Carnal Curiosity - Stuart Woods Page 0,16

said.

“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Harvey. Mr. Dugan, have you read the settlement agreement?”

“Well, not all the way through,” Dugan said. “My attorney told me to sign it, so I did, but I don’t want a divorce.”

Stone looked at Herbie, who was saying nothing, apparently, allowing Dugan all the rope he needed to hang himself.

“Mr. Dugan,” the judge said, “I assume you agree with the settlement amount—two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, in your favor.”

“Oh, yes, Judge. I figure she owes me that. I had a lot of expenses.”

“I see that you cohabited for something less than six months. Is that correct?”

“Yes, Judge.”

“What extraordinary expenses associated with the marriage did you incur in that brief period?”

Dugan looked at her blankly. “Uh, I’m not sure what you mean.”

“For instance,” the judge said, “did Mrs. Dugan come to the marriage with a burden of debt that you paid off?”

“I’m not sure I remember,” Dugan said. His attorney remained mute.

“I’m waiting for you to explain why you believe your wife owes you a quarter of a million dollars,” the judge said.

“Because she agreed to it,” Dugan replied.

“I see. Mrs. Dugan?”

Crane rose. “Yes, Your Honor?”

“Why are you giving your husband all this money? Do you figure you owe him this?”

“No, Your Honor. I agreed to pay him so that I could finally bring an end to the farce of our marriage.”

“Did you bring debts to the marriage?”

“No, Your Honor,” Crane replied. “In fact, I paid off more than a hundred thousand dollars of his credit card debt.”

“Mr. Dugan, is that true?”

“I don’t remember anything like that,” Dugan replied.

Herbie was on his feet, with a sheaf of papers in his hand. “Your Honor, I have copies of the bills right here.” He handed them to the bailiff, who took them to the judge.

She looked them over for a long couple of minutes. “I see here that you had a great deal of debt before your marriage, Mr. Dugan, and that it was all paid off the week before your marriage date. Is that consistent with the facts?”

“Ah, I guess so, Judge.”

“Mr. Dugan,” she said, “it appears to me that you are using this divorce to extort money from your wife. Is there anything you wish to say to the contrary?”

Dugan and his lawyer conducted another whispered exchange. “My client doesn’t wish to argue the point, Your Honor,” Harvey said.

“I didn’t think so,” she said. “Mr. Fisher, your motion for a decree is granted, but the settlement agreement is vacated.”

“What?” Dugan shouted. His attorney grabbed him by a lapel and whispered something.

“Your Honor,” Herbie said, “I have prepared a decree which restores Mrs. Dugan’s maiden name, and also have a motion for a protection order, requiring Mr. Dugan to remain at a distance of at least one hundred yards.” He handed the documents to the bailiff. “Please note that the order is drawn to also protect my colleague, Mr. Stone Barrington, who is associated with this case.”

The judge took the document from the bailiff and read it quickly. “Why is Mr. Barrington included?”

“Your Honor, this past Saturday, Mr. Barrington was accosted in Central Park by two employees of Mr. Dugan, two brothers named Drago, one of whom was armed with a handgun. Mr. Barrington managed to discourage and disarm them, but we would not like a recurrence of such an event.”

“Anything, Mr. Harvey?”

“Nothing, Your Honor.”

“Granted,” the judge said, signing the documents with a flourish and returning them to Herbie. “Anything else?”

“We request attorney’s fees in the amount of fifty thousand dollars,” Herbie said.

“Mr. Harvey?”

“Nothing, Your Honor.”

“Mr. Dugan is ordered to pay attorney’s fees in the amount of fifty thousand dollars,” she said. “Forthwith.”

Dugan opened his mouth to speak, but his attorney beat him to it. “Nothing, Your Honor.”

“Then this case is concluded. Next case?”

Stone’s car, with Fred Flicker at the wheel, awaited them outside the courthouse, and the three of them piled into the rear seat.

“I’m not sure I understand,” Crane said. “When is the new hearing?”

“We’re done, Crane,” Herbie said. “You are a free woman, you have back your name, and you and Stone both have a protection order against Dugan. I’ll press Harvey for the attorney’s fees.”

“I’m flabbergasted,” she said. “A week ago I was in the middle of an unsolvable divorce, and now . . .”

“Now it’s over,” Stone said. “Herb, who was that judge?”

“She’s new to Family Court, but I’ve known her for years. I knew that she had strong opinions about women and settlements.”

“Fred, get us out of here,” Stone