Chapter 6: What the Doctor Remembered
Daniel's attorney was a woman named Patricia Sowe.
She called at seven the next morning, before Daniel had slept more than two hours.
He was already at the kitchen table.
Ethan was still asleep.
Marcus had stayed the night on the couch.
"I've reviewed everything you sent," Patricia said.
"Both notebooks, the printed emails, the photograph of the forged signature.
I spoke with Dr.
Harlan's office at six-forty-five.
He wants to submit a formal statement today."
"Can we use it?"
"Absolutely.
A forged medical signature on a psychological assessment is not a civil matter, Daniel.
That crosses into crjminal territory.
Fraud.
Possibly more, depending on what the assessment was intended to trigger."
"It was intended to trigger a custody transfer.
The notebooks say so explicitly."
"Then we have intent, documentation, and a medical witness willing to testify.
I'm filing for emergency sole custody at nine o'clock.
I'm also recommending you contact the police today — not tomorrow, today — and file a formal report.
Let them open their own case.
That protects Ethan independently of the family court process."
"She told me last night she's going to use the year after Claire against me."
A pause.
"Tell me about that year."
He told her.
All of it.
The drinking that lasted four months, not eighteen.
The weeks Ethan stayed with his mother — his mother, not a stranger.
The therapist he saw for eight months after.
The date he stopped.
He told her everything Vanessa had said and how she had said it.
"She said she has statements from people she introduced you to," Patricia said when he finished.
"Yes."
"People she selected.
People she placed around you during a vulnerable period."
"I didn't see it that way at the time."
"No.
You were grieving." Her voice was even, not unkind.
"Here's what matters legally.
Four months of difficulty after the death of a spouse, followed by professional help and documented recovery, is not grounds for removing a child from a parent.
Especially when the alternative is a woman who forged medical documents and hired a family law attorney before her first wedding anniversary." A brief pause.
"Her statements will not land the way she thinks they will.
Not next to what we have."
Daniel let out a slow breath.
"There's one more thing," Patricia said.
"The attorney she's using — Colton.
He's been in contact with my office this morning already.
He sent a letter at six a.m.
requesting we delay filing to allow for mediation."
"She wants to mediate."
"She wants time.
Time to file first, time to get her version in front of a judge before ours, time to shape the narrative.
I'm not recommending mediation at this stage.
I'm recommending we file at nine and let the emergency hearing happen as quickly as possible."
"Do it."
After he hung up, Marcus came into the kitchen.
He had heard enough.
"She's trying to file first," Marcus said.
"She won't make it."
Ethan appeared in the doorway in his pajamas, hair pressed flat on one side.
He looked at his father, then at Marcus, then at the table.
"Is Vanessa coming downstairs?" he said.
Daniel looked at his son.
"Not right now, buddy."
Ethan nodded slowly.
Then he said, "Is she going to be mad?"
"You don't need to worry about that."
"She gets very quiet when she's mad." Ethan climbed into the chair across from Daniel.
"Quiet is worse than loud."
Marcus reached over and poured cereal into a bowl without being asked.
He slid it across to Ethan.
Ethan looked at it, then picked up the spoon.
"Dad," he said.
"Yeah."
"I didn't make up the things she made me write."
"I know."
"She said you would think I made them up."
"I know that too." Daniel reached across the table.
Ethan looked at his hand for a moment, then put his own hand in it.
"I believe you.
I believed you last night."
Ethan looked down at his cereal.
"She said nobody would."
The front door opened at 8:47 a.m.
May you like
Two police officers stepped into the hallway.
Vanessa was already on the stairs.
