Chapter 4 - The Visitor
Cole arrived carrying a stuffed reindeer bigger than either baby.
He smiled at the nurse, introduced himself as their father, and asked careful questions in a soft, worried voice Lauren barely recognized.
Then the nurse stepped away.
“Where is he?”
Lauren stood beside Owen's bassinet.
“Who?”
“Don't do that. The doorman saw Reed's car.”
“Daniel helped us wait for the ambulance.”
Cole set the reindeer on a chair.
“A convicted thief helped my wife take my children out of our home. You understand how that sounds?”
“I understand how you want it to sound.”
For a second, his smile slipped.
“Come home when they're discharged. We can fix this.”
“Did you restrict the account?”
“I reported suspicious activity. You were behaving irrationally.”
“I was trying to pay for a ride.”
“And now you're humiliating me.”
June stirred. Lauren lowered her voice.
“You can ask about your children. You can speak to their doctor. You cannot stand here threatening me.”
He reached toward the phone beside her.
She picked it up first.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
The word surprised them both.
A hospital social worker appeared in the doorway. Lauren had asked to speak with her while Cole was parking.
“Everything all right?” the woman asked.
Cole turned smoothly.
“My wife's exhausted. We're having a difficult morning.”
“Then we should give her some room.”
He looked back at Lauren.
“Think very carefully before you make a permanent mistake.”
He left the reindeer behind.
An hour later, attorney Maya Ortiz arrived. Daniel had called his lawyer, who referred Lauren to her. Maya explained that Lauren needed her own advice, separate from Daniel's case.
“You may have interests that conflict,” she said. “Helping him doesn't mean giving up your own protection.”
Lauren liked her immediately.
They documented the messages, the bank restriction, the hospital timeline. Maya arranged a supervised visit to retrieve necessities when possible.
Then she asked the difficult question.
“Have you ever signed something you knew wasn't true?”
Lauren looked toward her babies.
“I told investigators I reviewed the transfers myself.”
“Had you?”
“No.”
Maya's pen stopped.
May you like
Outside the window, Christmas daylight turned the snow a blinding white.
“Then,” Maya said carefully, “we need to discuss your exposure before you make another statement.”
