Chapter 3 - Karen’s Confession
Karen entered the room without her mother.
That alone surprised me.
She looked nothing like Margaret.
No fur coat.
No jewelry.
No perfect posture.
Her hair was pulled into a loose knot, and her eyes were swollen from crying.
Two detectives remained outside.
Karen stopped when she saw Noah.
Her face collapsed.
“I’m sorry.”
I didn’t answer.
She covered her mouth.
“I didn’t know she was going to hurt you.”
“That’s not the same as not knowing.”
Karen nodded.
“You’re right.”
Ethan stood near the window.
“What did you do?”
Karen looked at her brother.
“Mom told me Olivia had agreed.”
I stared at her.
“You believed that?”
“She showed me paperwork.”
“What paperwork?”
“A custody agreement.”
“She said you were overwhelmed by twins and you wanted me to raise Noah.”
My hands tightened around the blanket.
“Did you speak to me?”
“No.”
“Did you call me?”
“No.”
“Did you ask your brother?”
Karen looked ashamed.
“No.”
“Then you didn’t believe it because it made sense.”
I kept my voice steady.
“You believed it because you wanted it to be true.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Yes.”
The honesty surprised me.
Daniel entered with one of the detectives.
Karen turned to him.
“I brought everything.”
She handed him her phone.
“Everything Mom sent me.”
Daniel scrolled through the messages.
His jaw tightened.
He showed one to the detective.
Then another.
“What?” Ethan asked.
Daniel looked at Karen.
“Tell them.”
Karen took a shaky breath.
“Mom found a lawyer.”
My pulse quickened.
“She said he could make the transfer permanent.”
“What lawyer?”
“Martin Vale.”
Daniel glanced toward the detective.
The detective knew the name.
I saw it immediately.
“Who is he?”
Daniel answered.
“A private attorney who’s been investigated twice for irregular adoption placements.”
The room became very still.
Karen continued.
“Mom said money had already changed hands.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“What money?”
“I don’t know.”
“She told me not to worry about it.”
“She said everything was being handled.”
My stomach turned.
This was no longer an irrational grandmother trying to control her family.
There had been planning.
Documents.
A lawyer.
Money.
Daniel scrolled further through Karen’s phone.
Then he stopped.
“Judge Carter.”
He turned the screen toward me.
The message had been sent by Margaret three nights earlier.
Once the boy is transferred, Olivia will not be able to reverse it quickly enough.
Below it was another message.
Ethan will cooperate once the paperwork is complete.
And then another.
If he refuses, we have leverage.
I looked at Ethan.
His face was frozen.
“What leverage?”
Karen began crying harder.
“I don’t know.”
Ethan walked toward her.
“Karen.”
“I swear.”
“What leverage?”
Karen shook her head.
Then her phone buzzed in Daniel’s hand.
A new message appeared.
Unknown number.
Daniel opened it.
May you like
Four words filled the screen.
DO NOT TALK ANYMORE.
