Chapter 5 - THE JUDGE
Judge Malcolm Reed had served Davidson County for twenty-six years.
Respected.
Photographed with governors.
Known for child-welfare rulings.
Emily pulled his docket history.
Over seven years, Reed signed eighty-nine emergency guardianship orders connected to Harbor Family Services.
Twenty-three children had significant trusts.
Seventeen families later lost control of those funds.
Daniel Grant had audited twelve of them before he died.
Sarah stared at the screen.
"Daniel told me he found a pattern."
"Did he name Reed?"
"No. He said if he told me too much, I could become evidence."
At the time, Sarah was angry.
Now she understood.
Daniel was trying to keep her outside the conspiracy.
It had not worked.
Charlotte Bennett gave a statement.
Four years earlier, after her father died, her mother fought with Ryan Bennett.
Ryan was her uncle.
Not Ryan Miller.
His real name was Ryan Bennett.
He claimed Charlotte and Noah's mother was unstable.
Judge Reed granted emergency custody to Ryan.
Harbor moved the children.
Their mother was later found dead from an overdose.
Charlotte whispered, "She didn't use drugs."
Emily thought of Sarah's fake prescriptions.
Same pattern.
Then Charlotte said Ryan stopped visiting after the trust money ran low.
He returned six weeks ago.
"He said he had two new kids."
Ethan and Lucy.
Sarah's face crumpled.
Ryan had not chosen her because she was lonely.
He chose her because Daniel's children had money.
Then Emily received Daniel's old crash file.
His car left Interstate 40 at high speed.
No skid marks.
Mechanical report:
Brake failure.
Company that inspected the vehicle afterward:
Hale Automotive Consulting.
Owned by Dr. Stephen Hale's brother.
Sarah stared.
"Daniel's psychiatrist was connected to the car?"
Not Daniel's psychiatrist.
Hers.
Placed in her life after Daniel died.
Emily looked at Collins.
"We need Hale."
But Stephen Hale had already left his office.
Security footage showed him carrying two suitcases.
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At 2:14 p.m., his car entered the private garage beneath Judge Reed's courthouse.
And never came back out.
