Chapter 8 - The Petition
The petition had never been filed.
That was the only good news.
Megan obtained a draft from the lawyer Lauren had consulted, a man named Peter Sloan.
He called us himself after realizing the signatures in Lauren's packet were disputed.
"I was told this was a cooperative family plan," he said. "I was also told Major Walker supported it."
"He didn't," I said.
Peter sounded sick. "Then you need copies of everything she gave me."
The packet was ninety-three pages.
Photos of me crying at Mom's kitchen table.
Screenshots of texts where I said I was exhausted.
A picture of Emma with a bruise on her knee from crawling into the coffee table.
Notes about missed calls.
Receipts for wine I had bought for a neighborhood dinner, labeled "frequent alcohol purchase."
Every normal moment of a hard first year had been rearranged into evidence against me.
Then James found a photograph that made him sit forward.
It showed our bedroom window from outside.
The date was during his deployment.
"Who took this?" he asked.
Peter checked the index.
"Submitted by Lauren. She said she was conducting a welfare check."
I remembered that night.
Someone had knocked around ten. By the time I reached the door, nobody was there.
James's voice went flat. "She was watching the house."
Peter hesitated.
"There's more."
He forwarded an audio file.
Lauren's voice played through the speaker.
"If Rachel has another episode while James is gone, we move immediately. Mom will support us. Dad will too."
A man's voice asked, "And the trust?"
Lauren replied, "Once I have temporary custody, I can force the issue."
I felt the blood drain from my face.
James stopped the recording.
"Who is the man?"
May you like
Peter answered quietly.
"Your father's financial adviser."
