Chapter 5 - The Signature
The deputy did not handcuff Claire. That made the arrest feel more dangerous. They drove her to Coyote Wash Clinic while Daniel followed in his truck.
Rosa slipped away through the station’s rear door with the hard drives. Claire watched her disappear into the scrub and prayed she had not been seen. At the clinic, Silas led Claire into an examination room with a paper-covered table and a security camera in the corner.
“You are not under arrest,” he said.
“Then why is there a deputy outside?”
“For everyone’s safety.”
“Whose?”
Silas opened the forged report.
“You have experienced a traumatic loss. Your husband’s death has intensified preexisting paranoia.”
“I have no preexisting paranoia.”
“That is precisely what people say when they lack insight.”
Claire leaned forward.
“You altered my medical history.”
Silas did not blink.
“You are confused.”
The door opened. Ethan stood in the hall with his face swollen from lack of sleep.
“You signed the transfer,” Claire said.
He looked at the floor. Silas gestured toward him.
“Your brother understands that Wren requires stability.”
“Ethan, look at me.”
He did.
“Did you sign something that gave Vivian control of my daughter?”
“It was temporary.”
“Did you know the medical report was false?”
His mouth trembled.
“I knew it was not the whole truth.”
Claire laughed once.
“That is what cowards call a lie when they want to sleep.”
Ethan flinched. Silas placed another document on the table.
“Your brother signed a consent allowing a neurological evaluation.”
“I will not consent.”
“You already did.”
Claire saw her signature at the bottom of the page. It was hers. The same slanted C.
The same hard line beneath her name. But Claire had not signed it.
“Where did you get this?”
Silas folded his hands.
“From your husband.”
That answer stopped her.
“Nolan signed it?”
“He requested that you receive treatment after his death.”
For one terrible moment, Claire wondered whether Nolan had truly believed she was unstable. Maybe his secrecy had not been protection. Maybe he had been building evidence against her and calling it love.
Silas saw the doubt enter her face.
“Grief makes people create enemies,” he said softly.
“You can choose to recover, Claire. Or you can make us protect Wren from you.”
The door slammed open. Daniel stood there, breathing hard.
“The order is invalid.”
Silas turned.
“You should not interfere.”
“The judge signed a custody petition, not an involuntary treatment order.”
“You are a Vale.”
“Today I am her attorney.”
Claire stared at him.
“You are my attorney?”
“I filed an emergency notice this morning.”
Silas smiled.
“Your father will enjoy hearing about that.” “My father does not control the law.” “No,” Silas said.
“He controls the people who write it.”
The deputy stepped inside. Daniel moved between him and Claire. For several seconds, no one moved.
Then the clinic alarm began to ring. Rosa’s voice came through the intercom.
“Claire, get out now. The records room is on fire.”
Smoke curled beneath the door. Daniel grabbed Claire’s hand. Ethan seized the file.
They ran through the rear corridor as sprinklers burst overhead. At the end of the hall, a nurse pushed open an emergency exit. Rosa stood beyond it, soaked from the rainless sprinkler spray, one hard drive tucked beneath her jacket.
“Where is Wren?” Claire asked.
Rosa’s face changed.
“Vivian moved her to the Vale compound,” she said.
May you like
“But that is not the worst part.”
She held out the hard drive. Across its label, Nolan had written in black marker:BLUEBIRD—ORIGINAL AUTHOR: CLAIRE MERCER.
