Chapter 10 - The Trial Before the Surgery
Maisie needed open-heart surgery within twenty-four hours.
Dr. Shah explained the risks in a private consultation room.
Evelyn sat beside Jace.
Their wet clothes had been replaced with hospital scrubs.
Neither of them had slept.
“The medication caused additional stress to her heart.”
Dr. Shah placed the scans on the screen.
“The valve is failing.”
“What happens if we wait?”
Evelyn already knew the answer.
Dr. Shah did not soften it.
“She may not survive another episode.”
“Then operate.”
Jace spoke immediately.
Dr. Shah looked troubled.
“There is a legal issue.”
Jace stared at her.
“What legal issue?”
“Conrad’s attorneys filed an emergency injunction before his arrest.”
A court order had frozen all major decisions concerning Maisie.
The hearing would take place at nine that morning.
Until then, no one could authorize surgery.
Evelyn stood so quickly that her chair fell backward.
“They are going to let her die through paperwork.”
Jace picked up the order.
The presiding judge was Martin Vale.
Judge Vale had served on the Mercer Foundation board for fifteen years.
He owed his career to Conrad.
“This is not a hearing.”
Jace folded the paper.
“It is another trap.”
At nine, the hospital conference room became a temporary courtroom.
Judge Vale appeared through a secure video link.
Conrad attended from police custody.
He wore handcuffs but still looked composed.
His attorney argued that Evelyn was mentally unstable.
He described her years of hiding as proof of paranoia.
He presented medical records claiming she had repeatedly refused treatment for Maisie.
Evelyn stared at the documents.
“They are false.”
The attorney continued.
He showed photographs of shelters.
Cheap apartments.
A motel room.
Each image had been selected to make Evelyn appear reckless.
Jace’s lawyer objected.
Judge Vale overruled him.
Then Conrad’s attorney introduced a paternity report.
The result stated that Jace was not Maisie’s biological father.
Silence filled the room.
Evelyn looked at Jace.
“I never lied to you.”
Jace looked at the report.
The laboratory was one used by the hospital.
The signature belonged to a respected geneticist.
Judge Vale spoke.
“Without confirmed paternity, Mr. Mercer has no standing.”
Jace’s lawyer whispered urgently.
“If the court accepts this, Conrad remains legal guardian.”
Conrad leaned toward the camera.
“Evelyn deceived everyone.”
Maisie lay unconscious two floors above them.
Every wasted minute brought her closer to death.
Evelyn’s voice shook.
“Test him again.”
Conrad’s attorney smiled.
“The child is too unstable for unnecessary procedures.”
Jace reached into his pocket.
He removed a bloodstained piece of gauze collected after the river rescue.
Maisie’s blood.
Then he placed his own sample beside it.
“Run it now.”
Judge Vale struck his desk.
“I will not permit unauthorized testing.”
The conference room door opened.
Dr. Shah entered with Detective Ortiz.
A nervous laboratory technician followed them.
The technician placed an envelope on the table.
“I performed the original test last night.”
Conrad’s face changed for the first time.
The technician continued.
“The result submitted to the court was replaced in our system.”
She opened the envelope.
“The authentic probability of paternity is 99.9998 percent.”
Jace looked at Evelyn.
She closed her eyes in relief.
The judge remained silent.
Detective Ortiz held up a warrant.
“We also traced the digital alteration.”
She looked directly at Judge Vale.
May you like
“It came from an account registered to your chambers.”
The judge’s screen suddenly went black.
