Free O'Farrell's Law by Brian Freemantle

head. “That was the job before last. He was working on commission, with a group of guys, trying to sell apartments in a renewal development downtown.”
    â€œBut he got laid off?”
    Ellen nodded.
    â€œWhen?”
    She shrugged uncertainly. “I’m not sure. Three months ago, maybe four. I’m not sure.”
    Jill had been listening, her head moving backward and forward like a spectator’s at a tennis match. She said abruptly, “Honey, we’ve been up here twice in the last four months! Why didn’t you tell us?”
    â€œMy business,” Ellen said, little girl again.
    â€œNo, honey,” Jill said gently. “ Our business.”
    â€œIt was all right at first. He kept seeing Billy and …” she trailed away.
    â€œAnd what!” demanded O’Farrell, guessing already.
    â€œAnd the payments,” Ellen finished.
    â€œHow much is he behind?”
    There was another uncertain shoulder move. “Two months.”
    â€œAlimony and child support?” O’Farrell pressed.
    Ellen nodded. “Actually it’s three months.”
    â€œAnd when did he last want to see Billy?”
    â€œIt’s not that he doesn’t want to see him! He and Jane have two kids of their own now; he’s got a lot of priorities.”
    â€œYou and Billy are his prior commitments!” O’Farrell insisted. “He married you first. He had Billy first. He owes you first.”
    â€œHe asked me to give him a little time, just to sort himself out. Jane’s still jealous of me, he says.”
    â€œShe’s jealous of you , for Christ’s sake!” Jill erupted. “She was his mistress for a year before she became pregnant to make him choose between the two of you. And you’re doing her favors! Come on!”
    â€œLeave it, Mom. Please leave it!”
    â€œYou could have died in that car,” O’Farrell said. “Been badly hurt at least.”
    â€œI was saving, to get it done. But I didn’t want to fall behind with the mortgage.”
    â€œHave you?” O’Farrell asked. He’d put up the down payment for Ellen for the apartment, believing she could manage the monthly installments.
    There was a jerking nod of her head. “Only this month.”
    â€œYou still make the same?” O’Farrell asked. Ellen worked as a medical receptionist; she’d cut short her training to be a physiotherapist like her mother in order to marry Patrick. Billy had been born nine calendar months later.
    â€œIt averages around a thousand a month; sometimes I work overtime and it comes to a little more.”
    â€œYou can’t afford to live here on a thousand a month!” Jill said. “You can’t afford to live anywhere on a thousand a month. You’ve got to get Patrick’s payments going through the courts, like you should have done in the first place.”
    â€œYou can’t get what’s not there.”
    â€œHow do you know it’s not there?” O’Farrell asked.
    â€œI know.”
    â€˜Tell me something,” Jill said. “You surely don’t think there’s a chance of you and Patrick getting back together again, do you? He’s got two other children by her!”
    The girl’s shoulders went up and down listlessly. “I don’t know.”
    â€œWould you get back together if he asked you?”
    Another shoulder movement. “I don’t know.”
    O’Farrell and Jill frowned at each other over their daughter’s head, shocked by the lassitude. Each tried to think of something appropriate to say and failed.
    It was Jill who spoke, with forced briskness, trying to break the mood. “Why don’t I make supper?”
    Without asking either woman O’Farrell fixed drinks for all three of them. Jill took hers without any critical reaction and didn’t comment or even look when he made himself another before they sat down. Largely for