Chapter 8 - A MOTHER WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BELIEVEMegan wanted another explanation.
Any explanation.
A misunderstanding.
A damaged camera.
An old lock accidentally catching.
A frightened child misreading footsteps.
A grandmother panicking.
Anything except what every new detail suggested.
She had loved Evelyn once.
Not like a mother.
But like family.
Evelyn had held Caitlyn hours after she was born.
She had sat beside Ethan through chemotherapy appointments before the infection that unexpectedly killed him.
She had brought casseroles when Megan could not get out of bed after the funeral.
People were complicated.
Grief changed people.
Money changed people.
But did either change a person enough to listen while a child screamed inside a burning room?
Megan could not make herself believe it.
Not completely.
Then Evelyn came to the hospital.
Caitlyn was sitting upright eating crackers when her grandmother entered.
No one had told Megan she was coming.
Evelyn carried a stuffed bear.
“Sweetheart.”
Caitlyn’s entire body changed.
Her shoulders rose.
Her eyes widened.
She moved backward until she hit the headboard.
Megan stood instantly.
“Evelyn.”
“I came to see my granddaughter.”
“Not now.”
Evelyn’s face folded into grief.
“Megan, please.”
Caitlyn grabbed her mother’s sleeve.
“Mommy.”
Megan looked down.
Caitlyn was trembling.
Something inside Megan settled.
No more uncertainty.
Whatever the investigation eventually proved, Caitlyn was afraid.
That was enough.
Megan stepped between them.
“You need to leave.”
Evelyn stared.
“You’re keeping her from me?”
“She doesn’t want you here.”
“She’s confused.”
Megan’s voice sharpened.
“Stop saying that.”
“She’s been traumatized.”
“Yes.”
The room went quiet.
Evelyn’s face hardened.
“By a fire.”
Megan looked directly at her.
“And by whoever left her behind that locked door.”
Evelyn’s hand tightened around the stuffed bear.
“You have no idea what happened.”
“Then tell me.”
“I already did.”
“No. You’ve given three different versions.”
“I was terrified.”
“You said you thought Caitlyn left with me.”
“I did.”
“I told you she was asleep upstairs.”
“I forgot.”
“You forgot a seven-year-old child was sleeping in the house?”
“I was upset after our argument.”
Caitlyn whispered:
“You heard me.”
Evelyn looked past Megan.
“Sweetheart—”
“Don’t.”
Megan stepped closer.
“Do not talk to her.”
Evelyn stared at Megan as if she had been slapped.
“She is my son’s child.”
“She is my daughter.”
“And Ethan would be ashamed of what you’re doing.”
For one second Megan almost lost control.
Then she remembered Caitlyn watching.
She lowered her voice.
“Leave.”
Evelyn’s eyes glistened.
“I lost my son.”
“So did I.”
“You got his house.”
Megan went still.
Evelyn realized too late what she had said.
The room seemed to shrink.
Megan whispered:
“There it is.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
“You walked into your granddaughter’s hospital room and somehow Ethan’s house came out of your mouth.”
“Megan—”
“Get out.”
A nurse appeared at the door.
Evelyn placed the stuffed bear on a chair.
Caitlyn immediately shook her head.
“I don’t want it.”
The words broke something in Evelyn’s expression.
For the first time, she looked genuinely wounded.
But Megan no longer cared whether that wound was real.
Evelyn left.
Caitlyn remained silent for several minutes.
Then she asked:
“Is Grandma mad at me?”
Megan sat beside her.
“No.”
“She looked mad.”
“She’s upset.”
“Because I told?”
Megan took Caitlyn’s hand.
“No one is allowed to make you feel guilty for telling the truth.”
“What if she doesn’t love me anymore?”
Megan’s throat tightened.
“That isn’t something you caused.”
Caitlyn looked down.
“Daddy loved me.”
“Yes.”
“He would’ve opened the door.”
Megan nearly broke.
“Yes.”
That night, Detective Bennett called.
“We received preliminary information from the trust administrator.”
Megan walked into the hallway.
“What?”
“Evelyn attempted to obtain detailed account information twice.”
“I know.”
“There’s another part.”
Megan waited.
“She submitted documentation describing herself as Caitlyn’s ‘anticipated guardian.’”
“What?”
“It wasn’t accepted. She had no legal standing.”
“When did she send it?”
Laura told her.
Six days before the fire.
Megan pressed her back against the wall.
“She had already started describing herself as Caitlyn’s guardian.”
“Yes.”
“But I was alive. I had custody.”
“Yes.”
Megan closed her eyes.
Laura continued.
“And there’s something else we’re trying to obtain.”
“What?”
“A draft court filing.”
Megan opened her eyes.
“What filing?”
“A petition for guardianship.”
May you like
The detective paused.
“It appears Evelyn was preparing to ask a court to take Caitlyn away from you before the fire ever happened.”
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