“No ambulance,” he continued coldly. “The neighbors will talk and I just became a senior partner, so I do not need police showing up at my house.”
He crouched beside me and grabbed my hair roughly, forcing my head backward so I had to look at him.
“Listen carefully,” Gregory said with cruel calm. “I am a lawyer and I play golf with the county sheriff, so if you accuse me of anything I will have you locked in a psychiatric hospital because you are an orphan and no one will believe your story.”
The pain in my body burned like fire but something colder began growing in my chest.
I looked straight into his eyes without fear.
“You are right Gregory,” I said quietly. “You understand the law, but you do not know who wrote it.”
Gregory frowned with confusion while Patricia stared at me like I had gone insane.
“Give me your phone,” I said steadily. “Call my father.”
Gregory burst into mocking laughter while Brandon shifted nervously near the doorway.
“You want me to call the retired clerk from Florida you once mentioned,” Gregory scoffed. “Fine, let us hear what your imaginary hero has to say.”
He pulled his phone from his pocket and unlocked the screen.
“What is the number,” he asked sarcastically.
I recited the number slowly and Gregory typed it before pressing the call button while putting the phone on speaker so everyone in the kitchen could hear.
The call connected after only two rings.
“Identify yourself,” a deep commanding voice said from the speaker.
Gregory cleared his throat. “This is Gregory Gaines, Amelia’s husband. Your daughter is creating a dramatic scene and I thought you should know.”
The voice on the line paused for a moment.
“Put my daughter on the phone immediately,” the man ordered.
Gregory rolled his eyes and shoved the phone toward me.
“Talk to your father,” he muttered.
“Dad,” I whispered weakly.
The voice changed instantly and fear filled it.
“Amelia, why are you calling this secure line and why do you sound hurt,” he asked urgently.
“They pushed me and I fell,” I sobbed. “Patricia shoved me in the kitchen and now I am bleeding badly, I think I lost the baby.”
The silence on the phone lasted several seconds.
Then the voice returned with terrifying authority.
“Gregory Gaines,” the man said.
“Yes,” Gregory replied nervously.
“This is Chief Justice Franklin Parker of the United States Supreme Court,” the voice declared with controlled fury.