Chapter 19 - THE HEARING NO ONE EXPECTED
The preliminary court hearing concerning Sarah's petition returned the following week.
By then her lawyer had withdrawn the emergency allegations and informed the court that Sarah would not pursue control of my finances.
The judge addressed the withdrawal, then the pending requests for costs and protective arrangements.
Sarah sat two benches away from me.
She kept her gaze lowered.
Greg arrived unexpectedly and attempted to sit beside her.
She asked him not to.
He smiled for the room, but the muscle in his jaw began to jump.
Afterward, outside the courthouse, a reporter approached asking whether our family dispute was connected to an old warehouse investigation.
I offered no comment.
Someone had leaked the story.
Within hours local blogs published my name, my age, and a photograph of my house.
One called Sarah a cruel daughter.
Another suggested I was a wealthy mother punishing a troubled child.
Neither knew the whole truth.
I refused interview requests.
I was not interested in turning my injury into entertainment.
Then the county prosecutor announced additional charges in connection with forged business records, subject to the evidence available.
The announcement named Greg and a former corporate officer, but did not name Vale.
I expected him to feel untouchable.
Instead I received a hand-delivered letter from his attorney proposing a private settlement of unspecified family claims.
Michael read it and shook his head.
"This is designed to purchase silence without clearly saying so."
I refused.
That night someone shattered the side window of David's car.
Nothing was stolen.
On the passenger seat, weighted beneath a stone, lay a copy of Thomas's letter to Sarah.
Across the paper somebody had stamped a single word in red.
May you like
TRAITOR.
