Chapter 10: They're Filing
Patrick met me in his office the following afternoon with a printed copy of the filing on the desk between us.
"They've moved fast," he said.
"Faster than I expected."
I picked up the document.
It was thirty-one pages.
Emily's name appeared on the first page, the third, and then with increasing frequency after that.
"What are they claiming?"
"Emotional instability in the home environment.
Inconsistent parenting.
Insufficient support structures for a child who has experienced significant loss." Patrick kept his voice even.
"They've attached a report from a child psychologist — not court-appointed, privately commissioned by Rebecca — dated three weeks ago."
"Three weeks ago."
"Before the wedding."
I set the document down.
"She commissioned a psychological report on my daughter three weeks before our wedding without telling me."
"Yes."
"And Emily — did Emily meet with this psychologist?"
"According to the filing, Emily attended two sessions described as informal play consultations arranged through the school's external enrichment program." Patrick folded his hands.
"You weren't informed because the sessions were framed as optional enrichment activities, not psychological evaluations."
The room was very quiet.
"They used the school," I said.
"Someone did.
Whether the school was aware of the full context is something we'll need to determine." He paused.
"Nathan, I want to be direct with you.
This filing is aggressive and it's designed to move quickly.
They want a preliminary hearing within three weeks.
The strategy is to establish urgency — to make it appear that Emily's welfare is at immediate risk — before we have time to build our counter-case fully."
"Can they do that?"
"They can try.
The court will assess whether urgency is genuinely warranted.
Given that there is no prior record of concern, no social services involvement, no school complaints on file — I believe we can successfully argue that urgency is manufactured." He paused.
"But we need Diane's statement filed before that hearing.
And we need the fraud documentation in front of the right people before Rebecca's side can move to suppress it."
"How long do we have?"
"Seventeen days."
I looked at the document on the desk.
Thirty-one pages built around my daughter's grief, reframed as evidence of my failure.
"What do you need from me?"
"Character references.
At least three — people who have seen you with Emily consistently over the past two years.
A teacher, a family member, a family friend.
People who can speak to her wellbeing in your care." He paused.
"And I need you to speak to Emily's actual school directly.
Today, if possible.
Find out what they knew about those sessions and get it in writing."
I stood up.
"I'll call the school on my way home."
Patrick nodded.
"One more thing." He slid a second sheet across the desk.
"Callum Marsh contacted Rebecca's solicitor this morning.
He's offering to provide a supporting statement for her filing."
I looked at the sheet.
"He's escalating," I said.
"He has reason to," Patrick said.
"If Rebecca's filing fails and our fraud documentation goes forward, he is the more legally exposed party.
Supporting her now is partly self-protective — if she wins, the financial strategy succeeds and his exposure decreases."
"And if she loses?"
"Then we make sure the fraud documentation is already in motion before he has time to negotiate a quiet exit." Patrick looked at me steadily.
"We need to move on both tracks simultaneously.
Family court and civil fraud.
I've already spoken to my colleague.
He's ready."
I picked up my coat.
"Do it," I said.
Outside, the afternoon was grey and cold.
I called Emily's school from the car park.
The head teacher answered on the second ring.
When I explained what the filing described, there was a long pause.
"Mr.
Calloway," she said carefully, "I'm not aware of any external enrichment sessions arranged for Emily in the past month.
That would require parental consent.
We have no record of any such consent being given."
My hand tightened on the phone.
"I'd like that in writing," I said.
"I'll have it to you by end of day," she said.
"And I think you should know — someone did contact us three weeks ago asking about Emily's social development.
They identified themselves as a family counselor working with your household."
"Who authorized that contact?"
May you like
Another pause.
"The name they gave," she said slowly, "was Rebecca Holt."
