Chapter 6: The Price of Silence
Reagan laid the order on Camden’s table.
Derek and Detective Cole stood behind her while two security officers waited in the hall.
“You have no authority here,” I said.
Reagan tapped the judge’s seal.
“I am Camden’s legal guardian.
You are upsetting a vulnerable patient.”
Camden gripped my hand.
“I want Finland here.”
“You don’t understand what you want,” Reagan replied.
“He understood enough to record you.”
Her eyes shifted toward my coat.
“Give me the recorder.”
“No.”
Reagan pulled a chair close to mine.
“Sign a statement saying Camden was confused.
In return, I’ll withdraw the protection order and let you keep the house.”
“And Dad?”
“He remains under professional care.”
“You mean under your control.”
“I mean alive and comfortable.”
Camden’s fingers tightened around mine.
“Don’t sign anything.”
Reagan turned on him.
“You signed quickly enough when it was her name.”
I stood so fast that the chair toppled.
“You manipulated a frightened man into condemning his daughter.”
“He was never difficult to manipulate.”
Derek flinched.
“Mother, stop.”
“You copied Finland’s signature,” I said.
“Tell Dad why.”
Derek looked at Camden.
“She said Finland had already taken money before.
She said we were only replacing what was owed.”
“You laughed when I came home.”
His mouth trembled.
“Because if I admitted what we did, I had to admit what I was.”
Reagan seized Camden’s medical folder from the bed.
“This visit is over.”
June blocked the doorway.
“That file belongs to the facility.”
Cole took it from Reagan and handed it to a security officer.
“Mrs.
Dennis is the guardian.”
Mara appeared in the hall.
“Not for long.
I filed an emergency petition fifteen minutes ago.”
Reagan smiled.
“With what evidence?”
“With the traced signatures and Camden’s recording.”
Derek lunged toward my coat and tore the recorder from my pocket.
He dropped it, crushing the plastic beneath his heel.
“No!” Camden cried.
Reagan looked down at the broken pieces.
“Now you have the word of a convicted thief and an incompetent old man.”
Mara lifted her phone.
“You also have my recording of everything said in this room.”
Reagan’s smile disappeared.
Cole reached for the phone.
Elias stepped between them.
“Touch her,” Elias said, “and twelve people receive the cloud copy.”
Cole’s hand fell.
A court clerk called Mara.
She listened, then closed her eyes.
“What happened?” I asked.
“The emergency petition was denied.
The judge wants a full hearing in forty-eight hours.”
Reagan raised the guardianship order.
“Until then, Camden is being transferred.”
“Where?” I demanded.
“You’ll learn when I decide you’ve earned it.”
The security officers wheeled Camden toward the elevator.
He stretched his hand toward me.
“Finland!”
I ran beside him until Cole blocked my path.
“Dad, I’m coming for you!”
The elevator doors closed on his face.
Derek remained behind.
He glanced toward Reagan, then pushed a folded transport form into my hand.
“Why are you giving me this?” I whispered.
“Because she lied to me too.”
I opened the paper.
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The destination line did not name another care center.
It named a private airfield—and the flight was leaving in ninety minutes.
