Park Avenue Secrets. Barbara Dunlop

he had named Reed executor of the estate. Between Reed and Collin, she needed only to sign papers and direct the packing up of Lucas’s things.

      She briefly met with Heather’s parents after the funeral. They were nearly paralyzed with grief. They barely spoke, but held Lucas as long as possible, clearly struggling with the fact he was moving to New York.

      Finally, she was back in the penthouse. Lucas’s nursery was set up and decorated, and he was settling into a routine with Elizabeth. He still seemed sad and confused at times, but started crawling around the apartment, pulling up on furniture and showing Elizabeth how many changes she’d have to make to protect both Lucas and their antiques.

      After a while, when he curled up in her lap for his bottle or drifted off to sleep in her arms, she actually caught herself smiling. There was a permanent hole in her heart for her brother and sister-in-law, but Lucas needed her, and she’d do everything in her power to make sure he grew up loved and protected.

      She kissed his silky hair, carefully shifting him to her shoulder to carry him to his crib. His nap was late today. He’d been restless and fussy, chewing on everything he could find. His cheeks were pinker than usual, and his bottom gum was swollen red.

      The poor little thing was getting a tooth.

      Elizabeth came carefully to her feet.

      There was a knock at the door, and he had startled in her arms. She quickly cooed, praying he’d stay asleep.

      Rena appeared from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel.

      Elizabeth signaled with a finger across her lips, and the housekeeper glided silently toward the front door, while Elizabeth trundled Lucas down the hall. She laid him carefully into the crib.

      She left the bedroom door ajar and padded back down the living room. There, she found Rena with a courier envelope in her hands.

      “It’s for you.” She handed it over.

      The return address was for a California law firm. Elizabeth sighed. Some new will detail no doubt. The tears that were never far from the surface burned the backs of her eyes.

      “I’ll be in Reed’s office.” The envelope felt heavy in her hands. But it was better to get it over with.

      She pulled the tab on the courier envelope as she walked into the office, releasing a thick sheaf of official-looking documents. There was a seal on the top sheet, and it was addressed to her.

      She scanned the opening paragraph, frowned, went back and read it slowly.

      As she read on, her heart all but stopped in her chest, and emotion squeezed her in a painful vise.

      Heather’s parents wanted Lucas. This was a legal notification that the Vances were contesting the will. They wanted Lucas back in California, wanted to raise him themselves, wanted to defy Brandon and Heather’s wishes and rip Elizabeth’s nephew from her home.

      She galloped through the package, then reached for the telephone, her hand shaking as she dialed Reed’s number. Unanswered, the call bounced to Devon’s desk and Elizabeth asked for her husband.

      “I, uh …” Devon hesitated. “He’s out of the office.”

      “I’ll try his cell.”

      But all she got was his voice mail. She left a message, as another knock sounded on the door.

      “Mrs. Wellington?” Rena appeared in the office doorway. “Hanna Briggs to see you.”

      Elizabeth nodded. “Send her in.”

      Hanna was breezing into the office in seconds. “Baby asleep?” she asked. Her smile faded when she took in Elizabeth’s expression.

      “Take a look at this.” Elizabeth shoved the papers across the desk.

      With a puzzled frown, Hanna scanned the papers. Then she looked up. “They can’t do that.”

      “They’re doing it. They think they’ll be better parents than me.”

      “That’s ridiculous.”

      “They claim they’ve seen Lucas every day of his life, that San Diego is a better place to raise a child, that Lucas knows them better. Add to that, they’re experienced parents, where I—” Elizabeth’s voice broke. “I’m only experienced in buying designer clothes and planning parties.”

      Hanna reached across for Elizabeth’s hand. “That’s crazy.”

      “They’re not wrong. I do buy designer clothes and plan parties. And until last week, I hadn’t changed a diaper in my life.”

      “Well, that’s it then. Because, I’m sure a diaper changing contest will be the first thing the judge thinks of when determining custody.”

      “You know what I mean.”

      “I do. But you’re getting ahead of yourself again.”

      Elizabeth understood Hanna’s point. She’d gotten ahead of herself when she thought Reed was cheating, and when she thought Joe might be a criminal.

      “I can’t get hold of Reed,” she said.

      “He’s probably in a meeting.”

      “He’s always in a meeting.”

      Things had definitely been better between them physically since they returned from France. But she could feel them slowly slipping back into their old routine. Although nine-month-old Lucas kept her busy, she couldn’t help but notice that Reed’s evenings were filling up with business obligations.

      “You should call Collin,” Hanna suggested.

      “You hate Collin.”

      “Only because he’s a lawyer. But they do have their uses.”

      Elizabeth thought about that. Should she wait for Reed? Or should she get things rolling on her own? She did want to develop some independence.

      Getting a job was out of the question for her now that Lucas had arrived. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t start standing on her own two feet.

      The strength and self-assurance of the coconut woman had wedged itself firmly into Elizabeth’s mind. For some reason, she knew deep down in her soul that Reed respected that kind of a woman.

      “Collin it is.”

      When the line connected, she heard female laughter, then a voice that sounded vaguely like Reed’s. Elizabeth’s spirits lifted.

      “This is Collin.”

      “It’s Elizabeth calling.”

      “Oh. Hello, Elizabeth.” The background sounds suddenly stopped. “How can I help you?”

      “Are you by any chance with Reed?”

      “Not at the moment. Do you need to get him a message?”

      Too bad. “Actually, I need some legal advice.”

      There was a pause. “Sure.”

      “I received a notice today that my sister-in-law’s parents are contesting my brother’s will.” She gave him the details.

      “Does Reed know about this?”

      “I haven’t been able to get hold of him.”

      “I’ll have him call you.” And the line went dead.

      Elizabeth replaced the receiver and frowned at Hanna. “Not a lot of help.” Then, remembering the opening to the conversation, she said, “It’s funny. It almost sounded like—”

      The phone rang on the desk. She grabbed it quickly.

      It was Reed.

      She felt a rush of relief. “Did you get my message?”

      “From Collin?”

      “I