Chapter 9 - The Empty Bed
Adrian called the clinic immediately. The receptionist said Evelyn had been transferred to another facility on the request of her legal representative. No one could tell him where.
He drove to the clinic with Naomi and Marisol, arriving as the night supervisor was locking the records office. Adrian demanded the transfer papers. The supervisor refused until Marisol showed her legal credentials and explained that an emergency welfare concern had been reported.
The file listed a facility called Pine Ridge Recovery Center. It was a small residential care home two counties away, with no connection to Evelyn’s usual doctors.
“She isn’t married to me yet,” Adrian said. “She has no authority to move my mother.”
Marisol photographed the form and called the trust administrator. The administrator confirmed that Celeste had submitted a document claiming Evelyn had appointed her temporary medical representative. The signature looked similar to Evelyn’s, but the document had never been independently verified.
Adrian insisted on seeing her. After several minutes, the director appeared, irritated and evasive. He said the transfer was private and threatened to call the police.
A county deputy arrived and checked the records. The center was licensed, but the transfer paperwork was incomplete. He ordered the director to allow an independent welfare check.
Evelyn was found awake in a room at the end of the hall, frightened and fully aware of who had brought her there. She clutched Adrian’s hand and whispered, “Celeste said you’d agreed to send me away.”
As they helped Evelyn gather her coat, a car sped out of the parking lot. Naomi saw Celeste behind the wheel.
The deputy radioed the license plate.
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Then Evelyn gripped Adrian’s sleeve.
“She has the original document,” she whispered. “The one that can take everything.”
