Chapter 7: Her Last Move
Diane was released on bail two days later.
Ryan found out from Carver, who called to warn us before it happened.
Diane had hired a lawyer named Forsythe — a man whose name Ryan recognized because his mother had mentioned him once, years ago, in a context that had seemed unimportant at the time.
"She already had a lawyer in mind," Ryan said, after he hung up.
"She knew his name.
She had it ready."
We were in the kitchen.
Lily was in the living room watching television, close enough that we could see her through the doorway.
"She planned for this," I said.
"She planned for the possibility." He set his phone on the counter.
"Carver said Forsythe is already pushing a narrative.
That Noah has a history of mental instability.
That the letters were taken out of context.
That Lily's injuries are consistent with an active child and an overprotective mother who coached her daughter's statement."
My hands tightened around my mug.
"She's going to fight."
"Of course she is."
"Ryan, if she gets to Lily again—"
"She won't." His voice was hard.
"There's a protective order.
Carver made sure of it before the bail was processed.
She cannot come within three hundred feet of Lily, of this house, or of Noah."
"And if she violates it?"
"Then she goes back in and doesn't come out on bail again."
I looked through the doorway at Lily, who was laughing at something on the screen, her feet tucked under her, a blanket pulled up to her chin.
Three days ago she had been unconscious in a hospital bed.
My phone buzzed.
An unknown number.
I answered it.
"Sarah." Diane's voice was smooth.
Unhurried.
Like we were calling to discuss a dinner reservation.
"I think it's time we spoke like adults."
I looked at Ryan.
Mouthed her name.
His expression hardened.
He moved close so he could hear.
"I have nothing to say to you," I said.
"That's all right.
You can listen." A pause.
"I know what Ryan thinks he found.
I know what Noah thinks he remembers.
But memories are fragile things, Sarah.
Especially the memories of troubled people.
Juries understand that."
"Is that what your lawyer told you to say?"
"My lawyer told me not to call you.
I'm calling anyway because I want to give you a chance to stop this before it becomes something none of us can control." Her voice stayed perfectly level.
"Drop the statements.
Tell the police that Lily was confused, that she was frightened and said things that weren't accurate.
Tell them you overreacted.
I will not press charges against you for what you did in that hospital room.
We call it even.
We move forward."
Ryan's jaw was tight.
"You're asking me to protect you," I said.
"By sacrificing my daughter."
"I'm asking you to think about what a long legal process does to a child.
The interviews.
The questions.
The courtrooms.
Do you want Lily sitting in front of a jury describing things she barely understands?
Do you want that to be her childhood?"
"Her childhood," I said, "is already something you took from her."
Silence.
"I'll give you until tomorrow morning," Diane said.
"Think about it."
The call ended.
Ryan took the phone from my hand and set it on the counter.
"She's scared," he said.
"She's threatening us."
"She's threatening us because she's scared." He looked at the phone.
"We're going to give that recording to Carver."
I looked at him.
"I didn't record it."
He held up his own phone.
May you like
He had opened the recording app the moment I mouthed her name.
"I did," he said.
