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home, Miss Chandler?”
    “Twice, Judge, both times unsuccessfully. Miss Rose continually apologizes and promises to be at home and then misses her appointments.”
    “The anonymous report mentioned a boyfriend,” said the judge. “I want to talk to him, too. See if you can get him in, Miss Chandler.”
    “Not likely, but I’ll try.”
    “Mr. Carl, the truth is, Miss Chandler has a caseload that would choke an elephant. There is only so much she can do. You are this boy’s lawyer. I’m going to expect you to have some answers for me, and soon. I would hope you’d give this boy the same attention you give your corporate clients.”
    “I don’t have any corporate clients, Judge, though if you see a herd wandering around, I’d appreciate your driving them my way.”
    Isabel Chandler bit her lip to stop a smile, but the judge was having none of it.
    “Do your job,” she snapped. “If you can’t handle this, let us know, and I’ll find someone who can. We’ll reschedule this matter for three weeks from today, at nine o’clock. If the mother doesn’t appear on that date, I’m going to issue a bench warrant. You tell her that, Mr. Carl. And I expect you to get the whole story from your client.”
    “He’s four years old, Judge.”
    “Then speak slowly.”
    Outside the courtroom Isabel Chandler shook her head at me as if I were a troublemaker who was once again in some kind of trouble. She was thin and dark, with the kind of sharp, cool beauty that was like a driver’s-ed movie, so shocking you couldn’t look away.
    “Judge Sistine doesn’t have much of a sense of humor, does she?” I said, trying to ingratiate myself.
    “She was quite jolly when she started in family court six months ago, but I wouldn’t test her patience anymore. In fact, the most fun she’s had this month was reaming you.”
    “I’ll be sore for weeks.”
    She fought a smile again. “What’s with your cheek?”
    “A bad tooth.”
    “You ought to get it looked at.”
    “So I’ve been told. But the lady at the insurance company acted like I was Cedric the Entertainer opening a bottle of beer when I asked if I had dental coverage.”
    “She laughed?”
    “And not just her. She put me on speakerphone, and soon the whole floor was guffawing.”
    “So no coverage?”
    “Bare naked.”
    “That’s a shame. Look, if you want, I’ll schedule another home visit and we can go see the Roses together.”
    “That would be great.”
    “I’m not quite sure what’s happening with Daniel, and all we’re really going on is the anonymous report, but we ought to find out what we can. I’ll give you a call.”
    “Thank you.”
    “How’d you get this case, anyway?”
    “My partner dumped it on my desk.”
    “You ever do one of these before?”
    “No.”
    “Having fun yet?”
    I was watching her walk down the hall when I heard a sharp bark of a voice from behind me.
    “It’s a double shame, yes it is.”
    I turned and saw the skinny old man who had been staring at me in the waiting room. His porkpie hat was still on, as was his scowl.
    “What’s a shame?” I said.
    “That someone ugly as you can be plain stupid, too.”
    I must have misheard. “I’m sorry?”
    “Don’t you be apologizing,” he said, accenting the consonants with a snap of his voice. “It’s not your fault you had a mama as ugly as my foot.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “Or a daddy as dumb as my other foot.”
    “Now, stop that,” I said. “I’m the only one who’s allowed to insult my daddy.”
    “You’re so ignorant, I bet you think you got a shot at that there girl.”
    I looked back at Isabel. “And you don’t think I do?”
    “Son, you got a face good for catching hardballs, and that’s about it.”
    I turned and grinned at him. “I’ve got a better chance than you, old man.”
    He took off his hat, spit on his palm, rubbed his hand across the shiny pate of his head as he whistled out of the side of his mouth. “Don’t bet against