Chapter 5 - The Price of a Child
Claire Hart had grown up on the property. When she died, she placed the house and fourteen acres of meadow in a trust for Lily. Daniel managed it with Claire's sister, Nora Whitcomb, as independent co-trustee.
Mara laid the trust documents across her desk.
"Normally neither of you can sell the meadow for personal profit," she said. "There is a narrow exception for major medical expenses benefiting Lily. It still requires both trustees' approval and court review."
Daniel pointed to the blue notebook Vanessa had kept. "That's why she wanted Lily labeled unstable."
"It's a theory. We need to prove it."
A request for approval had already reached the trust's administrator. Attached was a proposed sale to Northline Development for $2.1 million, far below a recent independent appraisal of $7.8 million. The application claimed Lily needed urgent residential care that Daniel couldn't afford.
It bore his electronic signature.
"I didn't sign that," he said.
Mara turned the page. "Nora's signature is here too."
Daniel called Nora in Seattle. She answered on the second ring.
"Tell me you didn't authorize a sale," he said.
"Of course not. Vanessa called me two weeks ago. I told her no."
"She called you?"
"She said Lily was having violent episodes and you were too ashamed to ask for help. I offered to fly down. She said you'd refuse to see me."
Daniel closed his eyes. He'd spent months believing his daughter's silence meant she was healing. In truth, someone had been teaching her to disappear.
Mara turned another page. "The application includes a psychologist's assessment. Dr. Everett Mercer. He claims he examined Lily in person last Friday."
"Lily was with me all Friday," Daniel said. "We were at the aquarium."
May you like
Mara looked up.
"Then we have a bigger problem. There's a sworn statement saying you brought her to his office."
