Chapter 5: The Woman at the Door
At eight the next morning, the doorbell rang.
Gabriel had not slept.
Amelia sat beside him on the sofa, turning the music-box key without opening its lid.
“I don’t want to go with Grandma,” she said.
“You’re staying with me.”
“What if the lady believes her?”
Gabriel crouched in front of her.
“Then we tell the truth together.”
He opened the door.
A gray-haired woman held up an identification card.
“Mr.
Hart?
I’m Denise Shaw from Child and Family Services.
We received an emergency report.”
Marlene stepped out from behind her.
Amelia’s hand flew to Gabriel’s sleeve.
“You brought her here?” he asked.
“I brought someone willing to protect my granddaughter,” Marlene said.
Denise looked between them.
“Nobody is removing anyone today.
I need facts, not a performance.”
Marlene’s mouth tightened.
“She eats on the floor because she cannot manage family meals.
Gabriel refuses to accept her condition.”
“Who diagnosed that condition?” Denise asked.
“Bright Path evaluated her.”
Gabriel handed Denise the red folder.
“Bright Path was paid more than two hundred thousand dollars.
Amelia says she never met its staff.”
“That is not what she told the assessor,” Marlene said.
Amelia began to shake.
“Grandma told me Daddy would lose his job if I answered wrong.”
Marlene turned sharply.
“Amelia, that is not true.”
“You said they would send Daddy far away.”
“Stop confusing her,” Gabriel said.
“You confused her by coming home whenever it suited you.”
Amelia covered her ears.
“Please stop!”
Gabriel dropped to his knees, but she backed away.
“You promised Mom you’d stay,” she cried.
“Grandma said you wanted work more than me.”
Gabriel’s face folded.
He lowered his hands instead of touching her.
“I did promise your mother,” he said.
“And I kept telling myself the next trip would be the last.
I was wrong.”
“Did you want to leave me?”
“Never.
But I left too often, and that hurt you.
I’m sorry.”
Amelia’s chin trembled.
“Are you going to blame me?”
“No.
Not for one second.”
Everett entered carrying a metal cashbox.
He set it in front of Denise.
“I should have spoken sooner.”
Marlene moved toward him.
“You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I know exactly what silence cost her.”
He opened the box.
Inside were bank statements, prepaid cards, and a flash drive.
“I kept copies after the fourth payment,” he said.
“Marlene transferred the money through Bright Path.”
Denise lifted one statement.
“Who owns Bright Path?”
“Daniel Voss,” Everett replied.
“Gabriel’s financial adviser.”
Gabriel gripped the back of the sofa.
Daniel had handled Nora’s estate.
He had attended her funeral and carried Amelia to the car when she could not stop crying.
Marlene pointed at Everett.
“He benefited too.
Ask him about his debts.”
“I will,” Denise said.
“And I’ll ask you both to remain available.”
Marlene’s phone rang.
She answered and walked into the hall.
“Yes,” she whispered.
“He found the folder.
File it now.”
Gabriel took one step toward her.
“File what?”
She ended the call.
A car stopped outside, and a man crossed the lawn holding a thick envelope.
He handed it to Gabriel.
“You’ve been served.”
May you like
Gabriel tore it open.
Marlene was asking the court for emergency custody of Amelia—and a hearing had been scheduled for Monday morning.
