Chapter 6: Daniel
The call connected after four rings.
"Josh?" The voice was quieter than I expected.
Careful.
"It's not just me," Joshua said.
"Claire is here.
She knows."
A long pause.
"All of it?" Daniel asked.
"All of it," I said.
Another pause.
Then: "I'm sorry.
I know that doesn't — I know it's not enough.
But I am."
"I'm not calling for an apology," I said.
"I'm calling because there's a hearing in eleven days and I need to understand what we're dealing with."
"Renata."
"Yes."
I heard him exhale.
"She doesn't want them.
I need you to understand that first.
She never wanted them.
This is about money."
"Explain that."
"My parents left a trust.
It passes to their grandchildren when the boys turn eighteen.
Renata found out about it eight months ago — after she'd already walked away from them.
That's when she filed for custody."
I looked at Joshua.
He was staring at the desk.
"Joshua knew this?" I asked.
"Yes," Daniel said.
"And he didn't tell me."
"No.
He didn't."
I stood up and walked to the window.
The street outside was dark and quiet.
A neighbor's porch light.
A car passing slowly.
"How much is the trust?" I asked.
"Each boy receives four hundred thousand dollars at eighteen."
I closed my eyes.
"So she walked away from two four-year-olds," I said, "and then came back when she found out they were worth eight hundred thousand dollars."
"Yes."
"And the tampering allegation — the document Sylvia Crane said Joshua altered—"
"Was the consent waiver Renata signed when she voluntarily relinquished her caregiver status.
She signed it.
Then she claimed she hadn't.
Then she claimed it had been changed." Daniel's voice was steady.
"She lied.
The investigation found no evidence of tampering because there was no tampering.
Joshua filed everything correctly."
I turned back to face Joshua.
He was watching me.
"Why didn't you just tell me?" I said.
Not angry now.
Something past anger.
"From the beginning.
Why didn't you just sit down and tell me the truth?"
"Because the truth was — I needed you to love them first." His voice broke slightly on the last word.
"I knew if you loved them, you'd fight for them.
And I needed someone who would fight."
The room was very still.
From the phone, Daniel said quietly: "She's been good to them.
Hasn't she."
It wasn't quite a question.
I thought about Eli reaching his arms up.
Just wanted you.
"Yes," I said.
"She has."
"Then I'm asking you," Daniel said.
"Please don't walk away from this hearing.
Renata's attorney is going to make it ugly.
Sylvia Crane is very good at ugly.
But you and Joshua are the placement of record.
You have three months of documented care.
If you stay in, the boys stay safe until I'm out."
"When do you get out?"
"Six weeks.
Maybe five if the final evaluation goes well."
Eleven days to the hearing.
Five to six weeks until Daniel was released.
"And after?" I asked.
"After you're out and the court recognizes your rights — what happens to the boys?"
Silence.
"That's what I thought," I said.
"Claire—" Joshua started.
"No." I held up a hand.
"I'm not saying I'm leaving.
I'm saying that question needs an answer before that hearing.
A real one.
Not something you decided I could handle."
I set the phone on the desk, still connected.
"I'm going to check on the boys," I said.
"When I come back, we're going to talk about what this family actually looks like.
All three of us."
I walked out of the office.
In the hallway, I stopped and leaned against the wall.
Down at the end of the hall, behind the slightly open door, I could hear two small boys breathing.
May you like
I stood there until my heartbeat slowed.
Then I went back in.
