Chapter 2
Ione had not been physically injured.
That was the first good thing Theron learned.
Dr. Emily Carson examined her that evening.
No bruising suggesting assault.
No untreated injuries.
No signs of neglect during Theron’s trip.
She was tired.
Humiliated.
Scared that she no longer had a bedroom.
Emotionally, the situation was more troubling.
Child psychologist Dana Reeves spoke with Ione alone.
Theron waited outside.
He hated every minute.
He stayed there anyway.
Dana came out forty minutes later.
“She believes she is being sent away.”
Theron’s jaw tightened.
“Who told her?”
“She says Melisande.”
“What exactly?”
“That Daddy works too much, Aunt Corinne needs the house more, and Northfield has adults who don’t leave for jobs.”
Theron closed his eyes.
Dana continued.
“Ione also believes you agreed.”
“I didn’t.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“She says Melisande showed her a paper with your name.”
The forged guardianship consent.
Theron looked through the glass panel toward his daughter.
“What else?”
“She says Corinne has been telling Miles the bedroom will be his after the weekend.”
Theron rubbed his face.
“Did either of them hurt her?”
“Not according to what she has told me.”
“Threats?”
“Mostly abandonment language.”
Theron looked up.
“What does that mean?”
“Things like, ‘Your father keeps choosing work,’ and ‘Maybe you need a family that stays home.’”
His expression hardened.
Dana raised a hand.
“Do not discuss this with Ione tonight.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“Good.”
She continued.
“There’s something else.”
Ione said Melisande knew when Theron was coming home before Ione did.
That made sense.
Theron’s employer used a family safety system for field crews.
When workers traveled overnight, designated emergency contacts received itinerary changes.
Theron had kept Melisande listed after Laurel’s death.
He never removed her.
If the bridge project ended early, she got the automatic update.
Today, his crew was released six hours ahead of schedule.
Melisande received notice at 12:18 p.m.
Theron arrived at 2:04.
Dana asked:
“Did you tell anyone else you were coming early?”
“No.”
“Corinne?”
“No.”
The driveway sale began at 1:10.
One hour after Melisande learned he was returning early.
Theron stared.
“You think they put everything outside because I was coming?”
Dana shook her head.
“I don’t think anything yet.”
Right.
Evidence first.
His attorney, Mara Ellison, arrived next.
She reviewed the guardianship packet.
“Your signature looks copied.”
“It is.”
“How do you know?”
“The R crosses differently.”
She smiled faintly.
“Of course you know your R.”
“I sign construction contracts for a living.”
Mara turned to the last page.
The notary block was blank.
That mattered.
The consent had not been completed properly.
But another document worried her more.
A drafted emergency guardianship petition.
Not filed.
Yet.
It alleged:
Theron repeatedly left Ione for extended periods.
Ione suffered worsening emotional instability.
Theron had become “increasingly volatile when relatives raised concerns.”
Melisande provided the only stable residence.
And Theron had already consented temporarily before “abruptly reversing position.”
Mara looked at him.
“That last part is important.”
“Why?”
“Because if you deny signing the consent, they could claim you signed and then changed your mind.”
“They’d still need proof.”
“Yes.”
“And a judge would call me.”
“Probably.”
“So this isn’t going anywhere.”
Mara looked at him.
“Under normal conditions, probably not.”
He frowned.
“What conditions aren’t normal?”
She pointed to another page.
The filing packet included a section titled:
Recent Incident Demonstrating Parental Instability
It was empty.
Theron stared at the blank space.
Then he thought of Corinne’s handbags sinking into muddy water.
May you like
Mara saw the same thought.
Neither said it yet.
