Chapter 9 - Claire's Warning
The police station was bright,
and smelled of cheap coffee.
I sat at a metal desk,
wrapped in a wool blanket,
while a detective took my statement.
I gave him the phone,
the video,
and the ledger.
"This is fraud,"
I explained,
wiping mud from my cheek.
"My husband and father are stealing millions."
The detective looked at the documents,
then looked at me,
with a strange expression.
"Mrs. Lawson,"
he said carefully,
"we received a report about you."
"An hour ago."
"From your husband."
I frowned,
a bad feeling rising.
"What report?"
"He filed a missing person report,"
the detective said,
"stating you had a nervous breakdown."
"He claims you took your son,"
"under a delusional episode,"
"and that you are a danger to him."
"Look at the video!"
I shouted,
pointing at the phone.
"Look at the ledger!"
"We will investigate,"
the detective replied,
"but your husband has a court order."
"A temporary emergency custody order."
"Signed by a judge."
My breath hitched.
How did he get a judge to sign,
at four in the morning?
Then I remembered.
My father's college roommate,
was Judge Vance.
The corruption was complete.
They used the system,
to strip me of my child.
Suddenly,
my phone buzzed on the desk.
A text message from Claire.
I grabbed it before the detective could.
"Ethan is planning to take Noah out of the country,"
the text read.
"He lied to me too."
"He's using River Stone to flee."
"Go to the airport, Emma."
"I'm sorry."
I stared at the screen.
Was it another trap?
Or was Claire finally feeling guilty?
I looked at the detective,
who was distracted by a phone call.
I looked at Noah,
who was coloring with a crayon.
If I stayed here,
they would take Noah away from me,
and put me in a psychiatric ward.
I couldn't let that happen.
I stood up quietly.
"I need to use the restroom,"
I said.
The detective nodded,
not looking up.
I grabbed Noah's hand,
walked down the hallway,
and slipped out the side exit,
into the pouring rain.
May you like
I had to get to the airport.
Before my son was gone forever.
