Chapter 9 - RACHEL’S FIRST INTERVIEWRachel chose attorney Pamela Reid.
Experienced.
Controlled.
Her advice to Rachel was obvious:
Stop speaking directly to Thomas.
Stop contacting Emily.
Do not delete anything.
Rachel ignored the second instruction almost immediately.
She texted Emily:
I’m sorry your father scared you into saying things. I still love you.
Thomas saw the message through the child-safety plan.
Eleanor documented it.
Rachel’s attorney was furious.
Then Rachel gave her formal account.
The patio activity was a game.
Emily voluntarily participated.
Lucas was too young to understand.
Rachel admitted using behavior charts.
Denied forced physical punishment.
Admitted researching Redwood Ridge.
Claimed Thomas knew.
Denied forging his signature.
Claimed administrative staff must have applied an electronic signature automatically.
Admitted contacting Vanessa Cole.
Denied any improper financial motive.
The fake therapist letters?
Rachel said Vanessa provided them.
Vanessa said Rachel did.
The two sisters began separating immediately.
Thomas watched the interview recording.
Rachel cried when discussing family life.
Not fake tears necessarily.
That bothered him.
He had loved her.
There had been real mornings.
Vacations.
Illnesses.
Birthdays.
Rachel cared for him after surgery.
She sat beside Emily during a fever.
She taught Lucas to ride a bike.
People were not one thing.
Eleanor noticed Thomas’s expression.
“You can believe she loved parts of your family and still believe she harmed Emily.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Thomas did not answer.
He wanted Rachel transformed into a monster because monsters were easier.
Then he would not have to reconcile memories.
But real harm often came from people capable of warmth.
Rachel’s explanation of Emily was consistent:
Emily rejected her.
Emily resented Lucas.
Emily manipulated Thomas through grief.
Rachel claimed she tried everything.
Love.
Therapy.
Structure.
Consequences.
Finally residential help.
Pamela asked:
“Did you ever force Emily to crawl?”
Rachel hesitated.
“No.”
“Did you tell her to?”
“It was a game.”
“Did you tell Lucas to sit on her?”
“Not exactly.”
Thomas froze the recording.
Not exactly.
Pamela pressed.
“What did you say?”
“I said if Emily wanted to show she could be a good sport, she could give Lucas a horse ride.”
“Did Emily refuse?”
“At first.”
“What happened?”
“I told her refusing would cost points.”
“So participation was tied to punishment.”
Rachel became irritated.
“All parenting involves consequences.”
Pamela paused.
Then asked:
“Why did you laugh?”
Rachel’s face changed.
Thomas leaned closer.
“You can see in Thomas’s description that he says you were laughing.”
“I was trying to make it light.”
“Emily was crying.”
“She cries easily.”
Pamela’s expression became colder.
Not dramatic.
Professional.
“That answer is going to be a problem.”
Rachel knew.
Her face changed.
For the first time, Thomas saw fear—not of him, not of being exposed as a villain, but of losing the story she had carefully controlled.
Because facts sounded different when another adult repeated them back.
A ten-year-old cried from knee pain.
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Rachel laughed.
There was no elegant vocabulary for that.
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