone on to becoming one of the largest in town, he always assigned a junior lawyer to do "pro bono" work full time. Carl's wife Betty and Vera were like sisters and would often plot together against the two men to get them on vacations or to social functions that one of them had an interest in.