Chapter 3 - The Petition Filed Before the Crime
By dawn, the blizzard had buried the clinic parking lot beneath three feet of snow.
Emma slept with Snowy tucked under her chin.
Laura did not.
Rebecca Shaw arrived at 5:40 A.M. in snow boots, a wool coat, and the expression of a lawyer who had already found blood in the water.
She placed a thick folder on the table.
“Celeste made one mistake.”
“Only one?”
“One that matters immediately.”
Rebecca opened the guardianship petition.
“She claims she filed because of your behavior tonight.”
Laura frowned.
“That’s impossible. It was filed before I arrived.”
“Exactly.”
The petition had been electronically submitted at 7:18 P.M.
Laura had entered Emma’s room at 8:05.
Rebecca continued.
“Celeste’s declaration says, ‘After witnessing Laura Bennett’s dangerous attempt to remove Emma from necessary care this evening, I had no choice but to seek emergency protection.’”
Laura read it twice.
“She described something that hadn’t happened.”
“She described something she expected to happen.”
Laura looked across the room at her sleeping daughter.
“But I never tried to remove Emma.”
Rebecca’s voice hardened.
“Which means someone expected a false record to create that story.”
Maya entered carrying two cups of coffee and a printed audit report.
“I have more.”
She handed one to Laura.
“The pharmacy label on that zolpidem bottle was printed from the administrative pharmacy terminal at 6:02 P.M.”
“Who accessed it?”
“Administrator override.”
“Harlan?”
“The account belongs to him.”
Rebecca asked, “Could someone else use it?”
“With his password, yes.”
Laura thought of the recorder.
Harlan signs tonight.
“What was the medication bottle supposed to prove?” Laura asked.
Rebecca answered immediately.
“That you were abusing sedatives while making medical decisions for your daughter.”
Maya nodded grimly.
“And if the bottle appeared among Emma’s things, it could be framed as Laura bringing controlled medication into a pediatric room.”
Laura’s jaw tightened.
“They were building a scene.”
The door opened.
Nathan Bennett entered.
Emma’s father.
Laura’s ex-husband looked as if he had driven through hell to get there. Snow clung to his shoulders. His hair was wet.
Laura had called him three times overnight.
He had not answered.
“Where were you?” she demanded.
Nathan ignored the question and went to Emma.
He kissed her forehead.
Only after confirming she was sleeping did he face Laura.
“Celeste called me.”
Laura went still.
“When?”
“Last night.”
“Before or after she threatened our daughter?”
Nathan looked toward Rebecca.
Laura saw guilt.
“When?”
“Before.”
The room seemed to contract.
Rebecca said, “Nathan, you need counsel.”
“I didn’t do anything illegal.”
Laura stepped closer.
“What did she tell you?”
“That Emma wasn’t safe.”
“With me?”
“Yes.”
“And you believed her?”
“I believed there might be a problem.”
Laura laughed once in disbelief.
“What problem?”
Nathan rubbed his face.
“You have been under pressure. The company. Your father. Our divorce.”
“Our divorce was two years ago.”
“And you haven’t exactly been sleeping.”
Laura stared at him.
“You told her about the sleeping pills.”
“You told me.”
“Three years ago.”
Nathan lowered his voice.
“I was worried.”
“No. You were useful.”
Emma moved in bed.
Everyone fell silent.
Nathan said, “I’m not your enemy.”
Laura answered, “Then tell me what Celeste asked you to do.”
He did not.
That was his answer.
Rebecca closed the folder.
“Mr. Bennett, did you sign an affidavit?”
Nathan’s eyes dropped.
Laura felt sick.
“You did.”
“It said I was concerned about your judgment.”
“You haven’t been concerned enough to answer your phone for twelve hours.”
“That isn’t fair.”
“Fair?”
Laura’s voice rose.
“You helped my sister tell a court I’m dangerous to my child.”
Nathan looked toward Emma.
“I thought it might get her transferred to me temporarily.”
Laura understood.
Not Celeste.
Nathan.
Celeste had promised him Emma.
“You wanted custody.”
“I wanted more time with my daughter.”
“So you joined a lie?”
“I did not know it was a lie.”
Rebecca interrupted.
“What did Celeste promise you?”
Nathan’s jaw tightened.
“Nothing.”
Laura knew that expression from their marriage.
It meant he was hiding money.
Before she could push further, Miles appeared at the doorway.
“I need to speak with Laura.”
Rebecca said, “In front of me.”
Miles nodded.
“We checked the security system.”
Laura waited.
“The corridor camera outside the nurses’ station should show whether Emma left her room and whether Celeste met with Owen.”
“Should?”
Miles looked uncomfortable.
“The footage from 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. is missing.”
Maya stared at him.
“Missing?”
“Deleted.”
“By whom?” Laura asked.
Miles hesitated.
“An administrator account.”
“Harlan?”
“No.”
Laura’s stomach sank.
“Whose?”
Miles turned his tablet toward them.
Security Administrator: M. Keane
His own login.
Nathan stepped back.
Rebecca studied Miles carefully.
“You deleted it?”
“No.”
“Your credentials did.”
Miles looked at Laura.
“Someone used my account.”
Celeste’s voice came from the corridor.
“Or perhaps Miles is trying to protect you.”
She entered with Dr. Harlan and two attorneys.
One of them handed Rebecca a document.
“Emergency hearing moved to nine A.M.”
Celeste looked at Emma, then at Laura.
“You should prepare yourself.”
“For what?”
“To explain why every system in this building seems to show you endangering your own child.”
Laura stared at her.
Then her phone vibrated.
A notification from Vale Peak Resorts.
SPECIAL BOARD MEETING — 11:00 A.M.
Agenda:
Temporary removal of Laura Bennett as Chair and Chief Executive Officer pending investigation into conduct affecting the Vale family trust.
Laura looked up.
Celeste smiled.
The guardianship case had never been only about Emma.
May you like
It was about the company.
And Celeste had scheduled the takeover two hours after the court hearing.
