THAT LITTLE TOY IS LOSTEric Coffman was in court in Martinez when Hobart Lindsey’s jet touched down at Oakland International, but Miriam Coffman was at the airport in the family station wagon. She wouldn’t think of dropping Lindsey at a motel, and if she even tried it there would be no living with Eric. Of course Lindsey was going to accept a ride to the house, and sit down at the dinner table, and stay over in the spare bedroom for as long as he was in town.
And there was no saying no to the comfortable, pleasant-mannered, iron-willed Miriam Coffman.
Hours later, over coffee and brandy and a soothing Mendelssohn sonata, Lindsey’s years away from California dissipated and the warmth of an old friendship returned and filled the cozy living room.
Eric was using his best lawyerly listening
