“Why didn’t the Dawsons go to the newspaper or the media? If Mr. Dawson’s sperm was used, he is the biological father. That has to count,” Myra said.

“They didn’t want the public uproar they knew would occur. Mr. Dawson was afraid his employer would terminate his position if it came to light that he was embroiled in a family media circus. Mrs. Dawson more or less felt the same way as her husband. They did talk to several lawyers. When they told the lawyers about the demands for more money because a second child was produced, they were told that for the surrogate to make such a demand, and for Mr. Bell to be involved with the attempt to extort the money the surrogate demanded for the second child, was a crime. It is illegal to sell babies, so the one hundred thousand dollars and associated expenses paid the surrogate could not be part of a commercial transaction in which the baby was bought. The minute the surrogate demanded more money simply because she gave birth to a second child, she was breaking the law by trying to sell the second child.

“But when the lawyers were told that the only evidence that such a demand had been made was the Dawsons’ testimony, they could tell the Dawsons only that they couldn’t win, that as long as the birth mother testified that she had simply changed her mind and could not bear to be parted from her children, she would always get the kids. They were also told that Mr. Dawson risked having to contribute child support if he pursued the matter.”

“But you said Mr. Dawson was the sperm donor. Doesn’t that count for something?” Myra demanded again, outrage ringing in her voice.

“It takes money to pursue any kind of action they might want to bring. And any suit they brought would undoubtedly be met with a countersuit. Right now, Myra, that young couple is licking their wounds, and they don’t know what to do. Lizzie is going to represent them pro bono. As a matter of fact, she’s scheduled an appointment with Baron Bell for Wednesday. She’s going to fly in, attend the meeting, and return to Vegas on the red-eye. She didn’t explain the purpose of the meeting to Bell’s secretary. Because of her reputation, they wouldn’t dream of asking or putting her on the spot. The truth of the matter is they were probably flattered that she wanted to meet with Mr. Bell.”

“Are we thinking Baron Bell and the surrogate’s lawyer are…in this together?” Annie asked. “Who’s her lawyer? Anyone we know?”