Chapter 3 - The Shell Game
The sun rose on Christmas Day, but there was nothing to celebrate.
I left the police station and took my children to a secure hotel downtown.
I refused to go back to the house where my parents had betrayed me.
My lawyer, a fierce woman named Sarah, met us at the hotel at noon.
"David’s fake custody order was a brilliant forgery," Sarah explained, reviewing the documents.
"He bribed a court clerk in Nevada to stamp it, making it look completely legitimate."
"If Caleb hadn't spoken up about the passports, the police would have forced you to hand the kids over."
I hugged Caleb tightly, tears streaming down my face.
My brave ten-year-old boy had saved all of us.
"What about my father?" I asked Sarah.
"Arthur is facing federal charges for corporate fraud," Sarah replied grimly.
"David funneled illegal money through your father’s company, and Arthur turned a blind eye to get that six-hundred-thousand-dollar bailout."
"And the baby?" I asked, thinking of Elena.
"The guardianship papers are fraudulent, but it will take months to untangle in family court," Sarah warned.
Suddenly, my cell phone rang.
It was an unknown number, but my gut told me to answer it.
"Hello?" I said cautiously.
"Rachel, it's David," the voice sneered through the receiver.
My blood ran cold.
"How are you calling me from jail?" I demanded.
May you like
"I made bail an hour ago," he laughed darkly.
"You really thought a local police department could hold me?"
