Chapter 16 - Dad Finally Speaks
Dad had spent months defending Karen.
Now he became the witness prosecutors needed most.
He handed over bank records.
Medical records.
Texts.
Emails.
Passwords.
It was brutal.
Not because Karen’s lawyer attacked him.
Because every answer forced him to admit how much he had ignored.
At one meeting, the prosecutor asked, “Did your son ever raise concerns about Karen before the nanny-cam footage?”
Dad said, “Yes.”
“How often?”
He swallowed.
“Several times.”
“What did you do?”
“Why?”
The prosecutor paused.
Dad added, “And because admitting he was right would have meant admitting I had let someone mistreat my granddaughter.”
I looked at him.
He did not look away.
The prosecutor asked, “Did you believe your granddaughter was lying?”
“No.”
“Then why did you minimize it?”
Dad’s voice broke.
Nobody spoke.
Afterward, Dad sat in the parking lot.
“That was awful.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
He smiled weakly.
“Thank you.”
Karen’s defense shifted.
They argued Dad was confused from medication.
Then investigators introduced the bottle from the kitchen.
They argued Patricia handled the documents.
Patricia entered a cooperation agreement.
That collapsed too.
They argued Calvin Ross was the organizer.
Ross testified Karen chose Dad as a target.
Then Karen’s lawyer requested a private meeting.
Susan attended.
So did Dad.
I did not.
When Dad came out, he looked exhausted.
“What did she want?”
“To apologize.”
I waited.
“Did she?”
I laughed bitterly.
“No.”
“What did you say?”
Dad looked at me.
“I asked if she was sorry for Lily.”
“And?”
“She said Lily was difficult.”
My chest tightened.
Dad continued.
“That was when I stopped wondering if there was a version of Karen worth saving.”
He opened the car door.
Then paused.
“What?”
“She claims someone else gave her access to Mom’s probate records.”
“Who?”
May you like
Dad swallowed.
“My brother.”
