LITMIR.BIZ

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zones this week…”

      Blake could barely concentrate. He disliked his superior officer, and that morning’s encounter didn’t help. If I didn’t need this job, I’d quit. I would. But I have to feed my family.

      ***

      After Leesa left, Lyza sat at the conference table, shocked. “I don’t believe it.”

      Aaron Stern placed printed forms in front of her. “You’re the parent of the sole heir; therefore, you’ll be responsible for maintenance and distribution of the inheritance. I’ve inventoried the conglomerate, the home estate, and various other investments.”

      He placed a large expanding file on top of the forms. “This file contains transfer forms, lists of possessions, and other documents necessary to fulfill your position as guardian of the estate. I can recommend an accountant.”

      Lyza protectively cradled the premature Levi. “Father disowned me. I thought he was through with me.”

      David took the baby. “Maybe he regretted shouting at you, making you trip over that chair and have Levi prematurely. Your father must have changed his will before our last meeting with him.”

      Her father’s frail body had lain in a hospital bed, in his own bedroom. She’d watched in awe as he repented of a life of unbelief, saying he saw angels filling his room. I felt his peace. Thank God he finally realized how much God loved him, before he passed on.

      Lyza looked at David. “Obviously, he never told Leesa about the change. She’s been running the company for months. She must feel betrayed. I’ve never seen her act as ugly as she did today. She’s changed. I’d thought she honored Father’s decision to disown me because of his authority and out of respect for him. I thought after he was gone, we could be sisters again. But today she looked angry… and greedy.”

      David strapped Levi in his carrier. “What are you going to do?”

      Lyza picked up a pen to sign the stack of papers in front of her. “I can’t turn my back on our son’s inheritance. Father’s running my life from the grave. I have to go back to Lane Unlimited. Someone has to run the business. From what Bill told me, things have gotten out of hand. Leesa’s made so many changes that employees worldwide spend more time job hunting than they do taking care of business.”

      David wiped drool from Levi’s mouth. “We prayed for reconciliation with your father, and God blessed us with that and so much more. You can do this.”

      Lyza put her elbows on the table and sank her face into her hands. “You know this isn’t what I wanted. All I want to be is a pastor’s wife—to have a home, and have babies, and make dinner for my husband, and go visit sick people, and go on mission trips.”

      David snapped the baby carrier into the stroller. He approached her and put his hand on her shoulder. “We’ll figure it out. Honey, everything’s going to be all right.”

      Lyza patted his hand. “I hope so. I don’t think you understand how this will change our lives.”

      He kissed the top of her head. “Change our lives? Of course it will. But we have some control over how it changes our hearts. You can run L. L. Lane Unlimited. The employees respect you. They know your keen business sense and drive from before you quit.”

      ***

      The yellow convertible sped through a red light. Officer Blake switched on the siren and called for backup. The blond woman driving stomped her brakes with both feet, screeching to a stop. Blake yanked the wheel to the right to jump the curb and narrowly missed hitting the convertible, stopping next to it.

      He jumped out of his car and pulled out his gun. “Get out of the car! Put your hands up, and get out of the car!”

      She sat, not moving, tears running down her face.

      Keeping his gun trained on her, Blake yanked open her car door. “Get out. Put your hands up.”

      She raised her hands. He pulled her out, pushed her to the ground, holstered his weapon, and cuffed her.

      “You can’t do this to me. I’m Leesa Lane. Let me go.”

      Blake ignored her plea and pulled her to her feet, still cuffed. He turned her to face him.

      She glared at him. “You didn’t have to do that. Police brutality. Get these cuffs off.”

      He blandly reminded Leesa of her rights. “You have the right to remain silent; you have the right to an attorney. Anything you say can and will be held against you in a court of law.”

      “What?!” she screamed. “I ‘have the right to an attorney’? You bet I have an attorney. I’m going to sue your pants off. Get your hands off me. Do you know who I am?”

      He continued in his business tone. “I don’t care who you are.”

      He shoved her towards his police car as the backup car rolled to a stop next to them.

      The window lowered, and Officer Norris asked, “Everything here under control?”

      Blake hauled Leesa toward his car. “I got it.”

      Leesa shouted, “Kiss your jobs good-bye! I’ll have both your badges!”

      Officer Norris jumped out and opened the door for Blake to force Leesa into the back seat, shoving her head down. “Watch your head.”

      “How dare you!”

      Blake had enough. “How dare I? How dare you. How dare you go eighty miles an hour in a school zone endangering the lives of children? How dare you run a red light at a busy intersection? You could have killed someone and even your own sorry self.” He slammed the door.

      Officer Norris nudged Blake and nodded at the yellow convertible. “See that license plate?”

      The personalized California plate said, “LANE.”

      Blake climbed in the driver’s seat and shut his door. “So what? She’s got a personal plate.”

      Officer Norris looked behind Officer Blake’s head. “Oh, yeah. It’s Lane, all right. You just busted one of the Lane twins. You know, L. L. Lane Unlimited.”

      Blake’s headache kicked him. He needed coffee. “Okay, but she’s busted for sure. For a moment, we had a high-speed chase going. She was going ninety when she ran that light. I’ll testify to it.”

      ***

      Aaron Stern strode into the Los Angeles County Courthouse after refusing to bail Leesa out the previous morning. She needed to spend a night in jail and get a dose of reality. Racing through a school zone is serious. They assured me she’d be in a cell by herself. She’s going to be livid, anyway.

      The judge pounded her gavel. “Los Angeles County versus Leesa Lane.”

      Aaron approached the judge as an officer brought Leesa forward to stand next to him. She glared at him through unkempt hair and smeared mascara. “How dare you leave me here overnight.”

      He whispered back, “Are you all right?”

      She rubbed her arms. “They put me in solitary confinement.”

      Aaron lifted one eyebrow. “You can thank your lucky stars for that.” He directed his attention to the front of the room.

      “Mr. Stern, you’re the attorney of record for Miss Lane. How do you plead?”

      He straightened. “Not guilty. Your honor, Miss Lane was distraught at the time. We agree that she shouldn’t have been driving.”

      The judge looked down her nose at the sheet of paper in her hand. “The police report says she stopped after running a red light in excess of ninety miles an hour. A high-speed chase ensued, after he clocked her doing eighty miles an hour in a school zone and she refused to pull over. Counselor?”

      Aaron removed his glasses and looked at the judge. “We beg the court’s

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