Chapter 5 - THE SIGNATURE
The police separated everyone.
Daniel tried to talk first.
He always did.
He told them I had become unstable after childbirth.
He said I had locked myself inside the bedroom.
He said I had attacked him.
He said Claire had been frightened.
He said Mara had arrived unexpectedly.
But the officers had already seen the recordings.
One of them watched the video again.
Then he asked:
"Why were you recording your wife in the bathroom?"
Daniel didn't answer.
"I asked you a question."
"I was documenting behavior."
"What behavior?"
"Her episodes."
The officer looked at me.
Then at the screen.
Then back at Daniel.
"She was crying."
Daniel shrugged.
"Exactly."
I felt something inside me break.
For months, I had thought I needed to prove I wasn't crazy.
Now I realized the problem wasn't my behavior.
It was his interpretation of it.
Mara gave the officer the phone.
"These are messages between Daniel and his sister."
Claire nodded.
"I'll testify."
Daniel turned toward her.
"You'll destroy this family."
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
"You already did."
The second officer asked about the signature.
Mara showed him the document.
He examined it.
"Who notarized this?"
Daniel remained silent.
"Mr. Mercer."
No answer.
The officer repeated:
"Who notarized this?"
Daniel finally said a name.
I recognized it.
My former doctor.
The doctor who had examined me after childbirth.
The one Daniel had privately spoken to.
My stomach turned.
"She told me I was exhausted."
Mara looked at the officer.
"Then we need to subpoena the medical records."
The officer nodded.
Daniel suddenly became angry.
"You can't take my daughter."
"No one said that."
"You are all conspiring against me."
His voice rose.
The baby began crying upstairs.
I instinctively moved toward the stairs.
Daniel stepped in front of me.
"You aren't going near her."
The officer immediately intervened.
"Move."
Daniel didn't.
"She isn't safe."
"Move."
Daniel stepped backward.
I ran upstairs.
My daughter was crying in her crib.
I lifted her.
She clung to me instantly.
I buried my face in her hair.
"I've got you."
Behind me, Claire began crying.
"I'm sorry."
I looked at her.
"For what?"
"I should have warned you sooner."
I wanted to be angry.
But I saw the fear in her face.
"What stopped you?"
She hesitated.
"Daniel had something on me."
"What?"
"My son."
I stared.
"Your son?"
Claire nodded.
"My ex has been fighting me for custody. Daniel knew. He said if I stopped helping him, he'd make sure I lost my son."
My anger disappeared.
Daniel had been controlling everyone.
Not just me.
Mara entered the room.
"I found something."
She held up a printed email.
"Daniel has been contacting your daughter's potential placement."
My heart stopped.
"Before the hearing?"
"Before the baby was born."
I looked down at my daughter.
She was asleep now.
Mara continued.
"There was another email."
"What does it say?"
She hesitated.
Then handed it to me.
I read it.
Once the mother is declared unfit, transfer can happen immediately.
Below it was another line.
The child has already been promised.
I looked up.
"Promised to who?"
Mara's expression was grim.
"We don't know."
Then the police officer appeared in the doorway.
"We just found something in Daniel's car."
"What?"
He held up a small envelope.
Inside was a plane ticket.
One adult.
One infant.
Departure: tomorrow morning.
Destination: another state.
The passenger name wasn't Daniel.
May you like
It was mine.
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