Room 14's Secret: The Heiress Who Outsmarted Her Betrayers novel · Chapter 20 of 24

Chapter 20: Joint

The hearing was set for the following Tuesday.

Edie found out on Sunday night, because Flora told her.

Flora had heard me on the phone and announced at dinner that Daddy wanted a joint, and asked what a joint was.

My grandmother choked on her wine.

Edie didn't laugh.

She came and found me later in the window seat in her room, in her pajamas, with her sketchbook pressed to her chest.

"Is Daddy going to take us back?"

"No."

"How do you know?"

"Because a judge decides, and the judge has seen everything."

She sat down beside me and opened the sketchbook to a clean page.

"Not everything," she said.

"Edie."

"Can I talk to her? The judge with the glasses?"

"You don't have to."

"I know." She uncapped a black marker. "I want to."

Courtroom 3 was cold on Tuesday morning.

Stewart was already at his table when we came in.

He'd lost weight in a week. His suit hung a little.

A new lawyer sat beside him. Younger, sharp, in a cheap gray suit.

Stewart stood up when I came in.

"Adele," he said gently.

I walked past him.

The judge came in, sat, and looked at the new file over her glasses.

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