Chapter 7: The Child Who Refused to Lie
“You took money from Maya?” I asked.
Lauren looked at Bell.
“You said that account couldn’t be traced.”
Bell stepped away from her.
“I said no such thing.”
Paula tapped the laptop.
“You billed her from it three times.”
“It was family money,” Lauren said.
“Daniel contributes to everything.”
“That account came from Maya’s mother,” I said.
“It was for Maya’s education.”
“You never used it.”
“That did not make it yours.”
Bell closed the laptop.
“This is now a financial disagreement.
It has nothing to do with the children.”
Helen pulled it back toward her.
“The invoice describes a false consent document used in a child welfare report.”
“You are not qualified to interpret legal language.”
“Then a judge can interpret it.”
Lauren grabbed her handbag.
“Noah, we’re leaving.”
Noah moved behind Marcus.
“I’m going with Dad.”
“You don’t get to decide that.”
Marcus took out his custody order.
“Neither do you.”
Lauren pointed at Noah.
“If you leave with him, don’t expect to come back to me.”
Noah’s face crumpled.
Marcus put an arm around him.
“You never have to earn a place with me.”
For a moment, Lauren looked almost uncertain.
Then she turned on me.
“You caused this.
Before you opened that drawer, everyone had a home.”
“Maya had pizza crusts.”
“She was ungrateful.”
“She was hungry.”
“She was always watching me, judging me because I wasn’t her mother.”
“She was a child hoping you might care about her.”
Lauren’s eyes flashed.
“Her mother made this impossible.”
The room went still.
“What did you say?” I asked.
Lauren pulled a folded letter from her handbag.
“Elaine knew Maya was difficult.
She wrote to me before we married.”
My late wife’s name sounded wrong in Lauren’s mouth.
“You never met Elaine.”
“She found me online after you started dating again.
She asked me to protect you from Maya’s behavior.”
Claire stepped through the office door with Maya beside her.
I turned sharply.
“Maya shouldn’t be here.”
“She asked to tell Helen something herself,” Claire said.
Lauren held up the letter.
“Then she should hear what her mother thought of her.”
“Put that away,” I said.
Maya’s hand slid into mine.
“I want to see it.”
Lauren passed it to Helen instead.
“Read the last paragraph.”
Helen read silently, then looked at me.
“It says Maya had angry outbursts and that her mother feared she would control your life through guilt.”
“That is not Elaine’s signature.”
“It looks like it,” Lauren said.
Maya stared at the paper.
“Mom didn’t write that.”
Lauren laughed.
“You were six when she passed.
What would you know?”
“I know what she called me.”
Helen turned the letter around.
It began, My dear Maya.
“My mom never called me Maya in letters,” she said.
“She called me Maybird.”
Claire pulled out her phone.
“I have every note Elaine wrote during treatment.
She signed them ‘Mommy,’ not ‘Elaine Mercer.’”
Lauren’s confidence flickered.
Paula examined the footer.
“This was created using Bell’s office template.”
Bell reached for the paper.
The court officer stepped between them.
“Do not touch it.”
Bell’s voice rose.
“This entire meeting is improper.”
“No,” Helen said.
“What happened to these children was improper.”
Lauren looked at Maya.
“Tell them you wanted to leave.
Tell them you said you hated living there.”
Maya squeezed my fingers, but she answered clearly.
“I said I hated being alone when Dad thought you were taking care of me.”
Lauren’s phone began ringing inside her handbag.
She ignored it.
It rang again.
Paula looked at the screen before Lauren could hide it.
“The call is from your bank’s fraud department.”
Lauren snatched up the phone.
A second device began vibrating inside her bag.
Helen opened it after Lauren refused.
It was another hidden phone.
On the screen was a draft message addressed to Mr.
May you like
Bell:
Destroy the original files before the hearing tomorrow.
