Chapter 4: Checkmate
David pulled his smartphone from his pocket and tapped the screen. A video began to play. The audio was crystal clear, echoing off the high ceilings of the entryway.
"Drink it. Your son signed everything over to me before he deployed."
Sarah’s face turned the color of ash. Her slick lawyer suddenly stepped away from her, looking profoundly uncomfortable.
"You see," David said, his voice dripping with venom, "when you leave the two most precious things in your life behind—your home and your mother—you take precautions. High-definition, motion-activated, cloud-backed security precautions. I have six months of footage, Sarah. Every slap. Every threat. Every time you starved her."
"That's—that's illegal!" Sarah gasped, her voice shrill with terror. "You can't record me without my consent!"
"In this state? In my own home? Yes, I absolutely can," David smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I didn't just call a divorce lawyer, Sarah. I called the police. And the District Attorney."
May you like
Right on cue, the red and blue flashing lights of two police cruisers painted the front windows of the house.
Her lawyer immediately raised his hands. "I am officially withdrawing as your counsel, ma'am. Have a good day." He practically sprinted out the front door, leaving Sarah entirely alone.
