“Let me know if you have problems with the owner and need legal advice.” Wynn snagged a sandwich. “Thank you so much.” He inclined his head to Cheyenne.
She beamed. “My pleasure. You’re going to help me stay out of my parent’s clutches.” She nudged the serving plate toward me and started pulling the crust off her sandwich.
I grabbed a sandwich and selected carrot slices, celery, and pieces of red pepper from the neatly arranged veggies. My favorites. Cheyenne was pulling out all the stops to seem helpful. I offered my sister the best smile I could muster.
We ate in silence—likely each contemplating what would come next. In the next room, Sadie whined a few times, then went back to her silence. Poor pup probably was getting hungry.
Wynn finished first. He wiped his mouth and fingers with a napkin and moved over to his laptop. “Okay. So Cheyenne hasn’t been in the state of California for six months yet?—”
“I could say I have. It’d by their word against mine.” Cheyenne gave an unconvincing grin. “I could say I was hanging out on the streets in LA.”
I kept a sigh to myself. “The entire town of Piperston could attest to you being there two weeks ago. As well as school records.”
“Those could all be falsified.” She jutted her chin.
Wynn shook his head. “Do not begin by lying to the courts. School records could easily be entered into the record, and their veracity is likely to outweigh yours?—”
“Fine then.” Cheyenne huffed and crossed her arms.
I shot her a watch yourself glare.
Her hazel eyes flashed defiance.
God, I may be in trouble. And yet, I didn’t question the decision to want her here with me.
Wynn continued, “We really should apply via the court system in New York. The location closest to where Cheyenne lived for the last six months would be the appropriate venue. Where’s the nearest family court?”
“Next town over.” Cheyenne continued to glare at me. “But then we’re screwed.”
“The judge is our uncle, my father’s brother.” I sighed. “And even if he wasn’t, any local judge might side with my parents, at least in terms of sending a runaway home. They’d risk losing the next election—as well as their standing in the community—if they didn’t do what the townsfolk expect of them. The locals don’t overlook violent crime, but teens are expected to owe obedience and loyalty to the head of the house.” Physically disciplining kids was considered a normal part of life unless bones were broken. “I once heard the sheriff say, ‘If kids are acting up, sometimes you have to pop them one.’ Direct quote.”
“Well, that complicates things. Let me do a bit more research.”
“It’s appreciated.” I could only imagine what this legal bill would be. Maybe I could refinance my mortgage and take some cash against the equity? I also had a bit squirreled away for a rainy day.
Today it was fucking pouring.
Focus on the things you can fix. “Why don’t we feed Sadie?” The dog had been quiet in her pen since those few whines, but I imagined her smelling the chicken as we ate and felt bad. “Then we need to figure out what to do with her.”
Wynn scrolled on his computer. “Hm. You’re responsible for her for the next fourteen days. If the owner turns up before then, you’re entitled to charge a reasonable amount for the care of the dog. If the owner does not turn up, you’re required to spend ten days searching for a new home. Does she have a microchip?”
I blinked. “That never occurred to me.” I checked my watch. Seven-fifteen. The vet clinic would be closed by now. “I’ll take her to the vet tomorrow. Dr. Louisa can check her over and see if there’s a chip.” Except I had two dogs coming early tomorrow, whom I was responsible for.
This is getting out of hand.
“If the owner doesn’t show up by morning, see whether there’s a chip and go from there.” Wynn eyed me. “No sense borrowing trouble. Right now, I’ll get started on your California guardianship petition. The worst the court can do is reject it. We can’t apply for an emergency measure till we have a case number.” He patted the stack of my papers, with Cheyenne’s driver’s license on the top. “I’ll let you know if I need info that isn’t in here. I’m surprised, from what you say, that your parents let a teen have a license.”
“Nah,” Cheyenne drawled. “Driving’s a useful skill. We’re all expected to get it the day we turn sixteen. Lots of us have been driving tractors and other equipment long before then.”
“Ah, of course.” Sadie whined and Wynn flapped his hand at me. “Feed that poor dog. Let me type and then we’ll go through things.”
Cheyenne rose. “I’m helping with Sadie.”
I was too tired to argue.
“Can I use this?” Cheyenne held up a can of tuna.
“Sure. Mix in a little leftover rice so it’s not too rich.” I cleared the plates as Cheyenne prepared a bowl of tuna-mash for Sadie. “We’ll need to buy her some proper canned food tomorrow. All I have in client leftovers is some big-dog kibble that I don’t think she can chew.” What I’d seen of her teeth was not pretty.
