Chapter 2 - THE ENVELOPE IN THE VAN
"That isn't Julian's handwriting," Vanessa announced before anyone asked her.
It was. I knew the way my son crossed his capital J, the impatient slant of his letters, the crooked E he had made since kindergarten.
Theo brought the envelope inside wearing gloves. Behind him, Garrick was protesting that he was only following instructions.
"Who hired the van?" I asked.
Vanessa folded her arms. "A private placement agency. Maya needs stability. You were incapacitated, and her father is gone."
"She's three. She needs people who love her."
"I love her."
Maya pressed her face into my jacket. Her small body told the truth Vanessa's mouth wouldn't.
A deputy arrived with a uniformed officer. Vanessa rushed toward them, complaining that I'd disrupted her event and frightened the child. She had recovered her manners with remarkable speed.
"Ma'am," the deputy said to me, "do you have legal custody?"
"Her father named me backup guardian in his estate documents. My attorney is bringing certified copies."
"I have newer documents," Vanessa snapped.
From her silver clutch, she produced a court order bearing a raised seal. It appointed her guardian and allowed an overseas educational placement.
I read the date. It was signed during the week I had been heavily sedated in Switzerland.
"Who filed this?"
"Our family attorney. Mr. Halden."
Of course. Everett Halden had handled Swift affairs for eighteen years. He had also stopped returning my calls after Julian disappeared.
The officer glanced at the paper. "We need to verify this before anyone moves the child."
"Verify the bruises too," I said. "And the child's statement."
I told Theo to preserve the camera footage and the van's contents for investigators, and let the officers do their work. I was not going to give Vanessa an excuse to call this another family power struggle.
When the guests were finally directed toward the exits, a woman in a server's uniform approached me, trembling.
Her name was Rosa Alvarez. She'd raised Julian almost as much as I had.
"Mrs. Swift," she whispered, "they've been locking the little girl downstairs. I tried to tell someone."
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"Why didn't you call me?"
Rosa's eyes filled. "Because Mr. Halden showed me a death certificate. Yours."
