Fallen Hearts (Casteel 3)

He glanced at his papers once again.

"This is a hearing to determine custody of one Drake Casteel. Mr. and Mrs. Logan Stonewall have moved to have the court assign them full guardianship of Drake Casteel, who, we understand, is presently under the care and supervision of Mr. and Mrs. Randall Wilcox.

"Mr. Lakewood, since your clients have moved for this proceeding, I would ask you to begin."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Camden said, rising from his seat. "It is our contention, Your Honor, that my clients Mr. and Mrs. Stonewall are not only in the best position to provide a proper home environment for Drake Casteel, but that in the case of Mr. and Mrs. Randall Wilcox, the opposite is true. We will prove through our arguments that the environment of the Randall household is unwhol

esome morally speaking, and that the motivation for Mrs. Wilcox's

guardianship of the child in question is not in his best interests.

"For this purpose, Your Honor, I would like to present certain witnesses who can not only qualify our arguments but prove to this court the superiority of my client's intentions and home environment."

"Very well, Mr. Lakewood," the judge said mechanically, "please call your first witness."

"We call Mr. Peter Meeks, principal of the Winnerow Schools."

Like trained seals, all the heads of the good folk of Winnerow turned toward Mr. Meeks, who rose quickly from his seat and walked to the witness stand, where he was sworn in. In his arms he carried a folder. Camden Lakewood leaned one elbow on the stand as Mr. Meeks took his seat.

"Please state your name and position for the record."

"My name is Peter Meeks. I am the principal of the Winnerow Schools."

"And for how long have you held this position, Mr. Meeks?"

"Nearly twenty-eight years," he said with obvious pride.

"So you were principal of Winnerow Schools when Fanny and Heaven Casteel were students there?"

"I was."

"I will ask you, Mr. Meeks, to direct your memory to those years, and give the court your evaluation of these two schoolgirls."

"Well," Mr. Meeks began, settling himself more comfortably in the hard wooden seat, "I do remember them vividly because their family was one of the poorer mountain families, and, unfortunately," he said, lowering his voice as if whispering a loud secret to the judge, like a schoolboy who wants his secret heard by all, "these families and their children give us most of our discipline problems. They come to school undernourished, poorly dressed, and are not very motivated when it comes to learning."

"Please get to the point, Mr. Lakewood." said the judge

"Yes, Your Honor. Mr. Meeks, how would you characterize Fanny Casteel in relation to the kind of student you just described?"

"Oh, typical. A constant discipline problem. Poor grades."

"You say 'typical,' but were her discipline problems that typical?" Camden asked quickly.

"Well, actually, no. She was what we call a promiscuous young lady."

"Go on, please."

"She was. . . often reprimanded for conduct unbecoming to a young lady, especially one only twelve, thirteen, or fourteen."

"Mr. Meeks, would you give the court an example of this conduct"

"Your Honor," Wendell Burton said, rising to his feet. "Ah object to this line of questionin'. What Mrs. Wilcox was like as a young girl should have no bearin' on this hearin" Jist about everyone in this courtroom did some hell-raisin' in one way or t'other when he or she was younger. But we all grow up; we change and mature, and we're here today ta talk about the mature Mrs. Wilcox and the mature Mrs. Stonewall."

"Mr. Lakewood?"

"Your Honor, it is our contention that Fanny Wilcox did not grow up, did not mature, as Mr. Burton describes, that in fact she has a continuous history of promiscuity."

"I will let the witness go on," the judge said, "but I advise you, Mr. Lakewood, I am concerned that we develop a factual history here, not simply innuendo."